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squirrel corn

Dicentra canadensis

Photo by Dan Doucette
Published on Project Noah
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43.0904, -79.0861

Field Notes

Description:

Herbaceous plant in the fumitory family with small yellow clustered bulblets, finely dissected leaves, and white heart-shaped flowers.

Habitat:

Native to deciduous woodland in eastern North America

Notes:

Spotted this in the Niagara Gorge, part of the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve.

Reference Links:

Dicentra canadensis

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)
SarahWhitt
Sure thing, Dan! I got the info from an Ohio Wildflower book. Thought it was very interesting too.
Dan Doucette
shaunnalf - hahahah! ok! SarahHiteWhitt - thanks for the info. I didn't know why they called it squirrel corn. makes sense. I also posted a spotting of Dutchman's Breeches too and they were growing close to each other. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/6198114
shaunnalf
I think we call them both bleeding hearts. :) We aren't picky here :) Goes to show what I know!
SarahWhitt
I discoverd the difference whenever I spotted one of these recently....Here's what I found out about this plant: A common spring wildflower. It is often confused with Dutchman's Breeches, which grows in a similar habitat and often side by side. Leaves of the two are nearly identical, but Squirrel-corn's flowers are heart-shaped. Its common name comes from its yellowish root nodules, which resemble corn and which squirrels often dig up for food. Closely related to the Bleeding Heart. :)
Dan Doucette
Thanks Gina! Shaunnalf - I hear what you're saying but actually Bleeding Heart refers to another species of Dicentra, a white variety of Dicentra spectabilis. I thought bleeding heart at first too but upon research discovered this species appropriate common name.
shaunnalf
We call that a white bleeding heart! Your name has fun imagery though :)
Gina9210
a white heart shape flower! very interesting!

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Photographed
PublishedMay 9, 2011

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