Archived Free Pictures of Trees and Other Plants

An unusual hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium). It is unusually tall, and an unusual color. Most of them turn a deep burgundy in late summer and early fall, but this one ranges from scarlet to orange. Even as these tattered leaves turn color and fall off, the plant is putting forth new leaves to catch the autumn sun after the forest canopy opens up. Early fall, Elephant Head Trail, Crawford Notch State Park.

Berries of hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) with scarlet leaves. The leaves of hobblebush usually turn a deep burgundy color. Late summer, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A small bush growing in a crack in "my" ledge at the top of Arethusa Falls. Late summer, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A spider in a small bush at the top of Arethusa Falls. Late summer, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

These crossed red spruce trees (Picea rubens) mark the halfway point as I climb up or down Arethusa Falls. Late summer, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park.

A granite boulder covered with mosses and lichens, including an odd pinkish lichen. Summer, Webster Cliff Trail, Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest

Bakeapple berries (Vaccinium macrocarpon). This is actually a wild cranberry, also called bear berry, and distinct from the bakeapple berry of Newfoundland (Rubus chamaemorus), also called cloud berry. But it tastes like a baked apple, complete with cinnamon. They grow in the bogs on the northern slope of Mount Jackson, and this was a banner year. Most years, I only find two or three ripe berries. Summer, Webster Cliff Trail, Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest

Close-up of bog vegetation on Mount Jackson includes red leaves of sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). Summer, Webster Cliff Trail, Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest

Smooth Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum) in fruit. Summer, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest.

Lush undergrowth along the sunny side of Crawford Path in the high swampy balsam forest. Summer, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest.

Lush undergrowth along the sunny side of Crawford Path in the high swampy balsam forest. Summer, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest.

Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) with unripe green berries. They will soon turn white, but the leaves will remain green under the snow. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

A small stand of pitch pine (Pinus rigida) on the north shore of the Mill Pond, opposite my favorite sitting rock. The lone birch (Betula papyrifera) poking out of one spot near the left is just beginning to turn yellow. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

A narrow trail climbs up toward the main path. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

Wild oats (Uniola latifolia) overhanging the Mill Pond. This is a member of the grass family (Poaceae), not to be confused with sessile bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia), which is also called wild oats, but which is a member of the lily family (Liliaceae). Uniola latifolia is in the same family, but is a different genus from true oats and other cultivated grains. Summer, Mine Falls Park

Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) in bloom. Summer, Mine Falls Park

A dead tree, covered with at least three different kinds of fungus, emerges from the melting snow. As the weather grows warmer and the sunlight grows stronger, snow melts away first from around trees, even dead ones, where the sun's warming effect is strongest. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) emerges from the melting snow. Just as the snow melts away first from around standing trees, it also melts quickly where a twig touches its surface, leaving a clear impression of the horizontal branches of the hobblebush. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Morning sunlight spreads quickly through the forest, as spring is spreading at a more deliberate pace. Notice how the lower branches of the spruce (Picea rubens) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) saplings are still bent down, trapped under the surrounding snow, while their higher branches reach up toward the sunlight. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A hardwood forest of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and more white birch (Betula papyrifera) than you usually see grows on a gentle, sunlit slope of the valley of Bemis Brook. Tall red spruces (Picea rubens) on the top of the ridge point down the direction of the prevailing winds. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Mountain cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) barely rises above the mosses in the big meadow north of Crawford Notch. It has been green under the snow all winter long, like the mosses. Early spring, White Mountain National Forest

Mats of mountain cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and mosses are liberated by the melting snow. They will soon be overshadowed by taller herbaceous plants that will dominate the meadow north of Crawford Notch. Early spring, White Mountain National Forest

The buds of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) have been open this far since last fall. Now, they're about to leaf out before the snow melts away. Early spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum) has been green under the snow all winter. As the snow begins to melt, it enjoys the unfettered spring sunshine with other, less hardy plants. Early spring, White Mountain National Forest

A young oak (Quercus sp.) waits out the winter. Oaks retain many of their dead, brown leaves right through the winter, though this little one has only about a dozen left. Young beeches (Fagus grandifolia) also tend to hold onto their leaves, but the mature trees don't. Late winter, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Cattail (Typha latifolia) seed heads rise above the frozen Beaver Pond. Winter gales shred the seed heads, carrying some of the fluffy seeds far afield, but many remain until the stalk falls into the pond in spring. In this way, the plant both propagates itself over great distances, and ensures that its parent patch has a chance to spread. Late winter, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

A young white spruce (Picea glauca) near the Crawford Connector Trail Head, the beginning point for my Mount Jackson hike. White spruce is uncommon in the area. It can be recognized, when young, by its tendency to grow needles on the surface of its trunk and branches. These will disappear long before the tree matures. Late winter, White Mountain National Forest

A young white spruce (Picea glauca) with a stiff, leathery branching ("fruticose") lichen on it. Late winter, White Mountain National Forest

A clump of young red spruce (Picea rubens) in the meadow near the Elephant Head Trail Head. Late winter, Crawford Notch State Park

