Spring Flowers - Woodland - Blue, purple, green
Wild Hyacinth; Camassia scilloides
Lily Family April 15, 2007 I finally found this plant! I knew it grew at Haw Ridge, but I have missed it the past 2 years. As I was leading a wildflower hike I suddenly spotted it. Another new flower for my life list! I really hate to have to resort to using a flash on wildflower photos, but sometimes it is the only way to get the shot.
close-up
Large-flowered Bluets; Purple Bluets; Hedyotis purpurea
Madder Family Height 6" to 20" May 23, 2005 This plant has a long blooming season, don't be surprised to see it blooming in the summer too. These can be found in the Smokies. Notice the purple stripes, the nectar guides. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Oak Ridge Greenways, Warriors' Path SP, Cumberland Trail, University of Tennessee Arboretum {formerly known as Houstonia purpurea}
Round-lobed Hepatica; Hepatica americana
Buttercup Family I found this pretty little flower blooming on Leap Day 2004 along one of the Greenway trails in Oak Ridge. This Hepatica has leaves with rounded lobes instead of pointed lobes. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Iris Family May 1, 2005 The sword-like leaves of this pretty little iris caught my attention as we hiked along the Byrd Trail at Cumberland Mountain State Park. The flower has wider petals than the Crested Iris. Perennial Where seen: Cumberland Mountain SP, Fall Creek Falls SP
Phlox Family This is a very common spring wildflower. Norris Dam State Park has many of these plants along the Bluff Trail. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Norris Dam SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Haw Ridge Greenway, Ijams Nature Center
Black Snakeroot; Sanicula canadensis
Parsley Family Height: 1' to 4' These little green flowers are not very noticible or interesting. These plants can be very prolific where they grow. I found these on the Haw Ridge trail in late April. Some areas of the trail was thickly covered with them. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head SP, Haw Ridge Greenway, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP, Cumberland Trail
Long-spurred Violet; Viola rostrata
Violet Family April 10, 2005 Look for the elongated, nectar-containing spur on the back of the flowers. Other violets have rounded, shorter spurs. Frozen Head State Park has not only these violets, but several other species throughout the spring. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP
Cranefly Orchid leaves; Tipularia discolor
Orchid These leaves are included in the "spring purple and green" section because at this time of year only the leaves are visible. The lower side of the leaf is a brilliant purple. The brown orchid flowers (see Summer: Woodland - Pink, Red, and Brown Flowers) resemble several craneflies on the stalk. The leaves are gone by the time the flowers appear in late summer. A close relative, Putty-root, has similar leaves, however the leaves are strongly ribbed with parallel white veins. These are common at Big South Fork in Campbell County. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Frozen Head SP, Big South Fork NRRA
Tulip Poplar; Liriodendron tulipifera
Magnolia Family The Tulip Poplar is the State Tree of Tennessee. Note the magnolia-like pistils and stamens in the flower. In the fall the hard center develops into seeds. The flowers, leaves and twigs are often found on the ground under the tree; for some reason squirrles nip the twigs off. I found this one at Piney River State Natural Area. Perennial - Tree Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Frozen Head SP, Piney River Trail, Big South Fork NRRA, Pickett SP, Warriors' Path SP
close-up of flower
Striped Maple; Acer pensylvanicum
Maple Family April 29, 2005 This small tree grows in the Smokies and blooms in late April and early May. The light green flowers hang like pendants, usually below the large leaves. Most maple flowers don't have petals, so these are much more showy and pretty! I found this tree blooming along the Little River Trail while I was leading a hike for the Gatlinburg Wildflower Pilgrimage. Perennial - tree Where seen: Great Smoky Mountains, Fall Creek Falls SP
Wild Hyacinth; Camassia scilloides
Lily Family April 15, 2007
Virginia Bluebell; Mertensia virginica
Forget-Me-Not Family April 12, 2005 These lovely flowers have pink buds and blue flowers. One of my neighbors had these growing in their yard. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Ijams Nature Center
Greater Periwinkle; Vinca major*
May 6, 2006 This plant often grows on old homesites. I found this one blooming along one of the greenways in Oak Ridge. It can be just as invasive as its relative, Periwinkle. Perennial
Dwarf Larkspur; Delphinium tricorne
Buttercup Family April 14, 2005 These flowers are unusual in that they are a very dark blue, not a common color for a springtime woodland flower. I took this picture on the Wildflower Greenways Trail in Oak Ridge in mid-April. All Larkspurs are poisonous to animals and humans, they contain the toxins alkaloids delphinine and ajacine. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Haw Ridge Greenway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warrior's Path SP, Ijams Nature Center
Miami Mist (close up); Phacelia purshii
Waterleaf Family April 22, 2005 If you find this lovely little flower in the forest during April and early May be sure to look at the delicately fringed edges of the petals. This is very common in the Smokies, especially near the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area and Cades Cove. Annual Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Oak Ridge
Blue-eyed Mary; Collinsia verna
Snapdragon Family Oak Ridge, TN (University of Tennessee Arboretum) May 3, 2009 This is a plant that I have wanted to see for many years! I was excited to see it had been planted at the Arboretum.
