What to See This Week

The Woodland Garden is now dotted with large-flower trillium, a showy spring ephemeral wildflower. This is Ohio’s official state wildflower. The petals are white for now but as the flowers age they have a pink hue.

Solomon’s seal is a spring wildflower found in the Woodland Garden as well as other forested areas. It has pairs of greenish flowers that hang from below the plant.

This time of year, keep an eye out for poison ivy. The new leaves are shiny and red. Keep in mind that you can get poison ivy any time of year and the substance that causes a reaction is present in all parts of the plant!

Eastern shooting star is a unique wildflower blooming in both the Woodland Garden as well as a large patch south of the Bald-Cypress Swamp. They dangle from the stem and have reflexed petals.

We are seeing the first blooms of eastern red columbine in the Bird Watching Garden. These red and yellow flowers have a very unique structure. You may even spot a hummingbird sipping the nectar!

You may also see rose-breasted grosbeaks visiting the Bird Watching Garden. These birds have just returned from their winter range and will remain with us for the rest of the breeding season. The male has a distinctive black, white, and red color pattern and the female is brown and streaky but both have large, unmistakable beaks.

Flowering dogwoods have begun to bloom. They are native trees that are often found in the forest understory. 

Buckeyes have also begun to bloom and the flowers have attracted a hummingbird moth. Hummingbird moths are day flying moths that have movements reminiscent of hummingbirds. They hover in front of flowers as they drink nectar.