Salt Fork State Park, Ohio

Toadshade Trillium

 

Large-flowered Trillium along Stone House Trail

Moss Pink

Golden Saxifrage

I had the pleasure of joining Jason Larson at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge this past Friday.  Jason and I are both members of the Ohio Flora group on Facebook.  Earlier in the year somebody (may had been me now that I reflect on it) had suggested the group take some field trips together to go wildflower hunting.  Salt Fork is in Jason's former stomping grounds and he graciously offered to lead the group.  Unfortunately, I had since discovered I had to work the Saturday the trip was planned, so I met Jason the day before as he reconned which wildflowers were out and about.

I was fairly familiar with Salt Fork, having taught an Ohio University Cambridge 'Wildflowers' class for non-majors at Salt Fork, although Jason knew what was on the backroads, and some of the secret places much better than I.  I arrived in the morning and hiked the Stone House Trail and then met Jason in the afternoon.

Stone House Trail had always been a great spot to find some of the showier wildflowers, the Trilliums, Bluebells, Trout Lilies, and others.  After walking the trail, I believe the Trillium display this year was the best I had ever seen at Salt Fork.  While historically, there had always been some nice pockets of Large-flowered Trillium (the white trillium above), this year virtually the entire length of the trail was loaded with trillium.  There were also several nice pockets of Toadshade Trillium.

In the afternoon, Jason took me to some different locations throughout the park.  Jason has been working for several years on a Flora of Salt Fork State Park and is nearly ready to publish.  If I recall, he said he had over 700 species he had found at Salt Fork.  That is a lot of plants!  He took me to some of the locations for the especially rare things he had found.  Many of the sites looked no different than any other spot in the park, yet this rare little sedge opted to grow in that one little spot and not in any of the other several thousand acres!

We made one stop, looking specifically for an unusual species of violet.  We did not find the violet in bloom, but did find the Moss Pink pictured above.  At another spot, a seep on a remote hillside, we found Golden Saxifrage.  I must admit, Golden Saxifrage is one of the least attractive flowers I have ever seen.  I think sometimes we tend to over-emphasize beauty.  I don't know if it is an American thing or a human thing.  We get so enamored with the outer surface, failing to see the ugliness that lies beneath.  This little Golden Saxifrage flower, while not being much to look at, struggles just as mightily to fulfill its role as any trillium or bluebell.  It is good to take in and respect the beauty of the struggle, rather than just the pretty wrapping on the outside.

Around 4PM Jason returned me to my trusty two-wheeled steed, and I left Jason and Salt Fork for trip home, richer for the experience in many ways.  Maybe least among them, my species count had now grown to 116 for the year, 884 more to go!

Ten Percent!

Blue-eyed Mary

Fairy Bells

Wood Poppy also known as Celandine Poppy

Pawpaw

Wood Betony

On Tuesday April 27 I took the day off work (actually they owed me the day off because I had to work my normal day off) and went down to Nelsonville, Ohio.  Nelsonville is an interesting place.  It very well could be the poster community for Appalchia.  It strikes me as the type of town where everybody chews and has tattoos, regardless of age or gender!  But maybe I am wrong.

Nelsonville is also a college town.  The college is Hocking College, a small two-year school with a strong natural resources program.  Many college towns seem to adopt the role of cultural hub, and Nelsonville has slowly begun to embrace this role, featuring summer country music concerts, a scenic railroad, and other activities.

Once upon a time I taught at Hocking College as a quarterly instructor and enjoyed it immensely.  In the past four years I have tried to get back on at Hocking with no luck.  Maybe my luck will change at some point in the future.

Hocking College owns several acres of land west of the school in an area known as the Sunday Creek Land Lab.  I had visited this site a few times back in my teaching days, and thought I would make a return trip.  The site, located near Minker's Run, is very rich in violets, with yellow, white, and a couple shades of purple all present.  I will have to make a return trip to double check the identification of one violet, Viola hirsutala, which if correct would be a lifer for me.  The other exciting find at the land lab was Wood Betony (Pedicularis).  They are not especially rare, but rare enough that I get excited when I find them.

I stopped for lunch at the Subway in Nelsonville, having my usual oven-roasted chicken on italian herbs and cheese, and then headed east toward the Perry/Morgan county line to visit friend Diane Brooks.  Diane lives on several beautiful acres in Perry County.  Over the years she has moved some of the plants from the woods on her property to her gardens around the house.  She has also sown a lot of seed that she has collected from her wild plants, such that her garden in front of her house is absolutely amazing!

