Wildflowers to Watch for in New York City This Week
Marielle Anzelone is an urban ecologist and the founder of NYC Wildflower Week. For three weeks this spring she'll be speaking with WNYC's Richard Hake about what's blooming in our region.
No springtime walk in the woods in New York City would be complete without the cheering sight of wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). This native species has loosely clustered blossoms that range in color from muted pink to rosy purple. Along each petal, dark lines radiate out from its white, wooly base. These lines are translucent nectar guides that direct pollinating bees to the sugary rewards inside.
These flowers are perennials, meaning they grow back year after year. When undisturbed, wild geranium spreads, forming carpets on the forest floor. Although they're relatively abundant in New York City, it’s best to leave wildflowers in the wild, where they serve as habitats for insects.
In wetter areas, you may see Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). Mayapple has circular, deeply lobed leaves the size of small plates that stand about 18 inches off the forest floor, like verdant umbrellas.
If you see two that are attached, take a closer look at the spot where they're joined. Here, in the axil of the leaves, you’ll find a single thick white flower hiding below. Â
To find wild geranium in a woodland near you this weekend, try Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Cunningham Park in Queens, or the Greenbelt in Staten Island.Â
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