Spring Wildflowers in BFEC along the Kokosing Gap Trail

False-Rue Anemone
Isopyrum biternatum
©E.R. Heithaus

Species Blooming in April

Round-Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana) - Note showy 6-10 petaled flower ranging in color from white to deep purple. The ground hugging leaves are divided into three lobes with rounded outer margins.

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) - Similar to above but with pointed margins on the leaves. May hybridize with the above species

Rue-Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides) - Note 2-3 white 6-10 petaled flowers on stalks above

a whorl of small 3-lobed leaves.

False-Rue-Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum) - Note leaf divided into 3 segments that are also divide into 3 lobes. Flower similar to above.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) - Note showy 6-10 petaled white flower. A many lobed leaf may be rolled around the stalk or fully open.

Dutchman's-Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) - Note the 3 lobed finely divided leaf. Flower resembles a pair of white breeches..

Spring-Beauty (Claytonia virginiana) - Note the reddish-brown grass-like leaves that appear before the 5 petaled, pink to white flower with dark pink veins.

Cut-Leaved Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) - Note the 3 3-part toothed leaves that form a whorl below the flower stem. The white flower has 4 petals

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis) - The best field character for this one is it's odor. If the toothed, heart-shaped leaves are crushed they produce a garlic-like odor. The small 4 petaled flowers form a cluster toward the end of the stem.

Kidney-Leaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)- Note the kidney-shaped leaves at the base of the plant. The yellow flowers are inconspicuous.

Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis) - Note creeping habit. Small blue flowers with 3 large petals and 1 small one.

Small-Flowered Bittercress (Cardamine parviflora) - Note the many small leaflets and tiny white flowers.

Trout-Lily (Erythronium americanum) - Note the lance-shaped leaves mottled with red, lily-shaped yellow flower

Gill-Over-The-Ground (Glechoma hederacea) - Note the ground-hugging habit of this plant with roundish, purple tinged leaves. Small purple flowers are at the bases of the leaves. .

Common Blue Violet - (Viola papilionacea) - Note the similar length of the flower and leaf stalks. The lower petal of this purple flower is longer than the two lateral petals which have fuzzy beards.

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) - Note the hood-like spathe tinged with purple/brown mottling that surrounds the rounded structure on which the flowers are borne. In the summer the leaves are very large and have a musky odor when crushed.

Species Likely To Be Blooming in May

Jack-In-The-Pulpit - (Arisaema triphyllum) - Note the unique 3-lobed leaf that appears before the flower. The flaplike spathe covers the finger-like spadix that bears flowers near it's base.

Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) - Note ovate leaves with purple tinge. Blue bell-like flowers are borne on nodding stem.

Blue Phlox (Phlox subulata) - Note small, ovate leaves that are arranged opposite each other on a hairy stem. The 5-petaled purple flowers cluster at the tip of the stem

Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) - Note basal rosette of hairy leaves. The pink to white flowers have four petals.

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) - Note 5-parted hairy leaves. Several 5-petaled flowers borne on a single stem. Flowers pink to lavender.

May-Apple (Podophyllum peltatum) - Note the two, large, deeply divided leaves with a single 6-9 petaled flower hanging under them.

Large-Flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) - Note large leaf divide into 3 parts, flower white, lily-like. When flowers age they often turn pink. There may also be several species of red Trillium blooming later in may.

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) - One of several species of white-flowered violets. In this species the flower has yellow at the base of the petals and a light purple tinge to the underside of the petal. Stem is often hairy.

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) - Note the arching stem with paired yellow bell-shaped flowers hanging below each.

False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina racemosa) - Note oval leaves that alternate along the gracefully arching stem. The small white flower cluster near the end of the stem.

Perfoliate Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata) - Note the way the oval leaf surrounds the stem. The yellow bell-shaped flower is at the tip of the stem.

Check list of flowers

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