A New Flower Today

And of course I can't find it in either one of my Tennessee wildflower books. Let me know if you know the name of it. It is growing in many places along the Shelby Bottoms Greenway. (Thanks to Jill for identifying it for me!)

Hollow Joe-Pye Weed

Wild Potato Vine

I am still riding my bike on the greenways three days a week, just not posting many photos. I was calling this flower a wild morning glory and it is in the morning glory family, but most commonly called Wild Potato Vine and sometimes Man Root or Wild Rhubarb. It has a giant root that can weigh up to 30 pounds and be up to 4 feet long! Amazing! The technical name is ipmoea pandurata. Cool! There is always something new in nature and on both these greenways!

Wild Potato Vine
ipomoea pandurata

I've been seeing a lot of these for the last week or two. Nice! 

Spring is Trying Again!

The Jonquil was shot in the Woodlands and sprouting flower in a neighbor's yard.

Cedars of Lebanon State Park, TN

Being a short drive from Nashville, it has all the things people like for vacations with recreation, a huge swimming pool, multiple campgrounds, cabins, a lodge, etc. But the most significant thing to me is their multiple nature trails in both forest and cedar glades with some rare flowers found only here. I spent yesterday morning walking in the woods and glades (flat dry meadows) photographing flowers and butterflies. Here's just 3 of the photos. To see more go to the gallery for this nature walk

Tiger Swallowtail on possibly "Beaked Corn Salad" flower

Spicebush Swallowtail in field of Glade Wild Petunias

Some kind of Fritillary or Crescentspot Butterfly

on a Tennessee or Eggert's Sunflower

Violets Everywhere!

At my Maple Tree this morning, but they are all over the yard like a purple meadow!

Also I biked 10 miles on the Stones River Greenway today with many wildflowers everywhere. 

Spring has Sprung!

February Early Riser

Crocus