The MN wildflower blog

I’ve been trying for 2 years to get a decent picture of this flower. My old camera had a real problem with blue-violet flowers, so they often came out something like modern art. I finally have a photo I can use!

I’ve had myself spread pretty thin this year, so decided to cut back on the number of locations I visit, or at least reduce the frequency. Read the rest of this entry »

Yeah, I know it’s A Bad Plant, but that doesn’t make it unattractive. One of the worst things about it is that this stuff kicks into high gear as garlic mustard is winding down. Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the invasives.

I wouldn’t normally use the same plant for photo of the day twice in a row, but you can’t pass up opportunities when they present themselves. Chow down.

Lots of new things blooming at Wild River State Park since the last trip there 2 weeks ago: blue cohosh, early meadow rue, wild blue phlox, carrion flowers, miterwort, buttercups, prairie blue-eyed grass, racemed milkwort, smooth Solomon’s seal, hoary puccoon, and the first prairie phlox of the season. Read the rest of this entry »

It was a gloomy day today, but photo ops were still out there. I don’t yet know the exact species of this plant, but it’s most likely some type of Rock Cress.

I took a lot of pretty good pictures at Battle Creek Regional Park today, but this is my favorite. The colors are perfect.

This particular plant doesn’t have its leaves opened up yet, so the flower is sandwiched between the leaf stems. I thought it was neat.

Spring is in full swing now with lots of spring ephemerals blooming somewhere near you. Over the past week I’ve been to Wild River State Park, Long Lake Park and Sucker Lake Park. Read the rest of this entry »

At Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, it looks like the trout lilies won’t be blooming much longer. I didn’t see any Dutchman’s breeches blooming today so they may be done for the season, but I can’t be sure. In the woods there, Canadian violet and wood anemone are starting to bloom. Read the rest of this entry »