Natural Bridge Naturalist and Recreation Blog

Just like most of the other forest spring wildflowers, Mayapple is blooming about 3 weeks early this year due to unseasonably warm temperatures. The spring wildflowers are in hurry to bloom before the tree leaves in the canopy beging to cast a heavy shade on the forest floor. Come join us for Wildlflower Weekend on April 27-29, 2012 and you will get to see the Mayapples and other late spring wildflowers.

Listed below is a blooming update on some of the wildflowers here at Natural Bridge. Due to the warm temperatures in March, the spring wildflower peak occurred about 3 weeks early. At this point we are just beyond peak, but their are still many species in full bloom to see.

Flowers Beginning to Bloom
Golden Alexander
False Solomon's Seal
Indian Cucumber Root
Doll's Eye
Lyre-leaved Sage
Valerian
Yellow Stargrass

Flowers in Full Bloom
Wild Ginger
Buttercup
Hooked Crowfoot
Star Chickweed
Sweet White Violet
Cream Violet
Canada Violet
Stonecrop
Wild Geranium
Wood Betony
Large Yellow Lady Slipper
Philadelphia Daisy
Robin's Plantain
Iris - Crested and Dwarf Crested
Solomon's Seal
Jack In The Pulpit
Purple Phacelia
Sweet Cicely
Ragwort
Mayapple
Squaw-root
Bluets

Flowers just Past Peak Bloom
Rue Anemone
Columbine
Bird's Foot Violet
Long-spurred Violet
Common Blue Violet
Toothworts
Miterwort
Forest Phlox
Yellow Mandarin
Spotted Mandarin
Trillium - Large-flowered, Erect, & Southern Red
Large-flowered Bellwort
Foam Flower
Lady Slipper - Pink

Now is certainly the time to visit Natural Bridge if you're interested in viewing Spring's Wildflowers! Although the last two nights have dipped down close to freezing in many areas, the area immediately surrounding Natural Bridge doesn't appear to have been hampered by any frost! We've been out on the trails quite a bit in the last few days with school groups and wildflower enthusiasts (some from as far away as Michigan!) and here is what we can report with regard to flowers currently blooming:
Wild Ginger
Rue Anemone
Columbine
Buttercup
Hooked Crowfoot
Early Meadow Rue
Star Chickweed
Sweet White Violet
Canada Violet
Halberd-leaved Violet
Bird's Foot Violet
Long-spurred Violet
Common Blue Violet
Toothwort
Stonecrop
Miterwort
Foam Flower
Wild Geranium
Sweet Cicely
Golden Alexander
Forest Phlox
Purple Phacelia
Wood Betony
Squaw-root
Bluets
Ragwort
Philadelphia Daisy
Jack In The Pulpit
Yellow Mandarin
Spotted Mandarin
Indian Cucumber Root
Solomon's Seal - including False and Hairy
Trillium - Large-flowered, Erect, & Southern Red
Large-flowered Bellwort
Iris - Crested and Dwarf Crested
Lady Slipper - Pink and Large Yellow


A flowering Jack In The Pulpit can be viewed by clicking NBSP.Jack.In.The.Pulpit.JPG

The time has come! As a result of the unusually warm spring weather, flowers have began blooming everywhere.
Here is a list of those species that we’ve encountered flowering in the last few days:
Hepatica - even though it is still blooming, most of it is nearly in fruit.
Rue Anemone – full bloom
Spring Beauty – still abundant, but beyond peak
Bloodroot – in fruit only
Star Chickweed – abundant, at nearly full bloom
Blue Cohosh – beyond peak
Pennywort – beyond peak
Wild Geranium – abundant, before peak
Purple Phacelia – full bloom
Foam Flower – full bloom
Common Blue Violet – full bloom
Forest Phlox – full bloom
Large Flowered Trillium – full bloom
Red Trillium – full bloom
Large-flowered Bellwort – just started, not yet at peak
Halberd-leaved Violet – full bloom
Long-spurred Violet – full bloom

We are unsure as to how much longer these flowers will remain in bloom. Make your way to the park soon so that you don’t miss out! Happy Flowering!

Well, what a difference a week makes! Many species of wildflowers have begun blooming at Natural Bridge with some of the earliest wildflowers nearing their peak! Bloodroot, an interesting early spring wildflower, has possibly reached its peak this week. Others that are abundantly in bloom are Spring Beauty, Star Chickweed, Hepatica, and Rue Anemone to some extent. We have also noticed Blue Cohosh, Pennywort – yes Pennywort! – Common Blue Violet, and even Forest Phlox well under way. Surprisingly, we have encountered a few Trilliums along the trails in the last day or so, but we haven’t witnessed any in flower.

With regard to flowering trees, Redbud flowers are seemingly ready to open up and although we haven’t seen any Dogwood at the park in bloom, there are a few along the Mountain Parkway that we’ve noticed blooming. Things are really ramping up right now, and as long as this unseasonably warm weather continues, spring flowering is sure to progress!

Bloodroot at Natural Bridge State Park