April 27: Bare woods, False Rue Anenome & Spring Beauty

Today is so beautiful that it's really hard to be inside. It's 67 degrees and there's not a cloud in the sky. The woods are still very sunny because there are no leaves or undergrowth yet.

A clear woods is good for flowers that like sunshine, though. The False Rue Anenome and Spring Beauty are starting to bloom. 

True Rue or False Rue Anenome?

I confess that I'm not always sure what's a Rue Anenome and what's a False Rue Anenome...Rue Anenomes have notched petals and False Rue Anenomes have lobed petals...but do the petals get more lobed as they get older? In this picture, it looks like there are lobed petals in the background. Plus False Rues always have just five petals whereas true Rues often have more. I hope it's a False Rue because they are endangered flowers in many states.

Also starting to bloom is the Spring Beauty. There's no mistaking this plant. The stripes on the blossoms lead insects to the nectar.

Spring Beauty

From http://www.naturepods.com/nature-field-guides/spring-wildflowers-of-the-southeast-naturepod/spring-wildflower-naturepod-fun-facts:

"Spring Beauty only opens on sunny days. Some old wives-tales used this behavior as a barometer to predict oncoming storms. Wildlife also relish spring beauty. Deer and wild hogs dig the starchy tuber for lunch. Some people say that the raw root tastes like a radish, but when it’s baked it tastes like a cross between a baked potato and roasted chestnuts."

April 20: Siberian Squill

Today is cold -- 35 degrees Fahrenheit -- and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground this morning. However, this has not stopped the early bloomer, Siberian Squill. I spotted it in the park yesterday and came back to take photos today.

Siberian Squill

This plant is poisonous (it's used in rat poison), but like so many poisons it is also used as a medicine, in this case for the heart. Long ago it was regarded as a flower of witches. This was interesting because as I passed by the flower again on the way back to my car, I noticed a woman and a young boy picking the flowers. Unfortunately, Sammie my bonehead dog barked at them and she complained to me about it with a Russian accent. Let's hope she has good intentions with that flower! :-D

This flower is native to Asia but has spread to the west, probably because it's hardy and blooms early so it is attractive to gardeners. It spreads fast and opinion is divided on its merits, with some people seeing it as invasive and threatening to native plants, and others enjoying its beauty and preferring it to dandelions. It's hard to get rid of though.

April 9: Not flowers, but a bunch of blue herons

While I was out walking the dogs today I happened to notice a bunch of blue herons at the top of a tree across the river. Last year the tree had one nest and was regularly visited by 2 or 3 herons -- somehow the word got out and it's a hangout spot today, with several more nests.

I went home to get my telephoto lens, and the instant I put it on automatic focus back in the woods, the birds all flew away. :-b But they were back a few minutes later. 

In addition to these birds there were at least three in an adjacent tree. That makes at least 15 birds! Let's see if they stay there or are simply resting on a trip north.

A dozen blue herons in Shubel Park

At least one is making a new nest...he's gathering sticks.

Blue heron gathering nest material

 

April 5: Crocus, first flower of spring and source of saffron

This is the first entry in my second year of blogging about flowers. I'm doing this to educate myself about flowers, so I generally talk about the history and use of each flower. Last year it was so warm that I saw the first flower on March 15 but it has been much colder this year...I've been keeping my eye out for flowers and finally saw one. 
 
In no book about Michigan wildflowers will you see "crocus" listed. But it's just so exciting to see a flower bloom that I had to put it in! These flowers are on my property, but I haven't given them any care for years so I figure they've gone wild and started tending to themselves.

Crocus have been with mankind for thousands of years. Cultivation and harvesting of them was first documented in the Mediterranean, on the island of Crete, and the spice saffron comes from the dried stigmas of the crocus. 

 

A crocus, closed up because of chilly weather