3/9/09 - Early Start to the Wildflower Season

Last year, the start of the wildflower season slipped right past me. I was not going to let it slip by again this year. I have been photographing the wildflowers in the Roanoke area since they started blooming a few weeks ago, and here are some of the images so far. Again, I am having trouble identifying some of these wildflowers, so if you can help out, just send me a comment. I would appreciate it.

This is Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum). A very early blooming shrub. This one is growing on the hillside on the road below the Discovery Center on Mill Mountain. Thanks to Paul and Phoebe at the Discovery Center for their help identifying this wildflower.

This Hellebore (Veratrum viride) is a green wildflower. It is one of the most unusual wildflowers that I have seen in quantity. Beautiful species.

The wildflowers above are called Periwinkle, and is also known as Vinca Minor (apocynum cannabinum).

The wildflowers above are called Snowdrops, and its variety is known as the Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis).

This wildflower is known as a Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis). It is a wildflower, but it is often treated as a weed by lawn snobs.

This is Red Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum)

This is Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), but this bloom is completely yellow and has 5 petals. This flower was growing on Wiley Drive.