A close look at the needles of an eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) sapling. Each needle is flat, and the needles are mostly on the sides of the twig rather than on the top or bottom. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) needles are almost identical, but can be distinguished by their aroma. There is considerable variability among individual trees. This one, like many in the vicinity of Arethusa Falls, has unusually long needles. I thought these might be a different species from the hemlocks I see lower down, but they are the same. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A close look at the needles of a red spruce (Picea rubens) sapling. Each needle is roughly square in cross-section, unlike the flat needles of the true firs (hemlock and balsam), and the needles grow all around the twig rather than just on the sides as in the firs. Many field guides will say that you can "roll" the needles of a spruce between your fingers. This is what they mean: the needles are not flat, but square. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A twig and cone of a red spruce (Picea rubens) lies on the snow. In late winter, the snow is littered with cones, twigs, and needles of spruce and fir. They may have been cut by a squirrel who then forgot to collect them, or simply blown down by the wind. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The Arethusa Falls Trail, like any very popular trail, is well compacted and lies nearly two feet below the surrounding snow. The wind collects the winter's litter of cones, twigs, and needles into the trail. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A fallen yellow birch (Betula lutea) turns part of the Arethusa Falls Trail into an obstacle course. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A young hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) has succumbed to the winter gales. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A mixed hardwood and evergreen forest near Arethusa Falls. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A bare white birch (Betula papyrifera) stands in stark contrast to the winter sky. Late winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Orange-brown polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae), with a little bit of leafy ("foliose") green lichen, on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Moss, which remains green all winter and photosynthesizes any time there is enough light, pokes through the melting snow of late winter. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Orange-brown polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae) and leafy ("foliose") green lichen on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Orange-brown polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae) and a dense blanket of green moss on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Orange-brown polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae), leafy ("foliose") green lichen, and a little dark green moss on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Leafy ("foliose") green lichen on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

The stump of a winter-killed white pine (Pinus strobus) stands on the bank while the tree lies in the canal below. Winter, Mine Falls Park

It's interesting how this orange-brown polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae) grows only on the underside of this leaning dead tree. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Even in the relative shelter of Crawford Notch, winter gales keep this tall eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) perpetually leaning south. White birches (Betula papyrifera), cowering below the old giant, have a somewhat easier life. Mount Willey in the background. Winter, Crawford Notch State Park

Even in the relative shelter of Crawford Notch, winter gales keep this tall eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) clear of branches on its upwind side. Mount Willey in the background. Winter, Crawford Notch State Park

Old eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) are tortured by the frequent winter gales, while white birches (Betula papyrifera) live a more serene but shorter life. Mount Willey in the background. Winter, Crawford Notch State Park

A forest of bare hardwoods, including American beech (Fagus grandifolia), white birch (Betula papyrifera), hickories (Carya sp.) and others on the southward-facing north wall of the canyon of Bemis Brook. The snow lies at a seemingly impossible angle on the hillside. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A leaf-like green lichen spreading on the trunk of a dead tree. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Branches of a red spruce (Picea rubens) sapling overhang two seelings of red spruce peeking out from the snow. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Myriad species of fungus and lichen coat a broken stump, and are themselves coated with snow. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A garden of mosses and seedlings on top of a pink granite boulder and under a blanket of snow. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Lichen growing on a dead twig. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A tall eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) stands out against the skyline of the southern wall of the canyon of Bemis Brook. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The steep southern wall of the canyon of Bemis Brook is mostly covered with evergreens, especially eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Late on a winter morning, the sunshine is just beginning to appear at the tops of the trees at right. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Snow on a sawn log forms a neat white wedge nearly two feet high. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Buds of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) seem to herald the spring, but this is the dead of winter. The hobblebush has borne nearly-opened leaf buds like this since October, and they will not really leaf out until near the end of April. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A white birch (Betula papyrifera) with an injury in the process of healing. When the bark is cut, the tree first grows smooth, reddish bark like this, similar to the bark of a very young white birch. Later, this bark will become grayish and furrowed, almost like the bark of a maple. After many years, the bark will return to the usual chalky white. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Bare hardwoods, mostly white birch (Betula papyrifera) and some American beech (Fagus grandifolia) stand in stark contrast against the dark hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) and the steely blue winter sky. Winter, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

White pines (Pinus strobus) stand like green towers over the shore of the Mill Pond, while the hardwoods put on the first blush of spring buds. Spring, Mine Falls Park

The annual greening of the forest floor begins with unfurling fern fiddleheads, Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) leaves, and other plants that survive the winter as underground rhizomes. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Duckweed (Lemna minor) emerges from winter dormancy before the snow has melted completely. It is one of the first green things to appear in spring. Early spring, Mine Falls Park

It's interesting that these two dead hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis), less than five feet apart, are infested with two different species of fungus. The one on the left has only a white polypore fungus, and the one on the right has only an orange fungus. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Close-up of a dead hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) infested with a white polypore fungus. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Close-up of a dead hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) infested with an orange fungus. Winter, Mine Falls Park

A young pine (Pinus sp.) in the snow. Winter, Mine Falls Park

A long-dead tree covered with polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae). Winter, Mine Falls Park

A pine tree (Pinus sp.) covered with polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae). Winter, Mine Falls Park

Close-up of polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae) on a pine tree (Pinus sp.). Winter, Mine Falls Park

Improbable though it seems, this dead log has been held up by that little sapling and leaning against that tree in the same position for so long that the polypore fungus (family Polyporaceae) on it grows at an odd angle to the log, but parallel to the ground. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) climbing a whtie pine (Pinus strobus). Early summer, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) in bloom. Early summer, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

The hillside where the Self-Guided Nature Trail descends from Brown Lane Barn to Beaver Brook Trail is a dense, old forest of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea), with a few pines and hardwoods here and there. Early summer, Self-Guided Nature Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

The Eastman Meadow Trail, north of Bouchard Bridge, passes through a mixed hardwood and evergreen forest, home to oak (Quercus sp.), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), with a few pines. Early summer, Eastman Meadow Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) still bears one of last season's berries even as it blossoms. Early summer, Eastman Meadow Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

