Mystery Flower Up in the Woods
We have lived here for almost twenty years now, and yet almost every year I discover a new wildflower growing up there. I don’t know how much this is due to the maturing of the the woodlands, and how much is due to my making more of an effort to get up there during May, when all the spring ephemerals are blooming–and all the weeds are growing lustily in the cultivated gardens down by the house.
About a week ago I came across this plant, which I had never seen before:
May 9th. Do you know what this flower is?
A few days later I checked again, and it looked like this:
May 12th. Do you know what it is now?
It seemed like it was taking its sweet time to open. I had a hunch about its identity at this point, but couldn’t confirm it. Wednesday and Thursday were both too busy to go up and look, so it wasn’t until early evening of the 15th, when I should have been writing my bloom day post, that I finally got to see this:
Cypripedium acaule, commonly known as Pink Ladyslipper
I’m just thrilled.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
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Twitter: @dlynz
That is so cool – haven’t seen one in years!
Donalyn’s last blog post..It’s not just a 3-day weekend
Twitter: @commonweeder
kathy, lucky you! At a recent plant sale there were lots of trillium and bloodroot – which I thought were difficult to transplant – but apparently this is a great spring for these wild flowers in our area – and at least some of us know how to transplant them safely.
commonweeder’s last blog post..A Cry for Help
WOW! We’re thrilled for you. I’ve never seen one, but I’m sure out looking for stuff.
Lynn’s last blog post..officially my new favorite flower
What a beautiful plant.
The progression shots are great. Would you mind it I post a link to this post at Wildlife Gardeners Forum?
Gloria’s last blog post..MAY 15th 2009 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day
Twitter: @gardenfix
My, but these are beautiful plants. Just the structure of them alone is awe-inspiring.
Twitter: @indygardener
“Best bloom of bloom day”. We are all excited to see your mystery flower open up!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens’s last blog post..Have You Ever Hoed A Deck?
Lovely photos. What an awesome flower. You have a really nice website too – great use of the Thesis theme.
Twitter: @bloomingwriter
Yea for Lady’s slippers, Kathy! That’s just awesome. Interesting too, because ours are a couple weeks yet from blooming. I don’t have any in our garden, although I’ve contemplated it for a few years. I know a spot down in the woods adjacent the evil clearcut not far from us where they grow in profusion, and I could extricate a nice large chunk of ground with all the goodness in it, and bring it up here to put with the other woodland plants. Maybe. I keep saying that, but haven’t done so yet….;-)
jodi (bloomingwriter)’s last blog post..Aliens in the gardens
Twitter: @DaffodilPlanter
What a touching vote of confidence in you, from Mother Nature.
Daffodil Planter’s last blog post..DVD Review: The Art and Practice of Gardening, with Penelope Hobhouse
Twitter: @clayanlimestone
Kathy, Wonderful news…it’s a fantastic find! …and Dee’s description is perfect. Earthy looking for sure! Maybe the conditions are right for other natives to return….I have noticed that where I remove the vincas, dogtooth violet has appeared.
Gail
Gail’s last blog post.."And now, here’s something we hope you’ll really like!" Bloom Day
The further up the hill we go, the less invasives there are. Up where the ladyslipper was found, there aren’t many invasives yet.
Twitter: @suburbangarden
I’m thrilled for you! That is such an awesome find, kind of like an Howard Carter finding Tut’s tomb.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s last blog post..May Bloom Day 2009
Twitter: @reddirtramblin
What an exciting find for bloom day! I’ve never seen a photo of a lady slipper, but it is so, forgive me, earthy looking.~~Dee
Dee/reddirtramblings.com’s last blog post..Troy-Bilt Trimmer, a Review
There are other species that are more garden-flower pretty, but they all have the same structure.
Twitter: @OurLittleAcre
Now THAT is SUPER exciting!!!!!! I’d be screaming and jumping up and down with glee. We are going back to the woods tomorrow evening to see if we can find some Jack-in-the-Pulpits. I too have a mystery flower we found last week when at the woods. I’m waiting for a bloom so I might be able to identify it. Soon!
This is just sooooooo cool, Kathy!
Thanks, Kylee. You understand my excitement better than most of my family does. Jack in the pulpit and trillium both have 3-part leaves. You have to look at the vein patterns on the leaf to distinguish them–at least I do when there’s no bloom
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