May 25, 2013
On the way down Carranza Road to the observing field to see the Jupiter, Venus and Mercury gathering, I stopped on the roadside next to the bridge crossing Skit Branch at the "nasty turn" to see if the Turkey Beard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides) and/or the Pink Lady Slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) were in bloom. The latter was indeed in bloom and the former was just beginning to flower (mouseover for labels). Below are close-ups of the Lady Slipper and the Turkey Beard flower head. All were taken around 7:45 pm. Further down the page, there are some images of Turkey Beard in full bloom on June 2nd.
June 2, 2013
This stand of Turkey Beard was blooming abundantly along the side of Butterworth Road near McDonald's Branch in Lebanon State Forest (a.k.a. Brendan Byrne State Forest), NJ.
Here's a close-up of the Turkey Beard flower heads.
All of these pictures were taken by Joe Stieber with a Canon 6D digital SLR camera and a Canon 24 to 105 mm f/2.8L zoom lens.
Click here for plants imaged on June 25th.