Winter Botany: Wildflowers in Winter
It’s winter time, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any wildflowers to see. Many of the flowers of the Fells have a winter form you can spot and identify once you know what to look for. Here are a few of the easier ones:
Spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata): In winter, Nov 12. In bloom, July 5.
This is one of my favorites. It’s evergreen, so you can spot it on the forest floor any time it’s clear of snow. The dark green leaves with white veins stand out well against the yellow-brown leaf floor.
Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata): In winter, Nov 12. In bloom, June 23.
Closely related to spotted wintergreen above, pipsissewa has very similar flowers but fairly different leaves. It’s also evergreen, so you can spot it all winter when the ground is clear.
Canada-mayflower (Maianthemum canadense): In winter, Nov 12. In bloom, May 17.
This plant blankets large swaths of the Fells in spring and summer. In fall, red fruits replace the sweet-smelling white flowers. Most of the fruits have been eaten by winter time, but you’ll still spot them if you keep a close eye out.
Ghost pipes (Monotropa uniflora): In winter, Dec 9. In bloom, July 22.
This parasitic plant steals nutrients from the roots of trees instead of photosynthesizing. It’s one of those plants that you can’t stop seeing once you first spot it. In summer, the white flowers stand out clearly. And in winter, the clusters of dark brown stems are still pretty visible against lighter leaves or snow.
What other plants do you look for in winter?