“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places,” written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is one of my favorite quotes in the past nineteen years of life. The wildflowers in the Adirondacks, as one of the unique features of the Adirondacks, attract tons of tourists. Simultaneously, since some of the flowers are rare to find while very useful, it is important that the US government should take initiative to preserve them.

Let me show you a few beautiful wildflowers of the Adirondacks. The Picture 1 shows Buckbean (also called Bogbean), one species native to the Adirondacks. In spring and early summer, it produces clusters of star-like white flowers. Thin silk wound on the petals so that the flower appears in a fancier sense. Do you see the little insect resting on the flower petal? I felt the strong emotional bonding between different organisms when I looked at the picture at first glance. It is one of the typical scenes showing the harmonious relationship among species in the Adirondacks. Furthermore, Buckbean flourishes in “wet soil or shallow water on the edge of ponds, blogs, and marshy ground,” where living conditions are unsatisfactory. Despite this, Buckbean is versatile. It is commonly used as both a food and a medicine. In Europe, the leaves were sometimes used as a substitute for hops in beer brewing and were also boiled in honey to make mead. Powdered Buckbean roots were reportedly mixed with flour as a bread additive (Martin, Zim, Nelson).

Picture 1: Buckbean flowers

Another wildflower that I appreciate is Grass Pink (Picture 2). It often springs from peat or sphagnum moss, and the bearded lip easily recognizes its petal and long, narrow, grass-like leaves (Chapman). Plus, it is famous for its sweet-smelling smell when it generally blooms in late June or early July. The petals of the flower have a delicate fragrance, said to be reminiscent of red raspberries or sweet violets. The lower lip petal is deeply fringed in the center with yellow bristles. Nevertheless, this plant is listed by the US Department of Agriculture as “exploitably vulnerable” in New York State, leading to my awareness that more conservation actions are needed to protect wildflowers like Grass Pink from getting harmed (Newcomb).

Picture 2: Grass Pink flower

As for me, whenever I experience a low point in life, flowers usually bring me hopes as they bloom and create beautiful moments of life in whatever weather conditions. I believe it is the courage and optimism that allow wildflowers like those in the Adirondacks to create serendipity. I am looking forward to meeting serendipity in my future hiking in the Adirondacks!

Work cited:

Alexander C. Martin, Herbert S. Zim, and Arnold L. Nelson. (1951) American Wildlife & Plants. A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. New York Dover Publication.

(September 2008) Outdoor Recreation Activity Trends: What’s Growing, What’s Slowing?  A Recreation Research Report in the IRIS Series1.

Lawrence Newcomb. (1977) Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Little Brown and Company.

William K. Chapman. (1997) Orchids of the Northeast, A Field Guide. Syracuse University Press.