Maples and May Apples

I've always been fascinated with how the leaves unfold in the spring.  I think it dates back to a grade 5 project to measure and watch the buds of 12 trees or shrubs one year.  The Sugar Maple seem to develop leaves ahead of their flowers, so we're seeing the rapid growth of millions of green leaves just now.  The leaves below are all on separate trees around the neighbourhood.  And I just enjoy them - so should you!

The big maple out on the golf course is half green already!  Soon these bright green half-unfolded leaves will be gone as they unfold completely into the green of summer.

 

May Apples are a strange plant in the woods that looks for all the world like a little maple tree.  A plant has two leaves, and at the point where the two leaves diverge on the stem, there is a little 'apple'.  They stand about  18" tall.  I certainly would never expect to find these in town, but they are flourishing on the front lawn of a house not far away!

There is indeed a veritable forest of these on the front lawn!

And there, in front of the May Apple, is a long patch of the Bloodroot which I shared when it was in bloom a couple of weeks ago.  Now it's just a lot of these very squiggly-shaped leaves.