This sapling oak (Quercus sp.) is heavily infested with leaf-eating grubs. It might not survive. Notice how the track of the insect grows wider as the insect progresses and grows. Early summer, Elkins Road, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Close-up of a leaf of a sapling oak (Quercus sp.) which is heavily infested with leaf-eating grubs. The tree might not survive. Notice how the track of the insect grows wider as the insect progresses and grows. Early summer, Elkins Road, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Many old trees along the Merrimack River grow out horizontally just over the water like this. You might think that this is a tree in the process of falling into the river, but the orientation of its leaves, branches, and roots indicate that it has been growing like this for many, many years. Summer, Town of Andover Conservation Commission, Andover, MA

Pines, like this white pine (Pinus strobus) are not common in the Crawford Notch area. The Abenaki consider them the tallest of trees, and have many stories of pines boasting to the other trees about how tall they are. This tree pays the price, as you can see, with his weather-blasted crown rising far above the surrounding hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis). Spring, Bemis Brook Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Ferns unfurling among boulders and flood detritus, with wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) around their stems. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

For years, trees have been dying and falling into this gully and rotting away, but the hobblebush lives and blooms. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The little swamp on the south side of Bemis Brook above Arethusa Falls. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The little swamp on the south side of Bemis Brook above Arethusa Falls. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The little swamp on the south side of Bemis Brook above Arethusa Falls. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Looking south along the cliff from the top of Arethusa Falls. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Looking south from the Frankenstein Cliff Trail across the valley of Bemis Brook. Notice how hardwoods predominate on the sunny areas, and evergreens on the shaded slopes. Spring, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Small trees in a crack in the rock on Frankenstein Cliff. The red spruce (Picea rubens) might be rather old, but stunted. The taller white birch (Betula papyrifera) is not merely sunted, but actually young, as evidenced by its glossy, reddish-brown bark. The smaller birch on the left, sprouting from a stump, might also be old. Spring, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Weather-blasted jack pines (Pinus banksiana) on the edge of Frankenstein Cliff. Even the near-dead one on the right has some life in it, as the green needles on its topmost branch attest. Spring, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

This stunted birch (Betula papyrifera) on the edge of Frankenstein Cliff is older than its seven-foot height might suggest. They must be somewhere around eight years old, usually about 12 feet tall, before their bark turns white. Mount Crawford in the background, Saco River, Route 302, and the lower parking lot of the Arethusa Falls Trail Head below. Spring, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Mosses and other plants line the cracks in the pink granite beside the Saco River. There are many veins of pink granite in the Crawford Notch area, including this one near the Dry River Campground. In the foreground, gravel dropped by the river in flood lies atop the more common gray granite. Late spring, Saco River, Crawford Notch State Park

A little mountain birch (Betula minor) sprawls on the granite beside the Saco River. This creeper-like shrub is common at high altitudes, but present wherever there are cracks in the rock. Late spring, Saco River, Crawford Notch State Park

Sapling oaks (Quercus sp.) and various herbs prepare for fall on the bank of the Nashua Canal, while the surface of the canal is littered with fallen leaves. Notice that in addition to the leaves of hardwoods, the litter includes many needles of pitch pine (Pinus rigida). Pitch pine is strongly seasonal, losing nearly half its needles in the fall. Fall, Mine Falls Park

Buds of American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) swelling against the blue sky of a spring evening. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Bracket fungus on a dead spruce. Late spring, Webster Cliff Trail, White Mountain National Forest

Various creepers and young trees in the drier ground between the bogs on the norhern shoulder of Mount Jackson. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) on the right, Black spruce (Picea mariana) on the left. Late spring, Webster Cliff Trail, White Mountain National Forest

Lichens drape the trees in the moist forests high on Mount Pierce. Late spring, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest

Spruce seedlings (Picea rubens) sprout on a dead spruce log, while similar-looking shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum) grows to the right of the log. Late spring, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest

The moss on this boulder almost looks like graffiti. Late spring, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest

Maybe it's just me, but I think this root could hardly look more like a bird's head if it had feathers. Late spring, Crawford Path, White Mountain National Forest

Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) and other small plants in a pocket of soil on the side of a rock face overhanging Saco Lake. Late spring, Saco Lake, Crawford Notch State Park

Rock tripe lichen. In moist conditions, it is lush and green, like this. Normally, it is dark brown and crumbly, and you would think it is dead. Late spring, Saco Lake Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Rock tripe lichen. In moist conditions, it is lush and green, like this. Normally, it is dark brown and crumbly, and you would think it is dead. Late spring, Saco Lake Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

This ancient birch tree (Betula papyrifera) has been killed and resurrected twice before, but it is near its last days again. Late spring, Saco Lake Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Must have been a noisy night in camp when this tree fell. I can't imagine how it broke in two places, each break at right angles to the other. Late spring, Dry River Campground, Crawford Notch State Park

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) in bloom. We don't think of clusters of little white flowers when we think of poison ivy, but there they are. Late spring, Mine Falls Park

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) in bloom. We don't think of clusters of little white flowers when we think of poison ivy, but there they are. Late spring, Mine Falls Park

A steep hillside overlooking the narrow west end of the Mill Pond is covered with great laurel (Rhododendron maximum) and young maples (Acer sp.). Great laurel is one of the most common shrubs in the wooded areas of Mine Falls Park, but it is only conspicuous when it blooms in spring and summer, and when its leathery leaves are the only green thing in the forest understory in the dead of winter. Late spring, Mine Falls Park

A hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) recently felled by a beaver (Castor canadensis). Beavers usually prefer the bark, twigs, and leaves of smooth-barked hardwoods like birch and beech. Here they have clearly eaten the bark from the stump, and from much of the felled tree. A couple of weeks after I first saw it (a week since I took this picture), the tree still lies where it fell. Late spring, Mine Falls Park

In the middle of a whorl of leaves, a fern raises its spore-bearing stalk. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Huge, bright green leaves of the skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) mark the wettest part of this little swamp beside one of the distributaries that flow from the Mill Pond to the Nashua River. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Tiny new leaves on the new spring growth of the red maple (Acer rubrum). Spring, Mine Falls Park

The silver maple (Acer saccharinum) turns white, showing the underside of its leaves, right before a thunderstorm. This is not some mystical power of the silver maple, but a consequence of its normal growth. Its leaves are angled to be stable in the prevailing winds, but an unusual wind, such as the gusts preceding a thunderstorm, makes the leaves flutter or turn over completely, revealing their silvery undersides. Spring, Mine Falls Park

The silver maple (Acer saccharinum) turns white, showing the underside of its leaves, right before a thunderstorm. Spring, Mine Falls Park

A thicket of ferns and other marsh plants on the margins of the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Maple-leaved viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) just about to bloom. It blooms later than hobblebush (V. alnifolium) and is more common at lower elevations. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is very common around the summit of Pack Monadnock, growing in the cracks of the bare rock around the fire tower, and along the northern Wapack Trail. Despite the "highbush" part of the name, it is sometimes just as low as the "lowbush" species (V. angustifolium), especially where it grows in cracks in the bedrock, like this one. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) blossoms. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) blossoms. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) blossoms. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana), not yet in bloom. Notice the distinctive and improbable structure of this plant. A bare stem rises more than a foot above the ground before sprouting a whorl of five to ten leaves, then nearly a foot above that is another whorl of three or four leaves. In another week or so, several little green flowers, in typical lily form if not color, will emerge and hang down below the top whorl of leaves. Although the plant is generally rare, there are quite a few in one small area near the lower end of the Marion Davis Trail. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock

Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana), not yet in bloom. Looking straight down from above the plant, we see three buds that will soon bloom, and the two tiers of leaves below them. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock

Redroot (Ceanothus ovatus). Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Redroot (Ceanothus ovatus). Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Redroot (Ceanothus ovatus). Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Looks like they'll have to find a new place to paint a trail blaze around here. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

This maple (Acer sp.) has a remarkable story. Like many trees on the western side of Pack Monadnock, it fell while still rather young when the shifting rocks left it insufficiently anchored. But, unlike most fallen trees, it continued to live. It took root near its "top," and a branch there began to develop into a new tree (at right, hidden behind some undergrowth). A new branch arose from near its original roots, and it, too, began to grow vertically (at left). Even in the middle, halfway between the two sets of roots and exalted a foot into the air over a gulley, a pair of branches began to become a tree. Unfortunately, decay has begun both to the left and especially to the right of the central pair of branches. The new trees at top and bottom will probably live, but the one in the middle will soon lose its connection to the roots, not to mention the support that is holding it up. I'll try to remember to keep an eye on this tree over the next few years. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Another view of the "upper" end of the fallen maple (Acer sp.) that has developed two sets of roots. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Looking uphill along the trunk of the fallen maple (Acer sp.) with two sets of roots. The near end is the original root, and the tree to the left of the tangled roots has grown out of the original stump. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

In the poor, rocky, dry soil of the western slopes of Pack Monadnock, a rotting stump is paradise, if only for a few years, for small plants like these Canada mayflowers (Maianthemum canadense). Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

This sweet birch (Betula lenta) appears to have crept across the rock. Evidently it took root in soil on top of a large boulder, then grew its roots far to the left to reach around the rock. Subsequently, the soil on top of the boulder eroded away, leaving a strangely gnarled trunk. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

This oak (Quercus sp.) is rather old for this area, as evidenced by its girth, but not tall. It is less than 25 feet tall, while a similar ten-inch-diameter oak on the eastern side of Pack Monadnock might be over 60 feet tall. This oak is probably also older than most ten-inch-diameter oaks of the same species, but not the oldest oak on Pack Monadnock. All trees here on the western side of the mountain die relatively young. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

A cluster of small white birches (Betula papyrifera). Normally, white birch has glossy, reddish-brown bark until it becomes mature at about fifteen feet tall or so. In the harsh growing conditions on the western slopes of Pack Monadnock, these birches have their mature white bark while still less than ten feet tall. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

A knee-high forest of juniper (Juniperus sp.). Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Jack pine (Pinus banksiana). This small pine has very long needles growing in fascicles of two. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Wood sorrel (Oxalis montana). This is the native North American type. The common wood sorrel on your lawn or in your city park is more likely O. europaea, an invasive form. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

This tree took root where it was bent to the ground, but it has since died. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

An old hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) is partially flattened where it grows against a boulder. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

An oak (Quercus sp.) in bloom. For all the flowers in each cluster, you usually never see more than about four acorns in a cluster when they ripen. Spring, Pack Monadnock

A maple (Acer sp.) casting its whirling winged seeds to the spring breeze. Spring, Pack Monadnock

Looking north-northwest from the summit of Pack Monadnock, North Pack Monadnock on the right, Crotched Mountain and Mount Kearsarge on the left, the White Mountains in the distant haze in between. Spring, Pack Monadnock

This unfortunate wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) has grown up right through a little hole in a fallen leaf from last year. Unless it can spread its leaves quickly, it will not get enough energy to put on much growth this year. Notice that it has no flowers. Perhaps it did not produce flowers because it was not getting enough nourishing sunlight. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock

For most of its life, this oak tree (Quercus sp.) supported a fallen neighbor. It may carry this U-shaped reminder the rest of its life. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock

Even on the eastern side of Pack Monadnock, some trees must contend with shifting boulders all their lives, as this ancient sweet birch (Betula lenta) demonstrates. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock

Low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) in bloom. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) in bloom. Spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock

Holes in a dead American beech (Fagus grandifolia) drilled, while the tree was still alive, by a yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), the only woodpecker in this area that feeds in this way. When the sap oozed out, the bird would return periodically to eat both the sweet sap and any insects that were attracted by the sap. In this view, we're looking "down" the tree from what had been the top, although the tree is now lying head-down on a slope. Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock.

