It became quite apparent that the flora of Kentucky was just a little different from what we've encountered in Texas and New Mexico! So our hike became an impromptu botany lesson for the kids and myself! There were moss and ferns everywhere!
And strange little plants with flowers in weird places like wild ginger and mayapple.
Wild Ginger. We found the flower at the base of the plant under the leaf litter!
Mayapple with a beautiful white flower that hangs underneath it's single leaf!
And what about the strange and beautiful Jack-in-the-pulpit which reminds me of one of those carnivorous pitcher plants? My aunt assures me though that this particular flower does not have meat-eating tendencies!
Stunning wildflowers were everywhere!
Wild Iris
Wild Orchid
Trillium
And wild columbine
Most of the trees had already bloomed, but I was lucky enough to see a few amazingly gorgeous dogwood trees that were still hanging on.
And then there was the mystery shrub. I never found out what it was, but it was so spectacularly beautiful! So, if you are familiar with this plant, I would love for you to comment and tell me what it is!
We found plants that we hate...
Poison Ivy
And dreaded kudzu, which I found to be pretty but it's so destructive to the forest around it.
And a plant that we ate!
Poke plant
And honestly, I am just hitting the tip of the iceberg here! There were so many amazing plants and fungi to see and I didn't even have to leave the property! So incredibly cool! More adventures to come!
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