As well as spring beauty and trout lily plants, I saw a few (two) bloodroot plants. In the wild, bloodroot is a protected plant in many areas. If you come across a patch of bloodroot, appreciate it from a distance and leave it undisturbed. The XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens allows me to zoom in from afar, leaving the bloodroot and other native plants undisturbed.

Bloodroot can be found in the eastern part of North America, specifically in areas ranging from southern Canada to the eastern United States. It typically grows in moist, wooded areas and can often be found near streams or other bodies of water. The area along the bank of Rock Brook is the perfect environment for bloodroot. I discovered two hiking trails Rock Hopper and Pryde'S Point-Alexauken Creek during the pandemic with large colonies of bloodroot. Zion Crossing Park is closer to home.

The most striking feature of the bloodroot plant is its unique flower, which is pure white and has a bright yellow centre. The fragile spring flower develops and rises from the centre of its curled leaf, opening in full sun and closing at night. I've tried unsuccessfully to grow trout lilies in my patio "meadow container" garden.

In terms of when the bloodroot grows, it is an early spring bloomer, typically appearing in late March or early April. The flowers of the bloodroot plant are short-lived and will only last a few days. A part of me wonders if the plants have already bloomed and I've missed the show. I'll have to visit Zion Crossing Park and the Rock Hopper and Pryde'S Point-Alexauken Creek trails to confirm my suspicions.

https://islandinthenet.com/bloodroot/

#bloodroot #HollowRoad #NativeWildflower #RockBrook #SanguinariaCanadensis #Spring #ZionCrossing

The Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) is a notable native shrub found in Hobler Park and many other areas around Montgomery Township. Silky Dogwood thrives in the park's moist, low-lying areas, particularly around the unnamed tributary of Bedens Brook at the southern end.

I am always drawn to its smooth, reddish-brown stems and clusters of small, white flowers that bloom in late spring. In the fall, it produces blue-black berries that attract birds. The presence of Silky Dogwood contributes to the park's biodiversity, providing food and habitat for wildlife.

https://islandinthenet.com/silky-dogwood-cornus-amomum/

#CornusAmomum #HoblerPark #NativeWildflower #SilkyDogwood

On my early morning outing to Van Horne Park, I was prepared for every photographic opportunity that my minimalist camera kit could accomplish. I had the XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR which I used to photograph deer and rabbit and the XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR and MCEX-16 macro extension tube which came in handy for macro photographs of native wildflowers, like Foxglove Beardtongue.

Penstemon digitalis, commonly known as Foxglove Beardtongue, is a wildlife-friendly native perennial plant. It loves moist, well-drained soils but can adapt to various soil types, including sand, loam, and even clay. While I don't have specific information about the soil type in Van Horne Park, the park seems to have the right soil conditions. I found more than one patch of this wildflower as I walked around Van Horne Park. Most of the park receives full sun to partial shade.

Foxglove Beardtongue is highly beneficial to insects and other wildlife. It attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The tubular white flowers, which bloom from April to June, is an excellent nectar source.

From what I read online, Penstemon digitalis can be planted in personal gardens. It may be an excellent choice for my flower beds. The plant grows to a height of 3-5 feet with a spread of 1-2 feet. It's also deer-resistant and has medium drought tolerance, which adds to its appeal for me.

https://islandinthenet.com/foxglove-beardtongue-penstemon-digitalis/

#FoxgloveBeardton #MacroPhotography #NativeWildflower #PenstemonDigitalis #VanHornePark

#FairySlipper #wildflower in backyard.
Corms are used as wild #FoodSource by #NorthAmerican #Indigenous peoples. #Nlakapamux #FirstNation of #BritishColumbia used it as a treatment for mild epilepsy. Bumblebees love them.

#NativePlants #bloomscrolling #florespondence #Saanich #VictoriaBC #NativeWildflower #YYJ #Spring #Wsanec #VancouverIsland #PacificNorthwest #PNW #botanical #Flora #Nature #FlowersIdentification #PlantIdentification #botany #NatureLovers #Calypso #orchids #medicinal #edible

#WesternAster aka #PacificAster is a pretty #NativePlant #NativeWildflower & fab for #rewilding. It's also used in #environmental restoration work; it's been proven to absorb #selenium pollution.

Cold tolerant, hardy from sea to mountain elevations & will grow in poor soil.

#SymphyotrichumAscendens #Asteraceae #bloomscrolling #FlowersIdentification #PollinatorGarden #Saanich #Gardeners #VictoriaBC #Gardening #Zone8 #YYJ #Spring #Wsanec #VancouverIsland #PNW #botanical #PlantIdentification #PNW

I planted this in one of my large planters on my west-facing balcony. I don’t remember when or where I purchased it but I thought it was dead. It could be Anemone americana which is often found in the Sourland Mountains. The first time I encountered hepatica was when I saw round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana) in 2015.

But I was unsure which variety, Hepatica acutiloba (sometimes treated as H. nobilis var. acuta) or round-lobed hepatica, Hepatica americana (sometimes treated as H. nobilis var. obtusa). Hepatica acutiloba and Hepatica americana are both perennial herbaceous plant that typically grows in woodland habitats (like the Sourland Mountains). Hepatica acutiloba produces white, pink, or purple flowers in early spring while Hepatica americana produces white, pink, or blue flowers in early spring.

From what I have read online, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta and Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa are two varieties of the same species. The main difference lies in their leaf morphology. Var. acuta has sharply pointed lobes on its leaves, while var. obtusa has rounded or obtuse lobes. Additionally, var. acuta is often found in more northern regions, while var. obtusa is more common in southern areas. Both varieties produce similar white, pink, or blue flowers in early spring.

