BRADDOCK S TRAIL PARK WILDFLOWER GUIDE

Transcription

1 BRADDOCK S TRAIL PARK WILDFLOWER GUIDE

2 BRADDOCK S TRAIL PARK WILDFLOWER GUIDE Braddock s Trail Park is one of Western Pennsylvania s best locations for its variety and abundance of wildflower species. The map of Braddock s Trail Park indicates eight (8) locations, which will provide you with vantage points from which to enjoy the many species of wildflowers growing in the park. More than one type of wildflower can be seen at each location. A total of twenty-four (24) species can be viewed from these eight locations. Each of the eight locations has been marked with a numbered post. The legend lists which flowers can be seen at the posts. This guide gives details of the flowers at each of the eight locations. Included in those details are descriptions of the wildflowers, blooming period, and some other interesting facts about them. For more booklets, contact the Director of Parks and Recreations at the North Huntingdon Township Townhouse. This wildflower guide, as well as the wildflower markers along the trails and the information case near the parking lot, are part of an Eagle Scout Project organized and lead by Chris Federinko of Boy Scout Troop 257. Chris would like to thank the following people. Without their patience and support, this project would not have been possible. THANK YOU: Mr. Warren Gardner, Deceased Norwin High School Biology and Ecology teacher, for your expertise and information on this park s wildflowers, and your love of the outdoors. He was primarily responsible for the commencement of this project and some of the material in the pamphlets contained in the mailbox. Mr. Dan Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation of North Huntingdon Township, for your continued support and cooperation of this valuable program. Mr. James Mizikar, Norwin High School Technology Department Head, for your computer generated designs, maps, and plans. Scouts and Adult Leaders of Troop 257 (chartered to the Irwin Moose Lodge), for your help with the project and your undying dedication toward scouting.

3 BRADDOCK S TRAIL PARK WILDFLOWER GUIDE You are located at point A on the map. The paved road that runs straight through the map is the only paved road in the park (the trails branch off of this main road). Some of the wildflowers are located on the main road.

4 STATION 1 Ground ivy Glecoma hereracea Ground ivy is a square-stemmed, creeping, ivy-like 8 plant. The stalked, roundish leaves are coarsely toothed and indented at the base. The 1/4-1/2 flowers are whorled in the leaf axils. The flower is violet with darkerspots and is furry inside. Ground ivy blooms in April, within Braddock s Trail Park and can be found in shady areas, lawns, roadsides, and open woods. Oil from glands at the base of its leaves causes the plant to be aromatic. Purple Dead Nettle Lamium purpureum It grows to 5 20 cm (rarely 30 cm) in height. The leaves have fine hairs, are green at the bottom and shade to purplish at the top; they are 2 4 cm long and broad, with a 1 2 cm petiole (leaf stalk), and wavy to serrated margins. The flowers are bright red-purple, with a top hood-like petal, two lower lip petal lobes and minute fang-like lobes between. Bees gather its nectar for food when few other nectar sources are available. It is often mistaken for Heal All, since they both have similar looking leaves and similar bright purple flowers; Though superficially similar to species of Urtica (true nettles) in appearance, it is not related and does not sting, hence the name dead-nettle. Smartweed (Pennsylvania) Polygonum pensylvanicum A branched 1-4 plant with sticky, hair-like glands on the upper stem. Smartweed leaves are lance-shaped and shiny. The tiny 1/8, pink-to-rose or purple flowers are in dense, 1-2 cylindrical clusters. Smartweed blooms from July to September in moist thickets, along streams, roadsides, and fields. Jewelweed Impatiens pallida A 3-6 plant with a succulent translucent stem that exudes watery juice when broken. The 1 yellow flowers are complex. There are 5 petals on each of the yellow flowers. The ripe seedpods pop when touched, splitting into 5 tightly curled valves and scattering the seeds. Jewelweed blooms from July to October in moist woods and other wet, shady places.

