April showers bring May apples

While walking through the woods on the backside of our property, I have seen some large leaves on a stem growing this spring. 

 

 Curious as to what they were but having no idea, I was excited this week to find a flower blooming underneath the leaves.  As soon as I could, I took the wildflower field guide off the shelf and started looking.

It is the may apple.  Happily I shared my latest discovery with the children and OBT.  Last year I found the violet wood sorrel growing in the woods.  It attracted my attention because its leaves remind me so much of clover and yet the underside is purple.  Later when the flowers bloomed, I again consulted the wildflower field guide and found out exactly what it is.  Much to my joy, the violet wood sorrel is blooming in our woods again this year.

For more information on its medicinal uses, go here.