Evening of April 12, 2010

We have had a wonderfully warm spring that has really driven forward our burgeoning vegetation.  Unfortunately, due to my job as a tax accountant, I have not had much time recently to record the dramatic changes taking place, until this evening.

A grove of eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis, see the Virginia Tech data sheet) at the Fannie Mae Gardens overlook on the W&OD trail just east of Old Reston Avenue.

A closer look at the small but prolific flowers of this small tree, which dominates the understory of native forests around this time of the year.

Just to the west of the redbud grove is this beautiful Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, see the Virginia Tech data sheet) with its deep purple leaves.

The leaves have a very distinctive 7-lobed shape, and are also smaller than those of most other maples encountered around here, giving the Japanese maple a touch of delicacy.

Like other maples, this Japanese maple has recently finished flowering, and its samaras (winged seeds) are beginning to grow at the ends of those descending stalks.

Meanwhile, the red maple (Acer rubrum) samaras have ripened nicely and turned green, as in this example from along Sycamore Valley Drive.  Compare this load of ripe samaras with the still red samaras shown in this posting.

Also to be seen along Sycamore Valley Drive (in the Sycamores apartment complex) is this absolutely gorgeous azalea (Rhododendron spp.).

Stunning beauty, even if the result of human breeding rather than a natural species.

Meanwhile, the pignut hickory (Carya glabra) in Charter Oak Court, which has already been featured in this and in this post, is now also in bloom.

A closer look at the tiny male flowers arrayed in their drooping catkins.