There are other spots of white in the spring after the snow finally melts. The white blossoms of the Bloodroot, wrapped in green leaves, add some of the first color in the spring time woods.
The blood of the root (when cut open) was used as a dye. A break in the surface of the plant, especially the roots, reveals a reddish sap.
Bloodroot
While the Spring Beauty isn’t the first spring wildflower to appear in the spring, it does have ‘spring’ in its name so it is a sign of spring. Although one of its other names is ‘fairy spud’ which doesn’t sound so spring like to me.
Spring Beauty
The white trillium might not be a flower showing pretty colors, but the white blossoms do stand out against the green and brown forest floor in the spring.
And they stand out too well for the deer. Trilliums are a favored food of white-tailed deer. Indeed if trilliums are available deer will seek these plants, with a preference for T. grandiflorum like the one pictured, to the exclusion of others. When deer foraging intensity increases, the plant becomes shorter each growing season due to the reduction in energy reserves from less photosynthetic production.
My poor trilliums where hit hard last year by the deer and it will be a miracle if any of them will blossom this year.
White Trillium
According to the ‘official groundhog’ prediction, spring was supposed to be early and come in four weeks. Well the four weeks are up and it is snowing this morning so my groundhog was right this time, not that I wanted him to right. And since I am waiting for spring, I think this week’s theme will be search for spring wildflowers.
And while the Jack-in-the-pulpit doesn’t have bright colors, it is at least green instead of white!
Jack-in-the-pulpit
To close out the “finding color in winter” week, I still think red barns with blue sky is the best color you can find in the white winter.
Red, White & Blue
Some of the oak trees are trying to hang on to autumn as long as possible, and so they provide a little color in the white winter.
Oaks Hanging On
Sometimes only the sky provides the color in the winter time, from a blue sky during a clear day or from a colorful sunset.
Colorful sunsets makes me think of a warmth embrace from a friend that gives you peace and comfort.
Comforting Sunset
The snow has stopped and the wind has blown some of the snow off the trees but you still have to look around to find any color besides white. Even some of the big boy toys are fairly white too.
Big Boy Toy
The only color one can see today will be the man toys clearing the snow as even the pine trees are white. But since I don’t have a ‘big boy toy’ to clear my driveway and there is a lot more snow to remove than what is in this picture, the green color of my little toy will be white with the wind blowing the snow and since I have no cozy cab on my snow-blower I will be white too!
More White
There are not too many red wildflowers and red is not too common in the winter either, unless you catch a glimpse of the Northern Cardinal. Although some people might chew out the cardinal out for bringing the snow, I think the cardinal is just smarter than some people and will stock up on food before the snow flies. And the snow has started to fall today so I wonder if the cardinal stocked up enough.
During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak, but I bet he wants to be waited on once the honeymoon is over!
Red & White
