Brand new for Spring 2023: trout lily pins! I'll have these at Birds in the Hills on Saturday and can also offer custom versions in multiple sizes.
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The herb community is the most diverse layer of the mixed mesophytic forest. What ground-layer species might be appearing next?
When they try to make school harder for LGBTQ+ youth...we make it better.
Over the past 2 years, students across the U.S. have used our 50 States 50 Grants funds to...
Build gender-affirming closets and gender-neutral bathrooms at school
Host their school's first Pride fest or Pride conference
Educate parents and teachers
Fund their GSA club
And so many other rad projects to support their queer students!
Apps are open for Season 3 now through April 1, 2024 - if you have an idea for how you'd use up to $10,000 at your own school (or if you know someone in middle or high school who could), reblog and spread the word!
Time for the most exciting treasure hunt in the eastern United States - trying to catch all of the spring ephemeral woodland wildflowers as they bloom! Yesterday I saw my firsts of the year - Dutchman's breeches and trout lily.
Went for a walk by the creek to get out of the house!
Here we have Dutchman's Breeches, Spring Beauty, wood violet, wild blue phlox, bloodroot (not in bloom just yet, at least not this one) and a white trout lily, the first one I have personally ever found! It was beautiful and much needed.
“Intuition literally means ‘learn from within’. Most of us were not taught how to use this sense, but all of us know that ‘gut’ feeling. Learn to trust your inner feeling and it will become stronger. Avoid going against your better judgment or being talked it into things that just don’t feel right.” ~ Doe Zantamata
Which species? I don't know, as both are plausible here and they're nearly identical. Leaning towards Parlin's bc of the look of those basal leaves, but some sources say they're one species anyway, so I'm close enough.
And once you get to looking at the ground, closely, to see all the lovely little flowers there, you also notice the things that are going to be lovely little flowers. The last photo is the basal leaves of Rattlesnake Hawkweed - Hieracium venosum. It'll bloom later.
Hawkweeds are a large group of asters that are easy to mistake for dandelions if you're not paying attention, as the flowers can look really similar. The leaves are different, though, and if you're not sure, check the stem: dandelions have a soft, hollow stem, while hawkweeds' stems are solid.