May 3, 2011 Diverse Flowers Near Shipsehwana

Entrance to ACRES Culp Nature Preserve

West of Shipshewana at the intersection of US 20 and LaGrange CR 900 W, go south about one mile to ACRES Culp Nature Preserve, in the middle of Amish farms.    A healthy stand of a small white flower, Dwarf Ginseng, grows at Culp; we have not seen it in other Indiana woods, although the USDA Plants Database lists it in ten counties.

Dwarf Ginseng, Panax trifolius

Dwarf Ginseng has balls of tiny white flowers

Twenty-two other species of wildflowers were blooming along the 3/4 mile loop trail.  Following are photos of some of them.

Wild Geranium, Maculatum divaricata

Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides

Jack-in-the Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum

Four native species of violets are blooming at Culp --- two blues, one yellow and one white.  We've photographed two other species of violet so far this year: Dog Violet, Viola conspera (light blue) at Waterford Church wetlands (April 26 post) and Cream Violet, V. striata (white) at ACRES Lonidaw preserve (May 2 post).

Long-spurred Violet, Viola rostrata - note the spurs on the flowers

Common Blue Violet, Viola sororia

Yellow Violet, Viola pubescens

Canada Violet,  Viola canadensis

Note yellow center of Canada Violet and purplish back of petals

Other wildflowers blooming at Culp today, put not pictured above are ---

Spring Beauty, Claytonia virginica
Dutchman's Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
Cut-leaved Toothwort,  Cardamine concatenata
Purple Springcress, Cardamine douglasii
Rue Anemone, Thalictrum thalictroides
False Rue Anemone, Enemion biternatum
Round-lobed Hepatica, Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa
Blue Phlox, Phlox divaricata
Large-flowered Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum
Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora
Yellow Trout Lily, Erythronium americanum
Gooseberry, Ribes species
False Mermaid, Floerkia proserpinacoides
Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense
Cleavers, Galium aparine