Forest Wildflowers in Bloom

Despite the lack of April showers, May is producing its fair share of flowers. Spring wildflowers are currently in full bloom throughout the T.A. Forest and across New England. The trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is found throughout mixed deciduous forests in Maine. It blooms in early spring before the large trees have fully leafed out. If you miss it early in the year, it can be hard to locate later on as its leaves and blossoms quickly wither.

Trout lilies bloom along the forest floor behind T.A. 

The trout lily gets its common name due to the coloration of its leaves. The green/brown mottled pattern is said to resemble that of the brook trout (salvelinus fontinalis). Wether these plants make you reminisce of native brook trout on a fly rod or not, the healthy carpet of these wildflowers currently blooming along the eastern trail is a short lived treat you wont want to miss.

Another wildflower currently blooming in the T.A. Forest is the trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens L.) or simply "mayflower". Mayflowers are another common forest wildflower found from Maine to Florida. Unlike the trout lily, the mayflower's foliage persists throughout the year so they are a bit easier to locate during the growing season.

A mayflower in bloom along the Eastern Trail. 

As a wildlife teacher, I am constantly stressing to my students the importance of all members of the native plant and animal communities within our local ecosystem. Taking a moment to appreciate some of the beauty beneath our feet in the forest is one way to begin to foster an intrinsic value for all wildlife.