White Wildflower Wednesday

It seems all the wildflowers I have photographed this past week are white! Good thing there's lots of green to go with them!! Who doesn't love green- the color of nature!!
First up is the White Violet- it appears to be simply a white version of our provincial Purple Violet - same flower shape, same size, same leaves, same habitat, same clumping tendency...and equally as beautiful. Its proper name is actually Northern White Violet (Viola pallens). I love the tiny bit of purple veining on the bottom petal. This flower is not to be confused with the Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda) which is smaller, has a sweet scent
and tends to grow in drifts rather than clumps. I found some of these in the lawn at my friend Gail's cottage last week, but it was a breezy day and my photo is not the best- those sweet little violets just wouldn't stand still!






Another darling little white flower I found at Gail's cottage was the Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) which is part of the Buttercup family. The Wood Anemone has a slender stalk and tends to tremble in the breeze, so has been called the Wind Flower. (Those we saw were definitely trembling!) The petals (actually sepals) are white but often have a pale pink tinge on the reverse side - I think you can just see the pink. This delicate little beauty is common in most of Eastern and Central North America.






The Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) is easily identified by the inverted pink V at the base of each white wavy-edged petal. As the genus name suggests, the floral parts and leaves are arranged in three's - 3 petals, 3 sepals, and 3 waxy leaves. The Painted  Trillium requires humus-rich, strongly acidic soil and tends to be found in the shade of acid-loving trees such as eastern white pine, red maple, red spruce and balsam fir. I've been on the lookout for this plant for a few weeks now, and found just two plants near my friend Donna's cottage on Saturday. I was walking down her road after photographing another plant in the ditch near some cattails (you'll see it next week).

Something beckoned me off the road and into the woods. Within 40 feet I found the first Painted Trillium, then ventured a little further and found the second. Isn't it funny how you just get a "feeling" you should explore a little further...? There were no more anywhere in sight; I felt very lucky to have found them... I think it is the most attractive of all the Trillium family...







Lastly today (you've no doubt had your fill of white flowers by now!) is the Starflower (Trientalis borealis) of the Primrose family. This delicate little flower has long been a wildflower favourite of mine. It is fairly common and easy to find in the Maritimes, and is sometimes called the May Star or Star of Bethlehem. Usually with 7 petals and 7 yellow-tipped stamens, the petals have long pointed tips and certainly appear star-like. It rarely grows to a height of  more than 8".
So that's it for today. Are you all "flowered out"?
I hope to have more wildflowers for you next Wednesday. Hope you'll come back then... Of course I hope you'll come back before that too!!




Peace,
Linda

"Flowers always make people better,
happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul." ~ Luther Burbank