Long-fruited Snakeroot; Sanicula trifoliata
Parsley Family Height: 1' May 23, 2005 This plant closely resembles its relative the Black Snakeroot. The flowers bloom on short stalks on this plant. The leaves are made up of 3 leaflets, thus the species name, trifoliata.
Marsh Blue Violet; Viola cucullata
Violet Family As the name implies, these violets like damp environments. This one was blooming on the Northridge Greenway Trail in Oak Ridge in April. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP
Sharp-leaved Hepatica; Liverleaf; Hepatica acutiloba
Buttercup Family Flower sepals may be blue, purple, pink, or white depending on the pH of the soil --- a "natural litmus test." Alkaline soils produce blue flowers, acidic soils produce pink, and neutral soils produce white. This plant was the first wildflower I documented in my Wildflowers of the Smokies book, way back on March 10, 1985! Hepatica is also called "Liverleaf" due to the color and 3-lobed shape of the leaves. These were photographed on the Bluff Trail at Norris Dam State Park. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head SP, Norris Dam SP, Oak Ridge Greenways, Haw Ridge, Piney River Trail, Savage Gardens, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP, Ijams Nature Center
Common Blue Violet; Viola sororia
Violet Family These violets have not only the colorful, easily seen flowers, but also "cleistogamous" --- closed, self-pollinating --- flowers that grow near the ground. The seed pods of these flowers later mature, split open and throw their seeds. These were blooming in the woods in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Haw Ridge, Ijams Nature Center, widespread
Jack-in-the-Pulpit; Arisaema triphyllum
Arum Family Flowers are either male or female; plants can change "gender" from one year to the next, depending on the health of the plant (it requires more energy to produce fruits than pollen). Female plants usually have 2 leaves, males 1 leaf. "Black Jacks" have dark maroon stripes on the pulpit (spathe) and on "Jack" (spadix). These are common in the Smokies in April. These plants are sometimes called "Indian Turnip" because the roots were once eaten by the Native Americans. This is not recommended though, the roots contain large amounts of oxalic acid crystals which can make the tongue swell severely. The roots had to be boiled again and again to remove the chemical. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Frozen Head SP, Piney River Trail, Oak Ridge Greenways, Haw Ridge Greenway, Warriors' Path SP, Cumberland Trail, Ijams Nature Center
Oilnut; Buffalo Nut; Pyrularia oleifera
? Family April 17, 2005 According to this website, https://entweb.clemson.edu/caps/pestalrt/onpfir/onpfirs.htm , Oilnut is a semiparasitic shrub. The "haustoria" on the roots attach to other trees to take in nutrients. Later in the year "nuts", called drupes, will form. The early settlers used the oil from these nuts for lamp oil. Perennial - shrub Where seen: Frozen Head State Park
Bluestar; Blue Dogbane, Willow Amsonia Amsonia tabernaemontana /Dogbane family I found this plant growing at the Haw Ridge Greenway in mid-April. It likes damp soil. Perennial Where seen:Haw Ridge Greenway, University of
Bluets Close-up
Greek Valerian; Jacob's Ladder; Polemonium reptans
Phlox Family This plant was growing among Blue Phlox on the Haw Ridge Trail in Oak Ridge and I nearly missed it! There is another similar plant, also called "Jacob's Ladder" (P. van-bruntiae), it has protruding stamens with reddish anthers. This is why I always add the scientific names! Perennial Where seen: Haw Ridge Greenway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP, Ijams Nature Center
close-up
Purple Phacelia; Phacelia bipinnatifida
Waterleaf Family March 27, 2005 This pretty purple flower with the mottled leaves is quite common in many spring woodlands. The flowers have orange anthers. Biennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Norris Dam State Park, Piney River SNA
Mint Family April 22, 2005 This plant is also found in the open on the edges of woods. I found this one blooming in Oak Ridge. It often forms large patches. Look for the larger basal leaves that lay flat on the ground. In winter the basal leaves are often a maroon hue. Like other mints, this plant has a square stem; it has no minty smell though. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Oak Ridge Greenways, Warrior's Path SP
Brook Speedwell; Veronica scutellata
Snapdragon Family Aquatic Rare - Endangered in TN As the name implies, this tiny-flowered, pale blue Speedwell lives on streambanks. This one was blooming in a drainage ditch along the Oak Ridge Turnpike. I have to take pictures in some strange places sometimes! Annual? Where seen:University of Tennessee Arboretum; Oak Ridge
Violet Family April 24, 2005 These blue violets have unusually patterned leaves. I found these at Piney River State Natural Area. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Piney River SNA, Haw Ridge, Formerly known as: Viola triloba
These plants look like grass, but they are in the Sedge Family. Sedges have triangular stems. Remember, "Sedges have edges."
Chinese Yam; Dioscorea batatas*
The leaves look similar to morning glories, but the plant is in the Yam family. This plant is a nasty weed that chokes out native plants, it is causing serious problems in the Smoky Mountains. I photographed these plants at the University of Tennessee Arboretum. The plant reproduces by small brown, potato-like tubers on the vine. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Jack-in-the-Pulpit; opened to show staminate (male) flowers
These are the pollen-producing flowers at the base of the spadix. The flower dies after producing the pollen (males are expendible in the floral world!), no berries for this guy. The insect on the left of the flower is a flower fly, not a bee.
