A good distance up past our gate, at the edge of the narrow dirt road, there is a patch of Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) blending in with the other plants so that they’re hardly noticed.

The herbaceous perennials each send up a single, unbranched stem. This stem is topped with a panicle of 20 to 80 snow white flowers. See those tiny tree-like clusters of flowers surrounding the stem? This is what is called a panicle of flowers. They are blooming right now, up the dirt road. Many will pass by and not even notice. You must go slowly as you hike the mountain if you want to see such interesting things.

Summer watches as the flowers become berries. By mid-August they are red, or red and purple-striped berries. Birds, such as Ruffed Grouse and Veery will eat the berries and help spread the seeds throughout the woods.

And I’ll enjoy seeing the plants as I hike up to get more photos.

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