Early wildflowers

Wildflower season in Kalamazoo has begun!  I visited the Kalamazoo Nature Center this afternoon and was surprised by the number of species in flower.  Most of these weren't at their peak, with just a few individual plants in bloom and many more almost ready.  Hepatica may be at its peak and Harbinger of Spring has been blooming for a few weeks and may be past its peak, but the rest of these have plenty of season remaining.

Blue-eyed Mary

Dutchman's Breeches

Spring Beauty

Harbinger of Spring

Dutchman's Breeches

Yellow Trout Lily

I did see a few other flowering species.  Marsh Marigold was just getting started.  Rue anenome and Toothwort had plenty of flowers.  Skunk cabbage were mostly done blooming but a few plants still showed their mottled maroon buds (or spathes.)

The most exciting thing I saw was an otter swimming across the Kalamazoo River, but I had the wrong lens for a decent photo.

Wildflower season begins

Despite Kalamazoo's long, snowy winter, the 2014 Spring wildflower season is starting at a fairly typical time, perhaps a few days later than last year.  I visited the Kalamazoo Nature Center today and the blooms were just starting.  Hepatica were probably at their peak, with lots of blossoms open, only a few in bud, and almost none past flowering.

Harbinger of Spring were also near their peak, if this tiny flower can be said to have a peak.  Some years, they bloom much earlier.

The other ephemeral wildflowers are just getting started.  For the most part, Dicentras were just emerging, although a handful of early Dutchman's Breeches were in flower.

Marsh Marigolds were budding but they only had a couple of flowers.  A lot of the spotted leaves of Trout Lilies were up, but only a few flowers.   A few Mayapple umbrellas were emerging.  I saw one small Bloodroot in bloom.

Most of the Spring Beauty were still dormant but I did find a couple in flower.

If the weather stays warm, there may be many new blooms in the next few days.

Wildflowers at Warren Dunes

Like most people, I think of Warren Dunes State Park as a summer destination: swimming at the big beaches (with big parking lots), climbing Tower Hill to see Chicago across Lake Michigan, picnicking, or camping.  So it had been a few years since I'd visited during the Spring wildflower season.  On Thursday, I went to three parks in the southwest corner of the state: Grand Mere, Warren Dunes, and Warren Woods.  The three are only a few miles apart and each offered a different glimpse into Michigan's Spring.

Warren Dunes was at peak wildflower time.  I ate lunch in the picnic area, surrounded by hundreds of blooming Trillium.  The trillium continued all along the trail to the campground and on the slopes of the wooded back dunes.  As the trail turned uphill, other wildflowers came into sight: both Dicentra species (Dutchman's Breeches and Squirrel Corn), Rue Anemone, Toothwort, Violets, and a lone Jack-in-the-Pulpit.  Two other plants, with less conspicuous blooms also caught my eye: Blue Cohosh with its tiny green flowers and the hairy, ground-level flowers of Wild Ginger.

Other ephemerals, like Hepatica and Bloodroot, had already bloomed and their leaves were gathering energy before the tree canopy shaded them for the summer.

This beach will be full of people in a couple of months.

Warren Dunes State Park
12032 Red Arrow Hwy 
Lake Charter Township, MI 49125

State park pass or entry fee required.

Wildflower season continues

Yesterday morning didn't look like a promising day for wildflowers in Kalamazoo.  Then the skies got even darker and dropped big hailstones (mostly about a quarter inch but the biggest were a full inch across) followed by heavy rain.  But, by mid-afternoon, the sky was clear and bright.  When I finished some grading, I drove out to the Kalamazoo Nature Center to see how the season was progressing.

Lots of wildflowers were in bloom.  Spring Beauty, Toothwort, Trout Lily, Dutchman's Breeches, and Marsh Marigolds seemed to be at their peak.  Rue Anemone were widespread.  The Spicebush near the Kalamazoo River, were dotted with clusters of small yellow flowers.  With temperatures reaching 80 degrees, some of these may go to seed quickly.

The Hepatica, which were in full bloom last week, had already formed seedheads and their fresh leaves (that will last until next Spring) had emerged. 

