Red Erect Trillium; Stinking Benjamin; Trillium erectum

Lily Family April 17, 2005 This flower has a disagreeable odor said to be like a wet dog (yucch!), thus the name "Stinking Benjamin". It has the flower stem above the leaves and the petals are long and pointed. Perennial Where seen:Frozen Head State Park

Trailing Trillium; Trillium decumbens

Lily Family Rare - Threatened in TN This trillium grows almost flat on the ground. I found this one growing in a private garden in Knoxville. Perennial Where seen:Knoxville

Prairie Trillium; Trillium recurvatum

May 1, 2008 Ijams Nature Center This was a "milestone" flower for me, it was flower #700 on this website! I went to Ijams in hopes of reaching that goal. At first I was afraid it was another common Sessile Trillium, but I noticed the petals were curved and the leaves had a definite stem.

Wild Bleeding-heart; Dicentra eximia

Bleeding Heart Family I found these beautiful little flowers blooming along the road to Cades Cove in the Smokies. They are in the Poppy Family and are related to Dutchman's Breeches and Squirrel Corn. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP

Wild Columbine close-up

Gaywings; Fringed Polygala; Polygala paucifolia

Milkwort Family April 24, 2005 These plants are a treat to find in the woods in late April! They are tiny, around 3 inches tall, with beautiful pink flowers! These can be found on the Abrams Falls Trail in the Smokies. Perennial Where seen:Piney River Trail, Great Smoky Mountains NP

Southern Red Trillium close-up

All of the parts of a trillium flower are in 3's or multiple of 3's - 3 sepals, 3 petals, 6 stamens (but just 1 pistil).

Southern Red Trillium; Trillium sulcatum

Lily Family The stemmed, maroon flowers have a vinegar-like odor. Maroon-colored flowers attract beetles and ants. The flower stalk stands above the leaves, the petals are straight. These can be found in abundance in early April on the Bluff Trail at Norris Dam State Park. Perennial Where seen: Norris Dam State Park

Rosy Twisted Stalk; Streptopus roseus

Lily Family May 29, 2006 I had seen this flower blooming in Alaska and Maine, so I was excited to find it in the high elevations of the Smokies. The flowers have an unusual growing habit, they hang below the leaves on a bent stalk. Without flowers, the plant would look a lot like a Yellow or Spotted Mandarin. Perennial Where seen: Great Smoky Mountains NP

Yellowroot; Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Buttercup Family Aquatic April 6, 2006 Yellowroot grows near streams. Early settlers made a "bitter spring tea" from this plant to stimulate their appetites. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Piney Falls SNA, Piney River Trail, Warriors' Path SP

Fire Pink; Silene virginica

Pink Family April 15, 2005 These "pinks" are actually a brilliant red. These plants grow along steep woodland trail banks and on rocky roadsides. They are one of the few bright red woodland flowers. I took this picture on the Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies in late April. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Frozen Head NP, Warrior's Path SP, Haw Ridge, Bays Mountain

Wild Geranium; Geranium maculatum

Geranium Family April 15, 2005 Wild Geranium adds pretty spots of pink along the springtime trailsides. Bees are attracted to the white nectar guides on the inside of the petals. Note the five-parted stigmas on the pistil. The fruits are interesting, they have 5 seeds in cups at the base of a "storkbill" seed pod. When the fruit ripens the pod splits and throws the seeds upward. Frozen Head State Park has a large number of these flowers. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Haw Ridge Greenway, Frozen Head SP, Piney River Trail, Warriors' Path SP, Ijams Nature Center

Vasey's Trillium close-up

Sweet Betsy Trillium; Toadshade; Trillium cuneatum

Lily Family I've never seen a toad sitting in the shade of one of these trilliums, but I guess it could happen! :) The flowers are "sessile," not on a stem. These are common at Frozen Head State Park in early April. Like other maroon-colored flowers, this trillium has a strong smell. The knickname of the plant is "Stinking Benjamin"! Perennial Where seen:Norris Dam SP, Frozen Head SP, Oak Ridge Greenways, Piney River Trail

Whorled Horsemint; Collinsonia verticillata

Mint Family Look for very large leaves on this woodland plant. I found this growing on the Piney River Trail in Spring City in Rhea County in early May. Perennial Where seen:Piney River Trail, Great Smoky Mountains NP

Yellowroot flowers close-up

Fire Pink; Silene virginica

These lovely flowers grew along the Chestnut Top trail near the Townsend Wye. This is a great trail for wildflowers! The large leaves are those of a different plant, they are not Fire Pink leaves.

Violet Wood Sorrel; Oxalis violaceae

Wood Sorrel Family These little plants grow in large colonies from tiny bulbs. Although the leaves look like little shamrocks, they are not related to clovers. These bloomed in Norris Dam State Park in late April. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Great Smoky Mountain NP, Warriors' Path SP, Haw Ridge

Vasey's Trillium; Trillium vaseyi

Lily Family April 20, 2005 It is easy to confuse this Trillium with the Red Erect Trillium. The flower stalk hangs below the leaves and the petals of Vasey's trillium are curved backward. Last year I found this blooming along the Northridge Trail in Oak Ridge on 04-04-04! Close-up photo follows. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Frozen Head SP

Prairie Trillium - close-up Trillium recurvatum May 1, 2008 Ijams Nature Center

Eastern Bee Balm; Monarda bradburiana

Mint Family I found these flowers blooming at Tremont in the Smokies in mid-May. The flowers have small purple dots which may not show up in this picture. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Oak Ridge Greenways {Formerly known as: Monarda russeliana}

Wild Columbine; Aquilegia canadensis

Buttercup Family May 7, 2005 Bumblebees often pierce the "spurs" at the end of the petals to steal the nectar. Look for holes or slits in the spurs! Columbines are in the Buttercup family. These can be found on the Haw Ridge Greenways Trail in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen:Great Smoky Mountains NP, Haw Ridge Greenway Trail, Warriors' Path SP, Ijams Nature Center

Close-up ofFire Pink

Climbing Milkvine; Matelea obliqua

Milkweed Family May 31, 2005 I was excited to find this interesting vine growing and blooming along one of the trails at Haw Ridge. It was challenging to go through my "mental notes" to try and identify it before looking it up in my wildflower books at home later. My "in the field guess" was that it was a member of the milkweed family. I guess years of browsing through wildflower books eventually sinks in! There are 3 flowers in this genus in Tennessee, this one is differentiated from the other 2 by the longer, lighter-colored petals and the conical buds. It has large heart-shaped leaves. The plant is listed as an "occasional", this was the first time I had seen it. Vine Perennial Where seen: Haw Ridge Greenway