Spring Wildflowers in February

Guess Who is Sleeping in My Garden?

Spring Beauty -Caytonia virginiana

  With the temperature hovering at -3°F° and the snow piling up, it is hard not to dream about spring. I thought this was a great day to bring out the spring wildflower photo album, well really the flash drive. How up-lifting and encouraging it is to be reminded of what lays dormant patiently waiting for spring. I hope that these Spring Beauties bring some sunshine into your home!

 Spring Beauty, Caytonia virginiana were a charming addition to my garden last year. The blossoms didn't last as long as I expected, perhaps the excessive amount of rain we had last spring impacted them. Caytonia virginiana like most woodland species appreciates filtered shade and a nice cozy blanket of leaf hummus. Winter's protection ideally is two-fold, leaves and snow. Other woodland companions like: Jack-in-the-pulpit, Mayapple, Trillium, Wild ginger, Bloodroot, Goldenseal, Wild Ginger, Wild Geranium, Wild Columbine, Dwarf Crested Iris, Shooting Star and Solomon's Seal are also reaping the benefits of an extra layer of icy insulation.

 

 

Spring Beauty's Companions

   Garden in the Woods Cultivation Guide, written by the New England Wildflower Society, copyright 1986, categorizes the wildflowers snoozing with Spring Beauty as requiring: part shade to full shade, moist and loamy soil, preferring a strongly acid (PH 4.0 to 5.5) to a weakly acid (5.5 to 7) environment. 

  Wildflowers that are mentioned in this blog post are not only native to Ohio, USA they are some of my favorites. All have done well in Hardiness Zone 6A in which we reside. It is helpful to know which zone you live in when choosing native plants for your garden. The USDA Department of Agriculture updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map is a great resource. It is capable of determining the hardiness zone not just by state but by county. Another, easy to navigate website is the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services, here you are able to determine if a specific plant is native to your region. Search is done by: common name, scientific name or advance search.

 

  A Few of My Favorite Woodland Wildflowers

Droppy Merrybells

 

Uvularia Grandiflora

 Merrybells are very unusual flower, at first glance their droopy flowers give one the impression they are lacking moisture, perhaps on the brink of dehydrating. They remind me of the ears on a basset hound, relaxed and carefree.

  The dainty, droopy, yellow flowers only last a few weeks, as long as the plant remains moist and protected from direct sun it remain green throughout the summer. Once established they are easy to divide and transplant. I like to wait until the fall before dividing them, although I have had success transplanting after they finished flowering.

Goldenseal of Royal Descent?

 

Hydraastis candensis

  Other articles mention that Goldenseal, with its strong, easily identifiable, yellow roots is easy to establish. We have found this not to be the case. Goldenseal seems to be the introvert in the Ranunculaceae family, warming up to a our environment painstakingly slow. 

  One would think that it would be content with filtered shade created by high mature trees, combined with thick layer of moist leaf mulch. However, as recently as 8 years our woodland gardens were merely gnarly tree roots and grassy lawn. I would speculate that with a name sounding a bit like royalty, Goldenseal isn’t fooled for one second that our very young woodland “forest” doesn’t remotely compare to the lavish carpet it is naturally accustomed.

Celebration of One Berry!

   Last spring we celebrated the formation of one red berry! Unfortunately, garden visitors enjoyed a delicious meal before I was able to collect the seed. Lucky for the critter, too bad for me! Darn as I was looking forward to propagating Goldenseal from my own seed. Next year, it would be a wise idea, to protect the precious seed by gently covering it with an empty onion bag. Oh the lessons I have learned!

Wild Ginger Keeps on Growing

 

Asarum canadense

  Wild Ginger remains green all season when conditions are favorable. This handsome ground cover prospers in deep shade and like other woodland residents it prefers a moist loamy layer of leaf humus beneath its "feet".

  Last fall I removed 20 years worth of Japanese pachysandra, leaving space for Wild Ginger and other native, woodland, wildflowers to spread their wings. Better yet their roots!

Notice seedlings hidden under the mature leaves

Seedlings Taking Cover

 
  I love propagating Wild Ginger! It took me by surprise when I realize that the small burgundy flower, hidden inconspicuously under the leaves, produced tiny well protected seedlings which are easily transplanted in the spring. In the picture on the right you can see one in the top center of the picture.

 

Bloodroot's Short Visit

Sanguinaria canadensis

  Bloodroot reminds me of my Great Aunt Ag, everyone spoke about her incredible beauty, grace and charm. Although we anticipated her yearly appearance, like Bloodroot her visit only lasted only a few days. Then she was off!

   My suggestion, keep your camera handy and check your garden everyday once you notice blooms. Although spectacular they are short lived.

