Come along with me for another hike in the woods.

I grew up in Hudson Valley and would come across Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) all the time but rarely had the pleasure of seeing them in bloom. The maroon pointy hood, called a spathe, holds and protects the flower when it emerges out of the ground. Although they are known for their odor, I really couldn’t smell them even though there were quite a few along the path.

I have never noticed Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenate) before and was amazed how they seemed to be everywhere. How did I ever miss them? They get their name from their ivory colored roots as well as being used for toothaches.

Another new flower to me is Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). Their blossoms are absolutely breathtaking.

The Smooth Yellow Violet (Viola pensylvanica) is always a treat to see in the woods. They differ from the Downy Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens) as their stems are smoothed unlike the Downy Yellow Violet.

It is amazing that Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) is an “at-risk” plant as it is so abundant in the Finger Lakes Region. I love the delicate dark wine colored blossom. It looks almost black. Blue Cohosh is a powerful medicinal herb for women.