I added several new species at her place including Blue-eyed Mary, Wood Poppy, Fairy Bells, and Pawpaw.  Diane's Pawpaw was much further ahead then the Pawpaw I had observed in the morning at the Sunday Creek Land Lab.  I know several good places in Athens County for Pawpaw.  I anxiously look forward to fighting the racoons for the pawpaws in September, much as I will be fighting the 'coons for my dad's sour cherries!

We then loaded up in Diane's Geo Tracker and traveled perhaps a quarter mile down the road.  She turned right off the road onto a little two track that I initially did not see.  For awhile I thought Diane was going cross-country in her Woods Mobile!  We plowed through multiflora rose and a few other things before she brought the small SUV to a halt.  Diane took me down a steep slope to what could only be described as Blue-eyed Mary Shangri-La.  She apologized, saying that once upon a time they had extended the entire length of the slope.  Now they were merely thick as could be on the lower half of the slope.  Regardless, it was the biggest patch of Blue-eyed Mary I had ever seen!

We explored a little bit.  I had the pleasure of introducing her to False Mermaid (Floerkea) and Chervil (Chaerophyllum), plants that she had overlooked in the past, which made total sense as each species was barely two inches tall!  It was really enjoyable being able to teach each other new things.

After I had returned home, I discovered that the wonderful discoveries of the day had put me over the 100 species mark for the year, ten percent of my total.  I realize it sounds like I still have a long ways to go, but actually I am quite pleased to have 102 species at this point in the game.  I would say that I am on track to achieve 1000 species for the year, although I think I will need to make a couple trips deeper into Appalachia to guarentee the goal. 

Hocking County, Ohio

I have gotten behind on my posts, for which I apologize to those who may be reading.  I need to do a better job of this since these posts provide the basis which I will eventually write the One Thousand Flowers book from.

Last weekend my family and I made a trip to the Conkle's Hollow area.  I did not realize that a big "Shoot the Hills" event was happening.  In this event photographers were encouraged to take photos from throughout the Hocking Hills, which means Conkle's Hollow was crawling with photographers.  I had to reign in my tendency to go off-trail.

While I had already recorded the red form of Stinking Benjamin (Trillium erectum), I was able to photograph the white form (pictured above).  Also photographed Miterwort, a dainty little flower that I think is seriously misnamed.  I think it should be called Spring Snowflake!

After a quick stop at Grandma Fayes for batteries and sandwiches, we continued on to where the Buckeye Trail crosses Big Pine Road, perhaps a mile down from Conkles Hollow.  Apparently this Saturday was a big work day for the Buckeye Trail Association.  Parking area was completely filled and had to park on a pile of sand.

We normally take the equestrian trail north out of the parking lot and did so again, finding several new species for the year.  Among them was one of my favorite spring flowers, Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata).  Just something about the color with the dark streaks that just really works for me!  I also found my first Jack-in-the-Pulpit, which I guess takes on new meaning for me now that I am a pastor!

We finished the day on our own five acres, about three miles north of Conkle's Hollow along State Route 374.  Was able to get pictures of one of my favorite trees, Sweet Birch (Betula lenta).  I enjoy this birch because when the twig is scratched it has a strong wintergreen odor.  I was also able to get good photos of Sassafras flowers and American Elm.  We concluded our day with a nice visit with my mom and dad!  The sour cherry trees that grow in our woods were in full and glorious bloom.  The only thing better will be fighting the racoons for the cherries here in a few months!

Wildflower Shangri La!

Marsh Marigold

Wild Ginger

Dutchman's Breeches

Large-flowered Trillium

Stinking Benjamin

Today I found wildflower Shangri La!  On our drive to church this morning down Clear Creek Road, I noticed a hillside covered with Dutchman's Breeches and a ditch filled with Marsh Marigold.  So later in the afternoon I returned to get a closer look.

The Marsh Marigold was growing in a roadside swamp loaded with Skunk Cabbage.  The water in the swamp was classic southeast Ohio iron rich water, bright orange with an oily film.  It is amazing how such beauty can arise from such yuck!

