Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana)
It has an indian name : "The one who keeps an eye on maple trees." Now you know where it grows. Do you know the "Doctrine of Signatures"? The Ancients believed that some resemblance of a flower with a human body part was a sign of a special curative power on that part. For example the Hepatica leaf has the look of an hepatic lobe (liver). Consequently it is good to cure liver diseases. A red flower would be good for blood disease...and so on. |
Spring Beauty ( Claytonia virginica )
This flower also lives in maple groves. It has quite the same size and shape as the Hepatica. But it has many differences. For example, more than one flower on a stem, brightly colored pistils and stamens, rose stripes on the petals and above all the elongated leaf. ( Which doesn't show here.) |
Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)
This flower grows around lakes and streams. It forgot it was a blue garden flower. It is now white, blue and rose. |
Wild Columbine ( Aquilegia canadensis )
Easy to identify. Flower and leaf have very distinctive shape and colours. It is very elegant. The generic name refers to its capacity of holding rain water. |
If it were that big, everyone would be in love with it ! |
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
The generic name (Asarum) means "unpleasant." I don't agree ! The plant is very special. It has a modern cup-shaped flower and a pair of large leaves heart-shaped. The root has a strong ginger-like odor that recalls me the ginger biscuits of my childhood ! Being there very early in springtime it looks spectacular. |
Purple Trillium ( Trillium erectum )
It has a majestic bearing. There are no other flowers around it. According to the "Doctrine of Signatures" it was used against gangrene because it has a foul smell. |