There were some signs of the next wave of blooms.  Squirrel Corn, which bloom later than the closely related Dutchman's Breeches, were showing some immature green blossoms and, in sunny areas, a few were in full flower.  Mayapple umbrellas were open in big clusters.  Lots of Trillium had unopened buds.  Those may flower by this weekend.

Besides the flowers, it was a reasonable day for wildlife watching.  I saw a Wild Turkey from the parking lot, a Pileated Woodpecker near the river, and lots of turtles and one water snake sunning in the pond.  Not a bad end to a day in the woods.

KRVT wildflowers

Another week of April rain, hail, snow, and work kept me inside, but Saturday was glorious: sunny and warm.  I was torn between a trip to the Kalamazoo Nature Center to see wildflowers or my first bike ride of the season.  The bike ride won, but it turned out to be a good afternoon for wildflowers as well.

I think of the northern leg of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail as the most scenic and the most likely section for nature but today I took the western segment that connects to the Kal-Haven Trail.  This part of the trail runs from Westnedge Avenue near downtown Kalamazoo to the 10th street trailhead with lots of street crossings, light industry, and it includes nearly a mile on the edge of Ravine Road.    

The westernmost part of the KRVT  (around trail marker 1.5 mi) had several nice patches of yellow Trout Lilies and a large number of Toothwort.  They continued nearly all the way to the trailhead parking lot. Mixed in, were a handful of Dutchman's Breeches in bloom.  (Apparently it's still before their peak.)

The highlight was the most impressive display of Bloodroot that I can remember seeing.  There were several large patches of brilliant white Bloodroot flowers, including one with more than 100 blossoms together.  The Bloodroot flowers were so bright and so big, relative to other Spring ephemerals, that I thought the first patch was some kind of domestic flower that escaped a garden.

Individual Bloodroot flowers don't last long so I was happy to have seen them at their peak.

Wildflower season 2013 begins

I hadn't had much of a chance to get out in the woods to look for Kalamazoo wildflowers due to a combination of work commitments, travel, and what seemed to be nearly constant rain (as well as Saturday's snow).  Last year, the wildflowers bloomed a full month earlier, so I was afraid I'd missed the start of the season.  But, a quick visit to the Kalamazoo Nature Center this afternoon, showed the 2013 season was just starting.  The early ephemerals were in flower; the Hepatica may be near their peak and the Spring Beauty seemed to be just starting.  Bloodroot was in flower.  I even saw a few Harbinger of Spring with late blossoms, although most of them had gone to seed.

 

I had glimpsed Marsh Marigolds in bloom along I-94 yesterday, and they were also flowering at the nature center.  Like the Spring Beauty, they seem to be at the beginning of their bloom.

 

Toothwort, Trout Lily, and Rue Anemone had buds but few blooms.  Mayapples were emerging, but their umbrellas were still tightly furled.  Most of the Dutchman's Breeches only had a few immature green flowers, but a handful of plants in sunny areas were in flower.

So far, this year seems similar to the 2011 wildflower bloom.  If that pattern holds, a period of warm weather could cause a condensed season where everything blossoms within a few weeks.  In any case, the next week or so should be a great time to visit some of the local wildflower hotspots or travel a bit to other wildflower spots in West Michigan.

Enjoy!

April Wildflowers

Kalamazoo's 2012 wildflower season seems to be near its peak. Many flowers are blooming earlier than usual despite our recent cool temperatures. Flowers at their peak this week include: Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis), Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) , Wild Phlox (Phlox divaricata), Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna), and Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum).



Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) and Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) continue to blossom although they are past their peak time.



Other plants in flower now include Trout lily (Erythronium americanum), Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), and various spring violets. Wild geraniums (Geranium maculatum) are starting to bloom

Red trilliums

Most of the trilliums near Kalamazoo are the familiar white trillium, Trillium grandiflorum. Two other types of trilliums can be found in extreme southwest Michigan, both have red flowers.

Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum), shown above, is rare in Michigan and is legally protected. Apparently it is much more common in Illinois and Indiana.

Toad Trillium (Trillium sessile), shown below, is also listed as a threatened species in Michigan. It is also more common in Illinois and Indiana.