Closer view of holes in a dead American beech (Fagus grandifolia) drilled by a yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius). Spring, Marion Davis Trail, Pack Monadnock.

The Beaver Brook area has more thoroughly mixed groundcover than most places I know. Instead of a wide swath of one plant here and another there, all types of plants are everywhere! In this picture, we see New Hampshire's ubiquitous Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), Beaver Brook's equally ubiquitous partridge berry (Mitchella repens), numerous fringed polygala (Polygala panicifolia), and quite a few other small plants. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowi) grows all around the Mill Pond, especially on the sunny northern shore. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowi) grows all around the Mill Pond, especially on the sunny northern shore. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowi) grows all around the Mill Pond, especially on the sunny northern shore. Spring, Mine Falls Park

The spore-covered fruiting structures of a fern. Spring, Mine Falls Park

A thistle (possibly Cirsium vulgare) sprouting beside a very popular trail. I suspect it will be destroyed soon, to prevent injuries to children. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Fiddleheads of fern unfurling near my favorite sitting rock. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Same fiddleheads a week later. Spring, Mine Falls Park

A small stand of pitch pine (Pinus rigida) on the north shore of the Mill Pond, opposite my favorite sitting rock. A lone birch (Betula papyrifera) pokes out of one spot near the left. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Duckweed (Lemna minor) has lain dormant on the bottom of the Mill Pond all winter. Now that spring has begun, it returns to life. As it grows, it becomes buoyant and rises to float on top of the pond. There it reproduces by budding prolifically and blankets large stretches of the pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park

A sprig of wintergreen rises just above the surrounding Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense). Spring, Mine Falls Park

A sprig of wintergreen among the leaf litter. Green under the snow all winter, it will now be shadowed by the warm-weather undergrowth. Spring, Mine Falls Park

A flowering bough of maleberry bush (Lyonia ligustrina) overhanging the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Bark of the red pine (Pinus resinosa). It has a scaly appearance, like that of the pitch pine (P. rigida), but each scale is flaky, unlike the smooth scales of the pitch pine. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

The cone of a red pine (Pinus resinosa). Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

An old poison ivy vine (Toxicodendron radicans) nearly strangling a tree. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) creeping over a boulder beside a tiny stream. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

The lower hardwood forest along the Arethusa Falls Trail is littered with fallen birches (Betula papyrifera), recent victims of a harsh winter, along with victims of winters past. Many of the standing beeches (Fagus grandifolia) here are dead, killed by an infection which is common in the area. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum) has been green all winter, and now it is joined by the sprouts of Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), not yet blooming, at the foot of a dead beech (Fagus grandifolia). Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum) and a budding trillium (Trillium sp.). I can't be certain of the species at this early stage of growth, but this is probably painted trillium (T. undulatum). Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

This stand of various clubmosses is just about the largest and densest that I know of. It forms a veritable ankle-high forest, and it contains all three species of clubmoss that I know, ground pine (Lycopodium clavatum), ground cedar (L. complanatum), and shining clubmoss (L. lucidulum). It also contains the largest specimens I know of ground pine and ground cedar clubmosses. Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A very tall ground pine clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum), over a foot high, flanked by shining clubmoss (L. lucidulum), mostly to the right, and ground cedar clubmoss (L. complanatum) to the left. There is also a small patch of true moss at left center. Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Several rather tall ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum), about ten inches tall. Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

This bracket fungus growing on a dead beech (Fagus grandifolia) looks quite distinctive, but I can't identify it in my mushroom references. Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Side view of the same bracket fungus growing on a dead beech (Fagus grandifolia) which I can't identify . Spring, Ripley Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Looking like a small tree beside the still-brown stand of cattails (Typha latifolia), this young swamp honeysuckle (Rhododendron viscosum) will eventually become a bush. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Blossoming boughs of swamp honeysuckle (Rhododendron viscosum) overhang the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Blossoming boughs of swamp honeysuckle (Rhododendron viscosum) overhang the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Fiddleheads of fern emerge from the leaf litter surrounded by the dead stalks of last year's fronds. Spring, Mine Falls Park

While the first fiddleheads of fern emerge from the leaf litter on the shore, the first duckweeds (Lemna minor) appear on the surface of the Mill Pond. They will soon blanket every still, shallow cove. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Fiddleheads of fern and other spring plants grow on a shaky, muddy hummock on the edge of the Mill Pond. This hummock is all that remains of a log that fell into the pond many years ago. Spring, Mine Falls Park

Perhaps there's a story behind this. My grandchildren look forward to seeing this not-too-scary "monster tree" whenever we go to Beaver Brook. Late winter, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH

This diseased and decayed American beech (Fagus grandifolia) was creaking and popping in the wind. I was sure it was going to fall any minute. I waited for nearly half an hour but it didn't fall, so I moved on. A month later, it was still standing. As of this writing, I haven't been to Arethusa Falls in a couple of months, so I don't know if it's still standing. Late fall, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A side view of the same diseased and decayed American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Surely, it was about to fall! Notice the uncharacteristically dark and furrowed bark. Many beeches along the lower reaches of the Arethusa Falls trail have some kind of fungal infection that makes their bark rough, but this one is worse than most. Late fall, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

The same diseased and decayed American beech (Fagus grandifolia) a month later, still standing. The ghoulish face, a mouth formed by the ominous crack in the dead wood, is further accented by two snowy eyes. Early winter, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Various shrubs and saplings in vibrant fall colors decorate the shore of the Mill Pond. Fall, Mine Falls Park

A red-brown oak (Quercus sp.) forms a perfect backdrop for a yellow-leafed white birch (Betula papyrifera). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A red-brown oak (Quercus sp.) forms a perfect backdrop for a yellow-leafed white birch (Betula papyrifera). Fall, Mine Falls Park

Red-brown leaves of oaks (Quercus sp.) stand out in contrast against the deep green pines (Pinus sp.). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A tiny ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum) pokes through the leaf litter and snow at the base of an oak (Quercus sp.). Winter, Mine Falls Park

A single brown leaf in an oak (Quercus sp.) catches the cold sunshine of a winter afternoon. Winter, Mine Falls Park

The cocoon of a moth rides out the winter in the branches of a rhododendron. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Snow on the branches of a rhododendron forms a natural snowball. Winter, Mine Falls Park

A small bush growing in a crack of a lichen-encrusted boulder near the summit of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Reindeer lichen (possibly Cladonia sp.) near the summit of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

An epiphyte unknown to me, probably a mistletoe of the family Santalaceae, possibly Phoradendron sp., on a rhododendron. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum) in the leaf litter, fall, Pack Monadnock

Black bracket fungus on a standing dead birch, fall, Pack Monadnock

Mushrooms on a standing dead birch, fall, Pack Monadnock

The same species of mushrooms just emerging from within the same standing dead birch, fall, Pack Monadnock

A large bracket fungus of the family Polyporaceae on a rotten log, fall, Pack Monadnock

A cluster of ferns around a fallen log, fall, Pack Monadnock

In an unseasonably warm January, meltwater seeps from the moss and down the face of a granite boulder, winter, Pack Monadnock

A garden of mosses, lichens, and creepers on a granite boulder, winter, Pack Monadnock

Frankenstein Cliff is lightly dusted with new-fallen snow, winter, Crawford Notch

Clouds creeping up Crawford Notch seem to be set afire by the rising sun, as new-fallen snow dusts the trees. Mount Webster on left, Mount Willard on right. Winter, Crawford Notch

Snow coats the trees and the bare rock of Elephant Head (right) and Bugle Cliff (left). Winter, Crawford Notch

A partridge berry plant remains green among the brown autumn oak leaves, fall, Mine Falls Park

A fallen white pine (Pinus strobus) slowly decays into the Mill Pond as oaks (Quercus sp.) on the far shore put on their fall colors and white birches (Betula papyrifera) have already lost their leaves. I used to stand under this leaning pine on rainy Sunday afternoons, until it fell over a couple of years ago. Now I've found another leaning pine to shelter me. Fall, Mine Falls Park

The Mill Pond Trail is a wide, snow-covered avenue lined with white birches (Betula papyrifera) as it makes its way beside the canal. Winter, Mine Falls Park

Fiddleheads of ferns uncurl from among the dead stems of last year's growth, surrounded by hobblebush and other emerging spring plants. Spring, Crawford Notch

Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) in bloom, exhibiting the odd clustered flowers. The flowers on the periphery of the cluster are much larger than those in the interior. Spring, Crawford Notch

A tiny seedling maple (Acer sp.) holds onto its fall colors amid the brown litter of earlier fallen leaves. The laurels will remain green all winter. Fall, Mine Falls Park

The blazing colors of the white birch (Betula papyrifera) are reflected in the Mill Pond as it upstages a more drab oak (Quercus sp.). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum) puts up its fruiting body to scatter its spores before winter sets in. Late fall, Mine Falls Park

The footbridge where the Mill Pond Trail crosses one of the little distributary streams, framed by towering pines (Pinus sp.) and bare deciduous trees, while snow and late-fallen oak leaves blanket the frozen pond. Late fall, Mine Falls Park

This is almost a "micro-bog" where lichen has created a substrate for numerous small plants in a small depression on top of a very large boulder along the Wapack Trail north of the summit of Pack MOnadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

This large boulder, surrounded by bracken ferns, was obviously worn by flowing water for a very long time, but there are no rivers anywhere nearby, and there are no other such smooth-looking boulders in the area. It must have been scooped out of a riverbed by the ice sheets in the last ice age, then deposited here on the southeast side of Pack Monadnock. It may have come from the Connecticut River, about 50 miles away, or from many hundreds of miles away. Summer, Pack Monadnock

Uprooted trees, victims of the movement of the scree on the western side of Pack Monadnock. Notice how little soil is on the root disks, and you can barely detect the scar on the land where the trees once stood. Fall, Pack Monadnock

The ferns and mosses that took root on the little ledges of this crumbling boulder have begun to slide down the side of Pack Monadnock. The trees rooted in the cracks will follow before they become fully mature. Fall, Pack Monadnock

In places on the north and west sides of Pack Monadnock, junipers (Juniperus sp.) are so abundant they could be called the dominant "tree." Fall, Pack Monadnock

Looking west-southwest from the Wapack Trail on Pack Monadnock toward Peterborough, we see the legendary New England foliage spread out around Cunningham Pond. Fall, Pack Monadnock

