Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) is fairly common in the Northern hardwoods forest. This is another plant that utilizes ants to disperse its seeds.

Flower rest on ground level, sometimes hidden by foliage and you have to look to notice them.

This species has been used for culinary purposes in the past but contains Aristolochic acid, which can damage kidney function.

#wildginger #canadianginger #asarumcanadense #aristolochiaceae #aristolochia

False Hellebore (Veratrum viride) is always a plant I love seeing. Later in the season it will have 2'-3' tall stalks bearing panicles of yellowish green flowers.

Habitat is wetland and one of the main plant associates of this species is often Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

This species is toxic and folklore recounts the use of the plant's sap by Native peoples and early European colonists to soak corn seeds in to prevent them from being eaten by crows.

#falsehellebore #veratrumviride

Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) was named for Thomas Jefferson by Professor and author of the first textbook on botany in the United States, Benjamin Smith Barton.
Another very ephemeral bloomer like bloodroot with flowers lasting but a day.

The only other known species in this Genus is from Asia: Jeffersonia dubia

#twinleaf #jeffersoniadiphylla

Quaker Ladies (Houstonia caerulea). The common name comes from the shape which resembles the hats worn by Quaker women.
Pollinated by Halictid bees and Little Carpenter bees.

Typically found growing in dry sandy areas but will also grow in wet lawns and meadows.

#quakerladies #houstoniacaerulea

Happy Earth Day!

#earthday #liverworts #anemonehepatica #hepatica

A pair of Ring necked ducks (Aythya collaris) cruising a shallow pond.

#ringneckedduck #aythyacollaris #ducks #waterfowl

An Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) watches a Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus). Phoebes are a sure sign of spring in the north, often arriving while there is still snow on the ground.

Phoebes are omnivorous, eating insects and nuts and berries but prefer to hunt for insects. From a distance they are easy to identify by their tail flicking or wagging behavior.

#easternphoebe #sayornisphoebe #flycatchers #tyrantflycatchers

Washed up. Nature's flotsam and jetsam.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is an early blooming but very ephemeral wildflower. The flowers last one or two days and then the petals drop off.

The red sap from the plant was used for dyes in earlier eras.

The plant contains the alkaloid Sanguinarine, which helps prevent plaque on teeth and is found in some toothpastes. Sanguinarine is also being researched due to its ability to kill cancer cells.

#bloodroot #sanguinariacanadensis #springwildflowers #wildflowers