Years ago, I'd seen a red trillium at Fernwood but I figured it had been imported from somewhere. My visit this week to the nearby Trillium Ravine corrected my impression. These are native Michigan wildflowers, just uncommon ones.

I had a hard time telling the two trilliums apart since the individual variations between plants (differences in leaf color-- mottling-- and fullness of bloom) were more obvious than the differences between the species. A little online research showed that Prairie Trillium leaves have stalks, giving them a little separation from the flower, while the Toad Trillium's leaves appear to be connected at the base of the flower. The other identifying characteristic involves the sepals-- three petal-like structures beneath the three true petals. Prairie Trillium sepals point downward, while Toad Trillium sepals are horizontal.

Trillium Ravine

Trillium Ravine is a 15 acre nature sanctuary preserved by the Michigan Nature Association. It's about an hour's drive from Kalamazoo, just outside the town of Niles, MI.

This Tuesday was the first time I had visited and the wildflowers were spectacular. The trillium were abundant and in peak flower. There were literally thousands of White-flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) covering the sides of the ravine and the forest floor along the trail. This preserve is also known for two other species of trillium: Prairie Trillium (Trillium recurvatum) and Toad Trillium (Trillium sessile). Both have dark-red (or maroon) flowers and both were in bloom this week.

Like many other wildflowers, these trillium seem to be blooming much earlier this year. Tom Power's guidebook said trillium at this preserve bloom as early as April 9th. Joann and John Smith posted photos from a visit on May 1, 2011 showing the same blooms a full month later.

The preserve is easy to reach. It's less than a mile from US-31 exit 7, Walton Road. Taking Walton Road (east), the turn for the preserve is immediately past the US-31 cloverleaf. Geyer Road doesn't look very promising since it leads into a subdivision and is marked No Outlet. Geyer Road turns into Riverside Drive and the houses spread out in the woods. The preserve is on the right side (west) of Riverside and well-marked. The trail is a short, clearly-marked, loop.


Trillium Ravine Preserve
(approximate address:)
2500 Riverside Drive
Niles, Michigan 49120

March Wildflowers

While temperatures are quite a bit cooler than they were earlier in March, Kalamazoo's 2012 wildflower season continues to be weeks earlier than last year. Dutchman's Breeches are at their peak now, along with Toothwort and Marsh Marigold.
Hepatica, that were in full bloom a couple of weeks ago, have gone to seed and the Skunk Cabbage spathes have been replaced by big leafy cabbages. The Spring Beauty blossoms were tightly furled due to yesterday's cold weather but they will be spectacular on a warm day.
The Blue-eyed Mary blooms at the Kalamazoo Nature Center were impressive. Mayapple leaves were opening into little umbrellas. Trout Lilies had buds but not blooms. A few early Trillium and Wild Phlox were in flower.

Early Spring

So far, 2012 has been an exceptionally warm Spring (and Spring doesn't officially start until Tuesday.) Red-winged Blackbirds are returning to Michigan, as are Turkey Vultures. Plants are also emerging. The earliest wildflowers, Skunk Cabbage and Harbinger of Spring, are in bloom.


Other wildflowers, which typically bloom later, are also in flower. Spring Beauty opened in the last few days.


Hepatica were in full bloom by Thursday, three weeks earlier than 2011. (Although only a week earlier than 2010.)

Painted turtles were out enjoying the sun yesterday.

Other area writers with recent posts on Spring include Richard Brewer, CalArti, Ellen Rathbone, and Plants Amaze Me.

May wildflowers

While the wildflower season in Kalamazoo started slowly this year, it accelerated in the last week or so. Some hot days, some heavy rains and the leafing out of the canopy finished the season for many of the Spring ephemerals. Squirrel Corn, Dutchman's Breeches, and Marsh Marigold all had seed pods where the blossoms had been. The Toothwort leaves are yellow; they'll likely be completely gone next week. Trillium are past their peak and looking pretty ragged. Wild Phlox and Blue Eyed Mary are still in flower, but ebbing.


Of course, other flowers are now coming into their season. Lots of Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) and Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) were out. It looks like the peak for Mayapple flowers and white wood violets (perhaps Viola sororia albiflora). Swamp buttercups were in bloom along the Kalamazoo River where the Redbud trees on the far bank were spectacular.