Based on the macro photographs of the leaves I think this is Hepatica nobilis var. acuta aka sharp-lobed hepatica.

https://islandinthenet.com/rue-anemone-thalictrum-thalictroides/

#AnemoneHepaticaVarAcuta #Hepatica #HepaticaAcutiloba #HepaticaNobilis #HepaticaNobilisVarAcuta #NativeWildflower #SharpLobedHepatica #Spring

This is the current height of my Scottish primrose flower. Not much taller than the moss capsules. Grown from seed in my garden, only found in the wild in the north of Scotland.
#nativeWildflower #ScottishPrimrose #mosstodon

Since I had "rediscovered" my MCEX-16 macro extension tube and had just completed photographing the lepanthes telipogoniflora in my wabi-kusa forest terrarium, I turned my attention to the small purple flowers growing in my container garden of native plants.

The Blue-eyed Grass, a perennial flowering plant native to New Jersey, tends to be overlooked in some gardening circles. The online descriptions and photos feature a plant with petite blue flowers and yellow centres blooming on stalks above grass-like leaves. But the flowers on my blue-eyed grass plant appear more purple than blue. This is not a trick of the light or an incorrect white balance on my camera sensor. To my eyes, the flowers appear to be a deep shade of purple.

Blue-eyed grass blooms from late spring to early summer. The plant forms small clumps of grass-like leaves that can slowly spread, serving as a ground cover and helping to retain moisture in the soil.

Blue-eyed Grass thrives in consistently moist soil but can tolerate some drought once established. My patio planters have a basin at the bottom that catches and retains rainwater. There is also a layer of moss growing in the planter. Both of these things help retain moisture and keep the container soil moist.

Blue-eyed grass is not grass. Blue-eyed Grass belongs to the Iris Family and attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This was one of my main goals in planting Blue-eyed Grass. While having bees on my patio could be annoying, I wanted to attract butterflies. With any luck, I may attract some interesting photography subjects.

Blue-eyed grass plant can be found in all regions of New Jersey and thrives in specific ecoregions like the coast and Pinelands. Princeton is far from the coast or the Pinelands area of New Jersey.

Forty-two images were captured and stacked using the DMap method in Zerene Stacker.

https://islandinthenet.com/blue-eyed-grass/

#BlueEyedGrass #ContainerGarden #LensArtists #MacroPhotography #NativeWildflower #Photography #SisyrinchiumAngustifolium #ZereneStacker

Found one #ColumbiaLily aka #PantherLily - #NativeWildflower yesterday.

#W̱MÍYEŦEN #Wsanec #Lekwungen #Nature #Sanctuary #Millstream #Watershed #GowllandRange #conservation #vanisle #PNW #VictoriaBC #yyj #greenbelt #VancouverIsland #CoastSalish #Cascadia #PacificNorthwest #ProtectedProperty #ConserveNature #biodiversity #NatureImmersion #Lilium #Columbianum #perennial #NativePlants #Spring #wildflowers #botanical

https://www.marylakeconnections.ca

The Eastern Columbine is a herbaceous perennial plant that stole my heart with its delicate, lobed leaves and unique bell-shaped flowers the first time I saw it growing in the garden at Leonard J. Buck Garden. The flowers are a fiery red and yellow combo, sometimes an alluring all-red or all-yellow look. These beauties bloom in the spring and early summer.

Hummingbirds can't resist its sweet nectar, nor can bees, butterflies, or hawk moths. I want to provide a home for some butterfly or moth larvae, and the Eastern Columbine has got it covered. It's even a tasty treat for birds like finches and buntings. Eastern Columbine is a self-seeder. Several colonies have formed in every one of my garden planters and have spread to the small garden at the front of my home. Eastern Columbine will stick around for the long haul.

Eastern Columbine is an easy-to-grow plant that thrives in various habitats, including woodlands, meadows, and even along roadsides. I'm not a seasoned gardener, but I can enjoy the lovely flowers in the container garden meadow I planted. The container garden is set up to provide the meadow plants with well-draining soil. The west-facing patio gives the container meadows partial shade from the roof of our home in the morning, but the containers bask in full sun in the afternoon.

https://islandinthenet.com/airbnb-for-birds-and-butterflies/

#AquilegiaCanadensis #ContainerGarden #EasternColumbine #EasternRedColumbine #NativePlant #NativeWildflower #Spring #WildColumbine

First #lupine #flowerbud spike head is developing.

#zone8 #NativePlants #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #yyj #vanisle #VancouverIsland #PNW #PacificNorthwest #NativeWildflower #PropagatedFromCuttings #GardenersOfMastodon #SDFgardeners #Green #GrowPlantsNotHate #PlantAGarden #WhatsInMyGarden #PollinatorGarden #BiodiverseGardening #GardeningForNature #botanical #plants #foliage

My #columbine #NativePlants are showing lots of new #FlowerBuds . I have several plants in pots & in one contained bed in front gardens.

#Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #yyj #vanisle #VancouverIsland #PNW #PacificNorthwest #BritishColumbia #Canada #GardenersOfMastodon #SDFgardeners #MastodonGardeners #GrowPlantsNotHate #PlantAGarden #WhatsInMyGarden #perennial #florespondence #SelfSufficiency #Flowering #AsianMastodon #Green #foliage #botanical #PollinatorGarden #NativeWildflower #BloomScrolling

#ShootingStars #Wildflowers have started to show themselves! Magnificent! These are one of my fave #NativeWildflower #NativePlants on #VancouverIsland ❤ I love seeing them return every year. This patch has a blueish one!

#Nature #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #yyj #vanisle #VancouverIsland #PNW #PacificNorthwest #Spring #April #TinyBeauties #SignsOfSpring #Westcoast #BritishColumbia #Canada #floral #blooms #flowers #InTheWoods #ForestFinds #WildflowerWednesday #florespondence #BloomScrolling