Sunny Valley: Cemetery parcel
Northrop Road, Bridgewater, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Directions:
US 84 west; get off at exit 7 for Federal Road; turn left; drive a short distance and turn right at the light for Federal Road; take Federal Road north to a right turn onto Route 133; drive 3.5 miles on Route 133 to the bridge over the Housatonic River; drive 0.2 miles more and just after crossing the bridge turn left onto Northrop Road (across from the Lake Lillinonah Boat Launch parking area); keep driving straight when Northrop Road until you reach the cemetery on the right side of the road; drive to its north end and park by the sign for the Parcel.
Trails:
8/01/2005. Ceferino Santana, dog Sonar and I parked near the preserve sign. We walked past the sign for the Sunny Valley Preserve and through the field to the pond in back of the cemetery. Fortunately, the path around the pond is mowed. At the T-intersection by the pond, we decided to go left (clockwise) around the pond. There were a lot of great plants in bloom around the pond. About half way around the pond, the trail turned left and went south away from the pond. The trail opened up into a huge field. We turned right and started following the edge of the woods nearest the pond. We saw one of the reasons for the trail bearing away from the pond: a large field planted with corn. Our task was to get around that field.
We worked our way around and then realized that the simplest path was to head southwest across the field to an opening in the stone wall along the side of Route 133. We walked up to that opening and then through it; turned right to get onto Route 133 (near house #375) and then walked back to the car.
A pond at this time of year is almost always a wonderful place for wildflowers. We all enjoyed the short walk. Dr. Patrick L. Cooney.
PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney
* = plant(s) blooming on date of field trip, 8/01/2005
Trees:
Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Juglans nigra (black walnut)
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Pyrus malus (apple)
Pyrus sp. (crab apple)
Ulmus rubra (slippery elm)
Shrubs and Subshrubs:
Alnus serrulata (smooth alder)
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Cornus amomum (corn dogwood)
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)
Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow honeysuckle)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rubus flagellaris (northern dewberry)
Rubus sp. (blackberry)
Salix sp. (willow)
Spiraea alba var. latifolia (meadowsweet) *
Viburnum acerifolium (maple-leaf viburnum)
Vines:
Apios americana (groundnut) *
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Clematis virginiana (virgin's blower)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Vitis aestivalis (summer grape)
Vitis riparia (riverbank grape)
Herbs:
Achillea millefolium (yarrow)
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) *
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)
Apocynum sp. (dogbane)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) *
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Bidens sp. (beggar tick)
Centaurea nigra (black knapweed) *
Cichorium intybus (chicory) *
Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) *
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace) *
Erechtites hieraciifolia (pileweed)
Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) *
Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) *
Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed) *
Impatiens capensis (orange jewelweed) *
Lepidium virginicum (poor man's pepper)
Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs) *
Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco) *
Lotus corniculatus (birdfoot trefoil) *
Ludwigia palustris (water purslane)
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) *
Medicago lupulina (black medick) *
Oxalis sp. (yellow wood sorrel) *
Penthorum sedoides (ditch stonecrop) *
Pilea pumila (clearweed)
Plantago lanceolata (English plantain) *
Plantago major (common plantain)
Polygonum cespitosum (cespitose smartweed) *
Polygonum sagittatum (arrow-leaved tearthumb)
Polygonum spp. (smartweed)
Potamogeton sp. (pond weed) *
Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)
Prunella vulgaris (self-heal) *
Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint) *
Ranunculus acris (tall buttercup) *
Rumex crispus (curled dock)
Satureja vulgaris (wild basil)
Solanum carolinense (horse nettle) *
Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) *
Solidago canadensis var. scabra (tall goldenrod)
Solidago gigantea (late goldenrod) *
Solidago rugosa (rough-leaved goldenrod) *
Trifolium pratense (red clover) *
Trifolium repens (white clover) *
Verbena hastata (blue vervain) *
Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed) *
Vicia cracca (cow vetch) *
Rushes:
Juncus effusus (soft rush)
Juncus tenuis (path rush)
Sedges:
Carex crinita (ringed sedge)
Carex lurida (sallow sedge)
Carex vulpinoidea (fox sedge)
Cyperus strigosus (umbrella sedge)
Scirpus atrovirens (dark-green bulrush)
Scirpus cyperinus (woolly grass bulrush)
Grasses:
Bromus inermis (smooth brome grass)
Dactylis glomerata (orchard grass)
Leersia oryzoides (rice-cut grass)
Panicum clandestinum (deer-tongue grass)
Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)
Phleum pratense (Timothy grass)
Poa annua (annual bluegrass)
Ferns and Fern Allies:
Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Thelypteris palustris (marsh fern)
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