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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Jordan River, Day 2 - June 16

 

Jordan River pathway in the fog


It was a rainy, rainy, foggy day, which made the open spaces mystical. The botanical offerings were outstanding, as you will see. If we had to be wet, at least it was great to find such wonderful things.

yellow lady slipper


I find yellow lady slipper orchid regularly Cypripedium calceolus, but I liked how this group looks hiding in the fluffy horsetail.

wood lily


Another big surprise was the wood lily Lilium philadelphicum. We have seen lots of it in North Dakota but there it was short- about one foot high. I've never seen it in Michigan before, but it was growing in lots of places, and tall- two to three feet. It's the only wild, spotted lily that faces upward. And then... I thought I had gone straight to Nirvana!

showy lady slipper


I have NEVER seen this orchid before. It's the largest of the northern orchids, showy lady's slipper, Cypripedium reginae. And we saw them everywhere! They were growing in all the special, rich boggy places you would expect, but even in the roadside ditches like weeds! We could hardly believe how many we saw. It's about two feet tall, and the leaves and stems are hairy. Want to see it closer? OK.

showy lady slipper


There is so much to show you from this day that I think I will break it up and come back tomorrow, rather than post so many pictures that you skip them.

The trail was well-cleared and marked, so the only real problem was that we were SOAKING wet.



9 comments:

Ann said...

Love that first picture with the fog in the background. I agree it does have a mystical look to it. The lilies are gorgeous. I especially like the last one.

Tes said...

Wow, those lady slippers are gorgeous! You take very good photos! The second to the last with the foreground is so pretty! :)

Rick (Ratty) said...

These are some of the best flowers I've seen. I like wild flowers like these better than the kind that grow in a garden. I guess I like wild everything best.

Duxbury Ramblers said...

You know how I feel about plants and seeing these have made my day, what a find, so I can imagine how you felt. :)

RNSANE said...

Oh, my gosh, I cannot believe all the beautiful treasures you found in the woods! Those orchids are
such beauties! All the colors and variety are amazing!

Loretta said...

The lady slipper orchids are beautiful! Thanks for sharing...

Sharkbytes said...

Ann- It seems almost sacrilegious to see those beautiful plants growing in ditches where the road mowers would just cut them down.

Tes- I, too, love how that group of orchids is sort of hiding in the trees.

Ratty- yup, I'm all for wild stuff too (but I confess to enjoying gardening too whent I stay home enough)

Carol- I knew you would like them! I hope to be caught up soon, and be back to visit your rambles, too.

Carmen- the variety of plant forms in the world is so great, it's almost unbelievable

Loretta- See... another reason you should have chosen NORTH... just teasing.

Jen said...

What a beautiful trail! And the pictures are amazing.

Sharkbytes said...

Thanks, Jen... well tended trail gives one time to look for all the other goodies!