Cedar Creek Natural History Area

Plants of Cedar Creek

    The Lily Family is a large family of monocotyledonous plants with floral parts arrayed in three’s or sixes.  All bear nectar and rely upon insects (bees, leps) for pollination, though many spread rhizomatously.  22 species in 12 genera have been collected at CCNHA, though several are household ornamentals or have been otherwise introduced.

    Four species of  Lily are found here. Hemerocallis fulva (Day Lily) bears large terminal orange flowers and is found primarily at homesites (occupied and abandoned).  Of the three species of Lilium, only two occur  naturally. L. philadelphicum (Wood Lily) is infrequently encountered in wet depressions, and L. michiganense (Michigan Lily) is infrequently encountered along woods edge. L. lancifolium(=tigrinum: Tiger Lily) with black fruits along its profusely flowering stem is a household ornamental.

    Three species of Trillium occur here. T. cernuum (Nodding Trillium) is a fairly common forb of wooded wet lowlands.  Its 3-petaled white flower hangs below its large leaves.  T. grandiflorum (Large Flowered Trillium) and T. nivale (Snow Trillium) occur only on Crone’s Knoll, and it is probable that at least snow trillium was introduced.

    Three species of Smilacina occur on the Area, and two are fairly common inhabitants of mesic woodlands. S. stellata (Starry False Solomon Seal) is smaller, has red and green striped fruit, and is more abundant than its larger cousin S. racemosa (False Solomon Seal) which has larger leaves and a dense terminal spike of small white flowers.  S. trifolia is a common diminutive inhabitant of boggy areas and wooded swamps (Beckman Lake, Fairyland).

    Two species of Polygonatum occur here. P. commutatum (=canaliculatus: Giant Solomon’s Seal) has suspended pale tubular flowers hidden below its large leaves.  Found primarily near homesites but occasionally encountered in woodland. P. pubescens (Hairy Solomon’s Seal) is a smaller species that is fairly common in the understory of lowland woods.

    Similar in appearance but smaller in stature are Uvularia grandiflora (Large-flowered Bellwort) with perfoliate leaves and hanging yellow flowers and U. sessilifolia (Pale Bellwort) with hanging cream-colored flowers. Pale Bellwort is fairly common in mesic woods, but Large-flowered Bellwort has been noted only on Crone’s Knoll and was likely introduced there.

    Maianthemum canadense (Canada Mayflower) is a common understory forb of mesic woods, but the true Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis, occurs only at homesites as an ornamental.

    Smilax lasioneura (Carrion Flower) and Smilax hispida (Green-briar) are twining  viny plants of woodland.  Clintonia borealis (Blue Bead Lily) is a fairly common forb of wet woods.  Rosette of shiny leaves bears a short stalk of yellow tubular flowers that later form blue fruits.

    Allium stellatum (Wild Prairie Onion) is an uncommon plant of prairie.  It is easiest to find when flowering (40 cm stalk with terminal umbel of pink flowers). Allium schoenoprasum (chives) is a garden herb.

*Erythronium albidum (White Trout Lily) is a common floodplain species. E. americanum (Yellow Trout Lily) is less common. E. propullans (Dwarf Trout Lily) is endemic to the Cannon River Valley in SE Minnesota.