First and foremost, I'd like to say that this might be the best Spring Flower Thread, yet! Thanks to all those who've taken the time to contribute, there are some marvelous photos! Second, I'd like to apologize that I haven't posted lately and I have a lot I'd like to share, so, I hope nobody minds if I post this many at once. Some have already been posted by others, and there are a few I couldn't resist... Hope you enjoy!
Colt's Foot (Tussilago farfara)
Bloodroot (Sanguanaria canadensis)
Bloodroot (Sanguanaria canadensis)
Bloodroot (Sanguanaria canadensis) and Wake Robin (Trillium erectum)
We climbed Ike and Pierce yesterday, based on Griffin's encouraging trail report (thanks!). Alpine flowers were beginning to bloom on Eisenhower and were at around 80% on the peak's south slopes. Diapensia, Lapland Rosebay and Alpine Azalea were lovely and will be near peak there this weekend.
Still trying to learn my wildflowers . . . is this Rhodora that I spotted on 25-May at that place known as The Nubble (below the Peak above the Nubble).
Below is a close-up snapshot, plus a snapshot showing a cluster of it.
leaves deciduous (azalea-group of Rhododendron spp. rather than the rhododendron-group which has evergreen leaves that remain on the plant, e.g. Rhododendron maximum)
flowers w/ bilateral symmetry but unequal petals rather than radial symmetry (most other azaleas in this area are nearly radially symmetric)
right shade of purple (most other azaleas in this area are pink or white)
right habitat (boggy heathy subalpine, or forested bog edges)
It looks like similar Baptisia sp. but not Baptisia tinctoria, which has blooms midsummer, has small clover-like leaves with 3 leaflets, and is found in pitch-pine sandplains and dry oak-hickory forests, probably not found north of Manchester, NH.
(Here's a photo of Baptisia tinctoria from Cape Cod from a few years ago:
)
My guess for your picture is a garden escape, perhaps Thermopsis villosa (although the flower spikes look different).
Thanks for the correction. Those yellow flowers, whatever they are, come up every year in my front yard. So probably someone did plant them many years ago.
Columbines seem to be gone by in some places down below. These were found at about 2,000 feet elevation. Pin cherry was also blooming at 2,000' elevation, and gone by at 1,000 feet.
Also blooming were: starflower, wild sarsaparilla, bunchberry, bluet, and wild strawberry.
Hobblebush, trout lily, and both painted and purple trilliums (trillia?) were all gone by.
I got tired of work and tired of the rain so what better place to go than the middle of the desert. Here are some wildflowers from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.
Dune Primrose Oenothera deltoides
Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
Indigobush Psorothamnus fremontii
Jimson Weed Datura wrightii
Purplemat Nama demissum
(Note the lizard tracks in the sand.)
I have some others but I have not yet identified them. I'll work on that.
