My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Lvandelft]

Lovely pictures Kristl!

But today my yearning to get out into the woods was impossible to resist---so I
dropped shovel and trowel and ran away to a few local haunts to see if
anything was poking out of the ground yet.

I just can feel what you mean. It's kind of a nervous heart beating which does not stop..

[Gerdk]

Thank you for these wonderful spring impressions. It seems your Allium tricoccum is the American counterpart of our good old Allium ursinum.

Gerd

[Paul T]

Beautiful, Krystl.  More things I have never heard of.    Great stuff. 

[Brian Ellis]

Caulophyllum thalictroides is one of my favorite native plants.

Me too Kristl, what is the best method of propagation?

[Kristl Walek]

Caulophyllum thalictroides is one of my favorite native plants.

Me too Kristl, what is the best method of propagation?

Beg, borrow or steal a plant....       

Seriously, Brian....next to the Pyrolaceae, this is a plant that has me totally mystified as a seedswoman. I have it going into it's 3rd cycle now of alternating cold-warm-cold, etc, and have not had a single germination. There is some research suggesting (but not conclusive) that it requires a Gibberelin (NOT GA-3) to stimulate germination.

I should have done the same testing with seed of it in pots of woodland soil (with lots of maple leafmould)---and that is what I say on my seed packages (direct sow in an area where woodland soil and deciduous leaf mould is present), as it is the only thing that makes sense to me.

The particular woods where it is prevalent (like where I photographed it), it is SERIOUSLY prevalent---and is obviously reproducing from seed, so it seems obvious it is something in the soil in combination with the normal time equations.

It is another species that is rare in Nova Scotia, existing in the form of only "a few plants in hardwoods forests" of the Annapolis Valley, so I will be potting many plants for my move.

[Brian Ellis]

Beg, borrow or steal a plant...

I already have it Kristl, but would like to spread it round a few friends and expand my holding!  Unfortunately it does not seem happy enough to bless me with seedlings

[Kristl Walek]

To finish up with the Sanguinaria canadensis from yesterday---these are pictures from the main area in the woods, giving you an idea of how lovely large populations are. These were fairly thick up a west-facing slope, fairly open and sunny right now.

The predominant groundcover under the Sanguinaria is Erythronium americanum.

[Kristl Walek]

Dirca palustris (Leatherwood) is more interesting than showy. It is a small understory shrub with very flexible branches (these are so pliable, they can actually be tied in knots without breaking).

The bark can also be peeled in strips and used as cordage---is as tough as leather.

It is quite rare in this area---and all my hunting over the years has only yielded two spots with a few specimens. One of these is right down the street, in the rear of a golfcourse, where there are 2 plants only.  Whenever I am skulking around in there photographing plants, I do get rather odd looks from the golfers, just feet away.

From my perspective, Dirca is notable for being the first woody species to bloom in this area. Even though the yellow flowers are tiny, when they are mostly all in bloom on bare branches, it does have an ethereal effect of sorts.

These are followed by berries, ripening rather early.

My other interest in the species is it's rather challenging seed. Being in the Thymelaeaceae (like Daphne), it presents similar issues with seed (empties, underdeveloped embryos etc). However, unlike Daphne, the seed must be collected almost instantly upon ripening, or barely ripening. It is one of the few species where near-exact seed collection timing is *crucial*. One day too late and the seed is gone. If I manage the timing, there are all sorts of secondary issues to be dealt with---the most laborious of which is hand sorting every single seed for crushability (no embryo). They are then moist packed and re-checked often for further rotting or crushing....only the seed that remains semi-hard over a period of months has a chance at germination.

The plants down the road were only thinking of opening yesterday, but in todays heat (+27C) they rushed to open.

[Paul T]

Great Sanguinarias Kristl.  All beautiful pics as always.

I have to wonder how many different things in the world as known as 'Leatherwood'.  Here, we have Eucryphias that are known as that. 

[Kristl Walek]

I was trying to avoid most of the species I covered last year---but I stopped in such a botanically rich little stretch of woods today---drifts of yellow inticing me from the dirt road. So, I just had to hike in to take a peek.

It's strange how I have never entered these maple woods before after 20 years of living in the area; only 10 minutes from home.

These woods were composed of large hummocks, solid with mostly Erythronium americanum and Claytonia caroliniana, dotted with the maroon of Trillium erectum. The low areas were still full of standing water.

[Kristl Walek]

Trillium erectum does not grow in large drifts in my area, as does T. grandiflorum. Where it is found here, it tends to be dotted in the landscape.
In areas of Quebec I have seen, often the opposite is true.

[Katherine J]

Trillium erectum does not grow in large drifts in my area, as does T. grandiflorum. Where it is found here, it tends to be dotted in the landscape.

It is lovely!

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful drifts in wild woodland and your close up photos have a really lovely way of showing all views of the beautiful blooms - thanks Kristi

[Kristl Walek]

Today was perhaps my last day for a while to head into the woods, but it was well worth it.

First stop was at my favorite Dicentra and Claytonia site, a limestone ridge area fairly solid with both species, working their way down the rocky slope and into the woodland below.

Dicentra cucullaria and D. canadensis were both in bloom; one can tell them apart:
1. by their flower shape
2. flower color -D. canadensis is pure white (no yellow lips)
3. D. canadensis flower stalk is normally held strictly upright, D. cucullaria is nodding
4. different seed receptacles
5. Corms

[Kristl Walek]

Dicentra cucullaria is the more common of the two native species; it is in fact rather difficult to find D. canadense--which also has a weaker habit of growth---and does not appear to be as persistent and tough as D. cucullaria.