What’s blooming in my neck of the woods

I try to avoid slithering reptiles with forked tongues and poison in their teeth. And I’ve learned not to trust any creature that bleeds brown or black.

Nor do I trust flowers from the dark side. But my husband collects rare, unusual plants. So, guess what’s growing in my garden!

In case you’ve never seen a voodoo lily, picture a large, gaping, reddish-purple leaf-shaped petal with a single reddish-black tubular extension (spadix) protruding several inches, perched on a stalk 3 to 6 feet tall.

Covered with spots.

Emitting the most awful smell.

“Malodorous” is the word. Like dead, decaying rodent or rotting flesh. For real – just Google it.

Naturally, any plant from the underworld prefers shade.

Other names for it are devil’s tongue and corpse flower.

Also imagine – among the irises, roses and larkspurs in my semi-English cottage garden with ivy climbing up and over a wood fence, and brick walkways leading here and there – these exotic (read: weird) mottled botanical misfits.

Like a hyena at a Pomeranian show.

And flies love it.

The smell is deceptive, though. Another trait from the dark side. Luring insects to the flower in search of a meal, the flies find nothing and leave hungry. But pollen attaches to their feet, carried with them to pollinate other nearby plants.

Voodoo lilies reproduce by sending small tubers underground. These same zombie plants poke their ugly heads through the dirt and into my lovely garden spaces.

When the poor thing dies, it droops and shrivels, sort of like the wicked witch of the west. Not like my hydrangeas and rose bushes standing tall, retaining elegance with grace and color, even though slightly faded. Always regal, they retain perfect poise – aged yet dignified.

In researching this unusual plant, I discovered the Amorphophallus bulbifer: a voodoo lily in pink and white. With a less noxious smell.

I sent the link to my husband.

It’s wildflower season here in the Sierra Nevada. And after the biggest snowfall received in five years, springtime in the high country is majestic and beautiful, with waterfalls plunging and wildflowers adorning the landscape.

Springtime is ideal for hiking or mountain biking along our trails. You’ll see golden California poppies, snowy white dogwoods, redbuds along the Merced River canyon, Sierra primrose, ranger’s buttons, lupine in purple and white, shooting stars, orange and red Indian paintbrush, and mountain varieties of violets and phlox. If you climb higher, you might find columbine, fiery snow plants, alpine lilies and several varieties of the orchid and iris.

The Sierra foothills’ Gold Country from Mariposa to Oroville is one of the favored regions for catching nature’s show. This area includes Hite’s Cove (on the south fork of the Merced River), Red Hills Road, Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite and Table Mountain near Oroville. When hiking wear sturdy shoes and sunscreen; bring healthful snacks and plenty of water.

The eastern Sierra landscape is also painted in vibrant, breathtaking color this time of year. In parts of Mono County, entire fields are beginning to blossom near Walker, Coleville, Topaz and Bridgeport, along Highway 395.

Due to the wide range in elevations from Mono County’s valleys to its highest peaks, the display will last for months. If you can’t take a trip now, there will still be much to enjoy in June as the high country thaws. Wildflowers chase the snowline as it retreats into the mountains.

“Some rare species, like the violet-blue sky pilot flower, can only be found in the High Sierra’s granite peaks and nowhere else,” Jenny Kendrick with East River PR told me. “Other species of flowers will blanket entire hillsides and meadows with color.”

To learn where the latest blooms are appearing, plus where to find lodging or dining, see www.monocounty.org. You can also follow Mono County Tourism on Facebook for regular updates.

The Mariposa County Visitors Center offers free brochures listing where to go and what to see. The center is at 5158 Highway 140, on the southeast corner of the intersection with Highway 49 North. Call 209-966-7081 for more information.

In addition, visit www.yosemiteexperience.com and www.sierranevadageotourism.org for details on outdoor adventures and great destinations in the foothills and beyond.

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 11:37 AM with the headline "What’s blooming in my neck of the woods."