Wildflowers

Brenda · Sun May 06, 2007 2:25 pm

I took these a few minutes ago, out behind our cabin. The trillium are just starting to bloom, but the trout lillies are almost gone.

Jennifer · Sun May 06, 2007 9:32 pm

Very nice, Brenda. Are the small yellow ones the trout lilies? I've seen some around but didn't know what they were.

Hey, do you know of any place in the FLNF that I could find ladyslippers? I've searched for two years in a place that someone told me about but have yet to find them.

Brenda · Mon May 07, 2007 10:40 am

Thanks, Jennifer. Yes, the trout lillies are the yellow ones. The name comes from the speckled/mottled appearance of the leaves. They're the second wildflower to bloom, here on my property, after the coltsfoot, which are the little dandelionlike flowers. Coltsfoot are supposedly named for the appearance of the stalk before they bloom.

Yes, I do know where the ladyslippers are! You should stop in at the ranger station and grab a map, if you don't have one. The foyer is open 24/7. You would park at the parking area on Potomac Road, where the Backbone Trail crosses. Hike west on the Backbone Trail to the intersection of the Interloken Trail (.4 miles?). Take a left onto the Interloken Trail and head south. Not far down that trail, you will enter a mature pine stand, and that's where the ladyslippers live. On a side note: near the intersection of the Backbone and Interloken Trails, just north on the Interloken, there is a small stand of Chestnut trees. They are quite rare, having been almost wiped out by a fungus bark disease shortly after 1900. These undoubtedly sprouted from old stumps, and they were still in good shape the last time that I was there.

Jennifer · Mon May 07, 2007 8:43 pm

Brenda, thanks for the reply and info. That's the location that I've been checking for two years... Hmmm... I must be missing their bloom. I walked down to the boardwalks but have never seen anything other than some sort of lilies? If you happen to see them in bloom could you let me know?

Cool re: the chestnuts. I'll have to look for them next time.

I'm not too good with flower and plant species...learning a little hear and there, though.

P.S. I do have a trail map, thanks.

Brenda · Tue May 08, 2007 9:03 am

I wish that I could remember exactly when the Lady's Slippers bloom. I know that they were in bloom when I built those boardwalks, because I remember pointing them out to the prison crews who were helping on that project. I think that it must have been in June. The basal leaves would be present longer than the blooms would be, and I distinctly remember seeing one on the right side of the trail at the beginning of that pine stand.

I can't think, offhand, what lilies I've seen along that part of the trail. You don't happen to remember the color or size of them, do you?

Another cool wildflower that you might want to photograph while you're exploring the FLNF, is the Jack-in-the-pulpit. There are a bunch of them on the Ravine Loop Trail, off Picnic Area Road. That's a really nice hike year round--one of my favorite spots in the forest.

Jennifer · Tue May 08, 2007 9:38 pm

Hello again!

Perhaps the "lilies" are the ladyslippers? I don't know...I took pictures of some of the leaves and all and sent them to a guy I know that is good with flowers and he told me he didn't think it was them. I've since deleted those pics so can't show you. I'll have to take a run up there again and see if I have better luck.

I've heard about and seen pics of Jack-in-the-pulpit and have wanted to find some. Thanks for that info! Ravine trail is one of my faves, too! Do you know Bill Baker? He volunteers to maintain that trail. He an I often go out 'shooting' together.

Once again, thanks!

Brenda · Wed May 09, 2007 9:38 am

I had a bit of difficulty finding photos that showed the basal leaves:

http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/gal ... mparv.html

I don't know Bill, but his name is familiar. I worked as a seasonal with the Forest Service throughout the mid to late 90's. I did volunteer work during that time as well, year round. It's great that he has "adopted" that trail.

Brenda · Mon May 14, 2007 1:30 pm

I had no idea that I had any of these on the property. They're growing in an area that until last summer (when the cabins were built) was dense brush. I plan to do an interpretive trail around the property and these will make a great starting point, right off the driveway between the two cabins. I will also be able to alert people not to pick them!

Jack-in-the-pulpit