Look to
the wetland bogs or slow-moving forest streams, where the canopy is thin so
that the sunlight comes easily to the ground. It is here that favors the
striking red cardinal flower, which is in bloom this first week of August in
this region.
Its
color is truly like no other, and cast against the background of greens of
other foliage or varied blue of the waters around which is thrives, the red
petals appear blazing and out of place.
The
first time I saw one was years ago in northern Michigan on the Ingleside Road
out of Douglas Lake, at a point where the dirt road crosses a broad meadow
stream. The water was shallow, tannin-colored and slowly moving with a sandy
bottom and small grassy island of sweet grass and Timothy. It was at the edge
of one such island, that a tuft of cardinal flower was on display, and from the
passing road with the sun striking on full, it gave the impression of small
fire bursts in the background.
That
was years ago, and I’ve looked to find the cardinal flower here in Paxton to
see its brilliant colors again.
Today,
while riding on the Rutland rail trail, just past the deep ravine cut where the
bedrock is exposed from the blasting done years ago to create the passage, a ¼
mile further going downhill is a bog section, open to the August sun. As we
rode past I caught a glimpse of fiery red sitting just at water’s edge near the
trailside. Cardinal flower flourishes here amid pickerel weed and water lily.
It is worth the trip to see it.
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