WILD FLOWE R WALKS february march april
Skunk Cabbage Blue Cohosh Symplocarpus foetidus red Caulophyllum thalictroides yellow-green
The plant can cause dermati- One of the earliest bloom- tis and is very irritating to the ing flowers. The plant can generate up to 70 degrees skin. It is often used as an herb in women's health. of heat inside and can melt surrounding ice and snow. Flies are its primary pollina- tor. The skunkiness of the plant attracts flies for pollination. Prefers moist soil. Seeds are often eaten by pheasants.
Early Saxifrage white with yellow center False Hellebore Saxifraga virginiensis Veratrum viride white
Small plant with fuzzy basal Extremely Toxic. Common leaves. After flowering, the names include American plant can grow up to 16 False Hellebore, American inches tall. Easily found on White Hellebore, Bear Corn, rock ledges. Pollinators are Big Hellebore, Corn Lily, Native bees and Tachinid Devil’s Bite, Duck Retten, flies. Itch-weed, Poor Annie, Blue Hellebore and Tickleweed. Bees, flies, butterflies, and moths are pollinators.
Red Trillium White Trillium Trillium erectum red Trillium grandiflorum white
The seeds are dispersed by ants. The scent of the Fruit is a rounded, pale flower is similar to a dead green berry. Fading petals animal in order to attract turn pink. Pollinators in- flies for pollination. Polli- clude bees, flies, butterflies, nators are carrion flies and and beetles. beetles.
Nodding Trillium Yellow Violet Trillium ceruum white Viola pennsylvanica yellow
White flowers solitary nod- There are over 500 different ding below leaf. Fruit is a types of violets. The flowers broad oval dark red berry. and leaves are edible with high amount of vitamins A and C. They are commonly used in salads, or cooked as greens. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, flies, and wasps.
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WILD FLOWE R WALKS march april
Purple Violet Wild Ginger Viola papillionacea purple Asarum canadense red
There are over 500 types of Flower is three-lobed cup under heart-shaped leaves. Polli- violets. The flowers and leaves are edible with high nated by flies and beetles, some self-pollination. Edible amount of vitamins A and C. They are commonly used in rhizomes. Historical uses as a contraceptive and to encour- salads, or cooked as greens. Self-pollinating, also polli- age menstruation; antimicrobial properties. Native Americans nated by bees and butter- flies. used it as a spice and medicine. Moist, wooded areas.
Trout Lily yellow with maroon Cut-leaved Toothwort Erythronium americanum Dentaria diphylla white
It takes seven years for a seed Among the earliest spring to develop into a flowering flowers. Part of the mustard plant. Colonies of Trout Lily family. The leaves appear in often contain many 1-leaved whorls of three. Each leaf is non flowering young plants; dissected and coarsely silver and maroon mottled toothed. Bees and butter- leaves. Native women may flies are pollinators. have eaten the leaves as con- traception, some say the leaves are poisonous.
Dutchman's Breeches Hepatica Dicentra cucullaria white Hepatica americana purple, pink, white, blue
Leaves and tubers contain toxic alkaloids; livestock that Liver-shaped leaf; there was ingest it may become unco- a time when folks thought ordinated in a condition that the shape of a plant re- known as “staggers.” Frustrat- vealed its properties. In this ing for bees to access, they case, Hepatica was thought sometimes bite through the to be good for the liver. He- flower to get to the nectar. By patica is one of the earliest midsummer the plants have spring flowers to bloom. 40 completed their annual cycle different pollinators.
Find these spring ephemerals at Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, MA!
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WILD FLOWE R WALKS may
Dutchman’s Breeches Bloodroot Dicentra cucullaria white Sanguinaria canadensis white
Leaves and tubers contain Each flower lasts 10-12 days. toxic alkaloids; livestock that The flowers open and close eat them may become unco- with the sun. Many Native ordinated (called “staggers.”) American tribes used the Bees often have difficulty bright red juice from the accessing and they some- root for dyes, insect repel- times bite the flower to get to lent, love potions and tooth- the nectar. Plants are paste. Now it is known to be dormant by midsummer. potentially toxic.