5 STATION 2 Violet (Common blue) Viola papilionacea A smooth 3-8 plant with flowers and leaves on long, separate stalks. The leaves are heart-shaped with scalloped edges. The 1/2-1 dark violetpurple flowers have 5 petals. Blooms from March-June in moist soil in open woods, meadows, and roadsides. This particular violet is the state flower of Wisconsin, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Illinois. The plant contains vitamins A and C, and can be brewed for tea to relieve headaches (please do not try this with our plants!). Spring beauty (narrow leaf) Claytonia virginica A delicate 3-6 plant, one of the loveliest spring wild flowers found in Braddock s Trail Park. There is a pair of smooth edged, slender stem leaves. The 1/2-3/4 flowers are loose and drooping. The 5 white (or pinkish) petals have dark pink veins. There are 2 sepals and 5 pink stamens. The root is a potato-like tuber with a chestnut flavor. Spring beauties bloom from March to May in moist woods, and low areas, often in large patches. Spring beauty is one of Braddock s Trail Park s earliest blooming wildflowers. The bulbs are eaten by mice and chipmunks. Its leaves and flowers are eaten by deer and elk. Cut-leaved Toothwort (Pepper root) Dentaria laciniata This 6-15 plant has a whorl of 3 stem leaves, with a number of lobes and coarse-toothed. The basal leaves are similar but appear later. The 3/4 flowers are in a loose cluster and the 4 petals are white (or pink). The slender 1-1 1/2 seedpods are upright. Cut-leaved Toothwort blooms from April to June in moist, rich woods, and thickets. The plant can actually be used as a wild horseradish and some parts can be dried and used like pepper. The roots can be used in salads.

6 STATION 3 Most of the flowers in this station are located farther down this small trail. Please do not stray from the trail! Harbinger-of-spring Erigenia bulbosa A tiny 3-6 plant with a ridged and sometimes reddish stem. The leaves are pinnate, and each part is further lobed and subdivided. The anthers are dark, giving the salt and pepper appearance that led to one of the plant s names. This wildflower is one of the earliest-blooming flowers of spring, blooming February to May. Harbinger-of-spring is also considered to be an endangered species of wildflower. Virginia bluebell Mertensia virginica A smooth, upright 1-2 plant. The alternate leaves are oval, strongly veined and smooth-edged. The showy flowers are in clusters that bow towards the ground. The buds are pink and the trumpet-shaped (or bell-shaped) 1 flowers are blue. The flowers may also remind you of the shape of a feather duster. Virginia bluebells bloom from April to May in moist, open woods, sometimes in sizeable patches. Trout Lily Erythronium americanum A low 4-10 plant with a pair of broad, brown-mottled leaves at the base of the leafless stem. The inner surface of the flower is yellow and the outside has a bronze cast. Blooms from March to May in rich woods, sometimes in large colonies. The name Trout-lily reflects the similarity of the leaf mottling to the markings of a brook trout. Legend has it that the lily sprang from Eve s tears when she found she was approaching motherhood. The leaves of Trout-lily are edible and can be cooked and eaten with butter. Bears usually eat the bulbs. May-apple Podophyllum peltatum A smooth, plant with one or two leaves on long stalks. Young plants will have one leaf stalk while the adult plants will have two. The 1-2 solitary, drooping, white flower arises on a short stalk from the fork of the 2 leaf stalks. A yellow, lemon-like fruit appears on adult plants. May-apple blooms in May in open woods, pastures. Its fruit is edible when ripe in July. However, you ll have to compete with the park s native critters. Shawnee tribesmen used the boiled root as a strong laxative and other tribes used the cooked leaves as an insecticide on potato plants.

7 STATION 4 Hepatica Hepatica acutiloba It s not a particularly picky plant, although it does need a cold winter to survive and some shade to protect it from the sun s harmful rays. The stalks on this plant are hairy and the leaves remain during the winter. Hepatica derives from a supposed resemblance of the leaves to a liver, and herbalists once used this plant to treat liver ailments. Hepatica flowers bloom in March and April. Hepatica can be found almost exclusively around this marker and at the bottom of the hill, so look closely. STATION 5 Waterleaf (appendaged) Hydrophyllum appendiculatum The radically symmetrical flowers have 5 petals. In the Phacelia genus the flat blue flowers on a curved stem suggest forget-me-nots. In the Hydrophyllum genus the bell-shaped flowers are in loose clusters. Waterleaf plants are often hairy. Waterleaf blooms in May through June in rich woods. This plant is distinguished from the other waterleaf species by the flower clusters positioned above the maple-like leaves. Blue-eyed Mary Collinsia versa Blue-eyed Mary s flowers can be found on short weak stocks contained in upper leaves. The plant s height may range from 6in. to 2ft. The leaves are very thin. Blue-eyed Marys prefer moist meadows, woods, and thickets. Its flowering season is from April to June in these areas. Braddock s Trail Park enjoys the second largest population of the Blue-eyed Mary in Western Pennsylvania.

