Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is one of the strangest flowers.
It is a plant which has male or female flowers.
Depending on the nutrients and how healthy the plant is, it will change its gender.
Healthy and well-nourished plants produce female flowers. Female flower it is named - Jill-in-the-Pulpit.
Typically, female flowers are formed on plants with two leaves.
Male flowers require less nutritions and are usually grown on plants with only one leaf. Beyond that, the plants look basically the same.
It is believed that all parts of the plant in their raw form are quite poisonous to humans, but Native Americans have used the dried bulb of this plant to relieve
colds, fever and snake bites.
The photos below show Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Jill-in-the-Pulpit
This Jill-in-the-Pulpit shows up in our little garden almost every year. She is much bigger than the Jack & Jill in the Pulpit I see on the trails in the mountains.
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Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia) is one of our more interesting looking local wildflowers and is known by several common names including Fringed Milkwort, Flowering wintergreen and Fringed Polygala. It is brightly colored small native perennial with winged flowers having attractive fringes. The flowers are pink to rose-purple in color.
The wing-like petals resemble a flying bird or plane.
The leaves were used externally by the Iroquois as a wash or poultice to heal abscesses, boils, and wounds.
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Not far from Gaywings spot, I found this year's first Pink Lady Slippers
April 20, 22, 27 - 2022