May 25, 2021
I’m just back from a quick walk round the main loop of the Acacia Valley Trails and I saw a kazillion wildflowers in bloom (at least a kazillion, maybe even a megaquillion!)
You don’t have to leave the path at all – the sides of the trail are carpeted with blooms right now.
It’s all so beautiful, especially when you stop, and maybe stoop, and take a close look – which I did and now I’m stoked to share it all – people, you have to get out there as soon as possible!
Do me a favour though - please don’t pick any – just take a good close look while you’re there – take some photos – take lots of photos - take some deep whiffs of the fragrant ones – but leave the flowers for the next hiker and for next year – if everyone took “just one” we would soon have no more flowers to look at!
This quick guide is based on what I saw tonight (May 25, 2021) at Acacia Valley Trails but... it'll work as a pretty good beginner list almost anywhere in Nova Scotia.
I’m just back from a quick walk round the main loop of the Acacia Valley Trails and I saw a kazillion wildflowers in bloom (at least a kazillion, maybe even a megaquillion!)
You don’t have to leave the path at all – the sides of the trail are carpeted with blooms right now.
It’s all so beautiful, especially when you stop, and maybe stoop, and take a close look – which I did and now I’m stoked to share it all – people, you have to get out there as soon as possible!
Do me a favour though - please don’t pick any – just take a good close look while you’re there – take some photos – take lots of photos - take some deep whiffs of the fragrant ones – but leave the flowers for the next hiker and for next year – if everyone took “just one” we would soon have no more flowers to look at!
This quick guide is based on what I saw tonight (May 25, 2021) at Acacia Valley Trails but... it'll work as a pretty good beginner list almost anywhere in Nova Scotia.
Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum)
They are everywhere out there – dozens and dozens – and the prolly the showiest. The name “painted” comes from the appearance that someone slapped some pink paint across the middle of white flower – I like to imagine an army of forest elves running around with cans of paint, racing to mark each one as they open. These won’t last too long – I saw some already done blooming so I do advise going this weekend at the latest to really see the big show. |
Starflower (Lysimachia borealis)
These are subtle – a short plant with a few leaves and a small simple white flower or two - they are everywhere and easy to take for granted – but I love them. The woods are carpeted with these tiny flowers right now! They have a whorl of shiny knife-like leaves, maybe five to nine leaves in a circle around the stem, about half way up the delicate stalk. It's tough enough remembering one latin name but I learned these as Trientalis borealis - the trientalis part means “about a third of a foot” – so, yeah to truly appreciate these you’re gonna have to bend down or my preference, lay down for a closer look! |
Goldthread (Coptis trilfolia)
These are also a small white flower but tinier even than the above and the leaves are quite different too – the easiest way to help a beginner tell them apart is to look at the leaves – Goldthread leaves might seem like they aren’t even attached to the same plant – they are, but underground. Down near moss-level (cause this plant loves to grow in moss), you’ll see roundish leaves with scalloped edges divided into three lobes (hence the latin name trifolia). These are almost done blooming but I did see a few still looking pretty. I really love these cause they are so dainty – take a close look! |
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
These are just coming on and will make quite a show over the next few weeks. You’ll see four white bracts (petals to you and me but bracts cause they are technically leaves) – anyway four white petally things above a whorl of broad pointy leaves – and when they really get blooming they will cover big patches of forest floor in a flowing carpet of white! Later this summer they will have a centre bunch of striking red berries. Bunchberry was chosen recently to be the national flower – and although I didn’t vote for it, I do support its nomination – ask your MP to get busy and make it official! |
Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)
This is also everywhere and kinda tiny – but when you kneel down for a close look, what a stunner! The flowers are arranged in a cluster atop the stalk each with four white sepals/ petals and four long stamens sticking out like antennae. I’ll admit I used to yawn at these – I think because I was too lazy to look close – trust me, get down and have a look at these charmers of the lily family. |
Wild Sasparilla (Aralia nudacaulis)
I only saw one blossom of these and it wasn’t open yet but they will be everywhere. This is an easy one to miss because the subtle spray of flowers hides beneath the leaf. I guess it’s shy! The blossoms are arranged in a round spiky cluster and are green – camouflaged. |
Twinflower (Linnaea borealis)
This one isn’t blooming yet but is another one to watch for over the next month. ( I might have voted for this one for Canada’s national flower). As its name suggests, each stem has two pretty pink flowers drooping from it – this is a very fragrant plant and I often smell it before I see it. |