8 STATION 6 Dutchman s breeches Dicentra cucularia A small 6-8 plant with feathery, divided leaves. The white flowers droop on slender stalks from a leafless, arching stem. The white flowers look like upside down pant legs (hence the common name). You will notice that the breeches have a yellow belt towards the bottom of the flower. Blooms April, May in rich, well drained woods. This wildflower s presence indicates neutral to slightly acidic soil. Its leaves may kill cattle if eaten. Squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis Squirrel corn is a faintly fragrant plant very similar to Dutchman s breeches. The foliage is almost identical and the white flowers are similarly arranged on arching stems. However the flower is more heart-shaped than pantaloon-like. It also has a white stripe in the leaf, which Dutchman s breeches lacks. The yellow tubers on the roots led to the name Squirrel corn. It blooms in April in rich woods, often in the same area as Dutchman s breeches. Waterleaf (appendaged) Hydrophyllum appendiculatum The radically symmetrical flowers have 5 petals. In the Phacelia genus the flat blue flowers on a curved stem suggest forget-me-nots. In the Hydrophyllum genus the bell-shaped flowers are in loose clusters. Waterleaf plants are often hairy. Waterleaf blooms in May through June in rich woods. This plant is distinguished from the other waterleaf species by the flower clusters positioned above the maple-like leaves. Waterleaf can be found on the bank behind STATION 6 towards the waterfall. Jack-in-the-pulpit (Indian turnip) Arisaema triphyllum A 1-3 plant with a very unusual flower arrangement. The tiny flowers are found on the spadix (club-like stalk). The 1 or 2 long-stalked leaves are 3-part. The fruit is a dense egg-shaped cluster of scarlet berries. Jackin-the pulpit blooms in May. Fruits appear in September or October. It is found in moist woods. The roots contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause a severe burning sensation if chewed or swallowed. Indians used the powdered root for flour. This plant s berries are typically eaten by turkeys and pheasants. Jack-in-the-pulpit can be viewed on this trail from here on.

9 STATION 7 Wild Rose Rosa multiflora This rose occurs in dense clumps of 6-15 arching, prickly stems.wild rose owns fragrant 3/4-1 flowers with 5 broad, notched white petals and a dense button of yellow stamens. The thorns are slightly curved and rather thin. The oval fruits, or hips, are red. Wild rose blooms in May through June on roadsides, and woods borders. This rose is a good wildlife shelter and has been used for erosion control. Catbirds, mockingbirds, yellowwarbler and cardinals make their home in wild rose patches. Wild rose is considered to be an invasive plant because it spreads rapidly and can be a pest. The fruit is food for robins, ruffled grouse, pheasants and mockingbirds. False Solomon s seal Smilacena racemosa The 1-3 arching stem is tipped with a pyramidal cluster of many small 1/8 white flowers with 6 petals. The alternate leaves are broad and hairy beneath. The fruit is a greenish-white berry that eventually turns red. False Solomon s seal blooms from May to July in woods, clearings, and roadside slopes. False Solomon s seal gets its name from its similarity to Great Solomon s seal. One main difference between the two is that the flowers of False Solomon s seal appear on the tip of the plant (as shown at left), while Great Solomon s seal shows its flowers on the underside of the plant (as shown below). Great Solomon s seal Polygonatum racemosa The arching stem is 1-3 long. Pairs of small bell-shaped, greenish-yellow or white, 6 petal flowers dangle on thin stalks from the leaf axils (where the leaf attaches to the stem) on the arching stem. The fruit is a bluish-black berry. Great Solomon s seal blooms from April to June in rich woods and thickets. The above ground stem of the plant withers each fall and a scar that resembles a six-pointed Star of David, or Solomon s seal, is left on the root. Bloodroot Sanguinaria Canadensis Bloodroot is a small 6-12 plant with reddish-orange juice. A single, thick, 5-9 lobed leaf embraces the stalk that bears the single 1-1 1/2 showy white flower (shown at left). There are 8-12 spoon-shaped petals, and the numerous yellow stamens surround the center of the flower. Bloodroot blooms from March to May in rich woods, along streams, and on moist roadsides. It has been seen as early as April in this park. Sap from the stem of this plant was used as war paint, dye for baskets and clothes, insect repellant, and cough medicine by Native Americans. The leaves you see closed around the plant in the picture are protecting the plant from the cold until its pollination.

