Today I signed up for a guided wildflower walk at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary. Learning something from an actual human instead of an app on my phone was so refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, most of what I’ve learned about the Pennsylvania flora and fauna has been through apps like iNaturalist, Merlin, Seek, and eBird. But sometimes it’s just really nice to be around other like-minded people.
Zane Miller, the Preserve Manager at Mariton, facilitated the walk. He was so inspiring and passionate about nature and sharing his knowledge. Within the first quarter of a mile, he pointed out many plants and tiny flowers that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. We spent an enjoyable morning walking, uncovering tiny hidden flowers and identifying others more obvious and showy. I learned so much.
The more I learn, the more I connect with the East Coast natural land; Mariton in particular. It’s a beautiful thing. I could get super sappy here, but I’ll save it for another time and leave you with my Wildflower Report, photos and some things I learned from this morning’s walk on the trail:
Phlox is just starting to bloom. Not to be confused with the non-native Dames Rocket; Also pretty, just not native.
Mayapple has just begun flowering. Look for stems with 2 leaves. Single leaf doesn't produce a flower.
One-flower Broomrape - super tiny parasitic plant. Related to ghost pipes. Did I mention how much I love ghost pipes? This one is a first for me and it’s a favorite!
Wild Ginger - the flowers can be found in the leaf litter under the leaves. I just saw this for the first time today and would not have even known it was there if it hadn’t been pointed out.
Showy orchis - this is an orchid. People try to take them. But just don't. They are delicate and will not survive the transplant.
Blackhaw is in full bloom and starting to leaf out.
Wild Sarsaparilla - to see their flower which looks like a fluffy puff ball, take a peek under the leaves and you’ll find them.
Solomon's Seal - another one you have to stand in your head to find the flowers.
Tulip Tree - Their flowers are blooming and the orange color is other-worldly. It’s just hard to get close since they’re up so high in these towering deciduous giants of the forest.
Wild Geranium is now making its first appearance. I expect to see a lot of these over the summer.
Red Trillium - Which I did not know can also be white (even though it’s called red…hmmm?) :)
Large White Trillium - these are turning a beautiful shade of pink now.
Baneberry or Doll's Eyes - Ever see those weird plants that look like eyeballs staring at you along the trail usually towards the end of summer? Well, they make a fluffy little white flower before they turn into those creepy eyes.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit a plenty! There are many blooms along the trail.
Flowering dogwood - Still plenty of gorgeous flowers on the trees.
Perfoliate Bellwort - In addition to finding these in the forest, the open-cut meadow still holds onto what’s left of the forest’s understory with an impressive patch of these elegant flowers.
And lastly, Common PawPaw, Foamflower, Yellow Wakerobin, Pennywort, and Celandine Poppy.
Other noteworthy mentions are the Eastern Tent Caterpillars. They’re growing larger now, but don’t worry, it’s unlikely that they’ll defoliate your trees. Just leave them be. The birds will use the leftover silk from the tents to make nests.
Spotted the work of a Pileated Woodpecker. There must have been some delicious ants in the tree because it was missing a huge chunk of its bark.
Until next time…