Spring Beauty white Jack-in-the-Pulpit Claytonia Virginica Arisaema triphyllum green and maroon
Grows from an underground Plants can live for 25+ years. tuber like a small potato; this Flowers bear bright red fruit has a sweet, chestnut-like in the late summer and early flavor. Native Americans and fall that are enjoyed by colonists used them for food birds such as thrushes and and they are enjoyed by rodents. Leaves and fruit are those interested in edible wild a skin irritant. Small flies and plants. Honey bees, small flowers pollinate. native bees pollinate, but they self-pollinate after a few days.
Golden Alexander Common Fleabane Zizia aurea yellow Erigeron philadelphicus yellow, purple, pink or white
Carrot family. Attracts black Commonly found growing swallowtail caterpillers and along roadsides, in fields butterflies. Not to be con- and woodlands. In the daisy fused with the similar ap- family. Looks similar to a pearance of wild parsnip, daisy with a yellow center which is taller and also poi- and white petals, but the sonous. Pollinators are petals are very thin in com- bees, flies, beetles, wasps. parison. Many insects are pollinators.
Rue Anemone Fringed Polygala Anemonella thalictroides white Polygala paucifolia purple
Solitary white flowers with Often confused with an five petals. Open only in orchid. Produces non- bright light. Highly poison- pollinating self-seeding ous. Pollinators are early flowers in the summer and bees and bee-like flies. fall. Pollinators are butter- flies, flies, wasps, honey- bees and ground bees.
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WILD FLOWE R WALKS may
Miterwort, Bishop’s Cap Wild Columbine Mitella diphylla white Aquilegia canadensis red and yellow
Found on cliffs, ledges and In the Saxifrage family. rocky areas. Bumblebees Flowers resemble snow- flakes (very small). It is said that have trouble getting to the nectar often bite holes that the seeds resemble a bishop's miter. Pollinators into the flower. Seeds are scattered by the wind. Wide- are small bees, syrphid flies, possibly fungal gnats. ly cultivated as a garden plant. Pollinators include hummingbirds and long- tongued bees.
Wild Geranium, Cranesbill Early Meadow Rue Geranium maculatum pink, purple Thalicatrum dioicum green and yellow
Flowers develop into long These flowers are petal-less. pointed fruit that resemble When blooming they have a crane's bill. Pollinators are long yellow stamens that larger bees. hang down like tassels. The male and female parts (pistil and stamen) are found on separate plants, with the female blossoms a purple- brown color. Pollinated by wind.
May Apple American Bladdernut Podophyllum peltaum white Staphylea trifolia green and white
Flower is underneath nod- Large deciduous shrub, or ding leaves. Fruit is a 1-2” small tree. Flowers hang long, lemon-yellow berry. down in small clusters of Immature plants just have cream-colored, bell-shaped one leaf and no flower. Has blossoms. Fruit changes few pollinators (honeybees, from green, yellow to bumble bees), so mostly they brown. Insect- and disease- make clones. May be evolv- resistant. ing toward self-pollination.
Herb Robert False Solomon’s Seal Geranium robertianum purple Maianthemum racemosum white
European introduction, natu- Usually all stems in a clump ralized in North America, arch in the same direction. member of the geranium Both roots and shoots are family. Leaves have an un- edible. Many different sto- pleasant odor when crushed. ries about its name origins. It is variously reported to Common in the Berkshires. have been named for St. Rob- Pollinators are larger bees. ert of Molesme, or for Robert Goodfellow, who is known as Robin Hood.
Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield is one Trustees special place where you can find all of these wildflowers, but most can be seen throughout Massachusetts. To find a Trustees reservation near you, visit thetrustees.org.