All about trees and plants: Dowagiac Woods April 15, 2013

Road Trip to southwest Michigan! Marie and I visited Robinson Woods, near Lakeside, Michigan, about 100 miles south of my home.
"One of the earliest properties in Michigan protected by The Nature Conservancy, the 80-acre Robinson Woods Preserve in Chikaming Township features steep slopes cut by streams that run through virgin and second-growth forest on former agricultural lands and floodplains."

Near the parking area there were trillium, not blooming.

Leaves of the Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) Orchid. We should come back here in July- August to see these bloom!

A brand new False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)
Buttercup family.

So even though Robinson Woods is an interesting place, I think we were a bit early for spring wildflowers. I was excited when Marie suggested we go to Dowagiac Woods next, my favorite place for spring wildflowers. We traveled through Three Oaks, then Niles, Michigan. We came across Losensky Park (452 Pucker St, Niles, MI ), we were here a few years ago. Nice little park next to a dam on the Dowagiac River, but the footbridge was closed. Still we saw wildflowers (weeds to some) blooming!

Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica) Figwort Family.

Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Next Dowagiac Woods...

Located in Cass County, Michigan and owned by Michigan Nature Association.

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis acuta or Anemone acutiloba) Buttercup Family. Although Skunk Cabbage blooms earlier in the spring, hepatica is more like what we think a spring wildflower should be, - small, delicate, and pastel colored.

These are all hepatica, we actually saw hundreds of them, different colors, and shapes, from 5 to 12 "petals". The petals are actually sepals.
For me the hepatica was the best part of the day, or month for that matter. They were standing so tall, and were very delicate, and colorful.