Tiny Leaves No Flowers.

This year has been brutal in so many ways.  It is our habit to begin searching for native plant growth long before its likely appearance.  This year has been disappointing in that some species of plants have yet to push above ground a single green leaf.  For reasons that are not clear to us we continue to try and grow Bloodroot.  Its pure white flowers last for only a few days even in a good year.  This year has seen fierce cold winds, little rain and not much in the way of plant growth.  Today another short drive to Irma's woods finally featured Bloodroot.  We have not been able to find it on our earlier trips since it remained underground longer than usual.

What we found today was plants with much smaller leaves than those seen here in the past.  Only tattered remains of flowers were scattered on the forest floor.  This pictured open leaf was the only one seen today.  It is smaller than usual but a seed pod formed.  Many other tiny plants had damaged flower parts with seeds unlikely.

We have come to believe that our dry cold weather is the cause of small or no plant growth this year.  Plan on us returning next year to see just what grows from these stunted plants.

Trilliums are personal favorites.  Those planted in our garden have been slow to appear and few feature a flower bud.  These wild plants display those same problems with leaves that are much smaller than usual and no flower buds.  Their small leaves will feed the underground tuber making possible normal sized plants next year weather permitting.

Even the Trout Lilies are displaying stunted leaves and few flowers this year.  All of these pictures were taken in a largely untouched woodland.  In the recent past we have enjoyed impressively broad displays of native plants here.