This is the beginning of our 24th year of looking at wildflowers in Cook County, MN. We are three senior women who just love to get out and explore and learn new things. We are even getting together all winter but don't find too many flowers at that time, but no matter.

Wednesday, April 20th, 2005

Our goal for the day was to find the disputed Tillbury Trail. We went up the Arrowhead Trail to the South Fowl Road, which we turned on. The road was in very good shape.  B was interested in acquiring rocks for her garden & we stopped every so often to find the perfect ones. We found a good place to park where there were signs for many cabins. We decided that must be the Trail and walked for a ways but not far enough to see any cabins. Later we stopped at the Overlook, My What a View!! We even saw flower buds from the Red-Berried Elder.
Next to the Irish Creek Road.  We parked at a red pine forest.  B said "This looks like some Pipsissewa should grow here." Moments later we found a rather large clump of the evergreen leaves. We also found Pyrola, probably Shinleaf & what we think is Gill-over-the-Ground.
Lunch at 3:30 in Judge Magney State Park. The Brule River was roaring.
By the way, that was not where the Tillbury Trail was - maybe another time, with better directions we will find it.
Spring Crocus and Daffodils are blooming.

April 23rd, 2005

Hooray, I saw my first Spring flower!
We were going West on the Superior Hiking Trail from Camp 20 Road and at the beginning, after the steps there were about 40 Spring Beauties! Such excitement!!!

 

Click here for the most recent report!

  Here are some early bloomers to look for in the area:

 

Anemone, Wood - Anemone quinquefolia

Arbutus, Trailing - Epigaea repens
Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis

Dandelion, Common - Taraxicum officinale

Dutchman's Breeches - Dicentra cucullaria

Early Sweet Coltsfoot - Petasites palmatus

Hazelnut, Corylus

Marsh-marigold - Caltha palustris
Pussytoes, Field - Antennaria neglecta

Red Maple - Acer rubrum

Spring Beauty - Claytonia verginica

Strawberry, Common - Fragaria virginiana
Violets

Be sure to stop back throughout the Spring and Summer to see our weekly wildflower reports from Lorraine Anderson of Grand Marais, Minnesota.