About UsNewsMeetingsField TripsYNCPublicationsLinksContact UsHome

Knowing Nature . . .

Favourite Woodland Flowers

May 13, 2008
Jocie Ingram

Entering the woods in May, one is enveloped by a luxuriance of new green growth. A Yellow Warbler sings its almost piercing song: “sweet, sweet I’m so sweet”, and more distantly, the upward spiraling notes of a recently arrived Swainson’s Thrush can be heard. The shaggy, coppery fiddleheads of the Sword Ferns are beginning to unfurl their fresh fronds. Fawn lilies and Trilliums have dropped their petals now, but many more flowers are coming forth in bloom.

The following flowers, some of my favourites, grow in moist woodlands beside streams and rivers of our area. They can be found along many local nature trails. 

Pacific Bleeding Heart – Dicentra formosa

Pacific Bleeding Heart photo © Dave Ingram

Pacific Bleeding Heart forms attractive clumps of delicate fern-like leaves that are blue-green. The leaves arise from a fleshy rhizome, or underground stem. The pinkish-purple flowers are heart-shaped and resemble little lockets. The Latin name “Dicentra” means two-spurred, in reference to two spurs on the outer petals. “Formosa” means “handsome” or “well-formed”. Bleeding Heart produces pod-like capsules that contain black, shiny seeds. A white, oil-rich appendage on the seed is particularly attractive to ants, which are necessary for seed dispersal. Several varieties of bleeding heart are used as garden plants, but the native Pacific Bleeding Heart is in my opinion the loveliest of these.

Hooker’s Fairybells – Prosartes hookeri

Hooker's Fairybells photo © Dave Ingram

Hooker’s Fairybells, in the lily family, have branched stems that grow just over knee high. At the tip of each branch are one to three (often pairs), of creamy white bell-shaped flowers. The leaves have pronounced veins, and are slightly hairy, giving them a somewhat rough feel. The pointed leaf tips act as drip-tips to shed excess rain water. Hooker’s Fairybells produce a beautiful egg-shaped fruit that is first yellow, then orange-red when mature. The berries are said to be edible, but tasteless. Hooker’s Fairybells are named after Joseph Dalton Hooker, a prominent 19th century botanist.

False Lily-of-the-Valley – Maianthemum dilitatum

A gorgeous groundcover, False Lily-of-the-Valley has smooth green heart-shaped leaves that may form large colonies along streams and rivers. The leaves are given texture by shapely veins that look drawn by an artist. Also known as Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-Valley has a small spike of 10-50 tiny, fragrant white flowers that bloom in the month of May. This plant also produces a very beautiful berry that is mottled brown and green like a glass marble. The berry later turns red.

Western Meadowrue – Thalictrum occidentale

Western Meadowrue photo © Dave Ingram

This plant can be a little harder to find. The foliage is gracefully delicate, with leaves divided three times into three’s, with small three-lobed leaflets. In the buttercup family, gardeners may recognize this plant as being similar to columbine. Interestingly, Western Meadowrue has separate male and female plants. Meadowrue flowers also have no petals, exposing the reproductive stigmas (female) and stamens (male). In May, the tiny female flowers are upright and purple, while males have clusters of purple, tassel-like flowers. Finding this plant in bloom is like finding a treasure!

Siberian Miner’s Lettuce

Miner’s Lettuce has very edible leaves, which were discovered by early miners and pioneers. Siberian Miner’s Lettuce has basal leaves with long stalks. Leaves on the stem are paired opposite each other, and are egg-shaped. Each plant produces several white flowers, with five white to pink petals that are notched at the tips. On closer inspection, the petals are lined with pink.

Taking the time to observe these woodland flowers is very rewarding. The combinations of colour and texture of the flowers and foliage that occur in nature can rival that of the best landscape artist. Native plants are a fine addition to the garden, since they are adapted to our climate and hardly need watering. Most plant nurseries carry native plants, and they are also often available at local plant sales. Native plants should not be removed from the wild.