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| What's in Bloom? |
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MAY
Please scroll down to see more plants that may be featured this month.
Aristolochia macrophylla - Dutchman's-pipe
Search among the large, heart-shaped leaves of this vigorous vine to discover where it gets its name: the yellow-green flowers with maroon lobes at the opening are shaped like a Meerschaum pipe. Pollinating insects visit Dutchman’s-pipe flowers for nectar just as they open, but find no exit until the flowers wither after pollen has been shed. In addition to providing fast shade for a porch or trellis, this vine is the host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly, which relies on its leaves for larval food. At the Preserve, Dutchman’s-pipe can be found growing on the Nursery fence and at the Marsh Marigold Trail.
Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens - Large yellow lady’s-slipper
The showiest orchid in the Preserve’s woods, we never ceased to be amazed by the highly modified flowers atop the 1- to 2-foot-tall leafy stems of yellow lady’s-slipper. Each flower boasts a large, yellow, slipper-like petal, streaked and dotted with red nectar guides, flanked by long, twisted, greenish petals and smaller, greenish sepals. Like many orchids, yellow lady’s-slipper is threatened throughout its range from over-collecting for ornamental and medicinal use. If you yearn for this easy-to-grow orchid for your garden, seek out nursery-propagated plants. Look along the Marsh Marigold and Wayside Trails for these spring treasures.
Lonicera sempervirens - Trumpet honeysuckle 
We are not alone in appreciating the terminal clusters of red and yellow tubular flowers that appear in spring and summer on this twining vine - hummingbirds visit trumpet honeysuckle to sip nectar in exchange for carrying pollen from one flower to another. After a flush of flowers in May, trumpet honeysuckle continues to produce flowers off and on throughout the summer, which makes this native honeysuckle a well-behaved choice for a fence or trellis. Look for the one or two pairs of fused leaves below the flower clusters on this vine near the Visitor Center.
Rhododendron periclymenoides - Pinxter-bloom
The first of the deciduous azaleas to bloom at the Preserve, this member of the heath family (Ericaceae) shows off fragrant clusters of white to pink, funnel-shaped flowers at the tips of its branches in early May. Pinxter-bloom flowers appear before the bright green leaves and attract nectaring butterflies to your garden, including Question Marks and Red Admirals, both of which overwinter here as adults. This 4- to 6-foot-tall, multi-stemmed, spreading shrub can be found in moist, acidic woods and stream banks throughout our region. Pinxter-bloom is located throughout the Preserve, as well, including near the Visitor Center and Woods Edge Walk and along Tower Road.
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