The splendid swath of bluebells spread across the island in patches so numerous and thick, I had to step carefully to keep from treading on them. Then I had to be cautious about the hundreds of delicate spring beauties that spread in pale pink and white patches among the bells.
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Of course there were a few rogue villains showing their heads; the delicate white crowns of garlic mustard were springing up everywhere—a member of the mustard family that indeed does taste somewhat like garlic and mustard! But it is an alien, not a native wildflower. Pull it up before it continues aggressively taking over the indigenous wildflowers. The lesser celandine, that yellow buttercup species shining like molten gold, also is an aggressive alien, Enjoy them in small doses, but don’t let them spread over your island. They are bad news, and already are causing problems in local areas like along the towpath or in Rock Creek Park where they are pushing out the native wildflowers. Later on in summer, this lesser celandine disappears into the earth---leaves, blossoms and aII---but their roots remain flourishing underground to create vigorous plants that pop up next spring, taking more space.
Thank you, Pat! Thank you, Sycamore Island!
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Wildflowers:
Virginia bluebell— Mertensia virginica
Spring beauty— Claytonia virginica
Snow-on-the-mountain— Euphorbia marginata (escaped from cultivation)
Aborted buttercup— Ranunculus abortivus
Yellow corydalis— Corydalis flavula
Wild strawberry— Fragaria virginiana
Solomon’s seal— Polygonatum biflorum
Toadflax—Trillium sessile
Gill-over-the-ground; ground ivy— Glechoma hederaceae
Henbit— Lamium amplexicaule (introduced)
Indian strawberry— Duchesnea indica (introduced)
Lesser celandine— Ranunculus ficaria (introduced)
Garlic mustard— Alliaria petiolata (introduced)
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and/or
Squirrel corn— Dicentra canadensis
Early meadow rue— Thalictrum dioicum
Virginia waterleaf— Hydrophyllum virginianum
or perhaps it is
Appendaged waterleaf— H. appenediculatum
False Solomon’s seal—Smilacina racemosa
Perfoliate bellwort— Uvularia perfoliata
Jewelweed, spotted or pale— Impatiens ssp.
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Wildflowers: A Sycamore Heritage
The Sycamore Island Club sponsored Wild Flower Walks in the spring for many years, a tradition initiated by Islander Phil Stone and continued until recently by Ellen Richards and Joan Heideman. Phil was a local authority on trees and flowers, and his walks attracted more than just Sycamore members. People would meet on the towpath at the Island when the bluebells were in bloom and then, rain or shine, the group would walk north until hunger drove them back to the Island for a picnic and a continuation of the flower tour.
A very careful naturalist, very strict, as Joan recalls, Phil required a plant to be in bloom for an identification. So does visitor Barbara Tufty--when the plants under consideration are Squirrel Corn and Dutchman's Breeches!
Barbara Tufty, who is Conservation Editor for the Audubon Naturalist Society, is a co-author of Finding Wildflowers in the Washington-Baltimore Area (Johns Hopkins University Press). We thank Barbara for her article, which reminds us of a wonderful Sycamore Island tradition started by Phil Stone and continued by Ellen Richards and Joan Heideman, faithful guides to our wildflowers.
— Jane Winer
A very careful naturalist, very strict, as Joan recalls, Phil required a plant to be in bloom for an identification. So does visitor Barbara Tufty--when the plants under consideration are Squirrel Corn and Dutchman's Breeches!
Barbara Tufty, who is Conservation Editor for the Audubon Naturalist Society, is a co-author of Finding Wildflowers in the Washington-Baltimore Area (Johns Hopkins University Press). We thank Barbara for her article, which reminds us of a wonderful Sycamore Island tradition started by Phil Stone and continued by Ellen Richards and Joan Heideman, faithful guides to our wildflowers.
— Jane Winer
