With a goal to find 6 orchid species I had never seen before I headed to Northwestern Minnesota. Earlier in the spring I found one orchid, the Showy Orchis. Now to find five more. Daylight was just beginning to show in the morning sky. The summer solstice had come and gone the day before announcing a new summer season full of promise for native orchids. My car was packed the day before so all I needed to do was take a quick shower and load a few essential items along with my frozen food to begin another week long adventure. It was 4:30 am as I left the driveway for the 6+ hour drive which would end near the Minnesota – Canada border. Almost an hour later the sun began to fill the morning sky with a beautiful display of oranges, pinks, and purples. What a fantastic beginning to this journey!
While I continued to drive North, the sun climbed above the trees revealing a beautiful foggy morning landscape. This didn’t last very long as the fog dissipated quickly under the warm summer sun. There’s just something about a mysterious fog hovering above the ground that brings a smile to my face. What may be hiding in the mist that will be soon revealed as these clouds disappear? Over the next few hours the daylight grew bringing light to every corner I could see with the occasional deer grazing in a field off to the side of the road. As I got closer to my destination, Showy Ladyslippers began appearing near the roadside. Sometimes by the hundreds. I’ve seen pictures of this and read about it but that didn’t come close to seeing this for myself. Here are orchids growing like weeds in this area while they remain a specimen plant in most areas. Eventually I made it to my first stop along the way – Big Bog State Rec Area. And what adorned the entrance? Of course Showy Ladyslippers. Bogs are an eco system I’ve not seen before. Or at least realized I was seeing one. A bog provides a different sort of mystery with it. This place has a mile long bog walk so people can explore the area without getting wet and also destroying the plant life. As I walked along watching the forest transition to small black spruce trees surrounded by moss growing everywhere, I was hoping to see a Dragon’s Mouth, a Rose Pogonia orchid or pitcher plant but nothing.
Finally one of the clumps of living moss captured my attention. I think it was more the lichens growing on what seemed to be soil that caused me to pause along the boardwalk and kneel down for a closer look. As I studied these for a minute or two I spotted a small, interesting plant not far away. Immediately I recognized it as Sundew, another of Minnesota’s carnivorous plants. I needed to look a couple of times at this plant and its surroundings to finally believe that it what it really was. I was not expecting to see this plant here. Nor was I expecting it to be so small. Each leaf was only the size of a single chocolate M&M covered in tentacles each with a sticky sap at the end. The overall size of a single plant was equivalent to a small Lodge Pole pine cone. They are such interesting plants with a clear drop glistening at the end of each red hair. Once I spotted one, it was amazing how many more were growing in the green moss all around.
As I continued to inspect this little micro landscape I noticed several red berries which seemed to just grow out of the moss. Eventually this was identified as a bog cranberry and those were last years fruit. Nearby, this year’s flowers had just emerged to create next years fruit. I could see more and more fascinating pieces all growing together to make a bog. But still no orchids or pitcher plants. I continued to walk further into the bog when I finally spotted one. These beautiful red leaves emerging from the moss in the form of a pitcher full of water. Their colors and patterns combined to create a plant more interesting than much of its surroundings and contrasted beautifully with the moss growing around it. The further I walked, the more of them I began to see. It was such a treat. By this point the mosquitoes where making their presence well known. Occasionally after swatting one, I would carefully drop into a pitcher for the plant to consume. A bit of satisfaction for these irritating pests. I wished I could be there when these pitcher plants were in bloom. From pictures I’d seen the blooms where quite amazing and unique.
Studying a few of these fun plants, I turned around and saw what I didn’t expect to see. Pitcher plants in bloom. My research indicated they bloomed about a month earlier so I would not have the opportunity to see them on this trip. These dark burgundy blooms stood high above the moss covered ground showing off these beautiful petals. Scanning over the bog near the end of this walkway revealed blooming pitcher plants dotting the area. I could have stayed here for quite a bit longer photographing and studying the bog further but I had a mile long walk to get back and it was time to eat. Getting back to my vehicle, I grabbed a sandwich and an apple before continuing north to what would be my campsite for the night and base for the pending orchid hunt, Hayes Lake State Park. Stopping at Big Bog was definitely worth a few hours to begin this adventure!
