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This is the beginning of our 25th year of looking at wildflowers in Cook County, MN. We are three senior women who just love to get out and explore and learn new things. We are even getting together all winter but don't find too many flowers at that time, but no matter.

Wednesday, May 17th, 2006 - Report by

Most people think of "April Showers - - - -" well we have May Showers and are they helping our dry soil and in turn helping the Spring Ephemerals (flowers) to bloom. The air smells so wonderful, all washed and spring--like. Yesterday was the first day the temperature got in the 70's. Juneberries, the first of the wild fruit trees are in full bloom. The Marsh Marigolds are also still blooming strong. They are the same color as our "County Flower" the Dandelion, we really do have a lot of them. The strawberry blossoms dapple the side of the road and the Mertensia (Bluebells) are beginning to bloom. We went up the Temperance River Road. That goes through a maple forest where in some areas the Spring Beauty are covering the ground. If you get down low you can smell their beautiful scent. We also saw Leek, Ginger, Yellow and White Violets and Wood Anemone. We turned then to the 600i rd. At that intersection there was a very beautiful display of Marsh Marigolds. They have the same cheerful color of the Daffodils in your garden. We also saw a large area of Leatherleaf in bloom. A turn onto our favorite maple road, the Two Island River Road. (When the leaves of fall are here this road shows its best color if you go from north to south). It was late to see the many large areas of Bloodroot. We missed because of the heavy fog last week. What we wanted to find were the Trout Lilies. We drove slowly and soon "Wahlaa" we found them. This is the only place in the county we have found them. We walked in the woods there and our feet sunk down about six inches into the forest duff. Next to the Marsh Marigolds I will have to say the "flowers of the week" were the Trout Lilies, few but special. Note: This is a wonderful time to climb Oberg Mt. - so many Spring flowers.

 

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  Be sure to stop back throughout the Spring and Summer to see our weekly wildflower reports from Lorraine Anderson of Grand Marais, Minnesota.