After 36 years of hiking, camping, and photography, I am excited to finish my book about the ephemeral wildflowers of spring conceived many years ago. It has been my passion to research the history and importance of these plants to Indigenous People and the settlers who followed. Since most of these flowers are only in bloom for a couple of weeks, I became very passionate photographing these unique woodland flowers to capture that fleeting moment of peak beauty in their native habitats. I wish I had kept track of the miles driven and walked to search for flowers that I hadn't seen since the previous year!

Fun facts and folklore mixed with a measure of science tell a story of these flowers. I then added images collected over the past years to bring them to life. I hope you will take a “walk” through the woods with me and see some familiar and some not so familiar flowers. Stay tuned for a release date. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Here is an excerpt from the book:

Hepatica, Liverwort

Hepatica americana (round lobed)

Hepatica acutiloba (sharp lobed)

Buttercup family  

A very early spring bloomer, with colors ranging from white, to pink, to deep lavender blue, and all shades in between, hepatica is a welcome sight in the drab colorless woods. There are no petals on this flower, but the colorful sepals are more than an adequate tradeoff.  The sepals close at night and frequently remain closed on overcast and rainy days when pollinators are not active. The worn and torn lobed basal leaves of the previous year are often present as the flowers begin to bloom. New leaves emerge as flowering comes to an end. The difference between the two species is in leaf shape: acuctiloba has sharp lobed leaves, while americana has rounder lobed leaves. The name Hepatica comes from Latin, meaning liver, due to its leaves resembling liver lobes. Accordingly, the Doctrine of Signature reasoned that the leaves could be used to treat liver ailments. In fact, a liver tonic craze in 1883 fueled the use of 450,000 pounds of dried leaves, not only domestic but imported as well. Indigenous People used the tea to treat indigestion and as a laxative. They also applied a wash to soothe swollen breasts. Cherokee who had dreams of snakes would mix Hepatica and walking fern. Drinking a tea of this mix would lead to vomiting and an end to their nightmares. Mountain folklore tells farmers should be ready for planting once Hepatica begins to bloom. Another popular use in the Carolina mountains was for a young woman to throw some powder made from burnt leaves over the shoulder of an intended young man. This would without question lead to love.