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

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 

Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia

After spending several days of my Spring Break in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, I spent Friday in the mountains of my home state. I was 'fishing' in a trout stream within the New River  Gorge National River, which is also one of my favorite wildflower areas. I had not been there in early spring and I was very surprised at the variety and abundance of flowers. It rivals Brush Creek Preserve, my very favorite spot. I saw almost everything here that I saw in the Smokies, and more, all with a hours drive of home.

White Variety of Wild Blue Phlox

I was seeing the Blue Phlox everywhere, as I was walking in to begin fishing. But, immediately, I was distracted by the white variety of the Phlox. This was the only clump of white that I saw. Its no wonder that I hardly ever catch trout, I am too busy photographing the flowers.

#310- Dwarf Larkspur

 Then, I began seeing the Dwarf Larkspur. I had seen it in the past near Morgantown, but missed it last year during my Big Year. In Morgantown, there was a great variety of colors, but everyone I saw here was this amazing dark blue.

The next flower that I found was another that I missed last year. Red Sessile Trillium. I was very surprised to see this one. The small plants escaped my attention as I walked in, but I stumbled on them as I came out. I saw them no where else in the area.
Here it is mixed with Wild Blue Phlox

#311 - Red Sessile Trillium

#312 - Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger

I just found Wild Ginger for the first time in the Smoky Mountains this week and then I find it in West Virginia  for the first time today. It is closely related to the Virginia Heartleaf that I see often.

  

Another new flower for me. #313 -  Large Flower Bellwort

 I found two color varieties of Wood Betony. The first yellow one was being worked by a busy Bumble Bee
The next one had more of a peach/red look to it.

Wood Betony

Wood Betony

Purple Trillium

Canada Violet

Cut-leaved Toothwort

Rue Anemone

Odd Colored Trout Lily

Trout Lily

Beetle Party on Squirrel Corn
These appear to be Red-Necked False Blister Beetles. They eat pollen and mate on flowers in the spring

Squirrel Corn 

Dutchman's Breeches

Bishops Cap

Red Bud