This post illustrates a couple of dozen, common species of spring wildflowers in Ohio. The scientific name in each caption links to an article where you can learn more about that species (a Wikipedia article, if possible). It also lists the months in which you can expect to see each species bloom in central Ohio. In southern Ohio they will bloom a little earlier and in northern Ohio a little later.
The blossom grows from plants that have two leaves.
Showing the mayapple blossom relative to the foliage (Podophyllum peltatum)Looking down on a mayapple plant having one leaf; these plants do not blossom.
Purple Cress
Purple Cress, or Purple Bittercress (Cardamine douglasii); blooms March through May
The photo below shows a bit of the foliage.
Purple Cress (Cardamine douglassii)
Wild Geranium
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum); blooms April through JuneFoliage of wild geranium (Geranium maculatum); blooms April through June
Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum); blooms April through JuneJack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllim); blooms April through June; there are 3 plants and 2 visible flowers above.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba); blooms March through AprilSharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba); blooms March through April. Some are white, or nearly white.Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba); blooms March through April
While the flower is putting forth new blossoms, the foliage present at that time is from the previous year. So the foliage tends to old and shriveled looking, and may not be particularly noticeable. Below is a photo of the foliage taken during the period while the plant is in bloom.
Leaf of Sharp-loped Hepatica that’s left over from the previous year
After the plant is done blooming, the plant puts out new, green foliage that will allow the plant to create the energy to allow it to bloom early the next year.
The foliage of Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) that appears after the flower is blooming.
I’ve been told that the name “waterleaf” came about due to the light, drop-like coloration on some of the leaves, as seen below.
Foliage of Largeleaf Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum macrophyllum); blooms May through June
Eastern Waterleaf / Virgina Waterleaf
The common names, eastern waterleaf and Virginia waterleaf, refer to the same species.
Eastern Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum); blooms May though AugustWhite eastern waterleaf with foliage (Hydrophyllum virginianum); blooms May though August
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense); blooms April through May — The blosson lies on the ground beneath the foliage.Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)A patch of wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
False Solomon’s Seal
False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina racemosa); blooms May through JulyFalse Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum); blooms May through July
Solomon’s Seal
The blossoms of Solomon’s seal hang below the foliage.
Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum); blooms April through JuneSolomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum); blooms April through JuneSolomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) viewed from above where you can only see the foliage
Jacob’s Ladder / Greek Valerian
This plant has two common names: Jacob’s Ladder and Greek Valerian.
Jacob’s Ladder was named this because the way the leaves go up the stem reminded someone of a ladder. The flower’s name also alludes to a Bible passage: Genesis 28:10-19. It is also known as Greek Valerian.
I love your photos,would you mind if I drew a few of them,my grandchildren love my drawings of flowers and animals.It`s something they can always look at and remember me by.You have a very good eye for photography,thank you for the view.It is very pleasant to look at and know this about how our state can produce beauty on it`s own without the hand of man doing it,don`t you think so?Got to go thank you again and please keep taking more photos,your very good at it,like I said before.
Betty, thank you for your kind words about our flower photos. You have my permission to make drawings of them. 🙂 And you might be interested in learning that we just published a new, flower-related article: April Wildflowers at Ohio State Nature Preserves.
Thank you, James. All the photos at our site were taken with point-and-shoot cameras. The ones on this page were taken with two different models of Panasonic Lumix: the DMC-ZS6 and the DMC-ZS20. The Lumix does fantastic macros. It will autofocus on flowers that have very little contrast, and it will let me take macros of subjects that are at a shorter distance from my camera than other brands of camera that I have tried. Before publishing the photos at my site, I have also touched them up with photo editing software.
Thank you, Suzanne. Earlier on I was using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6, and more recently a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. Both are point-and-shoot cameras with larger-than-usual sensors. Almost all the photos appearing on this site have also gone through some degree of post-processing using a photo editor (GIMP).
Thanks Deb. I’ve heard those are a nice group of cameras! Check out my website if you are interested. I have taken shots of interesting plants and flowers and used photoshop to amplify what I think are unique patterns and characteristics.
very pretty flowers, I have a ohio wildflower book it tells you where in ohio you can see them, been a great help in iding plants, when I was walking quail hollow, I seen a red flower there next to a stream I looked it up and it was a cardinal flower. I recognize alot of those flowers tho I never seen dutchmans breeches in bloom yet or a few others. will be looking at flowers pretty soon here.
I’m really impressed with content. I’d really love an expanded version! Thanks!
Beautiful, awesome pics and God makes the flowers. Thanks
I love your photos,would you mind if I drew a few of them,my grandchildren love my drawings of flowers and animals.It`s something they can always look at and remember me by.You have a very good eye for photography,thank you for the view.It is very pleasant to look at and know this about how our state can produce beauty on it`s own without the hand of man doing it,don`t you think so?Got to go thank you again and please keep taking more photos,your very good at it,like I said before.
Betty, thank you for your kind words about our flower photos. You have my permission to make drawings of them. 🙂 And you might be interested in learning that we just published a new, flower-related article: April Wildflowers at Ohio State Nature Preserves.
The pics on this site are awesome! Iwould like to know what kind of camera you used. Please.
Thank you, James. All the photos at our site were taken with point-and-shoot cameras. The ones on this page were taken with two different models of Panasonic Lumix: the DMC-ZS6 and the DMC-ZS20. The Lumix does fantastic macros. It will autofocus on flowers that have very little contrast, and it will let me take macros of subjects that are at a shorter distance from my camera than other brands of camera that I have tried. Before publishing the photos at my site, I have also touched them up with photo editing software.
Simply beautiful photos, the spotted jewel weed pic really is eye catching. Thanks for sharing, makes me feel like spring is here! 🙂
Wonderful images, thanks for the info! I am wondering what camera and lens you use for the macro images.
Thank you, Suzanne. Earlier on I was using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6, and more recently a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. Both are point-and-shoot cameras with larger-than-usual sensors. Almost all the photos appearing on this site have also gone through some degree of post-processing using a photo editor (GIMP).
Thanks Deb. I’ve heard those are a nice group of cameras! Check out my website if you are interested. I have taken shots of interesting plants and flowers and used photoshop to amplify what I think are unique patterns and characteristics.
Wow, just lovely…. Amazing little creations. I love some of their names, too. 🙂 All the colors of the rainbow!
Great pictures! I wish I had more time to do that, not that my photographs would be that good, but I became lost in the hike for a few minutes.
Ted
Thank you, Ted! I appreciate the wealth of knowledge that you share via your blog on plants that grow in the eastern U.S. 🙂
Just beautiful!!! 🙂
Carol, thanks!
Most excellent posting. The photographs are far superior to any I would find in a book.
Thank you, Patricia. That’s very sweet of you to say. 🙂
very pretty flowers, I have a ohio wildflower book it tells you where in ohio you can see them, been a great help in iding plants, when I was walking quail hollow, I seen a red flower there next to a stream I looked it up and it was a cardinal flower. I recognize alot of those flowers tho I never seen dutchmans breeches in bloom yet or a few others. will be looking at flowers pretty soon here.
Thanks, Roberta. It won’t be long till northern Ohio starts seeing some blooms, too.