  Last fall, long after Bloodroot had long since gone dormant I attempted to locate it, with the intent to divide and transplant. I failed miserably! Several of my books mentioned that the roots were easy to locate as they were as their name implies their roots are blood red. I didn't think digging unnecessarily under our mature trees was a wise plan, so I gave up on the project. Hopefully, minimal damage was done to my expanding patch of lovely Red Pucccon Root as Bloodroot is is referred to by Native Americans.

Hummingbirds & Wild Columbine

  "It was with indescribable interest and even more than a childish delight that Clifford watched the hummingbird" 

 

  Nathaniel Hawthorne - House of the Seven Gables

 

 

 Aquilegia candensis

    How natural it is to replace my name or yours with "Clifford" in Hawthorne's quote. Anyone who has observed hummers dancing about garden knows the pull to cease work even with the most industrious gardener. 

  Early May blooms provide the perfect nectar snack for Ruby Throated Humming birds journeying north, Columbines also nourish caterpillars of the Duskywing Butterfly.

 Propagating is easy from seed as long as it goes through 60 days of cold/ most storage. Raising them in a covered cold frame is option.

 

 

 

    Dainty Wild Geraniums

Geranium maculatum

  These delicate little geraniums are far cry from  their cultivated  cousins found in our local nurseries. Regardless of their simplicity they add a graceful calming presences to a shade garden. My brother Craig who lives in Germanville, PA (USA) finds it humorous that I propagate a wild flower which grows so profusely in his neck of the woods. 

  Including Wild Geraniums in your shade garden is one way to attract small butterflies like Spring Azures and Hobomak Skippers, a variety of small bees and syrphid flies.

   Geraniums are easy to grow from seed; it does need 60 days of cold/moist storage storage. If you are planning on collecting seed it is a good idea to keep a close on on the maturing capsules. It is expelled anywhere from 10 to 30 ft from the mother plant. If you are interested in learning more about Wild Geraniums, The Wisconsin Master Gardens is a good place to start.

  Grandma's Trillum

 

Trillium grandiflorum

   Some things are just too sacred to be disturbed, like Grandma's Hummel figurines, precious gifts from Germany, or Great White Trillium. Several of my propagation books discus taking root cutting or dividing Trillium. Like the hummels on the shelf it doesn't feel right upsetting these dazzling gems.

  Great White Trilliums are ever so thankful for the moisture and nutrients provided by a layer or mixture of: leaf` humus, compost or rotted sawdust.

  It was exciting to learn that although "supporting" actors in the play "Attracting Native Pollinators" Trilliums are pollinated by bees and flies. Like Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) seed is dispersed by ants. I would advise keep a close eye on your seed if you are interested in collecting it. Ants are speedy!

 

Jack- in-the-Pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum

   My love affair with this plant began at the Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, Ohio, USA several years ago at a seed propagation class. I am especially impressed by the flexibility of this plant. When conditions are optimal Jack-in-the Pulpits will most likely have female traits and produce seed, if they aren't then the same plant functions as a male. The fancy term for this is dioecy.

   This type of survival plan would have been helpful when my children were young, "Honey, I am tired of being mom ...it is your turn now!" How convenient!

   Pollination of Aresima seems a bit like an episode of the Three Stooges Show. Fungus knats are attracted to the fungus like smell of the Jacks, they slip inside, end up covered with pollen, struggle to find the tiny escape hole, only to tumble into a female plant. The plant benefits, as now the female plant has been pollinated, on the other hand the knat is not so lucky, as there isn't an exit door on the female Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

How Tall is Solomon?

Polygonatum  canaliculatum

   Most often the question is, "How wise is Solomon?" I am wondering, how tall do they grow? Information I have indicate that, Giant Solomon's Seal can grow up to 6 ft high! Wow! Has anyone had a plant grow this tall? I am wondering are they like trees and grow taller each year or do they reach that height in one season? My plants are will be three years old this spring.

  Like many of the other woodland plant these fellows remain green all season long that is... ... you guessed it, if conditions are right!.

Cheery Little Mayapples

 

Podophyllum peltatum

   Something's in life just make me happy and Mayapples are one of them. There is nothing flashy about this native woodland plant, it doesn't have fancy flowers like Trillium or Columbines, hummingbirds wouldn't know where to start even if they did notice it.

   Just the same I know that spring is right around the corner when little thumb sized "umbrellas" begin pushing their way out of the what is a currently a cold frozen tundra.

  Now You Know Who is " Sleeping in my Garden"!

My gift to you.. A Dwarf Crested Iris Ready to Bloom!

 Spring 2014 Can't come soon enough!