I walked about 50 yards down the road to the Dutchman's Breeches hillside.  It in fact was totally covered with the beautiful spring ephemeral.  But the real beauty was actually around the corner, on the eastern slope of a very narrow ravine.  On this steep slope was a thick, rich carpet of two types of trilliums, Dutchman's Breeches, Squirrel Corn, Blue Cohosh, Spring Beauty, Bellwort, and Waterleaf.  A hiker could not take a step without trampling one of these spring wonders.  I am not sure that I have ever found such a rich spring wildflower site, with the possible exception of Stone House Trail at Salt Fork State Park.  This site every bit of stands up to the much more famous wildflower sites in Shawnee State Forest and the Hocking Hills!

I look forward to visiting this site again when the Waterleaf comes into bloom!

Shoemaker State Nature Area - northern Adams County, Ohio

Bloodroot

Virginia Bluebell

Dutchman's Breeches

Twinleaf

White Trout Lily

Yours Truly!

On my day off Monday I traveled to Shoemaker State Nature Area, a relatively new site in northeast Adams County, Ohio, not far from the intersection of SR32 and SR73.  My big hope for the trip was to find White Trout Lily, as I had been told it was fairly common in southern Ohio.

I found the site very easily, with good road the whole way.  I hate taking the bike on gravel roads!  The trail initially scurts the hillside above the Cedar Fork of Scioto Brushy Creek, but after about a quarter of a mile it drops down over the dolomitic cliffs and then makes a loop along the floodplain.

On the high ground, Hepatica, Purple Cress, and Trout Lily was very common.  I was very pleased to find both the yellow and the white trout lily.  While the white trout lily was on my wish list for the year, I had no guarentees of finding it.  I had only seen it at one other site in the past (Salt Fork State Park), but in my last few visits to Salt Fork I could not find it.

As I dropped down over the cliffs onto the floodplain I was blessed with another surprise, Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphyla).  Another one that was on my wish list but that I did not have a good idea where I would find it.  Twinleaf is relatively rare in Ohio but where the trail dropped onto the floodplain, there was a large mass of Twinleaf, covering at least 100 square feet.

Another common plant on the floodplain was Virginia Bluebells, which was relatively early in the flowering process.  I found a few that had nice bloom set, but most were still in bud.  Also on the floodplain, Spring Beauty was just starting to bloom.  I will add a complete list of sightings at the bottom of this post.

On the way back home I stopped at the McDonald's just south of Peebles to replenish all those calories I had just burned!  In the Micky D's was a gentleman sitting at one of the tables, eating his meal with a Bible sitting next to him.  Ocassionally he would start talking to people in a loud booming voice as they sat down or passed by.  He was a big guy, with bushy gray beard and unkept gray hair.  As I sat down he commented, "How's Willy doin'?"
"Excuse me?"
"Willie Nelson.  I sure do like the way he sings."
"Well, I never have really followed Willie Nelson so I'm not sure."

A woman at the counter behind the man made a gesture indicating she thought the guy was crazy, and I recieved several sympathetic glances from other customers.  The man continued talking and I would nod, grunt, and smile at the appropriate times.  And while I really wasn't interested in getting into a lengthy conversation with the man (which I felt guilty about later), I became convinced that there was probably more lonely in the man's heart than crazy in his head. 

I guess I felt troubled by how many of the other customers were willing to be judgemental of the guy, rather than just humoring with a nod and a smile.  I specifically noticed that in the man's conversations, usually to unresponsive passers-by, he never said anything judgemental, even though he did share some un-Christlike behaviors of members of his church he attended.  He spoke very matter of factly without passing judgement.  So, who was it that was 'crazy'?  The people passing judgement or those who were not.  Humans worry about the head, God worries about the heart.

Plant list from Shoemaker: Bloodroot, Purple Cress (Cardamine douglasi), Cut-leaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), Hepatica, Rue Anemone, White Trout Lily, Yellow Trout Lily, Spicebush, Spring Beauty, Virginia Bluebells, Twinleaf, Dutchman's Breeches, Ground Ivy, Harbinger of Spring, and Sessile Trillium (Trillium sessile, not quite in bloom yet.)

My New Kentucky Home!

Hepatica

Walking Fern

Dutchman's Breeches

Bloodroot

Anglin Falls

Long lost cousins!  Chris Kline (NAU sweatshirt) and Lisa Ails Beard (black/white jacket)

On Wednesday and Thursday the family visited Berea, Kentucky.  My son, who is a high school junior (the tall one in the back) is interested in attending Berea College.  Most of my time in Kentucky had always been in passing through, or looking for butterflies on cold, cloudy days.  So I did not really have found memories of Kentucky.

