It’s mid-May and the leaves have unfurled from their buds. They are beginning to form the canopy that will shades the trees’ roots from the sometimes brutal heat of summer.
The wildflowers that we saw earlier have faded and, hopefully, propagated a new generation of plants.
This is a transitional time in the woods, but as is always the case in nature, some species have adapted to this season, too.
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
These pretty, true blue flowers prefer moist soil and some shade. They’re in full bloom now and will go to seed by the middle of June.
After that, the foliage begins to die back and the plant goes dormant.
Deer don’t like bluebells, and neither do rabbits; but ground hogs and other smaller rodents may eat them.
These wildflowers are in the borage family and contain fuzzy leaves and possibly toxic chemicals (Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PAs) ) that may repel deer.
But as most of us learn the hard way, toxicity levels vary even among similar plants, and hungry deer will eat just about anything.
Bluebells are available to home gardeners from various garden centers. They should never be dug from public parks as they are a declining natural species due to the development of the wetland habitats.
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
This beautiful bush is large (20 feet tall) and filled with fragrant white flower clusters that will ripen to edible fruits.
A variety of wildlife eat the fruit, including bears and coyotes. These cherries are a bit sour and it’s not recommended to consume a lot at once, thus the name!
Native Americans ate the fruit, too. However, it’s important to avoid the pits of the fruit, the leaves, and the bark of the plant. These contain chemicals that turn to toxic hydrocyanic acid when bruised.
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
I’ve seen geranium on several trails this year. This herb is somewhat deer and rabbit resistant and it likes partial shade and moist soil.
Although mid-May doesn’t present scores of bright flowers, wild geranium is an exception.
The common names for this plant includes “cranesbill.” The name comes from the shape of the seed pods that propel seeds from the pod when ripe.
Native Americans used wild geranium’s astringent properties to shrink swelling tissue in the treatment of toothaches and hemorrhoids.
Common or Red-twigged Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)
The veining of these leaves gives this plant away as a dogwood.
But it isn’t the small decorative tree that we are familiar with in North America. It’s actually a shrub, and in the fall its stems turn bright red.
It’s native to Europe and Asia and some species are deer-resistant, though not deer-proof.
I think that dogwoods have some of the prettiest leaves of all the trees and shrubs. I like the veining and how it makes the leaves look as though they’ve been quilted; and the leaf shape is a modified heart.
Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
Did you ever wonder why so many plants have the word part, “wort”?
It’s because wort means “plant” in Old English, derived from the German “wyrt.”
So, this bright, sunny plant is named “golden rag plant.”
It’s not a very distinguished name for a plant used by Native Americans to treat lung disease, as a contraceptive, to regulate menses, and aid childbirth.
You can probably see that it’s a member of the aster family. It looks a lot like the purple asters of autumn.
Like other asters, it has the furry leaves and stems and an astringent smell that deer and rabbits don’t like so much.
Top ‘o the Trail in Mid-May
Well, we’ve reached the top of the trail today and it’s been a beautiful climb.
What a great time of year to see the contours of the land. They get obscured by the leaf canopy as the season progresses. Leafy canopies are amazing, too. The woods just reveal a different beauty as the awakening of plant life begins in springtime.
Get out there and enjoy the view!
