June wildflowers are a bit limited, but the bonus is that you might see some critters on the hiking trail this month.
At least, I managed to see both flora and fauna on my hike this past weekend.
I met two guys heading to the parking lot as I made my way out to the trail.
“Turtle alert!” one of them called as I hiked by.
“Oh?” I wasn’t exactly sure what he was telling me.
“Are you headed up to the top of the trail?” he asked.
I nodded yes.
“There’s a turtle up there laying eggs, you’ll see her.”
“Cool!” I answered. I hoped I would actually see the turtle. Even though I consider myself observant, my mind does seem to wander when I’m hiking.
No worries. I couldn’t have missed her if I tried.
She was no less than three feet long and laying her eggs exactly at the end of the trail at the scenic overlook.
And I immediately recognized her features: a large, slightly flattened oval shell, an elongated snout, and muscular arms and legs.
She was a snapping turtle.
Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
I stopped on the path about five feet from where she was. Miss Snappy’s head moved slowly as she kept her eyes on me. Don’t worry, Miss Snappy. I have no desire to get any closer.
Snapping turtles can get quite large, males to almost 35 lbs. And though they aren’t aggressive, they will defend themselves with their powerful jaws.
By the size of her, I guessed Miss Snappy was a mature snapping turtle, and would not appreciate being disturbed as she laid and buried her eggs.
I only hoped that other hikers would understand that, too. I wanted to make a sign alerting others and cautioning that the turtle should be left undisturbed.
Sadly, I had no tools for making a sign. I hope all went well for the turtle and for my fellow hikers.
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
The multiflora rose is the most abundant blooming wildflower in the woods right now. It has pretty, arching branches and smells intoxicating.
Although last month there were more varieties of wildflowers, this month the sheer number of wild roses makes up for the limited array.
Watch out for those thorns, though. They can really stick to your clothes and get under your skin.
These roses probably came to North America via Asia and are considered invasive. One plant can produce up to a million seeds per year! The seeds are dispersed as the rose hips are consumed by birds. The seeds can remain viable in the soil for as long as twenty years.
The rose hips can be used to make tea and medicine.
Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Goutweed is pretty, with its delicate white umbrels. You might mistake it for the highly toxic poison hemlock, but this plant is much shorter with less “feathery” leaves.
They are both in the carrot family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae) as is the popular Queen Anne’s lace flower.
Also known as bishop’s weed, it considered invasive in some states.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen (Xanthoria elegans)
On my way back to the parking lot, I pass a picnic shelter built in the 1930’s by the CCC. So many of these projects still grace our parks, and the craftsmanship is beautiful.
Today, the lichen covering the stone is equally striking.
As I peruse the internet to identify its name, I think I get it right that it is Elegant sunburst lichen.
The coloring actually helps protect the lichen from the sun – like a built-in sunblock.
Lichens are interesting. They can form beautiful, colorful patterns on stone and on tree bark.
In fact, this year the lichens are booming in abundance, maybe due to our “wettest spring on record.”
If you happened to see the movie on Amazon Prime about the boy who was lost on the Maine wilderness ( “Lost on a Mountain in Maine”), you probably noticed that one food he managed to scavenge was lichen.
Yum.
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
For the longest time, I thought that this wildflower was a form of phlox.
Finally, using Google Lens and then verifying with this source, I discovered that this plant is actually dame’s rocket.
It’s easy to see the difference. Dame’s rocket flowers are four-petalled and phlox are five.
You’ll see this plant in low-lying wetlands and shady creek sides. The flowers are light purple or white and are striking when they grow in large masses.
Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)
The last plant I spied on my hike was this pretty mapleleaf viburnum. I didn’t recognize it right away. Unlike the garden viburnum I have growing in my yard, this plant has small, delicate leaves.
The flowers are clustered in umbrels, and each flower has long stamen that give the overall appearance of a starburst.
Red berries will form after the flowers fade, and the berries will ripen to a blue-black.
In the fall, its foliage turns a burnished rose pink.
Some have described this viburnum as one of our most beautiful native shrubs.
I can’t say that I disagree.
