Stop and Notice the Flowers

Some people fish to remember, some fish to forget. Whatever draws you to a northern Michigan trout stream be sure to stop and smell the flowers. This time of year the iridescent Cardinal Flower blooms. It's fiery red color is stunning when you fly fish by one on the river bank.
The Cardinal Flower usually is solitary, and blooms in a high stemmed, several flower group. It gets it's name from the Roman Catholic Cardinals bright red vestments and high silk hat. For me it marks mid summer and the count down to winter begins. The Cardinal Flower has a most unusual pollination process. It can only be pollinated by the humming bird.
While fishing near one I watch and wait for a humming bird to come to the flower. The humming bird arrives with a hum that sounds like the worlds largest bee, hum-m-m-m...yet it is the worlds smallest bird! The symbiotic relationship between the Cardinal flower and the humming bird is very interesting. The Ruby Throated Humming Bird shares the Cardinal flowers colors of red and green. They are a perfect match in every way.
So if the colorful trout are not hitting your fly, change your mental channel to watch the world of the Cardinal Flower.

Photos; JER , Cardinal Flower: National Geographic, Humming Bird

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