Another Batch Of Kentucky Woodlanders

[alpines]

We have reached a crossroads where the early spring plants are on their way out and there will likely be a lull for a couple of weeks before the late Spring/Early summer flowers come into their own....you know the sort of things...Cypripediums, Iris, Trillium grandiflorum, Indian Pinks etc.
So here are a few of the things that are probably the last species to make an appearance in Spring.
Fortunately, one of us had our "eye in" today....and it wasn't me, so the first batch are photographs taken by Sherba. Some of the plants you will have seen before, but she has such a wonderful way of seeing light and perspective, that I can't hope to match, and so I thought it was worth showing you them again.
1.  Mertensia virginica - The Virginia bluebells
2.  Stellaria pubera - Star Chickweed
3.  Vicia caroliniana - Carolina vetch  (This is Kentucky's ONLY vetch)
4.  I can only describe this as a tree trunk but Sherba obviously saw the beauty in it
5.  Tiarella cordifolia - Foam flower
6.  Aquilegia canadensis - Wild columbine
7.  Trillium erectum - Red
8.  Trillium erectum - PINK - You got to see this one !!!
9.  Asarum canadense flower - Wild ginger
10. Delphinium tricorne - Dwarf Larkspur

All the above were taken at Anglin falls except 1 & 2 which were taken at Howard's Creek in Fayette Co.

[alpines]

..and the final batch. (Don't blame Sherba for these) 
1 thru 4 were taken at Anglin Falls. This place is without doubt the most prolific in the Bluegrass Basin area for wildflowers. This is an easy walk, only about two miles there and back. There's a moderate climb to the waterfall but if you only ever do one hike in KY, then this is THE one. We would be delighted to accompany you!!!!

The remainder were taken on the Eastern Pinnacle of Indian Fort Mountain in Berea. We can see the Pinnacles from our back porch. We climbed the Western Pinnacle last year......and you don't do two in a year!!!! There was a fire there in 1987 (allegedly set by arsonists) which decimated the forest and so there are very few species in evidence. In fact a recent vascular flora only revealed 59 species. Compare this to 538 species described at Anglin Falls).
The most prolific are probably Phlox divaricata and Claytonia virginica. Beautiful hike....but not for wildflowers. This is also 'Sacred Ground' but I have not been able to determine what Indian tribe actually inhabited the area, and it may well be that the fort was not built by Indians at all.

1.  Geranium maculatum - Wild geranium
2.  Pedicularis canadensis - Wood betony
3.  Trillium erectum - unusual markings on the reverse of the flower
4.  Polemonium reptans - Jacob's Ladder
5.  Houstonia caerulea - Bluets. According to the flora, this doesn't grow in the Bluegrass basin, but oh yes it does !!!
6.  Oxalis violaceae - Violet wood sorrel - Definitely NOT invasive. We only found one plant.
7.  Redbud trees. Cercis canadensis
8.  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail -  Papilio glaucus.
9.  A view from the Eastern Pinnacle, Berea, KY
10. Sherba on the edge.

For those interested in growing woodland plants from these areas,  I did a pH test of Anglin Falls and Indian Fort soils and the range was 6.8 to 7.0. This was NOT a scientific test. I merely sampled a few different areas of plant diversity and this is what I came up with.

We hope you have enjoyed these wildflowers and we hope to have some more for you in two or three weeks time.
Alan & Sherba

[Lesley Cox]

I've certainly enjoyed then Alan and Sherba, thanks to you both. Especially I love the Mertensia. I have it but it's always battered by spring winds. Wish it would set some seed.

Can you tell me anything about Houstonia rubra or H. acerosa please?

[alpines]

Hi Lesley.......Well I can tell you a little bit about both of them but neither of them grow this far east.
H.acerosa ( the needleleaf bluet) grows in New Mexico and Texas. There are numerous synonyms for this plant (Hedyotis polypremoides; Oldenlandia acerosa being two of them) which is classified as a sub-shrub. H.rubra is also synonymous (with Hedyotis rubra and Oldenlandia rubra) and again comes from the south-west of the USA, namely TX, NM, Utah and Arizona.
Don't know if you are trying to grow these in Dunedin but you may need to try growing them in a sand bed for best results.
Good luck
Alan

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Alan.

[Paul T]

Lovely photos.  So many nice things.  The Trilliums are great.  I've not come across Pedicularis canadensis before, but I'm guessing it is a Salvia relative by those flowers?

Great pics, thanks for sharing them with us (you too Sherba!  )

[alpines]

Hi Paul,
Pedicularis canadensis is a member of the Scrophulariaceae, whilst Salvias are I believe members of Lamiaceae, but they do bear a similarity.
These come in a variety of color forms too. Last year I found a yellow/brown form on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.

There may be other color forms too but I haven't seen other as as yet.
Alan

[Ed Alverson]

The tree stump looks a bit to me like a young elephant, or perhaps a baby woolly mammoth, emerging from the swamp...

I am also enjoying the photos of kentucky in the spring time.  I especially like the view of the hillside showing the different tree species that are flowering or leafing on different schedules.

Botanical consensus now is that the semi-parasitic Scrophulariaceae, including  Castilleja, Orthocarpus, and Pedicularis, are all more closely related to the parasitic Orobanchaceae than to the other members of the Scrophulariaceae (such as Penstemon).  This is based upon DNA analysis, you can read all about it at http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/88/2/348

Ed