April 29th WINDFLOWER
Last but not least, the windflower or wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) takes its place among the wildflowers blooming, nodding and tinkling along the creek bank. The windflower most often grows in large colonies, and here it is no exception. The flower grows to eight inches tall with three leaves midway up the stem in a whorl. Growing alongside are many more flowerless plants having just a single leaf atop a single stem. To say single leaf, however, gives the wrong impression. The leaves, both single or the three on the flower stalk, are deeply cut into into five (sometimes three) lobes, so deep that it almost appears that they are five separate leaflets. The leaf margins are toothed or serrated as well. The flower has a greenish fuzzy center around which radiate the five white oval petals. The petals (actually sepals), almost transparent, are veined ever so faintly with lavender.