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kasimac
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:57 am
Location: Maine or New York

Beautiful wild plant

Hello all, I know I won't be gardening with this plant, but I just can't identify what it is.

[img]https://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo298/KingElfstone/unknownplant1.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo298/KingElfstone/unknownplant2.jpg[/img]

I am in Maine at the moment, and this was found along the Stillwater River near Orono. The location was practically full shade in a Northern White Cedar stand, along with troutlilly plants. The area was almost along the riverbank so the soil I would imagine is constantly wet, but not marshy wet.
I found a plant about to lose its petals and counted them. 8 petals altogether though now that I'm looking at the photo I see a petal on the ground.. so its either 8 or 9 petals.

[img]https://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo298/KingElfstone/unknownplant3petals.jpg[/img]

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kasimac
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:57 am
Location: Maine or New York

ah! found out what it is! bloodroot!

The Helpful Gardener
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Tis (That leaf is pretty distinctive).

My friend Bill Cullina selected a double flowered variety still for sale at the Garden in the Woods, (homesite for NEWFS, the oldest such organization on the planet...)and I will get one for the garden soon...

The mottled leaf under the bloodroot in the first photo is yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum); mine are about as far along in my garden...

HG

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kasimac
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:57 am
Location: Maine or New York

Yea, I had purchased bloodroot seeds earlier in the year so I was shocked that I didn't realize that it was the bloodroot plant. I bought the single petal plants, since I want them to have a better chance of polination. Double petal varieties almost always have a decreased chance.

Goodluck with your seeds I read they can take up to two years before they germinate. Also watch out for the plants "juices" they are very harmful to any skin that happens to get exposed to it.



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