A Day in the Life…Part16

Well, here we are at the end of the third week is April and things are really stating to happen now. The first tree has leaved out. Pictured above, the Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus octandra) is the first of our native trees to reveal their leaves. The flower will come a little later.

Below the first native tree to flower is Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), now in bloom near the nature center and a common understory tree on the sandstone ridge tops.

The Redbud and Flowering Dogwood are both getting close to being in full bloom. But it is the spring wildflowers that are really growing rapidly. (A list of blooming flowers can be found at the top of this page.) Below is one of the early bloomer- Bloodroot (Sanquinaria canadensis)
This delicate flower does not last very long and the petal are easily displaced. The common name came from the orange-red fluid in the root and stem of the place.

Typical Bloodroot

A not so typical double flowered Bloodroot is shown below. The genealogy of this particular plant is as follows. The original plant was growing in the garden of Jane Klein in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Jane was a long time, active member of the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs (OAGC). Carmen H. Warner, founder of Wahkeena, was also an active OAGC member. A number of years ago, Jane brought a start of the Bloodroot in a small container to an OACG Board meeting. It was raffled off for $1 a chance as a fund-raiser. Recent OAGC Part President, Mary Lee Minor won the raffle and the little start has grown and lived happily on the north side of her house in Bucyrus, Ohio. A couple of year ago, when Mary Lee was President, she gifted Wahkeena with a start of the same double Bloodroot. And I am glad to say that it too lives happily on the north side of the nature center and is thriving along with Trilliums, Bellwort, Soloman’s Seals and Wild Geraniums.

It really is quite an attention grabbing plant.

Double Bloodroot Flower Closeup This Sunday marks the start of our spring wildflower walks. A schedule of all programs can be found on this site as well as posted regularly on Facebook. The warblers are also appearing in increasing numbers each day. On Thursday we saw a good number of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets just outside of the nature center. And on Wednesday we watched a Wild turkey fly about 100 yards from tree to tree. Yes, wild turkeys can fly. Everyday bring new sights to behold, so get out there and become one with nature. Posted by Tom