This white pine (Pinus strobus) is growing out of a tiny crack in a large boulder right in the middle of the Wapack Trail. Notice the odd way its branches and needles grow, densely packed and all on the top side of the tree, unlike the other pine just ten feet away. I suspect this pine is much older than most in the area. Most pines and other trees on the western side of Pack Monadnock die young as the rocks on which they grow quickly erode down the mountain. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Close-up of the base of the same pine tree growing in a crack in the boulder. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Classic New England stone fence on Pack Monadnock. It once separated two farms, and now marks the boundary between the state park (right) and the Nature Conservancy property (left). Fall, Pack Monadnock

This view of the Wapack Trail shows how rocky the western side of Pack Monadnock can be. All of this scree is slowly sliding down the mountain. Fall, Pack Monadnock

The Wapack Trail scrambles up several low cliffs like this one. Notice the trees rooted in the cracks in the ledge. Fall, Pack Monadnock

A young juniper (Juniperus sp.) creeps down the vertical face of a boulder. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Reindeer lichen (possibly Cladonia sp.) near the summit of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

This American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is short and stout, with low branches, including one long, low branch. This is very unusual for this species. They usually have no branches lower than ten feet, and the branches grow upward. Fall, Pack Monadnock

In this one picture, we see seedlings of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis at left) and red pine (Pinus resinosa at right), as well as shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum mostly in front of the hemlock) and ground cedar clubmoss (L. complanatum mostly in front of the pine). Fall, Pack Monadnock

Ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum, mostly right and background) and shining clubmoss (L. lucidulum, front, center, and left). The ground cedar on the right, with three tiers of branches, is among the largest I've seen. Fall, Pack Monadnock

This seedling is starting out in a crack in a boulder, with plenty of lichens for company. Summer, Pack Monadnock

I count at least 30 annual growth rings in this 8-inch slice of red spruce (Picea rubens). Late fall, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

I haven't counted very precisely, but there are clearly well over 100 annual growth rings in this 18-inch slice of red spruce (Picea rubens). Late fall, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

Lightly falling snow glitters among the trees in the weak morning sunshine. Late fall, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park

A small Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) near the edge of Frankenstein Cliff. Notice how water has worn a neat channel in the ledge right up to where it spills over into the forest far below. Late fall, Frankenstein Cliff, Crawford Notch State Park

A tiny seedling juniper (Juniperus sp.) in a crack in a boulder on top of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Oak leaf (Quercus sp.) on a water-smoothed glacial erratic. Fall, Pack Monadnock

A few sprigs of partridge berry and leaf litter on a bed of moss. Fall, Pack Monadnock

The last leg of the Frankenstein Cliff Trail is nearly level as it passes through a rich but rock-strewn forest. Contrast this with the sparse forest in the scree of the western slope of Pack Monadnock. Late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

Blue blazes on the beech trees mark the connector trail from the Frankenstein Cliff Trail to the lower parking lot. Late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

Looking up from beneath Frankenstein Trestle, late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

Cone of the Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana). Notice the needles. This is the only pine in northern New Engand with needles in fascicles of two. The needles are also much longer, but much stiffer than the needles of other pines in the region. Late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

Mount Washington and the southern Presidential Range from the overlook on Frankenstein Cliff Trail, late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

Looking west along Frankenstein Cliff (before we get to Frankenstein Cliff proper). Arethusa Falls is the white patch of ice near the head of the Bemis Brook Valley, just below the second dead branch (the "V" shaped one). Late fall, Crawford Notch State Park

This dripping wet monolith offers cool shade and dampness on a hot summer afternoon as you descend Frankenstein Cliff. Spring, Crawford Notch State Park

Look at this varied little garden! I see lots of hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium), including one clustered blossom, two painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) in full bloom, over half a dozen bluebead lilies (Clintonia borealis) in bud, a little clump of shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum), and a maple sapling (Acer sp.), all framed by young hemlocks(Tsuga canadensis). Spring, Crawford Notch State Park

Lush lichens drape the trees in the high, swampy forests on Mount Pierce, summer, Presidential Range

Close-up of lichens on the trees on Mount Pierce, summer, Presidential Range

One of the bogs on Mount Jackson. The stunted trees around it are mostly black spruce (Picea mariana). Summer, Presidential Range

Close-up of bog vegetation on Mount Jackson includes red leaves of sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), summer, Presidential Range

The black spruce (Picea mariana) in the southern Presidential Range die in slow-moving waves as they deplete the thin soil, as you can see in this view northeastward from Mount Jackson. Summer, Presidential Range

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) has managed to grow and set fruit in the cracks among the boulders behind the beaver lodge in Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

This odd lichen looks dead, but a little water turns it soft and green, early fall, Crawford Notch

Red spruce (Picea rubens) stunted into "wild bonsai" on Elephant Head, early fall, Crawford Notch

Red spruce (Picea rubens) stunted into "wild bonsai" on Elephant Head, early fall, Crawford Notch

Red spruce (Picea rubens) stunted into "wild bonsai" on Elephant Head, early fall, Crawford Notch

Bracket fungus on a white birch (Betula papyrifera), early fall, Crawford Notch

Pear-shaped puffballs (Lycoperdon pyriforme), early fall, Crawford Notch

Pear-shaped puffballs (Lycoperdon pyriforme), early fall, Crawford Notch

A sapling silver maple (Acer saccharinum) preparing for winter, early fall, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

A sapling red maple (Acer rubrum) preparing for winter, late summer, Mine Falls Park

