Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: MONDAY, April 17, 1995 TAG: 9504190005 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN/STAFF WRITER DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In back yards everywhere, blue violets are sprouting up under old shade trees. Yellow daffodils and multicolored tulips line sidewalks. Climbing ivy transforms from a dull green to a lush chartreuse as new buds emerge.
But look beyond your backyard. Take a walk down the street. Go for a short hike to some nearby woods. Visit a local park or playground.
The colors are everywhere and they're as varied as the rainbow.
RED:
The striking cardinal flower is a summertime treat for those walking along the banks of the Roanoke River or near Smith Mountain Lake. The plant's red, tubular flowers will attract tiny hummingbirds, whose long beaks can poke into the petals in search of sweet nectar.
ORANGE:
The brilliant orange butterfly weed will show up along roadsides and fields come June or July. Don't be surprised to see butterflies attracted to this fragrant and showy flower - that's why gardeners often raise them from seed at home.
YELLOW:
Remember buttercups? Place the flower under your chin. If it reflects yellow, you like butter. If not - well, you know the rest of the story. One thing's for sure though - buttercups do NOT taste like butter. The juices inside the plant are bitter, discouraging bugs from eating them. No wonder the plants are so common!
GREEN:
Look closely for the odd-shaped Jack-in-the-pulpit, found along the Appalachian Trail in Southwest Virginia. It's hooded top leaf covers a small flower called the "Jack." This little green plant also is called Indian Turnip because American Indians used to eat the cooked roots as a vegetable.
BLUE:
What would any wildflower jaunt be without searching out Virginia bluebells? The clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers are just about in bloom now around the Roanoke and New River valleys. Search for them just about anywhere - down by Tinker Creek, around Carvins Cove and even on shaded roadsides.
VIOLET:
You'll have to get up early to see the showy spiderwort in bloom. The small, purplish, spider-like flowers bloom in the morning, then wilt as the day goes on. Look for this common flower along roadsides or at the edges of woods, but don't confuse it with violets, which also have small blue-to-purple flowers.
There's also the mayapple, which at first glance might appear like a mass of small palm trees hidden in the undergrowth of shaded woods. But look closer. Underneath the double-leafed plant, you'll find the small, white, flowering mayapple blossom.
The trillium is a simple but elegant flower tucked away in shaded woods. The single-blossom flower is in full bloom in most places. Like searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a spring wildflower excursion never will reveal all of its treasures. From the delicate pink lady's slipper found along Tinker Mountain to the tiny, translucent Indian pipe, the colors never cease.