I made a check of the Yellow Lady’s Slipper orchid to see
what I might expect in the way of blooms this year and found a single stalk
growing. Last year’s two stalks produced
a total of three flowers. Unfortunately,
the flowers ended up withering before there was even a hope of them producing
seed. Each year seems to bring some new
surprise from these plants. I’m still
waiting for the year the surprise turns out to be more plants.
I searched the slope in vane for more Yellow Lady’s Slipper
plants. This hillside doesn’t have an
abundance of wildflowers, but there are a few of interest. Basal leaves of the American Columbo are
looking bright and fresh. For some
reason, I was reminded of tropical climates when I looked at this plant growing
at the base of a young Sugar Maple.
A few Columbo plants have produced stalks that will bear a
crop of flowers. It’s always an odd
sight to find one of these tall plants towering in the woods.
The Columbo flower buds are in place awaiting the elongation
of the flower stalk. A few of these
plants bloom each year. The other plants
remain as a collection of basal leaves and return as such each year until the
conditions are right for them to reproduce.
The flowering year is its last year of life.
Mayapple numbers seem to increase each year. There are now large sections of the woods
that support these plants.
Many plants produced flowers this year. Annual flower numbers fluctuate greatly, but
I haven’t noticed any correlation between weather conditions and flowering.
Fruits are already developing in some flowers. Most will disappear long before they become
ripe.
One of the showiest blooms on the hillside is that of the
Violet Wood Sorrel. These petals seem to
luminesce in the woodland shadows and catch my attention whenever I walk by.
The plants prosper in places that tend to be free of
leaves. The downhill side of a fallen
log is a perfect place to find these plants.
Leaves displaying a purple blush are almost as attractive as the blooms.
Violet Wood Sorrel also commonly grows in the raised soil
around the base of large trees. Not all
leaves are heavily marked with purple patches, but all show some degree of
violet coloring.
This hillside used to support a good population of Jack-in-the-pulpit. Now I rarely see any blooming plants. Most of the population is now composed of
young, non-flowering plants.
Squawroot has finally pushed itself up through the leaves
and is beginning to bloom. These
parasitic plants are without chlorophyll, so their color is quite pale. They may look like a sign of ill health, but
only a healthy ecosystem can support parasites.
I take them as a sign that the overall health of the Blue Jay Barrens
woodlands is good.
This plant will last for several years as a cluster of basal leaves. I know from experience that Columbo can frustrate a beginning botanizer. I walked past the same cluster plants for two years before one decided to flower.
When all requirements of the plant are met, a thick stalk will ascend 4 to 6 feet and clusters of green blooms will appear. Although they are quite showy when viewed up close, they quickly blend into the dappled sunlight of the woods and can be hard to notice at a distance.
Most years, only a few flowering plants are seen at one site. There are at least a dozen plants showing in the photo above. Scenes like this remind me of the man-eating plants in the old Tarzan movies or John Wyndham's Triffids. I can imagine that lead plant leaning forward to unleash its sting upon me.
Just one more thing. Deer Flies are out in big numbers so be ready to employ whatever defense tactics you usually use. Any guesses on how many pictures you can take before a Deer Fly drills completely through the back of your hand?
