More wildflowers and unknowns...

At Walnut Island River Park, north of Asheville NC, we found these...

Some interesting yellow blooms were off in the woods on either side of the park.

Even enlarging and darkening a bit doesn't tell me what they are definitely. (Except it's not the season for Goldenrod)

The little run is between Walnut Island on the left and a nicely mowed area along the bank on the right.

An enhanced buttercup, I had to darken it in order to see the details of yellow on yellow within the flower.

Violets again eveywhere, notice those heart shaped leaves.  You do know you can eat the blooms, don't you?

 The little white with blue in center are probably a violet also.  But the white star shaped ones on the right are Chickweed

Helen held a Chickweed to show me how each petal is just split which gives it the look of 10 petals...sorry about blurry shot.

But these little hot pink goodies were very few, and very bright! No leaves came with them, and they were kind of like an orchid or pea in the petal configuration. There were only a very few of them among mossy ground, but not near the river. And of course the whole area has either been sodded or seeded with grass, so it could be a hitch-hiker from anywhere.  Anyone know what they are?

Enjoying nature, and need some help on identifications

 Looking back up to the entrance to Walnut Island River Park from Hwy 251 north of Asheville NC

Looking toward the French Broad River through the picnic area, I wondered that those leaning trees are still there, but one has fallen into the water if you look closer.

Tree in foreground has lots of seed pod thingies hanging in the wind, while new leaves have started to open.

If you know what this tree is I'd love to know.

A rocky area made last summer probably for small swimmers.

Helen and I were disappointed to not see any ducks or geese this visit.  But I did see some egg shells under one tree, courtesy of someone who had eggs for breakfast.  They didn't look big enough for a goose and being under a tree, could have come out of a tree nest rather than a goose nest which would be on the ground.

The little entrance from the highway comes down at a slope, and we almost passed it this time.

The rest of our wildflower trip

We couldn't remember what these leaves promise to have blossoms soon...do you know? I'm thinking Galax plant.  I asked our friendly park worker if there were any galax in this area, and was told a short no. Maybe they are worried about their being dug out, or it wasn't polite to talk about them, as florists like to use them a lot, and I've heard they are protected.

Oconee Bell

Maybe Solomon's Seal leaves, white flower Chickweed?

Hepatica

Hepatica

Trout lily on left foreground, Foam Flower at top

 

Northern White Violet

Hepatica again

I admit to being confused often with bloodroot and Hepatica and other tiny white flowers.  Helen pointed out that bloodroot had purplish square stems...so sometimes I could tell what I was looking at.  But by the time I got to sorting the photos, I asked for her help, and again got confused.  So you all can certainly help clarify any mis-labeled little beauties.

And since I call my business in pottery Alchemy of Clay, here's a post about the alchemy of color...Prussian Blue.  (Haven't looked for it in glaze yet...)

Today's quote:

Our walls of division do not rise all the way to heaven.

Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

 

Wildflowers are for everyone

Maroon Trillium Trillium cuneatum  This is a bloom you don't want to sniff, it attracts it's polinator flies by smelling foul.

So I'm not carrying a professional style camera! So I can't hike up inclines to 5000 feet.  But my friend and I sure had a good time strolling up along the stream below Pearson's Falls, Saluda, NC.

She helped me figure out the names of these.

Flower is Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis, the three leaved plant is a trillium.

Violets facing away , but common all over the mountains, even in yards.

White Trillium

Trout Lilly

That's all for today...there will be more.  And Helen is going on another wildflower walk this week, but with 30 degree weather and early walking (even though it's easy) I'm not going.  I hope she tells me about it though!

Today's quote:

The whole of the holy life is good friends.

THE BUDDHA