What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

A Tall Stranger

Northern Woodlands’ operations coordinator Emily Rowe, pictured here, is the Queen of our office, but that’s no scepter in her hand. What is that tall item you see beside her?

Answer

Canada lily.

These tall stalks, topped with gorgeous oblongoid seed capsules, are the remains of last summer’s Canada lilies (Lilium canadense). Within each of the two-inch capsules are several stacks of large, flattened seeds. In June, these wildflowers will blossom, displaying one to five flowerheads in orange, yellow, or red.

This week’s contest winner was Susan Hayward of Lewiston, ME