Spring Flowers at Collier-Seminole State Park

While the rest of the country is covered in snow or blanketed with cold air, the swamps of Florida are sprouting spring flowers.  

Swamp hike
where I captured most of these beauties.

A few of the lovely spring flowers you may find at Collier-Seminole State Park while hiking through the meadows and swamps. 

Tiny Orchid in the swamp area
Think I lost my car keys taking this photo!

Black-eyed Susie
with White Bushy Aster

 Sounds lovely and it is but you had best view them before the mosquitoes hatch and the infamous Florida bugs become active... which means January-March, the snow bird season.

Cone Flower

Resurrection Fern on an oak stump

 Enjoy these small beauties that often are no bigger than a quarter or half-dollar.

Lovely small yellow blossom
Yellow Meadow Beauty 

Tiny white violet

 A few of the larger flowers..

Horrible Thistle
with bees

Horrible Thistle (white)
without bees

Button Bush

Milkweed

 To identify the flowers I used the book, National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida which is a good overview to Florida nature and fits in a large pocket.  It usually has a photo and description of the common birds, mammals, reptiles, flowers, trees, fish, butterflies, and other miscellaneous information.

Delicate Orchid
could not identify

Another un-named beauty