Dicentra Cucullaria
Spring Bloomers
These are one of my wife’s favorite wildflowers. She can’t help but comment on how adorable they are. They are Dutchman’s Breeches. (Dicentra Cucullaria)
These unique wildflowers get their name from the shape of the flowers. They resemble pantaloons hanging upside down and slightly inflated. The yellow adornment at the bottom of the flower resembles a belt on the pantaloons. (I think they look more like old-fashioned bloomers. That’s why I titled this image, Spring Bloomers. That, and because they bloom very early in the spring.)
In our area they begin to show up in early May. The flowers are approximately 3/4 inch in length and white to pinkish in color. The blooms dangle down from thin stalks rising from the lush green plant. According to Wikipedia, Native Americans and early white practitioners considered this plant useful for syphilis, skin conditions and as a blood purifier.
You can view a larger version of this image simply by clicking on the photo.