Bluets, Quaker Ladies (Houstonia caerulea)
Bluets (Houstonia caerulea), or Quaker Ladies as they are sometimes called, are one of the smallest and daintiest wildflowers that we have in New England. It is easy to overlook bluets because they are...
View ArticleFringed Polygala (Polygala paucifolia)
These tiny flowers are only 3/4-inches long and remind me of miniature orchids. My grandmother always called them "baby toes," and I have heard other people call them that too, but they are better...
View ArticleLooking for Blooms
Did you ever notice how beautiful the blossoms of ordinary wildflowers can be? Although their sheer numbers sometimes keep us from really noticing or appreciating them, many are striking enough to...
View ArticleJoe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Joe Pye Weed is a native perennial that grows readily in moist areas and forms clumps of tall sturdy plants that can grow up to six feet tall. In August the flowers start to open, the clumps become a...
View ArticleRed Trillium (Trillium erectum)
Red Trillium (Trillium erectum) blooms here early in the spring. We have left several native red trilliums where they were growing naturally, and they are a vivid spot of welcome color before most of...
View ArticleBloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Many years ago, when my parents were newly married and my father was on a fishing trip, he came across massive clumps of bloodroot growing around the remains of an old house in the woods near a pond....
View ArticleFoam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia)
There are four varieties of foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia)... the variety that is most common here has the characteristic leaves that look like maple leaves, but with more rounded edges. This...
View ArticleIndian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)
Have you ever seen an Indian Pipe? As long as I can remember I have been able to find them in the woods across from our house, and they're appearing in especially huge numbers this year... probably...
View ArticleStarflower (Trientalis borealis)
The starflower is a beautiful little New England wildflower that thrives in our cool woods and peat-rich soil. We often see them growing next to large trees or rocks in shaded areas. The entire plant...
View ArticleHow To Grow Jack-in-the-Pulpit From Seeds
Reader question... "I just read your post on jack-in-the-pulpits and my question is about the red berries and seeds. Is it possible to plant these seeds and grow new jack-in-the-pulpits? If yes, is...
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