Nothing better than Smooth Sumac doing its thing in autumn. I, along with many birds, love it!
Smooth Sumac Revisited
Author: Brenda Clements Jones
Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.
White-throated Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). A few of my White-throated Sparrows have arrived at my feeders. By the time winter has truly arrived there will be many more. There are two color morphs in the White-throated Sparrow, white striped and tan striped. The stripes mentioned are on the top of the head. This one is a white striped morph. Looking forward to winter, and seeing more of my winter birds.
Japanese Honeysuckle Berries
Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), the Honeysuckle that many of us know from childhood with the luscious drop of nectar that we’d catch on our tongue. Mmmm. And surprise, that Honeysuckle gets berries. Berries that are poisonous to us humans. The nectar is safe but not the berries.
White Oak Leaves
The leaves of White Oak (Quercus alba) are alternate leaves, alternating along their stems. They have rounded lobes, often 7 to 10 per leaf, which makes them pretty easy to identify. The leaf length is anywhere from 4 to 9 inches long, with a width of 2 to 4 inches. Right now, as autumn ambles along I’m seeing charming leaves of burnt sienna.
American Chestnut in Autumn Color
American Chestnut (Castanea dentata). Classic ocean wave edge of the American Chestnut leaf showing off in its autumn color. A short hike up the mountain and I’m able to find these beauties. Who would have guessed.
Gray Dogwood in Autumn
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa). Gray Dogwood drupes providing sustenance to many birds and mammals as autumn thinks of becoming winter, leaving what resembles tiny red trees for snow to fall upon.
Its leaves provide a unique color palette of plum red and yellow chartreuse in an opposite arrangement as they succumb to diminishing daylight and cooler temperatures. Autumn at its finest.
Witch Hazel in November
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). As a last *HOORAH* for the floral world. Witch Hazels are blooming on my mountain right now. Though there are a few at my elevation, they are much more common higher up the mountain.
The flowers of Witch Hazel, looking like lemon zest. Not showy or spectacular but still beautiful in their own way. Complete with a subtle spice scent. Nice to have some flowers blooming now, along with all the brilliant autumn leaves doing their thing.
Winged Sumac in November
Winged Sumac (Rhus copallina). The last of the brilliant cheer of red. The last of the flowers that called out to so many bees. Bees that made the small trees come alive with buzzing. Shutting down for winter. Thinking of spring when it will all begin again. The joy of Nature.
Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Euchaetes egle). This caterpillar just might alarm you if you’re growing milkweed with Monarch Butterflies in mind. No need to worry though. The Milkweed Tussock Moth and the Monarch Butterfly have grown up in the “same neighborhood” side by side, sharing the bounty. Both butterfly and moth caterpillars are eating a poison contained in the milkweed called cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) to provide protection, making both creatures distasteful to birds and bats. As adult moths, the Milkweed Tussock Moth is able to communicate with bats emitting an ultrasonic click which bats take as a warning to stay away. Mighty clever.
Those of us who are growing milkweed to help the plight of the Monarch Butterfly might consider that the Milkweed Tussock Moth would appreciate our help as well. The photo above gives you a glimpse of Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars in various stages of development. Let them dine at the milkweed plants with the Monarchs!
Redbud and NO Nitrogen Fixing
Redbud (Cercis canadensis). It isn’t surprising at all to find that the Redbud is in the legume family (Fabaceae). Those seedpods certainly look like they belong in the family that includes beans, peas, lentils, and soybeans.
Something that immediately pops into my mind when I hear “legume” is that it is nitrogen fixer. Nearly 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is necessary for plants and animals to live and yet the nitrogen in the atmosphere is not in a form in which it can be used. Nitrogen gas must go through a process called nitrogen fixation. Fixation converts nitrogen in the atmosphere into a form that plants can absorb through their root systems.
Nitrogen fixing is a process that involves bacteria in the soil converting nitrogen gas into a form that plants and animals can use. It occurs in the root nodules of the legume.
However, with all that said, the Redbud is an exception. The Redbud does not have those root nodules that are usually found in legumes. The Redbud is not a nitrogen fixer. While it’s not a surprise to find that the Redbud is in the legume family it is a surprise to find it is not a nitrogen fixer.