Early Spring Wildflowers at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary

Wow, what a difference a year makes! It is hard to believe that one year ago at this exact same time, most of the early spring wildflowers were nearly finished flowering, and JohnRyan and myself were admiring the spectacular floral displays of two of our native orchids, the showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) and the pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acuale) down in southern Kentucky. These species typically bloom in the "middle" of spring. Of course last year we had a record-setting hot and dry spring that triggered many plants to flower at unprecedented times, and so far this spring we have endured temperatures well below-average. In fact, many of my botanist friends who have been tracking blooming periods since the '70s, had never seen such an early onset of the spring wildflower display as we had last year. Perhaps this year is back to a more "normal" spring cycle, but it's hard to know what is exactly "normal" now with the onset of global climate change.

I'll be the first to admit that I was rather spoiled by last year's early arrival of spring. I have grown increasingly eager and impatient for the arrival of the first major wave of spring wildflowers, especially as I look back through my old photos and realize what I was witnessing at this same time one year ago! However, last week we had a few warm and sunny days that I figured would trigger a few things to start flowering. Last Friday, I signed up to go on a guided hike at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary in central Kentucky in hopes of finding several new species for the year in flower. Floracliff Nature Sanctuary is a private state nature preserve located in the palisades region of the Kentucky River in southern Fayette County, which is around 15 minutes south of Lexington. Floracliff is renowned for its spring wildflower display, and is definitely one of the best that can be found in the region. The preserve was founded by Dr. Mary Wharton, who was a botanist and biologist at Georgetown College and a true visionary. She recognized the special features and the uniqueness of the Kentucky River palisades, so she started purchasing property along the river in the 1950s. In 1996, the area known as Floracliff was designated as a state nature preserve. Dr. Mary Wharton has since passed, but the preserve remains as a great testament to her vision and passion for the area.

The group of wildflowers enthusiasts admiring the swift and clear waters of Elk Lick Creek, which flows through the middle of the preserve.

Looking upstream of Elk Lick Creek. Wildflowers abound along the banks and wooded slopes of this creek.

One of the more abundant wildflowers at Floracliff were the sharp-lobed hepaticas (Hepatica nobilis), a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). The flower colors of hepatica can vary quite a bit, ranging from an all white to pink to a deep purple. These particularly deep purple ones caught my attention and demanded a few clicks of the shutter from my camera. However, with bright sunshine and considerable wind, conditions for wildflower photography were less than optimal on this day and it was difficult to get any decent shots.

Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis).

Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis).

Further along the trail we found one of my favorite spring wildflowers just opening up, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virgnica). Virginia bluebells are a member of the borage family (Boraginaceae). They are a favorite for many wildflower enthusiasts and it's easy to see why with the creamy pastel colors this species exhibits. The unopened flowers buds typically have a pinkish hue then turn a baby blue color as they open up, but the flowers of the ones I found at Floracliff were all blue.

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica).

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica).

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica).

We spotted many sessile trilliums, a member of the lily family (Liliaceae), in bud along the banks of the creek but none had opened yet. As luck would have it, as we moved up the wooded slopes into drier and warmer microclimates we managed to find a few that had opened up. This species gets it name from the flowers that are without stalks (this term in botany lingo is referred to as being sessile). The maroon petals of sessile trillium never fully open up, and remain in a "closed" position. The leaves tend to be light green with some dark green mottling, and the flowers are foul-smelling. This is a common evolutionary tactic employed by various trillium species as a way of attracting a host of pollinators such as beetles and flies, that typically feed on rotting flesh.

Sessile trillium (Trillium sessile).

Sessile trillium (Trillium sessile).

Sessile trillium (Trillium sessile).

A few bloodroots (Sanguinaria canadensis) were just emerging along select points along the trail that cuts through the preserve. Bloodroot is a member of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). The plant gets its name from the red, blood-like juice that can be found in the stems. I always enjoy finding bloodroot in flower because the blooming period is very brief for this species. Immediately after pollination occurs, the petals are shed, therefore the flowering period may only last a day or two.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) flower still wrapped in its leaf.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) flower still wrapped in its leaf.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) flowers still wrapped in their leaves.

Among the limestone outcrops and ledges that run along the stream, we found quite a bit of early saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) in flower. As Beverly explained, the plant is covered in tiny dense pubescence (hairs) that deter ground-dwelling insects from reaching the flowers. Instead, this plant is pollinated by flying insects such as bees and wasps.

Early saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis).

The real stars of the show on this wildflower hike were the white trout lilies (Erythronium albidum) that were flowering in abundance along the trails. Just like the aforementioned trilliums, these also belong to the lily family (Liliaceae).The leaves of trout lilies tend to carpet forest floors when present, but not all of them flower. However, the beautifully colored and trout-patterned leaves are just as impressive as the graceful and white nodding blooms of this species. We managed to see another species of trout lily in flower as well, the yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum), but they were in a steep spot that made it difficult to get any photos.

White trout lily (Erythronium albidum).

White trout lily (Erythronium albidum).

The last feature of the hike was the famous tufa formation that can be found at the waterfall of Elk Lick Creek. The tufa resembles a frozen waterfall, and has been formed by the gradual deposition of travertine minerals from the dripping water, similar to the way stalactites and stalagmites are formed in caves. The tufa formation is over 60 feet tall, and is considered one of the best of its kind in the eastern United States.

Tufa formation at Elk Lick Falls.

I believe we tallied over 20 species in flower on the hike and many more will start blooming with the warming temperatures that are sure to arrive here soon, so stay tuned for more posts highlighting some of those species in the near future!


To view a list of upcoming guided hikes at Floracliff, you can visit their website here:

Floracliff Events

If you get the chance, I would highly recommend visiting the preserve to see the spring wildflower display!