The MN wildflower blog

I haven’t been very active on the blog this year, not because I haven’t been out and about, but more like I’ve been out and about too much. Even though I have added a few dozen wildflowers species to the photo collection, it seems I’ve spent more time this year on other activities. Invasive species, in particular. (more…)

I spent a good part of the day at Battle Creek Regional Park, partly on a field trip organized with the Native Plant Society. We recorded about 75 plant species for the Ramsey County Plant Survey.

The timing of the trip was perfect – kittentails look to be at peak now. Also blooming somewhere in the park are large-flowered bellwort, hoary puccoon, jack-in-the-pulpit, pussytoes, rock cress, rue anemone, wood anemone, blue and downy yellow violets, wild plum and gooseberries. Just starting to bloom are columbine, wild sarsaparilla, wild blue phlox, and starry false solomon’s seal. Bloodroot and skunk cabbage are done for this season.

The garlic mustard is coming up in force, too.

I took a couple hours off yesterday to take advantage of the good weather and trekked around part of Battle Creek Park, mostly to get photos of skunk cabbage while I still could, and to see how far along the kittentails were.

Not much is blooming yet. Lots of bloodroot scattered around the woods, and wild ginger is just starting to flower. The kittentails are budding, but not yet in bloom.

This afternoon I took a quick look around the prairie at Long Lake Regional Park and found the prairie smoke already blooming. Pussytoes aren’t quite there yet, but should be blooming next week. The stalks are only about an inch or so tall now, but there are buds on them.

The skunk cabbage is starting to bloom down at Battle Creek Park. Spring must be here… at last.