This report is written by Lorraine Anderson (lorraine@bwca.cc). She is part of a group of three seniors that have been looking at wildflowers in Cook County, Minnesota. They have gone out almost every Wednesday for over 20 years and love it, even in the winter. But of course there aren't any flowers in the winter!!

Wednesday Wildflower Report: June 4, 2003

Coffee at L's so we could look at her Wild Purple Clematis. The day was just perfect except that the black flies are out - Not too bad yet. The wild fruit trees as well as the cultivated ones are in bloom. The lilacs are beginning to show color. We had heard that the Pale (Bog) Laurel were in full color on the Lima Grade Road. We were misinformed but we did find some of the various treasures in bloom. It was a little early to see many Gay Wings and they seemed to be rather small. We went down "Nate's" road and saw an area of Marsh Marigolds "as far as the eye can see."
Lunch at Swamper where we found Leatherleaf and a nice clump of Gay Wings.
Many things remind of our recently deseased friend Mary.
Laten on in the day I went out to Artist's Point and headed towards the Lighthouse. I was pleased to see Bird's-eye Primrose and Butterwort in bloom. I had never seen them there before.

Flowers we found Blooming:

Anemone, Wood - Anemone quinquefolia
Baneberry, Red - Actaea rubra
Butterwort - Pinguicula vulgaris
Clematis, Rock, Purple - Clematis verticillari
Clintonia, Blue-bead Lily - Clintonia borealis
Columbine, (Honeysuckle) - Aquilegiaa canadensis
Cress, Common Winter (mustard) - Barbarea vulgaris
Cuckoo-flower - Cardimine bulbosa
Dandelion, Common - Taraxacum officinale - mostly white now!
Gaywings (Polygala, Fringed) - Polygala paucifolia
Ginger - Asarum canadense
Goldthread - Coptis groenlandica
Lily-of-the-Valley, Wild - Maianthemum canadense
Marigold, Marsh - Cowslip - Caltha palustris
Mertensia ( Bluebells ) - Mertensia paniculata
Primrose, Bird's-eye - Primula laurentian
Pussytoes, Field - Antennaria neglecta
Sarsaparilla, Wild (Smooth) - Aralia nudicaulis
Solomon's Seal, Three-leaved - Smilacina trifolia
Starflower - Trientalis borealis
Strawberry, Common - Fragaria virginiana
Trillium, Nodding - Trillium cernuum
Vetchling, Pale - Lathyrus ochroleucus
Violet, Yellow, Purple

Trees & Shrubs we found Blooming:

Cherry,Pin - Prunus pennsylbanica
Currant, Skunk - Ribes glandulosum
Dewberry - Rubus pubescens
Elder, Red-berried - Sambucus pubens
Gooseberry - Ribes
Honeysuckle, Fly - Lonicera canadensis
Honeysuckle, Swamp Fly - Lonicera oblongifolia
Juneberry - Amelanchier
Lilac, Common (Old fashioned) - Syringa vulgaris