Fragrant Sumac; Rhus aromatica
Cashew Family Looks can be deceiving, this is NOT, I repeat, NOT: (a.)Poison Oak (b.)Poison Ivy (c.)Poison Sumac! In fact, it is not poisonous at all! It is related to all of the above, however it does not contain the poisonous oil, called urushiol, that causes the itchy rash in many people. Notice that the middle leaflet does not have the long, reddish petiole (stem) that Poison Ivy has. The flowers had already bloomed and were gone when I found this at Norris Dam State Park in mid-May. The hairy berries of Fragrant Sumac are bright red in the fall. Perennial - Shrub Where seen:Norris Dam SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP
Blue-eyed Grass; Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Iris Family Blue-eyed Grass is not a "grass," but actually a member of the Iris Family. I found these blooming in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Frozen Head SP, Warriors' Path SP
Quaker Ladies; Bluets; Hedyotis caerulea
Madder Family These little pale blue flowers with white and yellow centers are a delightful surprise to find blooming on trailsides early in the spring. These were found on the trail to Piney Falls in Spring City. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Haw Ridge Greenway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Piney River Trail, Ijams Nature Center {formerly known as Houstonia caerulea}
Close-up These plants are in the Buttercup Family. One trait all flowers in this family share is the large numbers of stamens and pistils. I photographed these at Haw Ridge in Oak Ridge on March 10, 2005.
Dwarf Crested Iris; Iris cristata
Iris Family April 17, 2005 Frozen Head State Park is famous for its stands of these pretty blue flowers. The cultivated Iris is Tennessee's State Flower. This small iris spreads by rhizomes on the surface of the ground. These rhizomes contain irisin, iridin, or irisine and are poisonous to swine and cattle. Humans are also poisoned by these plants if eaten. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Norris Dam SP, Haw Ridge
Creeping Phlox; Phlox stolonifera
Phlox Family April 15, 2005 This Phlox spreads by above-ground runners called "stolons". The plants can form large mats which are quite colorful when they are in bloom. The petals are more round than the blue phlox. I found these blooming along the Schoolhouse Gap trail in the Smokies in late April. Some of the flowers were a light mauve color. Perennial Where seen:Great Smokies NP, Frozen Head SP, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Veined Skullcap; Scutellaria nervosa
Mint Family These little paired flowers have tiny purple dots on the lip. I found these blooming along a trail at the Haw Ridge Greenway in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen:Haw Ridge Greenway
Violet Family April 6, 2006 I found this light blue violet blooming along the river in the Cherokee National Forest. It is a "stemmed violet" and has small leaves. Where seen:Tellico Plains
Wild Comfrey; Cynoglossum virginianum
Forget-Me-Not Family The leaves of this plant are large and quite fuzzy, very similar to the related (maroon-flowered) "Hounds Tongue." The large, round, flat seeds are hooked and can often be found on hikers' socks in the fall. A close look at the flower lets you know it is in the Forget-Me-Not Family. The flowers are usually a light blue, but they can be white. There were lots of these plants blooming at Norris Dam State Park on Mother's Day. Perennial Where seen:Norris Dam SP, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Haw Ridge Greenway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warriors' Path SP
Virginia Spiderwort; Tradescantia virginiana
Spiderwort Family I found these pretty blue flowers blooming at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in April. Perennial Where seen:University of Tennessee Arboretum, Big South Fork NRRA
Green Dragon; Arisaema dracontium
Arum Family Height: 8" to 40" May 18, 2005 This was one of those lucky accidental finds! I was photographing Veined Skullcap on one side of the trail, I turned around and saw the leaves of this plant. The flower is very unusual and hard to see since it is green (and VERY difficult to photograph, I might add!). If I had not noticed the leaves I would have never seen this flower. Like its' close relative, the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, the flower has an inner spathe and the greatly elongated spadix which contains the flowers. Perennial Where seen: Haw Ridge and Northridge greenways
Jack-in-the-Pulpit; opened to show pistillate (female) flowers
If you open the bottom of the spathe (pulpit) you'll see the round green pistillate flowers on the spadix which, if pollinated, will become the berries in the autumn. Perhaps this should be called a "Jill"-in-the-Pulpit!
Poison Ivy Flowers; Toxicodendron radicans
Cashew Family Learn how to identify this plant, it grows almost everywhere! All parts of the plant contain the rash-inducing oil, so it should be avoided. Remember the saying: "Leaves of 3, leave it be!" Many other plants have 3 leaflets too, so it is important to know the characteristics of Poison Ivy. The middle leaflet is on a long petiole (leaf stem), the 2 lower leaflets have very short petioles. The petioles (stems) of the lower leaflets are often a reddish color. The older vines are grayish-brown and hairy. Younger vines have smooth, light brown stems. In the fall the berries are a brownish-white. These were found in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen: Just about everywhere!