We just missed the flower by the look of it. We hope to catch it next year.
Yesterday we had a walk in the drizzly rain at Saint Andrews Forest Farm. We got to the north side and found our fourth native wild orchid. Cypripedium acaule, pink lady’s slipper or moccasin flower. It’s sparse in our area and considered a special find since it relies on symbiotic soil fungi to survive. Each plant can live 20 years or more. It is pollinated by bees who are tricked into entering the pink sweet smelling flower yet there’s no nectar so no reward. The bees then ignore it.
Pink lady’s slipper Picture by Will Parson from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. American persimmon
We had .125 inches of rainfall when we checked the rain gauge. Anything at all is appreciated. We looked for mushrooms but none were found yet.
American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, up top along the driveway we counted 35 altogether just near the road. Viburnum prunifolium, Blackhaw, a hardy native deciduous small tree producing edible fruit found along SAFF’s northmost trail. Vaccinium stamineum, Deerberry or Highbush huckleberry, found on the North side just off the old farm road. These are attractive to songbirds, deer and pollinators and it forms colonies making it useful for stabilizing banks and creating thickets. Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis, found on the old farm road in a particularly boggy, wet spot. It provides cover for frogs and lizards and is the host plant for the sensitive fern borer moth. Polystichum acrostichoides, Christmas fern, looking especially beautiful in the rain. Nabalus serpentaria, lion’s foot rattlesnake root, a perennial wildflower native to Eastern North America. It grows to 20-79 inches with stems that vary from green, red and purple. Blooms are white to yellow. We will keep an eye on it and try to capture it in a photo. Chalybion californicum, Common blue mud dauber wasp, found in the tiny house. It was very docile as we helped it find its way back outside. It is a primary predator of the black widow spider. Allegheny cultivar Asimina triloba looking vibrant on the Pawpaw Peninsula. We counted 34 other pawpaws right there next to it. They are directly across the waterway from the largest colony of hundreds of pawpaws. Interesting something digging into tree trunk down low. Chris thinks it’s a woodpecker. It does look like the holes they usually make higher up. Google says there are beavers in Central Virginia. They are common throughout the area it says. A beaver would be wonderful to help build check dams and raise the water table.
It must’ve bloomed right when the Putty root orchid bloomed which is right on North Trail. When we see that next year, we will go look for the Pink lady’s slippers. They aren’t in a trail. Chris spotted it in the woods on a hillside where we’ve found boletes and chanterelles in the past. We couldn’t believe it and I honestly thought of you right away! Are you in Ontario, or nearby? I think they grow up there too. 🤩🙏🏼🤗🙌
Yes Ontario and I have heard that we have wild orchids up here. I’ve never been lucky enough to see one though. I hope you marked the spot so you can find it next spring. Wow! 🌸
Inaturalist can help you see where they’ve been tagged in the past. Because they’re protected, they should still be there. I bet they will be flowering in two weeks to a month from now up there. If you are near any woodland areas. Thank you Julie! Have a great weekend. 🤗
Saint Andrews Forest Farm 
I hope you get to see the Lady’s slipper next year!🙏
It must’ve bloomed right when the Putty root orchid bloomed which is right on North Trail. When we see that next year, we will go look for the Pink lady’s slippers. They aren’t in a trail. Chris spotted it in the woods on a hillside where we’ve found boletes and chanterelles in the past. We couldn’t believe it and I honestly thought of you right away! Are you in Ontario, or nearby? I think they grow up there too. 🤩🙏🏼🤗🙌
Yes Ontario and I have heard that we have wild orchids up here. I’ve never been lucky enough to see one though. I hope you marked the spot so you can find it next spring. Wow! 🌸
Inaturalist can help you see where they’ve been tagged in the past. Because they’re protected, they should still be there. I bet they will be flowering in two weeks to a month from now up there. If you are near any woodland areas. Thank you Julie! Have a great weekend. 🤗