Bloodroot Bud

Bloodroot bud, March 17, 2006. This little sprout is about two inches tall. I like the way this image shows the leaf, still tightly wrapped around the stem. Many spring flowers first emerge in a manner similar to this, with leaves held tightly against the stem, or folded. Also, with many wildflowers, the leaves begin with reddish pink color, and slowly become more green after exposure to the sun. The sun triggers the production of chlorophyll. I returned to this same place ten days later, and photographed this same flower in full bloom. See the full bloom below.