Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Spring Flowers

Oaks Toothwort

Cruciferae (Mustard Family)
Cardamine pulcherrima
This is a really neat little flower. I must always remember that four petals usually points to the Mustard family. These have unique leaves combined with veiny flowers.  Also known as Large-Flowered Bittercress, it is only about 1/2" across.

Skunk Cabbage
Araceae (Arum Family)
Lysichiton americanum
Also known as "Swamp Lantern", this plant grows all over just about every marshy, wet piece of land in the Pacific Northwest. There is a period where the skunky odor dominates the lowlands, but it isn't an altogether unattractive plant.

Red-Flowering Currant
Grossulariaceae (Currant Family)
Ribes sanguineum
This one is sprouting wild around the edge of my greenbelt.

Western Trillium

Liliaceae (Lily Family)
Trillium ovatum
Growing wild all over the forest floor, these will get really big by summer.

Salmonberry
Roseaceae (Rose Family)
Rubus spectabilis
I don't find this flower as photogenic as most.
Like me, it is prettier in person.
It will produce the first edible berries of the season!

Stream Violet
Violaceae (Violet Family)
Viola glabella
A modest but beautiful little bloom. 
It might be easily overlooked if it didn't bloom so early in the season.

1 comment:

  1. I liked the photo of the Rubus! I also like the vignette effect on the second photo. You make me want to run out and shoot some blossoms, but I don't think anything is really blooming much in the country. Not unless it's close to water--we're still in a drought. But I won't do the homework to find out what the plants are like you do!

    That Swamp Lantern is amazing!

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