May 13, 2026
Sweet, sweet rain dropping gently from the clouds, captured by the buds of Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica). Much needed rain. These bushes are suffering immensely from the drought we are suffering through. Soft rain falling often, may bring help.
I’m hoping that is the case.
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May 12, 2026
Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), growing here on the mountain in the woods, and here on the mountain in my backyard. A species of Viburnum.
A shrub that favors woods, given its desire for shady locations. Native to eastern North America. Grows to 3.5 – 6.5 feet tall. It’s a larval host to the Spring Azure butterfly (Viburnum acerifolium).
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May 11, 2026
A Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) resting on a leaf of a Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). It is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
As adults they have a short life of approximately 6 to 11 days. During this short life they concentrate on nectar feeding and reproduction.
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May 10, 2026
Woolly Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia tomentosa) is a vine that is native to Virginia and beyond. I have it in my garden and love having it. It blooms mid-May, with these unusual looking flowers.
It’s a vine that knows no bounds though. But if you keep after it, it will bring you a reward of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor), which depends exclusively upon plants in the genus Aristolochia, such as this Woolly Dutchman’s Pipe.
I have to keep after the Woolly Dutchman’s Pipe. It is constantly trying to sneak, like a little 2 year old, watching to see if I’m watching, as it reaches into my Blueberry bushes that are nearby. Having the Pipevine Swallowtails active in my yard though is totally worth it!
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May 9, 2026
A male Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and a Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis) getting together to demonstrate the quality of the opposites of red and green on the traditional RBG color wheel.
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May 8, 2026
I find it remarkable to that here in Virginia we have 64 to 67 Orchids that are native to our state. Remarkable that these plants can survive and produce breathtaking flowers here. Thinking about it, I Googled another state very special to me, New Mexico, which surely would be an even more challenging environment for these delicate seeming plants. There are 17 to 24 native Orchid species there. Amazing.
In this photo, an Orchid that is native to Virginia, Putty Root (Aplectrum hyemale). It’s blooming right now in my woods on a 12 inch tall stalk. As the flowers fade it leaves no sign of the plant, but in late autumn a new single leaf, green with many length-wise faint white stripes emerges. That leaf persists through the winter, sometimes beneath snow, until just before the plant again produces a springtime stalk of flowers.
Nature is indeed amazing.
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The Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) enjoying the little bit of rain that has fallen the past two days. Thank goodness for a little bit, rather than no rain. We need every bit, even a little bit.
This picture captures a quality of Maidenhair Fern, hydrophobicity, or water repellency. This plant’s genus name “Adiantum”, comes from the Greek word adiantos, which means “unwetted”. See those water droplets? That is a result of hydrophobicity. Rather than soaking into the leafy part of the fern, those drops of water will drop off.
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May 6, 2026
Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis) an orchid native to Virginia, found just a short hike from my cabin. In bloom right now.
In this year, 2026, there are about 30,000 recognized species of orchids worldwide. Along with daisies, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants in the world.
Here in Virginia there are between 64 and 67 recognized species of orchids. Back in 2022, I wrote about some of those Virginia native Orchids, including photos of 4 of them. If you’d like to look back at the post, it’s at brendaclem.com/orchids-native-to-virginia/
It astounds me that there are so many Orchids native to my state, and so many that are near me here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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May 5, 2026
Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera), a beautiful, a well behaved, native plant that shares the tragic common name of “Chickweed” with Common Chickweed (Stellaria media), a non-native, aggressive invasive.
Star Chickweed has a flower that is twice the size of a Common Chickweed flower. Both the Star Chickweed and the Common Chickweed have 5 petals that look like 10 petals, since each is deeply incised almost dividing each into 2.
Quite glad to have Star Chickweed up here along the trails.
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May 4, 2026
The Canadian White Violet (Viola canadensis), blooming now in the woods up here. It has many other common names. That’s why knowing the scientific name helps out a great deal, no confusion with that name since there is only one.
It’s common throughout Canada and the US, from Alaska to Newfoundland, extending south to Georgia and west to Arizona. Its white blooms have a yellow center, sometimes with purple streaks, as you can see on this one. The backs of its petals are tinged with purple. The heart-shaped leaves have rounded teeth.
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