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Spring 2025 Wildflowers - Part 3 Several visits in May Clay County, NC |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2025) |
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Spring 2025 Wildflowers - Part 3 Several visits in May Clay County, NC |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2025) |
| 1 - May 5, 2025 As the calendar passed into May, the early spring ephemerals were disappearing, and it was time look for some late spring blooms. |
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| Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) My first stop was at a location where I'd seen a large group of Putty-Root Orchid leaves back in early spring. I knew that it was too early for them to bloom, but wanted to see if any flower stalks were emerging. I saw a number of stalks just emerging from the duff. The only new blooms I saw were these Canada Mayflowers, most of which were still in bud. |
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| Moving on to my next location... Painted Trillium (Trillidium undulatum) They are usually at about peak bloom here now, but this year they bloomed early, and only a few still had petals. |
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| An "Unpainted" Painted Trillium. I can usually find several here, but the petals were already wilted on the others I saw. |
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| Southern Nodding Trillium (Trillium rugelii) Relatively uncommon in these parts, I only saw one plant where I have seen 3-4 in the past. |
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| Gaywings, aka Fringed Polygala (Polygaloides paucifolia) These were about spent for the year, and it took me a while to find any decent enough to shoot. |
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| Appalachian Little Brown Jugs (Hexastylis arifolia var. ruthii) |
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| The Showy Orchis was also about done for the year, but I had to shoot this clump which I've shot for the past 6-7 years. |
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| Speckled Wood Lily (Clintonia umbellulata) |
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| Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) |
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| Rose Twisted Stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus) |
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| Yellow Mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa) was still going strong here. |
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| Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis) - red. |
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| Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis) - yellow. |
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| 2 - May 13, 2025 I went back up to check on the Putty Root Orchids (Aplectrum hyemale). I wasn't sure how long it would take them to bloom; I figured it was still early but didn't want to miss them. Alas, they were still about a week away. Dodging showers, I visited a few other nearby spots. I found both Small and Large varieties of Yellow Lady's Slippers, but the Large ones were past their prime and looking pretty bad after all the rain. |
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| Putty Root Orchids (Aplectrum hyemale) - in bud |
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| Eastern Red Paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea) |
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| Carolina Vetch (Vicia caroliniana) |
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| Carolina Phlox (Phlox carolina) |
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| Lesser-Small Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum) I also found a couple of Greater-Large Yellow Lady's Slippers, but they were past their prime and the flowers were turning to mush after all the rain. |
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| 3 - May 19, 2025 Six days later, I hoped that the Putty Root Orchids (Aplectrum hyemale) would be flowering. |
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| And they were! Putty Root Orchids (Aplectrum hyemale) in habitat |
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| Putty Root Orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) |
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| Putty Root Orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) |