Same sapling red maple (Acer rubrum) a week later, early fall, Mine Falls Park

Mixed undergrowth on the sunlit northern bank of Bemis Brook above Arethusa Falls, including stiff aster (Aster linariifolius), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium), and numerous ferns and grasses, late summer, Crawford Notch

No, nobody lost their ruffled underwear in the woods, at least not in this instance. It's an unripe pig's ear gomphus mushroom (Gomphus clavatus). Late summer, Mine Falls Park

A little garden of ferns on a granite boulder, late summer, Presidential Range

A little garden of ferns on a granite boulder, late summer, Presidential Range

Lichen, late summer, Presidential Range

Bakeapple berries (Vaccinium macrocarpon). This is actually a wild cranberry, also called bear berry, and distinct from the bakeapple berry of Newfoundland (Rubus chamaemorus), also called cloud berry. But it tastes like a baked apple, complete with cinnamon. They grow in the bogs on the northern slope of Mount Jackson, and this was a banner year. Most years, I only find two or three ripe berries. Late summer, Presidential Range

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) in fruit, summer, Presidential Range

Blue-bead lily (Clintonia borealis) in fruit. This is why this yellow flower is called the "blue-bead" lily. Summer, Presidential Range

Blue-bead lily (Clintonia borealis) in fruit, summer, Presidential Range

Low-bush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), late summer, Presidential Range

Water spider (family Cybaeidae). The surface he's standing on is actually water with a dense growth of tiny duckweed (Lemna minor) floating on it. Summer, Mine Falls Park

Underside of a fern leaf, summer, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Summer, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Summer, Mine Falls Park

An aquatic flower garden, including pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) soft rush (Juncus effusus) and common cattail (Typha latifolia), summer, Mine Falls Park

Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora), a very odd flowering plant that does not photosynthesize, but gets all its nutrients from fungi, summer, Mine Falls Park

A dragonfly rests on a twig of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Summer, Mine Falls Park

Wood sorrel (Oxalis europaea) in bloom. This is the non-native yellow-flowering form. In the mountains, I more often see the North American native O. montana, with its pink-streaked white flowers. Summer, Mine Falls Park

Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) in bloom, summer, Mine Falls Park

Patch of wood sorrel (Oxalis montana). This is the native North American type. The common wood sorrel on your lawn or in your city park is more likely O. europaea, an invasive form. Early summer, Crawford Notch

Bracket fungus on a long-dead tree, early summer, Crawford Notch

A leaf of wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) that has been eaten by an insect larva. Notice how the track got larger as the insect grew. Summer, Pack Monadnock

Close-up of a leaf of wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) that has been eaten by an insect larva, Summer, Pack Monadnock

Various lichens and algae on a large granite outcrop, summer, Pack Monadnock

The typical growth habit of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium), summer, Pack Mondadnock

In late summer, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn deep burgundy and fall off, but the plant puts forth a new crop of leaves for the fall, late summer, Crawford Notch

Sometimes, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn red instead of burgundy. This plant is growing in a clearing on the cliff beside Arethusa Falls, so it stands taller than most of its species. Late summer, Crawford Notch

Rarely, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn orange! Birds have eaten all the berries from this one. Late summer, Crawford Notch

Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) in fruit, late summer, Crawford Notch

Close-up of hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) berries, late summer, Crawford Notch

Before winter, the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) puts out leaf buds, which partially open and remain on the plant all winter, so it can be first to open its leaves in spring, early spring, Crawford Notch

A maple seedling preparing for winter, late summer, Crawford Notch

The moon above the trees, late summer, Crawford Notch

Red spruce (Picea rubens) stunted into "wild Bonsai" on top of Elephant Head, late spring, Crawford Notch

"Wild Bonsai" red spruces (Picea rubens) on top of Mount Jackson, summer, Presidential Range

A stump that was felled by beavers many years ago, late spring, Mine Falls Park

Fern fiddleheads, mid-spring, Mine Falls Park

Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) in bud. This odd plant has leaf-buds like this right through the winter, ready to leaf out before the taller trees, mid-spring, Crawford Notch

Various mosses and ferns, greenery under the winter snow, mid-spring, Crawford Notch

Close-up of ferns and mosses, mid-spring, Crawford Notch

This odd lichen is called "rock tripe," but I don't know the species. I'm investigating. This plant occurs almost exclusively on vertical surfaces, almost always granite. It appears dead, but comes to life when moistened, turning green and succulent within minutes, mid-spring, Crawford Notch

Shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum), mid-spring, Crawford Notch

Moss, ground pine clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum), lichen, and hemlock seedlings (Tsuga canadensis) on an undercut bank, late winter, Mine Falls Park

Moss and seedling hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and pine (Pinus sp.), late winter, Mine Falls Park

Ground-pine clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum), late winter, Mine Falls Park

Can't identify the species, or even genus, of most fungus, but I know this is of the family Polyporaceae. This is the "wallpaper" of one of my virtual computers. Late winter, Mine Falls Park

Underside of a bough of hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), winter, Mine Falls Park

Moss-covered roots, winter, Mine Falls Park

Polypore fungus (either the same species as above, or not), winter, Mine Falls Park

Lichen on red pine (Pinus resinosa), winter, Mine Falls Park

Polypore fungus (probably a different species from the two pictures above), winter, Mine Falls Park

Dead red pine (Pinus resinosa) bearing the distinctive rectangular nest-hole of a pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), winter, Mine Falls Park

Hemlock cones (Tsuga canadensis), winter, Mine Falls Park

Nearly-bare branches of oak against the steely sky, late fall, Mine Falls Park

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) on white pine (Pinus strobus), fall, Mine Falls Park