During the week of March 23rd 2026, I ventured out for the first time in search of wildflowers and emerging snakes, salamanders, and frogs at the West Leechburg Native Plant Preserve. This is earlier than I normally start, but I wanted to be able to see a complete cycle for some species I only ever notice as they're flowering. I also felt it might be a bit early for most snakes, salamanders, and frogs that I like to catch but still worth a shot.
Some quick notes about the West Leechburg Native Plant Preserve:
- It is interesting that there is such a wide variety of wildflowers in this scrappy area. The whole ravine is an eroding pile of old mining spoil and overburden essentially thrown back into the ravine after mining and road construction that then eroded down the steep ravine.
- Invasive plants take over the area after early spring wildflowers are done blooming (and during the bloom) including knotweed, barberry, garlic mustard, stiltgrass etc.
- Kiskiminetas Watershed Association has their hands full but does a good job at keeping the invasives relatively in check to let the native wildflowers, trees, and shrubs shine when it is their time to shine!
Right at the beginning of the trail, basically still in the parking area, there are some recently planted small flowering trees and shrubs. I was shocked to find a few small tiny buds forming on some of the redbuds already, though none of the other trees/shrubs were really budding or leafing out.
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
It's there! The first teeny tiny redbud bud forming of the year! In Maria World, the first fuchsia speck on these native trees is the official harbinger of spring.
Periwinkle/Creeping myrtle (Vinca minor)
Right as you start walking, the sides are dominated by invasive and nonnative species. Japanese barberry, stiltgrass, knotweed, and garlic mustard are pretty common here. Perhaps most interesting (to me) is the periwinkle that completely covers the ground right before the steps down to the trail. They are very pretty, but I skip over them as they tend to anger me. I will remember to take and post a picture on another trip.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
The first real native wildflower on the trail is already blooming! I love how crisp, clean, and fresh these look. I might say this a lot, but these are one of my favorite native wildflowers. These are usually one of the first native flowers I see, and here they are, right on cue just emerging for my first walk.
Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpos foetidus)
While I think of many trees and traditional wildflowers as the first signs of spring, skunk cabbage is really the first green of spring. I was lucky to see the flowers on some in the swampy sections along the trail. If the snow has melted for the year before you start to look, you'll often miss the visible bloom. The flowers are only visible when the spathes (leaf-like covers) open to reveal them around the time the leaves begin to unfurl (1). Most were just starting to unfurl their leaves but were done flowering.
Dutchman's breeches (Dicenta cucullaria)
I spotted a few leaves forming. A few weeks from now the hillside will be full of dutchman's breeches. I can't remember if there are any similar squirrel corn plants at this location mixed in with the Dutchman's breeches. Time will tell because I can't differentiate between the leaf.
Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum)
There are most likely a few different types of blue cohosh present here. Some were just barely starting to sprout and some were blooming. These are most likely early (also called giant) blue cohosh. I like that the stems are purple and that they look rough and haggard, like they're having a hard day. Something about that just gives me a zombie vibe that I dig. They flower before the leaves fully develop which is also kind of odd and cool (1).
Yellow trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)
Another one of my absolute favorite spring wildflowers, yellow trout lily, often just trout lily, is named for the mottled brook trout pattern of the leaf. The leaves were visible along the forest floor, but I didn't see any plants blooming. Next week will be a good week for them.
Other Interesting Finds:
Waterfall
The waterfall near the end of the trail is a highlight of this walk. I will include some pictures of it for each post to show it's progression through varying flows.
Eastern gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
After looking in vain under rocks and logs and in sunny spots the entire length of the trail, I gave up hope for any reptile or amphibian sightings for my return. Just as all hope was lost, an eastern gartersnake crossed the trail on my way back through. He was alert and zipped away when I tried to get closer. It still is a good day when I get to see one, even this quickly.
Cool fossils in rocks
These are some neat fossils I found in the stream. I am not great at fossil ID, but they're most likely plant roots and material from when PA was a giant swamp. Most of our fossils are from that period, thus we are blessed with abundant coal resources.
If you liked this post, here's the background for the wildflower project and all posts for the West Leechburg location:
(Links active once published)
Week 1 - March 23, 2026 (current page)
Week 5 - April 20, 2026
Week 6 - April 27, 2026
Week 7 - May 4, 2026
Week 8 - May 11, 2026
Week 9 - May 18, 2026
References
1. Gracie, C. (2012). Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History. Princeton University Press.
Can you dye fabric with blue cohosh?
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of anyone using it for this purpose.
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