Sponsored by the Continuing Education Committee of the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Go on a virtual wildflower walk with Alonso Abugattas, listening to him explain some of the lore and how to ID many of the spring-blooming plants we encounter both in Arlington & Alexandria Parks, as well as others found at Turkey Run.
Zoom session, recorded Thursday April 9, 2020
Terms Used in Video | Plant List
Video
About Alonso Abugattas
Alonso Abugattas is a well-known local naturalist, environmental educator and storyteller in the Washington, D.C. area. He is the natural resources manager for the Department of Parks and Recreation and the co-chair for the Beltway Chapter of Region 2 of the National Association for Interpretation.
He has been trained as a master gardener, was made an honorary Virginia Master Naturalist for his role in starting two chapters and serves as an instructor for both. He is a co-founder of the Washington Area Butterfly Club and has held several offices, including president, for the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society.

For more from Alonso, check out the Capital Naturalist blog and Facebook group where he posts regular nature notes using his own photography.
Terms used in Video
- Myrmecochory: dispersal of plant seeds by ants
- Myrmecochorous plants: plants that produce seeds that are dispersed by ants
- Elaiosome: fleshy structure attached to a seed which is rich in lipids and amino acids and attractive to ants
- Puccoon: a common name that refers to plants formerly used by certain Native Americans for dyes
- Chasmogamous flowers: commonly showy flowers with open petals encircling exposed reproductive parts available for pollination by pollinators
- Cleistogamous flowers: non-opening, self-pollinating flowers
- Univoltine: referring to a species of insect that reproduces at the rate of one per year
- ARMN: Arlington Regional Master Naturalists
Plant List
Wildflowers discussed by Alonso are listed below, with links to Capital Naturalist YouTube videos, Capital Naturalist Blogposts, and MGNV Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets.
Harbinger of Spring, Erigenia bulbosa
- Capital Naturalist Video: Harbinger-of-Spring or Pepper-and-Salt
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Pepper-and-Salt is a Harbinger-of-Spring
BloodRoot, Sanguinaria canadensis
- Capital Naturalist Video:Bloodroot
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Bloodroot, An Ephemeral With Many Traits
Spring Beauties, Claytonia virginica
- Capital Naturalist Video:Spring Beauties
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Spring Beauties
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Claytonia virginica ([Virginia] Spring Beauty)
Cut-leaf Toothwort, Cardamine concatenata
- Capital Naturalist Video: Toothworts
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Cut-leaf Toothwort
Sessile (Toadshade) Trillium, Trillium sessile
- Capital Naturalist Video: Sessile Trillium
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Beetle Pollinators
Yellow Troutlily, Erythronium americanum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Yellow Troutlily
White Troutlily, Erythronium albidum
- Capital Naturalist Video: White Troutlilies
Common Blue (Confederate) Violets , Viola sororia
- Capital Naturalist Video: Common Blue (Confederate) Violets
Cream (Striped) Violet, Viola striata
- Capital Naturalist Video: Pale or Cream Violet
Smooth Yellow Violet, Viola pubescens
- Capital Naturalist Video: Smooth Yellow Violet
Dutchman’s Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
- Capital Naturalist Video: Dutchman’s Breeches
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Similar Dicentras
Squirrel Corn, Dicentra canadensis
- Capital Naturalist Video: Squirrel Corn
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Similar Dicentras
Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica
- Capital Naturalist Video: Virginia Bluebells
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells, Virginia Cowslip)
Wild Blue Phlox (Woodland), Phlox divaricata
- Capital Naturalist Video: Wild Blue Phlox
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox)
Wild Geranium (Crane’s Bill), Geranium maculatum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Wild Geranium
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Geranium maculatum (Wild or Spotted Geranium)
Carolina Cranesbill Geranium, Geranium carolinianum
- Capital Naturalist Video:Carolina Cranesbill Geranium
Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense
- Capital Naturalist Video: Wild Ginger
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger)
Golden Ragwort, Packera aurea
- Capital Naturalist Video: Golden Ragwort
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Packera aurea (Golden or Heartleaf Ragwort)
Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum biflorum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Solomon’s Seal
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s-seal or Smooth Solomon’s Seal)
False Solomon’s Seal, Maianthemum racemosum
- Capital Naturalist Video: False Solomon’s Seal
Jack in the Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Jack-in-the-pulpit
Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Mayapples
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
Partridge-berry, Mitchella repens
- Capital Naturalist Video: Partridge-berry
Partridge-berry, Mitchella repens
- Capital Naturalist Video: Partridge-berry
- Capital Naturalist Blogpost: Partridge-berry
- MGNV Tried & True Native Plants Factsheet: Mitchella repens (Partridge-berry)
Virginia Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum virginianum
- Capital Naturalist Video: Virginia Waterleaf
Broadleaf (Canada, Bluntleaf, or Maple-leaf) Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum canadense
- Capital Naturalist Video: Broadleaf or Canada Waterleaf