Another Houstonia

This is the Long leafed Bluet (Houstonia longafolia) which is white so don't know where the "Bluet" fits in. Another tiny flower of the roadsides in spring.

Dogwood

VA's beautiful state flower, the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). Generally a small tree, the true flowers number about 30 and are in the center of the four white "petals" which are actually bracts. Fruit is a small red berry. The trees are prone to blight (a type of fungal infection) that has killed many wild trees. The wild trees are white, the pink cultivated.

Wild Strawberry

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) similiar to our domestic Strawberry but the flower and fruit are much smaller although said to be sweeter. Pretty common in roadside ditches (where else!) A member of the Rose family

Bluets size comparison

Reuella

This is Reuella, commonly called "Mexican Petunia" or "Wild Petunia" and it is an "illegal alien"! Extremely hardy, it grows almost anywhere (we need some!). It is attractive and the plants we have are garden escapes. It's also considered an undesirable invasive species that smothers native plants by the USDA. Hopefully I'll get the spring flora outa the way soon and move on.

Solomon's Seal

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) is commonly found in dry to moist wooded areas where the soil is rich. It is widespread in eastern North America and found throughout most of VA. where it is easily overlooked because the flowers are green. The flowers typically grow in pairs as the two in the right of the photo.

Solomon's Seal 2

Mayapple

This is Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), another peculiar spring blooming flower of our woodlands. These plants, that usually grow in colonies, resemble small umbrellas with the stem ending in the center of a circular shaped leaf. A single waxy white flower is produced at the crotch where the stem divides to form two "umbrellas". If you type "Mayapple" into Goggle and click "images" you can see the structure of this weird plant

Mayapple 2

Partridgeberry

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) sometimes called "Squaw vine" is a small evergreen vine often found at the base of oak trees. The tiny white flowers produce an equally tiny red berry. The plant is said to hasten childbirth so American Indian women used it to hasten labor. Makes you wonder how they ever found that one out! The golden colored thingees on the flowers are very tiny what appear to be mites as they were actively scurrying around among the tiny hairs on the flowers. Wonder if they are some kind of floral flea ;o)

Partridgeberry size

Partridgeberry berry

The tiny red berry which is the "fruit" of Partridgeberry

Deptford Pink

This exquisite little flower is more an early summer bloomer than spring. Fairly common along dry roadsides and meadows. Named for Deptford, England. Flowers very small and easy to overlook.

Bird's Foot Violet

This is "Bird's Foot Violet" (Viola pedata) one of several violet species in our area. This is the bicolor variant. These typically grow in colonies in poor soil and appear early in spring. Its name comes from its resemblance to a bird's foot although, for some reason, it reminds me of the cartoon character "Goofy".

Lesser Celandine

"Lesser celandine" (Ranunculus ficaria), also known as the "fig buttercup" is an attractive but aggresive European plant that gained entry into the US. It is considered an ecological threat by the USDA who recommends destroying the plant if found by spraying with herbicide. It spreads rapidly forming a dense mat that chokes out desirable native species. Its relationship to the Buttercup is pretty obvious. The Buttercup family is considered the most primitive plant family by botanists.

Trout Lily

Depending on where you live, this flower ( Erythronium americanum) has a number of common names, each pointing to some distinguishing characteristic. “Trout lily” comes from the resemblance of its mottled leaves to the coloring on brook trout. “Adder’s tongue” refers to the similarity between a snake’s tongue and the sharply pointed, unopened purple leaves as they poke through the dense forest litter. “Dogtooth violet” is said to reflect the white, tooth-like shape of its underground corm. The plant is not a violet but a true Lily as evidenced by the nodding spotted flower. Often grow in large colonies. Wilderness Battlefield Park.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Another odd flower of Va.'s woodlands in spring is Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). The flower is low to the ground and the green with brown striping makes it somewhat difficult to spot. The plant's three leaves closely resemble Poison Ivy and it is considered poisonous to grazing livestock in large amounts.

Another Spring Beauty

Another Spring Beauty. These range from pink to white with pink veins and stamens. This one was almost solid pink

Hawkweed

Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium. Basically just another weed although it is kind of attractive

Yellow Stargrass

Yellow Stargrass (Common Goldstar)
Hypoxis hirsuta