Outdoor Tuesday – Some Ontario wildflowers & plants

It is that time of year when the wildflowers start showing their beautiful flowers.  There are also some plants one needs to be mindful of when out on the trails.  Today I thought I would post about some of the plants and flowers one might find on Ontario trails.  Some of these you can even find at your local nursery to add to your garden.

The white trillium is the Ontario provincial flower.  These flowers have recently opened in some areas and are getting ready to open in other areas.  They create a beautiful blanket in the forest this time of year. You may also spot the dark purple ones as well when out and about.

One of my favourites is the star flower which typically blooms between May and June.

Another personal favourite is the bunch berry. This produces a nice white flower in the summer and in the fall it may have little red berries in place of the flower. You will find these in wooded areas and near bogs.

>One plant I have seen quite a bit near our place and wondered for some time what it was is the may apple. It is one of the first plants to come up in the spring. You will generally see these in a wooded area. The flowers it produces are generally not visible as they appear under the leaves. It is a small white flower that will appear. Many of the plants will not flower each year.

>Mustard garlic is another hearty wild plant that makes a fairly early showing. This is an invasive species that is not native to North America. You can identify mustard garlic quite often before you see it by the garlic smell in the air. It will produce a white flower every other year.

The marsh marigold is a nice bright yellow in the spring. It is a welcome bit of colour after the winter months. You will find these on the edge of streams and rivers, in marsh areas and areas that were once marsh.

Some plants to watch out for on the trails are: Blood root, this is now up and can give you a scab like sore on your skin if touched.

Poison ivy can leave you very itchy and create a rash. This is identifiable by its three leaves.

Poison oak is another 3 leaf plant and will create a similar reaction as poison ivy.

What is your favourite wildflower? Have fun trying to identify some of these out on the trails.