Sanguinaria

[cnycharles]

... canadensis or Bloodroot. For those not from north america or don't know about terrestrial wildflowers, this plant has thick tubers that when squeezed or cut, give off blood red sap. These come up and flower very early in the spring, often if the temperature is above 55F and the sun is out a little bit. Cold and cloudy and the flowers will stay closed. I had not seen these in person until a co-worker mentioned they were along the road to his house, and then I found a very large patch near where I now live and a friend's farm, growing mixed in with another large population of leeks.

This spot is very close to a very busy road, and many people drive by very hurriedly every day. These flowers only last a few days at most, are pristine white with attractive kidney-shaped leaves that are clasped like a closed hand that unfurls when the bud emerges to flower. In their mad hurry, many people miss one of the most beautiful and sincere flowers in creation, which explodes with beauty and then is gone. We as humans are as ephemeral as these flowers; it's too bad that most never see things like this and if they did, they would likely spoil their goodness with a shovel or scissors, or dump their trash on them. There are many people who are hidden from view, who are as beautiful as these flowers, but are never seen by most of us. I hope that they can remain as pristine as when they first opened, and can be as productive as a bloodroot (every flower sets seed). I am glad that I am able to see beauty like this from time to time

spent flowers with seed pod

shyly emerging new flower

small corner of population with highway in background

I was editing/uploading pictures from my last trip when I had to find a new apartment. There were many things I had to take care of after moving (and most of my plants are still on tables in my living room, along with everything else in boxes , but hopefully I can finish showing my pictures!

Happy Easter

 

[Rick]

Wow Charles!

That is the biggest patch of bloodroot I've ever seen:clap::clap:

I have a neighbor with a hill that is covered in a nodding white trillium I need to try to get a pic of (I did try to get a pic last year).

It's great to see these big patches of native flowers.

 

[Erythrone]

Wow!!!

It's been a long time since I saw such a great patch of bloodroot!!

 

[cnycharles]

... and it's just the 'corner'! I would say that where the road is, and the other end where they trickle out is at least 50 yds long, being conservative in my estimate, probably longer. maybe not so concentrated but they are here and there for quite a stretch.

rick, there are some amazing patches of red and white trilliums in spots here in central ny. west of here along the ny state thruway, there is a huge patch (whites) underneath maples etc along the edge of the highway and grass apron, that stretches for quite a ways. you have to be careful, or you could drive right off the road while trying to look at them! (Thank God for rumble strips...)

(for Clark below) Clark, two weeks ago when we had such warm weather I went for a bike ride along the old erie canal. The spring peepers were out, and I saw dozens of the painted turtles from tiny ones to quite large ones, all sitting on fallen trees in the water. I did see a medium-sized very muddy snapping turtle in some water grass; from it's path it must have been taking a break from thrashing through the grass, or was waiting for someone to come along to 'feed it'. It had so much gunk on it's back, I only saw it because of the tiny yellow glint of it's eyes peering through the mud! Not too many flowers here other than forsythia, frosted magnolias, some daffodils and maybe some small blue flowers that pop up in yards... was wondering if heartleaf twayblades that are first orchid up in mid-may might make a very early appearance

 

[Clark]

Happy Easter Charles!

These are great.
Chrissy and I were out on Good Friday shooting reptiles(got five species),
and I said to her- I wonder if Charles has been shooting the native flowers?

Let me know when you are down again, we have some Little Gulls on the waterfront.
Rare for these parts.

 

[NYEric]

Nice catch. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kevin]

Nice pictures, and well written!

 

[W. Beetus]

Those are beautiful! Very nice pictures.

 

[SlipperFan]

These are sweet flowers -- and leaves. I like that they spread themselves.

 

[Clark]

Charles-
On the subject of frogs, have been attempting to photograph a unnamed sub-species of leopard frog, before it gets named.
This was in the news a month ago. Discovered first in Staten Island, there is a population about 30 miles northwest of our home.
Hope it rains here soon.

 

[NYEric]

Charles-
On the subject of frogs, have been attempting to photograph a unnamed sub-species of leopard frog, before it gets named.
This was in the news a month ago. Discovered first in Staten Island, there is a population about 30 miles northwest of our home.
Hope it rains here soon.

Very cool!

 

[cnycharles]

Charles-
On the subject of frogs, have been attempting to photograph a unnamed sub-species of leopard frog, before it gets named.
This was in the news a month ago. Discovered first in Staten Island, there is a population about 30 miles northwest of our home.
Hope it rains here soon.

interesting! I hope you can photograph it before that nasty fungus that kills all those tropical amphibians catches up to it

 

[Clark]

Was following that thread. Definitely alot less bats here also, compared to 30 years ago. But there are other reasons.

How are the ticks by you? Did you get any while shooting the bloodroot?

Have not gotten off the beaten path(hoping the ticks already found a ride), but I hear they are brutal right now.

 

[Marc]

My parents have a small patch of these growing in their garden. I must say that I allways look forward to seeing them bloom.

 

[cnycharles]

How are the ticks by you? Did you get any while shooting the bloodroot?

Have not gotten off the beaten path(hoping the ticks already found a ride), but I hear they are brutal right now.

I would think that the ticks would be bad, and the area where I was has them around, and a spot maybe a half-mile away had quite a few two years ago, but so far I haven't seen any ticks right there (and none on myself). It might be a certain type of plant that they hang out on that isn't in that area, because I have been in that spot/area a few times and never seen any ticks, and there isn't a lack of deer, there