Spring Wildflowers

Point Petre Woods - Monarch Point Conservation Reserve - Prince Edward County 

by John Lowry

(📸: John Lowry unless attributed otherwise)

Purple Cress (Cardamine douglassii)

This native plant of Ontario and eastern United States, also known as Limestone bittercress, produces a raceme of white to light purple flowers atop a 10 to 25 cm stem.

Early Buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis)

(📸 K. Rogalska)

This member of the buttercup family is native to eastern North America. It’s native habitat is in dry areas with sparse vegetation.

Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

Also known as Wild Strawberry. One of two wild strawberries that were hybridized to produce the modern garden strawberry.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)

This colourful low-lying plant flowers in early to mid spring. It is distinguished from the similar Round-lobed Hepatica by the shape of its leaves.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

The name comes from the plant’s juice which is red. The juice is also poisonous.

White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum)

Also known as Adder’s Tongue. This colourful small flower is known to have various medicinal uses and was once touted as treatment for gout.

Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Often called Dogtooth Violet. The name derives from the plant’s leaves whose mottled green/grey appearance allegedly resemble the colouring of trout.

Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylia)

This plant is native to eastern North America but is generally found more commonly in the Carolinian forests of southwestern Ontario.

Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica Americana)

The Round-lobed Hepatica belongs to the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is most often found in shaded woodlands with rich organic soil.

Field Pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)

The interesting looking Pussytoes is widespread across Canada. The plant has male and female flowers which are borne on separate plants.

Early Saxifrage (Micranthes virginiensis)

Also known as Virginia Saxifrage. This plant flowers in early spring and is most often found growing on rocks, cliffs and logs.

Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

This plant’s name comes from the similarity of the flowers to the appearance of white breeches. Interestingly the flower actually has four petals, two stamens and a pistil.

Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)

(📸 Andrew C, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

This plant has a flower that is heart shaped when compared to Dutchman’s Breeches. It’s name comes from the small yellow clusterd bulblets which look much like kernels of corn.

Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum diocicum)

This plant is dioecious meaning it has male and female flowers on separate plants. It blooms in early to mid spring.

Purple Violet (Viola cucullata)

The Purple Violet is a member of the extensive Viola family. This low-growing perennial plant is also known as Hooded Blue Violet or Marsh Blue Violet.

Click here to see pictures and a report from Wildflower Stroll in Point Petre Woods, May 3, 2024

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