Blue-eyed Mary, 11 April 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)
12 April 2021
As soon as the trees leaf out the ground will be shady in Pennsylvania’s woodlands so our spring wildflowers are timed to bloom in April. I went to see them on Sunday at Braddock’s Trail Park in Westmoreland County, a place famous for blue-eyed Mary.
The captions identify each flower in the slideshow. Here’s a little more information:
- Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) covers the hillsides at Braddock’s Trail Park. From a distance it looks white. Up close it looks blue.
- A few blue-eyed Mary plants produce pink flowers.
- Rue-anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) is a delicate plant that blows easily in the wind. A strong breeze deformed the flower as I captured this image.
- Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum), before the leaves open.
- Common blue violet (Viola sororia)
- Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica). Thin leaves identify this as the virginica species.
- Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis)
- Wake-robin or red trillium (Trillium erectum). This is the largest flower I photographed, about 3 inches across.
- Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata). This one is unusual because it has 6 petals.
- Yellow corydalis (Corydalis flavula)
- Wild ginger’s (Asarum canadense) hairy flower hides below the leaves, lying on its side. To see it from the pollinator’s point of view I’d have to lie on the ground. (Not !) Here’s what the flower looks like.
If you live in Pittsburgh Braddock’s Trail Park is worth a visit for April wildflowers. More are coming soon. As of Sunday the trillium hadn’t bloomed yet.
(photos by Kate St. John)
These are great! We were at Trillium Trail. Trilliums, violets, bluebells, dutchman’s breeches, celandine poppy, rue anemone, ginger, trout lily, blood root were all out..
Such a lovely post, Kate. Thank you. I miss trillium. I used to have 4 acres of woods behind my home when my kids were little. Not only was it a wonderful place for them to play, it was super for walks. In the spring there was trillium all over the ground. I loved it.