Upon our arrival in Berea we had lunch at without a doubt the friendliest Burger King I've ever eaten at.  On no less than three occasions did staff come by the table and ask if we needed anything.  How often has that happened to you at a fast food joint?!

After a friendly lunch, we trammeled cross-country to visit Anglin Falls, about 10 miles south of Berea.  The trip for us however was closer to 15 miles as we got lost.  The directions I had pulled off the net added an unnecessary step to the trip and that was the part we got lost on.  The directions sent us from KY21 to KY595 to KY1617.  Initially we missed KY595.  When it was all said and done we came to the realization that KY21 intersected KY1617, and that KY595 was totally unnecessary.

What a treat we discovered upon finally arriving at the John Stephenson SNP parking area.  While spring has been totally absent from southeast Ohio, here in central Kentucky, spring was in full force!  Hepatica was everywhere!  And in multiple colors, white, blue, and pink.  Also blooming was Bloodroot, Dutchmen's Breeches, Yellow Trout Lily, Spicebush, Rue Anemone, and Carex plantaginea.

To me, botanically, the absolute best find of the day was Walking Fern.  I have only seen this once before and had no intentions of seeing it for 2013.  What a blessing to find it here, completely engulfing a large boulder.  The midrib of Walking Fern extends far beyond the leaf blade, sort of like the tendril of a pea plant.  Where the tip of the midrib touches the ground, or in this case the mossy covering of the boulder, a new plant will begin to grow, hence giving the appearance of the plant walking.

Anglin Falls was running, and very much reminded me of some of the spring waterfalls we have here in southeast Ohio, especially at Conkle's Hollow.  The trail to the falls was perhaps a half-mile long and pretty easy to navigate.

Back in Berea for the night, we had opportunity to visit with my cousin Lisa Ails Beard, whom I had not seen since probably kindergarten, roughly 45 years.  Our two families spent much of the night in the Berea Pizza Hut and got caught up.  Lisa and her family live just up the road in Lexington.  I am so glad they were able to come down and visit.

On Thursday we met with admissions staff and students of Berea College.  Berea College is very different from most colleges in the country.  First of all, tuition for students is covered by grants and scholarships.  Which means students graduate from Berea virtually debt free!  Secondly, Berea is a Christian college that takes a little different approach to Christianity, which as a Methodist pastor, I very much appreciate and respect.  Rather than making their focus teaching Christ's teachings, they make their focus applying Christ's teachings.  Of course, they have a chapel and there are many churches in town to choose from, but I so appreciate how Berea is walking the walk rather than just talking the talk.

I must admit I fell in love with Berea, Kentucky!  Acceptance into Berea College is very competitive.  I do hope Asa gets in. 

This trip to Berea, Kentucky brought my species total for the OneThousand Flowers project to 29.  Only 971 to go!

Alien Invasion

Periwinkle, Vinca minor

Grape Hyacinth, Muscari botryoides

Daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus

Rock Polypody, Polypodium virginianum

My youngest daughter and I took a trip to Clear Creek Metro Park on Monday last week, hoping to see some spring ephemerals.  I figured our best chance would be on the lower section of the Hemlock Trail, which runs parallel to a small stream and then climbs among sandstone boulders to the top of the ridge.

I was surprised in that none of the cast of characters I was expecting, Hepatica, Harbinger of Spring, Trillium, or Trout Lily were even poked through the soil, let along flowering.  Seemed that this small little hollow was still working hard to hold on to winter, and botanically was even farther behind than the rest of southeast Ohio.

One neat discovery we did make was Rock Polypody, a relative small fern that inhabits the rocky crags and crevasses of the Blackhand Sandstone cliffs.  This is an evergreen fern, and while the spore structures on the back of the leaf were from last year, they were still adequate to identify this quaint little fern.

On the trip out of Clear Creek we had noticed a large patch of Daffodils along the side of the road, so we stopped to photograph those.  Unrecognized from the car was also a patch of Grape Hyacinth and Periwinkle near the Daffodils.  All three of these are what we call naturalized alien species.  These species were introduced to the area at some point in the past and decided they liked it here.  So much so, that they now grow (and spread) without any assistance from human kind.  Since they are naturalized, they are fair game for the One Thousand Flowers project.

With these four species, the total for the year rises to 19!