Ottawa’s natural environment

SPRING’S FLEETING BEAUTIES

Gatineau Park’s expert explains the wildflowers that don’t linger KATHARINE FLETCHER “Ephemerals is the name we botanreproduction. As human beings expand territory, denude “vacant, useless land” ists give those wildflowers whose life cycle for housing developments, we eradicate happens in two, or sometimes three to habitat and destroy the food, shelter, four weeks,” explains Catherine Verreault, denning and nesting opportunities for the lead biologist in Gatineau Park. A scithe critters we so often proclaim entist who specialized in botany, she’s an we love, such as owls, hawks, warexpert on plants. blers, salamanders, leopard frogs,

I’m sure many readers would recognize foxes, deer and others. some of these short-term flowers in the All to say that when we’re in Ottawa Valley’s springtime woodlands: Gatineau Park – or any wildlife white, red and painted trilliums, dogpreserve – practice LNT, meaning toothed violets (aka trout lilies), DutchLeave No Trace, a non-profit orman’s breeches, bloodroot, spring beautganization that promotes responies and more fall into this category. sible outdoor recreation.

Verreault notes, “Ephemerals typically Some plants are so rare they emerge after the snow melts, before the have special protection. One of woodland’s canopy of leaves cast shadows them is wild leek, which got this onto the forest floor. They have a very status throughout Quebec starting special niche in this brief period of time in 1995; obviously, it’s illegal to – after the snow and before trees’ leaves pick them in Gatineau Park. prevent them from getting sunlight they Verreault explains that leeks need for food and growth. Plus, they are “qualify as ephemerals, too. a crucial early source of food for pollin“They actually flower in July, ators.” but their leaves die back … if you

In spring, the forest floor is saturated pick wild leeks, people usually dig with water from snow melt, allowing these up the entire plant. Even people ephemerals to absorb moisture and nutriwho say it’s OK because they’re ents for their brief life above ground. just taking some leaves are damag

Another aspect to ephemerals’ fragility ing the plant.” is how many years it takes for a plant to That’s because plants depend flower. I remember my mother telling me upon their leaves for photosyntheit takes seven years for trilliums to blossis, the process where they convert som. I asked Verreault if this is true. sunlight to chemical energy to fuel

“Yes. Trilliums take seven to 10 years to the plant’s activities and growth. produce their first blossom, just like wild So picking “just some leaves” leeks. Bellwort and dog-toothed violets damages a plant’s ability to surtake four. Generally speaking, if a flower vive. is picked (while leaving the bulb in the So, which Gatineau Park trails are best ground) it takes another two or three years for seeing ephemerals? Verreault likes the for the plant to re-blossom.” easy accessibility of Larriault Trail, and

Verreault’s message is clear and simple: adds, “Sugarbush, at the Visitors’ Centre ephemerals are fleeting plants which re- is super, too, and during the last Sunday quire special respect and protection. in April and first three Sundays in May,

Gatineau Park is a wildlife sanctuary. we’re offering guided wildflower walks.” It’s against the law to remove anything You can check this out on the NCC’s web- from it – plants, rocks, maple sap – and site, ncc-ccn.gc.ca even picking mushrooms and raspber- See you out there?  ries. Those who do it risk fines for such activities. Katharine Fletcher is a keen field

A bit over the top you might think? No, naturalist and author of Historical because that raspberry I’m tempted to Walks: The Gatineau Park Story and pick is wild, natural food for birds and Promenades historiques dans le parc de la mammals – or the seed for the plant’s Gatineau. | www.katharinefletcher.com

Bloodroot

Dutchman's Breeches

Red Trilliums