Photo by Gary Kurtz
Virgin’s Bower is a Wisconsin native in bloom at this time. It is a vine that can grow up to 20 feet tall. Its small, white, and fragrant flowers are about 1 inch across, featuring four petal-like sepals that are slightly hairy on the upper surface and more densely so on the lower. The leaves are compound, typically in groups of three leaflets, with each leaflet reaching up to 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. These leaflets are often shallowly lobed or cleft, with coarsely toothed edges, sharply pointed tips, and a rounded to heart-shaped base. Virgin’s Bower thrives in moist lowlands, thickets, and woodlands, especially those bordering streams and ponds, and can also be found in semi-open, moist woods and along streambanks. (SF)