The official 2010 Spring wildflowers thread...

Flowers have been coming out in my area a little over a week earlier than last year, and people in southern areas should be on the lookout for Colt's foot, hepatica and early violets after the next warm spell, whenever that may be...

The past few years, these threads have been incredibly helpful in highlighting flower identification, chronology, and locations. To help brush up the skills until we get some fresh flowers...enjoy the last few years!

Happy hunting...and happy spring!

From 2009
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29309

From 2008
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21925

From 2007
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=16638





Not long now...

Trailing arbutus was well-budded in the lower reaches of the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail last weekend.

Not wild, but always a good sign:

w7xman said:

Please move all posts to:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35317

And ignore this thread!

Click to expand...

No, ignore this posting. This is the better place for the flower thread.

I hesitate to start this while people are still collecting their March grid peaks (and jn316 and I were carrying our snowshoes), but the flowers were out!

Hepatica, Bald Knob, Ossipees, 3-26


Coltsfoot, Newcastle, 3-25
You can see why I didn't get a close-up...

Nothing yet...

but I found this link

http://www.state.me.us/doc/parks/Pubs/AWWBroc/AWW6.html#Stream

Below the falls, the stream continues flowing over three ledges before leveling out. During the low water of summer, exposed gravel bars are crowded with large purple-fringed orchis, swamp candles, and tall meadow rue.

I've planned a trip around these flowers blooming.

Pawtuckaway is awake!

Kevin and I hiked through Pawtuckaway this morning. Lots of hepatica is now in bloom, but little else. Found some trillium still in the stalk phase. No bloodroot or anything else in bloom. Found one big Blanding's turtle.

Here's the hepatica:

Flower?

The Hepatica was beautiful in Pawtuckaway today, but the real find as Jim mentioned was the Blanding's Turtle. If I name her Flower can she be in this thread?


KDT

I love the Hepatica shots. Very sharp!

Buds on a maple tree:

I always look forward to this thread!
I have seen coltsfoot, and lungwort in the Upper Valley. Also some places where bloodroot will bloom in a couple days.
I wonder how long until I see Trout lilies and spring beauties?
Last year, I saw my first trout lily on 4/23. I'm pretty sure we'll beat that! I think we're about 2 weeks ahead of last year....

A few croci near our house:

Found these in the woods behind the house yesterday.

Skunk Cabbage


Periwinkle


JohnL

Not just flowers, wildlife too!

Oh, I am so bummed! Pat took Leo out for a walk at Arlington Great Meadows this a.m., and they ran into a huge snapping turtle which was strolling across the Lexington Christian Academy playing fields. It did not welcome Leo's "let's play" overtures. Pat forgot to take the camera in spite of my usual reminder, "you never know what you might see!"

JohnL said:

Found these in the woods behind the house yesterday.


JohnL

Click to expand...

Great shots John,

Can I ask where abouts you are located...just curious how far north the periwinkle made it so far...

RickB. said:

I hesitate to start this while people are still collecting their March grid peaks

Click to expand...

March grid peaks? What is that? Sounds like yet another list. Whatever...

Cool pics I have yet to see Colt's foot or hepatica. I'm determined to score both of these this spring. I did see some yellow violets today along a stream on the SW flank of Wildcat Mtn. I took the lift to the top and bushwacked off the Wildcat Valley Trail.

Any tips on finding either of these much appreciated.

happy spring Go Sox

I'm not very good at taking pics of flowers, but here is a crocus I saw the other day.

w7xman said:

Can I ask where abouts you are located...just curious how far north the periwinkle made it so far...

Click to expand...

Chelmsford, MA

This one was in a 10' x 20' patch along a little used walkway near a stream.

JohnL

forestgnome said:

March grid peaks? What is that? Sounds like yet another list. Whatever...

Cool pics I have yet to see Colt's foot or hepatica. I'm determined to score both of these this spring. I did see some yellow violets today along a stream on the SW flank of Wildcat Mtn. I took the lift to the top and bushwacked off the Wildcat Valley Trail.

Any tips on finding either of these much appreciated.

happy spring Go Sox

Click to expand...

Colt's foot is very common, shouldn't be too hard. I found some early last year in the wet areas on the side of the road between N.C and the entrance to hurricane mountain road.

Hepatica...that's a bit tougher...not common as far as location, but abundant where it grows. I've had poor luck in the whites, but some south facing slopes in the ossipees and the areas around squam are a bit more prevalent. Check the string of threads from the last few years too...

forestgnome said:

Cool pics I have yet to see Colt's foot or hepatica. I'm determined to score both of these this spring. I did see some yellow violets today along a stream on the SW flank of Wildcat Mtn. I took the lift to the top and bushwacked off the Wildcat Valley Trail.

Any tips on finding either of these much appreciated.

happy spring Go Sox

Click to expand...

Colt's foot you can often find along dirt roads. I think it likes the gravelly soil. I first thought it was dandelion from a distance. I know where there is some hepatica near me, but that's likely too far I see it around here in rich hardwoods.

Good Luck!

jason

Hepatica

Here are some of my Hepatica shots from Saturday in Pawtuckaway:







KDT