10 STATION 8 White Trillium Trillium nivale Trilliums have a whorl of 3 leaves at the top of a simple stem. Unlike most lilies, the leaf veins are not parallel. One large showy flower arises from the center of the whorl of leaves. White Trillium can be found on slopes in moist woods or shaded roadsides. This is the smallest (2-6 ) and the earliest of our trilliums. White Trillium blooms from March to April on lower slopes of wooded narrow valleys or ravines. Red Trillium (Wakerobin) Trillium erectum Red Trillium, commonly know as Wakerobin, looks very similar to White Trillium. This species of trillium is 8-16 tall. The 3 sepals are green and the 3 petals are maroon, rarely creamy-yellow, and narrow toward the tips. The flowers may have a strong unpleasant odor. Wakerobin blooms from April to May in rich woods. It was once used to treat gangrene. Phlox Phlox divaricata The 8-20 plants have hairy, sticky stems. The leaves are lance-shaped to an almost oval shape. The 3/4-1 flowers are in a loose cluster at the tip of the stem. The narrowly cylindrical blue corolla (center part of the flower) has 5 spreading, wedge-shaped, notched lobes (shown at left). Phlox blooms from April to June in moist woods and fields. Jewelweed Impatiens pallida A 3-6 plant with a succulent translucent stem that exudes watery juice when broken. The 1 yellow flowers are complex. There are 5 petals on each of the yellow flowers. The ripe seedpods pop when touched, splitting into 5 tightly curled valves and scattering the seeds. Jewelweed blooms from July to October in moist woods and other wet, shady places. Jewelweed replaces the early spring wildflowers and spreads through the valley in front of you.

11 FOR YOUR REFERENCE: Literature recommended by Mr. Warren Gardner As your interest in the wildflowers of Pennsylvania continues to increase, you may want to add these books of reference to your own personal library. Also included here are other references that could help you identify even more native plants and wildlife found in Braddock s Trail Park. They are available in most bookstores, or could be ordered via Internet. A Guide to Field Identification, Trees of North America By C. Frank Brockman This book contains pictures of tree shapes, bark, stems with buds, leaves, flowers, and fruit. It also provides range maps and information for each specie of tree. A Field Guide to Wildflowers: Northeastern and North-Central North America By Margaret McKenny and Roger Tory Peterson (Illustrator) From the large collection of Peterson Field Guides. Flowers: A Guide to Familiar American Wildflowers (Golden Guides) By Alexander C. Martin, Herbert S. Zim, and Rudolf Freund A small beginners book that will fit in your back pocket. Weeds (A Golden Guide from St. Martin s Press) By Alexander C. Martin, Jean Zallinger Includes information on harmful weeds, benefits from weeds, and information on various species of weeds. Wildflowers of North America: A Guide to Field Identification (Golden Field Guide from St. Martin s Press) By Frank D. Venning, Manabu C. Saito (Illustrator) A book with excellent detail. A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides) By Roger Tory Peterson This book has paintings with black arrows pointing to the most important characteristics for easy identification. Millions of copies have been sold. If you own just one bird book, this has to be it! Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Third Edition (National Geographic) Contains details pictures and information on the birds of North America. Newcomb s Wildflower Guide By Lawrence Newcomb Has received a good rating by most guides. Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East By Jeffrey Glassberg From the Butterflies Through Binoculars Series. Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania (University of Pittsburgh, 1992) Editor Dan Brauning This book is the result of the first study on which birds breed in Pennsylvania. It took five years to gather all of the data. Warren Gardner helped with gathering information for our area. Wildflower Folklore By Laura C. Martin An interesting book on how wildflowers were used by early Americans. The Book of Forest and Thicket: Trees, Shrubs, and Wildflowers of Eastern North America By John Eastman and Amelia Hansen This book starts where other nature books end. It contains interesting material on birds, mammals, insects, trees and wildflowers.

12 Township Parks Monroeville Trafford Borough North Versailles Township Penn Township 993 White Oak Borough South Versailles Township Elizabeth Township TURNER VALLE Y RD 30 CARPENTER LN Penns Woods COLONIAL M ANOR RD LINCOLN W AY RIDGE RD LEGE R RD ROBBINS STATION Braddock's Trail Park RD SKELLYTO W N RD 30 Jacktown Acres GUFFE Y RD CLAY PIKE RD BROWNSTOWNRD Mc KE E RD Lion's Park Lincoln Acres Hilltop Park 993 ^_ CENTER HWY Tinker's Run CLAY PIKE RD Indian Lake ENTRY RD MAIN ST Oak Hollow HAHNTOWN-WENDEL RD PAINTERTOWN RD BA R NES MORRIS AVE PENNSYLVANIA AVE Country Hills TIMOTHY RD 76 LAKE RD FARM S P UR RD BROADWAY ST Hempfield Township Manor Borough Westmoreland City P ENNSYLVANIA AVE 30 Sewickley Township ^_ Town House Miles