Great spring flowers

Once our south slope starts blooming we know that spring is really here. We have been blessed with great early spring blooms ever since we removed all the invasive brush from the slope, and the good spring burn we had in March helped things along this year. The above photo by Kathie is of violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea), which is now at its peak. This interesting plant blooms very early and then essentially disappears until next year, except for an occasional single flower here and there in late fall.

Another nice early bloomer is birds foot violet (Viola pedata; Kathie photo at left), which forms a large colorful display in the prairie remnants. We also see quite a bit of prairie violet (Viola pedatifida), although it tends to be more scattered. Telling these two violets apart in the field is a challenge, because they are so similar.










Also very colorful at this time of year is marsh marigold (Calthus palustris) in our wetland. This is most common around the edges of the many spring-fed seeps that well up in our sedge meadow. (Kathie photo below)





In contrast to the prairie hillside and wetland, the flowers in the oak savannas are not very conspicuous. The nicest one this early in the season is wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), which often forms largish patches. However, if the day isn't sunny (like yesterday, when I took this photo), the flowers don't open. Even when the flowers are open, the display is fairly subtle.

Other flowers we are seeing now are pussy toes (Antennaria sp.), early buttercup, dooryard violet (Viola soraria), and of course dandelion. In a week or so there will be lots more, since right now in bud we have golden Alexanders, wood betony, shooting star, and jacob's ladder.

This is a great time of year!