April means the Ohio wildflowers are calling us to hike through the woods. With so many deer in Northeast Ohio, is it even possible to find wildflowers?
Yes, and there’s plenty of sun and rain, and all this makes the flowers grow!
Spring Beauties
Spring beauties (Claytonia virginica L.) are the most abundant wildflowers in the woods right now.
They are members of the purslane family, and they are high in a chemical called oxalate. As a result, the deer don’t like to eat them in large quantities, unless food is scarce.
You might recognize the term oxalate because even for humans these foods can cause kidney problems (stones) if eaten in large amounts.
My research tells me that native Americans ate the corms (bulb-like structures that store nutrients) of spring beauties. The corms supposedly are reminiscent of chestnuts.
Coltsfoot
I came across coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) growing, in of all places, a bridle trail! It looks like a small dandelion until you get close.
This plant is a member of the family Asteraceae. It contains a specific alkaloid that repels deer. This alkaloid type is known for its hepatotoxic (liver damaging) effect.
In other words, don’t eat it. It’s cute to look at, though.
You might recognize in the scientific name “Tussilago” a relationship to “tussis.” You’d be right! Coltsfoot has been used to treat coughs in some cultures. At least, it was until the liver damaging chemical was discovered.
Violet
Few and far between in our metroparks, but easily recognizable are these American dog violets (Viola labradorica). They can be invasive in your yard and garden but aren’t as prolific in the woods, probably because both the leaves and flowers are eaten by small mammals and occasionally deer.
The yellow violets (Viola pubescens) we found in the woods are a different species but share the same general features as their purple cousins.
Mayapple
Even with the early spring blooms still strutting their stuff, we can see more Ohio wildflowers getting ready for the “May Show.”
The little umbrellas you see popping up in the woods now are the leaves of the aptly named mayapple.
Mayapple plants have a single white flower in May and these blooms resemble apple blossoms. The plants yield a fruit that is said to be tasty when ripe.
However, when unripe, the fruits are toxic, as is every part of the plant. Even touching the plants can elicit allergic reactions. This plant is “look, don’t touch” for sure!
Trout Lily
Trout lilies (Erythronium americanum) sometimes grow in colonies on the woodland floor. Colonies can grow and spread for 200 years or longer!
The name trout lily comes from the mottled coloring of the leaves, which are said to resemble a brook trout.
We didn’t come across large colonies of trout lilies; my guess is that the deer like these plants as they are members of the lily family. Deer love lilies.
I’ve also read that bears will dig up and eat trout lily corms.
Flowering Bluets
Flowering bluets (Houstonia caerulea) are some of the prettiest little flowers covering the ground at this time of year.
I can remember digging these little ladies up when I was a preschooler. I thought they were so cute that I put them in paper cups and went around the neighborhood selling my little bouquets. Then my mom found out and put an end to my entreprenurial enterprise.
Bloodroot
The Bloodroot plant (Sanguinaria canadensis L.) is just sending up its flower stalk. The rhizome (thick root) of this plant oozes a orange red sap that is toxic. Native Americans used this as a dye.
Each plant has only one flower, similar to the wood anemone but larger,
If you’ve enjoyed this flower show, why not head out and discover what’s growing around you?
