by Katie Bagnall-Newman; image above by Kate Nelson

Page last updated May 20, 2020

Smith Woods, like many areas in the Finger Lakes region, is beaming with new growth! From the flowers on the forest floor to trees’ new buds, be on the lookout for blooms!

To assist all of our fellow explorers and wildflower enthusiasts out there, the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) and its Cayuga Nature Center (CNC) are putting together a blog series that will help guide you through your wildflower viewing in Smith Woods this spring. We’ll be posting Wednesday’s each week through the end of May. You can follow the series here, or get highlights on our Facebook and Instagram accounts by following the hashtag: #smithwoodswildflowers

We also encourage you to utilize the hashtag on your own social media posts to show us your Smith Woods wildflower finds! 

Background

Smith Woods is a 32-acre parcel of old growth forest in Trumansburg, New York. Protected for many years, this forest is now owned and cared for by PRI and CNC. The forest is home to various plant and animal species. It is protected from the surrounding overabundant deer population with an 8-foot deer exclosure. This deer exclosure allows for forest regeneration and helps wildflower populations escape overgrazing. Visitors can access the forest through two separate gate entrances on both the north and south sides of the property. Trails are open from dawn to dusk and free to the public. Collection or harvesting is not allowed on the property, and pets are required to be leashed.

To learn more about how to visit Smith Woods, check out our webpage.

Known Species

We know there are wonderful wildflowers in Smith Woods, but what kind? Well in 2018 we did a BioBlitz in the area, where scientists spent 24 hours straight observing species and taking note of what is in the woods. Here are the confirmed plant species calling Smith Woods home:

Just because we’ve documented these species doesn’t mean there aren’t others in the forest. If you find something not on the list, let us know! Send us an email & photos  to us directly at education@cayuganaturecenter.org 

We also encourage visitors to utilize the iNaturalist app to log species seen during outdoor adventures! Learn more about the program at https://www.inaturalist.org/.

Lastly, consider logging your finds and joining us in our 2020 Social Distance Bioblitz this weekend, April 25th & 26th by joining the iNaturalist project at: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/social-distance-bioblitz.

What’s in bloom?

April 19-25: Periwinkle

Staff have been scouting the woods for signs of flowers. This week we’re featuring the notorious periwinkle! Periwinkle is a short creeping stem with blue/purple 5-petaled flowers. It is a part of the Dogbane family, and its scientific name is Vinca minor. Although a beautiful flower, the plant is not native to the Northeastern U.S. As with many other invasive flowers, periwinkle “escapes” from gardens, and takes over local forests and habitat. It is extremely difficult to remove fully, and out-competes many native flowers.

Although not welcome in our local woods, many people still enjoy the evergreen leaves & dainty blue flowers. Check out the US Fish & Wildlife Service's guidelines to learn more about what you can do to help stop the spread of invasive species.

This spring there’re so many new plants emerging. We encourage you all to take a hike and see which wildflowers you can spot. And keep an eye out for future posts to explore our Smith Woods Wildflowers!

April 26-May 2: Red Trillium

This week we’re featuring the red trillium, or Trillium erectum. The red trillium blooms in mid-April, and can stay in bloom as late as June. The flower is easily identified by its three round leaves, three red petals, and three sepals. Although commonly red, flowers may be yellow or near-white. 

Note that there is also the large-flowered trillium species, Trillium grandiflorum, that calls Smith Woods home. Follow our blog for a special guest article about the large-flowered trillium coming up in a few weeks! 

The red trillium is known for its faint yet distinct smell of wet dog or rotting meat. This smell attracts flies, who pollinate the flowers. 

In Smith Woods, you’ll find this flower most commonly in the north and west sections of the forest. My most interesting find this week is this group of trilliums growing in a large colony of periwinkle. If you read last week’s entry you’ll remember that periwinkle is an aggressive invasive species that crowds out native flowers. So the cluster of red trillium still growing among the periwinkle is an impressive feat!

Join us for our weekly observations by following #smithwoodswildflowers on social media, and returning to PRI’s blog every Wednesday! Tag your own social media posts with the hashtag!

*** Collection is not allowed in Smith Woods or Cayuga Nature Center properties.***

May 3-May 9: Trout Lily

Trout lily, or Erythronium americanum, is our featured wildflower for the week of May 3rd - 9th. Sometimes known as the “dog tooth violet,” the plant is easily identified by its distinctive leaves, which are a lance shape and green with red/brown mottled marks. This mottling is said to be the source of the lily’s name, as it has a similar pattern to trout.

The plant grows in colonies, and the nodding flower is a light yellow color. The flower attracts its usual pollinators of bees and butterflies. The seeds' sticky covering attracts ants, which then disperse the seeds. 

You can find the flower throughout Smith Woods, and large colonies in the southwest corner of the property. If you want to see the plant, make sure to view it in spring, as it is one of many spring ephemerals. By definition, ephemerals disappear after spring ends and as the heat of summer begins. The trout lilies leaves and flowers wither and fall off, while the bulb remains underground and ready for the next season. Spring ephemerals are well adapted to forests such as Smith Woods. They appear early in spring to make use of the sunshine that reaches the forest floor. Later in the season, the canopy leaves will grow thick and limit the amount of sun that reaches the lowest layers of the forest. 

We encourage you to take a look at our newest guest blog by board member Marvin Pritts. He takes a closer look at the white trillium in Smith Woods and the flower’s change throughout the recent years of the forest. 

Thank you for joining us. As always follow our posts with #smithwoodswildflowers and post your own finds on social media!

May 10-16: Blue Cohosh

This week we’re focusing on Blue Cohosh! Scientifically known as Caulophyllum thalictroides, this plant blooms from April through June. The flowers are only ½ inch across, have six points to them, and are a yellow to green color. It produces round blue berries. The plant grows in moist forests with rich soil, and can be found scattered throughout the Smith Woods property.

May 17-23: Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, or Arisaema triphyllum, is a unique plant that blooms in May and June. The plant has three leaves and a distinct cup-like spathe. The plant loves rich and moist forests. It is found throughout the the eastern United States, and as far west as the Dakotas. It takes around five years for this plant to flower and it attracts flies as its primary pollinator.

May 24-30: Here Comes Summer!

In the last week of May, most of our wildflowers in Smith Woods are withering away. We’ve had very warm weather the last two weeks, and our forest leaves have grown quickly! There are still a few jack-in-the-pulpit and periwinkle flowers around, but the full green canopy has shaded the forest floor, ending the spring wildflower season. As we move into our summer months, we hope you enjoy the other flora and fauna of Smith Woods.