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Friday, May 20, 2016

Thoreau and Wildflowers




May 20, 1852 All flowers are beautiful. The Salix alba (white willow) is about out of bloom. Pads begin to appear though the river is high over the meadows. A caterpillar’s nest on a wild cherry. Some apple trees in blossom. Most are just ready to burst forth, the leaves being half-formed. I find the feverbush in bloom but apparently its blossoms are now stale. I must observe it next year. They were fresh perhaps a week ago. Currants in bloom by Conant’s Spring – are they natives of America? A lady’s slipper well budded and now white. The Viola ovata is of a deep purple blue – is darkest and has most of the red in it. The V. pedata is smooth and pale blue delicately tinged with purple reflections. The cucullata is more decidedly blue, slaty blue and darkly striated.  
-      Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau’s Wildflowers
Edited by Geoff Wisner
Drawings by Barry Moser
Hardcover $30



Because one wildflower book is never enough, and it’s impossible to have too many. This one also has heavy literary and historical interest, wherever in the country you and your wildflowers live.


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