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Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf)

Today my husband and I visited the nearby North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG), a five-minute drive away, to check on the progress of the spring wildflowers. We were last there on February 27 and caught the first of the native spring ephemerals unfolding, Erythronium umbilicatum (Dimpled Trout-lily).

We were looking for trillium and bloodroot, which we found, and we encountered other delights as well that were not visible on our last stop.

The first little beauty, Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf), is native to eastern North America.

Hepatica americana (Round-lobe Liverleaf)

Anemonella thalictroides (Windflower) is native to eastern United States.

Anemonella thalictroides (Windflower)

We did find Trillium beginning to emerge. Looking closely we observed flower buds forming on this stand of Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium). This one is native to Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi.

Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium)

The garden features many other kinds of trillium, including southeastern U.S. native Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy). I cannot tell them apart unless they are obediently close to the plant markers. We will have to check back in a few days, but here are some we saw.

Trillium

This is a flower my husband particularly sought out. Packer aurea (syn. Senecio aureus) (Golden Ragwort) is native to eastern North America.

Packera aurea (syn. Senecio aureus) (Golden Ragwort)

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) is beautiful. Only a few flowers are blooming so far, but there should be many more.

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) -eastern and central North America

I could not resist giving this Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel) some attention. It looked ebullient in the sun’s afternoon glow.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Hybrid Witch hazel)

Podophyllum peltatum (May-apple). Until I saw the pictures later I did not know there were flowers.

Podophyllum peltatum (May-apple) – eastern North America

Micranthes virginiensis (Early saxifrage) was flowering near the parking lot. I hope we do not wait too long to visit again to check on the progress of the early spring bloomers.

Micranthes virginiensis (Early saxifrage) -eastern North America

Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)

Sunday we visited the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) to check one of my favorite plantings, a wildflower display of Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox).

Their flower show is just getting underway.

Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)

Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox)

Both Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) and Phlox divaricata (Eastern Blue Phlox) are eastern North American natives that look lovely blooming together.

Golden Ragwort and Eastern Blue Phlox are eastern North American natives.

The Botanical Garden has many other flowers blooming now also, including Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells), native to eastern North America. Here are several Virginia bluebells tucked in among the phlox and golden ragwort.

Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells) are blooming too.

At right, Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells) blooming among the phlox and golden ragwort.

Polemonium reptans (Spreading Jacob’s Ladder) is native to eastern United States. I have not been able to establish these in my garden despite three attempts, but plan to try again.

Polemonium reptans (Spreading Jacob’s Ladder)

In the woodland gardens I was delighted to find this Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp-lobe Liverleaf). A member of the Buttercup family – ranunculaceae – it is native to eastern North America.

Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp-lobe Liverleaf)

We saw quite a lot of trillium of various kinds. I did not see a sign identifying the yellow one.

Trillium

Great White Trillium is native to eastern North America.

Trillium grandiflorum (Great White Trillium)

Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy) is native to southeastern United States.

Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy)

There are two more natives that caught my eye Sunday. The first one, Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye), is an attention grabber at this time of year with its long panicles of coral-red-orange tubular flowers. We saw quite a few of these, growing as shrubs and as trees. They are native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States.

Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)

Red buckeye is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States

Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium) is native to three U.S. states: Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.

Trillium stamineum (Twisted Trillium)

Native to southeastern United States is this Fothergilla major (Witch-hazel family – Hamamelidaceae). I like its white and yellowish-green coloration, a fresh spring-like combination. It seems to be doing a happy dance.

Fothergilla major (Witch-hazel family – Hamamelidaceae)

There were many native ferns emerging and a beautiful but camera shy Halesia carolina (Carolina Silverbell). Mayapples are just beginning to bloom another visitor told us, but we did not see them. We saw many Mayapples though and will have to return to this garden soon.

Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple) is native to eastern North America.

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Wildflowers At The Botanical Garden

Native Wildflowers