2020 Spring Ephemerals in Southern WV 3-24-2020

#364 - Harbinger-Of-Spring

Harbinger-Of-Spring is a wildflower that I've known about and can identify, but had never came across it before. So it becomes the 364th new West Virginia wildflower for my attempt to photograph and record every wildflower that I can in West Virginia. 

Bluebells

Red Trillium

Trout Lilly 

Hepatica 

Hepatica 

Blue Cohosh

Sessile Trillium

Dutchmen's Breeches 

Blood Root 

Bee on Cutleaf Toothwort

2020 Spring Wildflowers

Trail Running and seeing Wildflowers already
(and Snakes? on Glade Creek Trail on  March 12, 2020

Trout Lilly- March 9, 2020 Camp Creek 

Spring Beauty March 12, 2020 Glade Creek 

Spring Beauty

Hepatica March 12, 2020 Glade Creek

Hepatica March 12, 2020 Glade Creek

Hepatica March 12, 2020 Glade Creek

Sedge- March 12, 2020 Glade Creek

Spice Bush March 16, 2020 Glade Creek

Cutleaf Toothwort March 16, 2020 Glade Creek

Trillium almost in Bloom   March 16, 2020 Glade Creek

Smoky Mountain Spring Wildflowers

Hepatica- 2-13-2017 Growing From Charred Ground

I spent another few days in the Smokies at a Volleyball tournament (granddaughters team were 13-year-old gold champions) and was able to sneak out a couple of mornings to the park. The first morning was to Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse near Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area. It was a warm morning and nice walk but no wildflowers. I had heard Hepatica was being found blooming in places which was one reason I was looking.

On Monday morning, I went to one of my favorite trails; the Cove Hardwoods Nature Loop at the Chimney Tops Picnic Area. There, I found the recent wild fires and storms have caused much damage. But, the wildflowers seem to have survived. Many early hepatica were blooming and provided a much needed wildflower fix until spring comes to West Virginia. 

And if there's not enough to worry about in the world, there's this!!
I was afraid to turn my back on it.
Actually, this was storm damaged and in danger of falling on the trail.
I've never seen anything marked like this..

Nothing is fairer, if as fair, as the first flower, the hepatica. I find I have never admired this little firstling half enough. When at the maturity of its charms, it is certainly the gem of the woods. What an individuality it has! No two clusters alike; all shades and sizes. A solitary blue-purple one fully expanded and rising over the brown leaves or the green moss, its cluster of minute anthers showing like a group of pale stars on its little firmament, is enough to arrest and hold the dullest eye.

John Burroughs

Wildflowers-2016--March

In the past three years, March  has seen no real wildflower action, but this year there is very early action all around the state. So I headed to Camp Creek on March 28 and found a good start after reports elsewhere. The elevation here generally keeps us a week or two behind other places in WV. We are expecting a cold snap beginning next week so this was a nice kickoff before a lull in the action. I will be traveling to Albuquerque, New Mexico soon and hope to have time to explore there and then when I'm back in WV, wildflowers should be going gangbusters.

                          

                                                           Virginia Heartleaf (a ginger)

                                   

                                                                            Trout Lilly

                                   

                                                                        Trout Lilly

                                         

                                                                         False Rue Anemone 

                                         

                                                                     Hepatica White Variety

                                        

                                                            Trillium- should open by April 1  

                                          Mash Fork Falls at Camp Creek State Park

                              Throwing rocks in the creek

Early April Trip to Camp Creek State Park

Today, I got out on my first lengthy outing, heading to Camp Creek State Park to see if the Trout Lilies were accompanied by any other wild flowers. It was chilly and had rained a lot the previous days, but the park was busy. I found many Trout Lilies but also found the first of the year Hepatica, Spicebush and sedge in bloom. I could not find the Rue Anemone that I've seen in the past nor Cut Leaf Toothwort.
It was a great afternoon and the first of many outings.

The first of the several color variations of Hepatica

Pink Variation of Hepatica

Light Blue Hepatica

White Hepatica

I tried some macro shots and was not real pleased but could get a better look at the blooms on Spicebush and Sedge

Trout Lily

Trout Lily 

Trout Lily; All Yellow.
I keep a close watch for color variations on most Wildflowers so this all yellow caught my attention,
 but I suppose it could be because it has just opened

Mash Fork Falls 

1st Trip to Brush Creek

A Great Spring Day

I started the day on a hike with my dad to Brush Creek Nature Preserve . It is one of my favorite Spring wildflower areas. Today was the day I thought the flowers would be nearing peak bloom because of data I keep from past years. But there was almost nothing. I found a few Trillium peaking above the leaf litter and finally a couple of Hepatica on a cliff. I had to do the Paparazzi shot; camera over the head and clicking off the shots trying to get it.

I also found a really pretty sedge

 hanging on another cliff that cascaded down. 

Next weekend should be the start of the best two weeks in Brush Creek.

I spent the rest of the day with grandkids and a T-Ball game then home to till and plant part of the salad garden that I keep near the house. Onions, lettuce and sugar peas are all for now. Then I left the house and went on a 1.4 mile hike around the farm and neighbor hood forest looking for Morels, Wildflowers or Turkey sign. But found no morels, no turkeys and only a couple of flowers. One stood out thought; it was the winter leaf of Puttyroot, an Orchid that I had not found in close proximity to home. So, a great Spring day with many more to come, despite the low 20 degree temperatures predicted later this week.