Dutchman's Breeches

Dutchman's Breeches
Dicentra cucullaria

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This IS likely to be one of the first wildflowers to emerge in the spring - you can find it as early as mid-February. Although it won't be blooming for some weeks yet (usually April), the foliage is up early and is easy to spot. The leaves are a delicate and finely dissected, deep green with a pale whitish cast or "bloom" to them (glaucous) especially early in the year. They may remind you of garden-variety Bleeding Heart, which is indeed closely related. The blooms are white and look like little pairs of breeches, hence its common name. Look for it under open hardwood canopy. It also seems to like growing right next to, practically under, old trees and stumps (oak/birch/beech). I don't know if this has to do with species affinity or just for protection from the early spring winds and cold.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501