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.

American Lily of the Valley

The Lily of the Valley that we all know, the one that used to grow in our Moms’ gardens is a native of Asia and Europe, European Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). But there is a native too, though this designation of “native” and it being a different species is not agreed upon by the authorities. I’m going with native and a different species. American Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majuscula). This species is native to Georgia, up north to Pennsylvania and west to Kentucky.

The difference between these two species is quite subtle. In American Lily of the Valley, the plant is shy, only creating very small clumps if any. The European species is quite gregarious, creating large colonies in an aggressive manner. The leaves of the American Lily of the Valley are larger, than the European species. The racemes (a raceme is a flower cluster with the separate flowers attached by short equal stalks at equal distances along a central stem) of the American Lily of the Valley is shorter than the European species. Those racemes of the American species arch under the leaves, while the leaves of the European species stretch tall, as if standing on their tippy toes to see over the tops of the leaves.

I have both of these species and love having them. Oh MY! Such a delicious scent! I prefer the tame manner of the American species and I must say I really prefer native plants anyway for the sake of the environment. These two species bloom at different times though, which extends the time that I can enjoy their blooms and their wonderful aromas. My European species is in full bloom now and my native species is just now beginning to emerge from the soil. Many more weeks of lily of the valley beauty.

Juniper Hairstreak

How often do you get to see a green butterfly? For me, not often at all. Actually only once. And here it is. This is a Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus gryneus). Their host plant in my area, the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, is Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). The Juniper Hairstreak overwinters as a chrysalis. A mighty small butterfly with a wingspan of one inch. This one, in the image above, is drinking nectar from my Apple Mint.

Eastern Tailed Blue

One of my favorites. A very small butterfly. With a wing span of just three quarters to one inch, the Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas). As is sometimes the case, the thin tails on the hindwings of this butterfly, above, have been rubbed off.

This butterfly, a female, has the tails that are a clue to what the species is. The female’s upper wing surface is pale blue, brown or a dark gray while the male’s is blue.

And here, above, is a male with his stunning blue upper wings. And the very thin tail. Another clue to identification of an Eastern Tailed Blue is the orange chevrons on both the upper and lower sides of the hind wings near the tails.

Mating Eastern Tailed Blues will result in caterpillars that depend on legumes including cow vetch, clover, and alfalfa as their host plants. That may explain why I see these Blues so often fluttering just above my grass. A lot of that grass is actually clover.

During a year Eastern Tailed Blues usually have three broods The last brood of the year will overwinter as mature larvae in seed pods.

The native range of Eastern Tailed Blues is most of United States and southern Canada. It’s quite plentiful here in the east. Wonderful to know what species each of these amazing winged creatures is!

American Redstart

Hallelujah! More of my summer birds have arrived! A few days ago I mentioned that both male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have presented themselves. Now, this morning I spotted my first American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). A male, looking quite handsome in his striking black and orange feathers.

The female of this species is also quite the knockout but in a more subtle way, as is often the case with birds. Gray and yellow and sweet.

Since American Redstarts eat insects, and in late summer, berries and small fruit, they don’t visit my feeders. IF those feeders are out during the summer. So far so good. No bear sightings. So the feeders are still out. Don’t let the bears know.

Though the American Redstarts aren’t interested in what I offer at the bird feeders they really relish having water available. During the summer I have three bird baths out for all the birds and it is quite the popular place. Like the old watering hole.

American Plum

A meander up the mountain two days ago. The Trilliums would be blooming. I found them, white turning to soft, delicate pink. Always special. But I noticed a small tree full of airy blooms way up there near where I usually turn around. Flowers I didn’t recognize. As is my custom I took photos and brought them back home and began the research. Just my thing. I always love a mystery. It didn’t take too much time and I had figured it out. The airy blooms are American Plum (Prunus americana).

The airy look of the blooms created by a pistil with a lengthy style, and many long stamens. Looking feathery and soft. Leaves are just beginning to peek out.

The American Plum is a small tree or shrub. It’s widespread and native to North America from Saskatchewan and Idaho south to New Mexico and east to Québec, Maine and Florida. If you look carefully in this photo, you’ll see it has many thorns, though not terribly sharp, thank goodness. I’m going to be watching as spring turns to summer hoping to see the plums that develop.

Black Cohosh

A wonderful sight in late June early July. Blooms of Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) when there are few other flowers blooming in the woods.

Black Cohosh is a herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America. Quite plentiful here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rising above their leaves on tall stems to six or eight feet. Those clusters of flowers on their tall stems make me think of spirits of long ago residents of these mountains. Spirits from the past, back again to look over their land, their roots. Watching to see that we care for their mountains with love and wisdom.

Right now, in late April, leaves of Black Cohosh have reached up from their underground rhizomes. Extending to a height of two or two and a half feet. Leaves waiting. Waiting for tall stems to form.

Tall stems that in turn form racemes. (A raceme is a flower cluster with the separate flowers attached by short equal stalks at equal distances along a central stem.) The stems can grow to be six or seven feet tall, and the portion of it that is the raceme, can be about twenty inches.

Flowers without petals, without sepals. Many long stamens surrounding a stigma, all snow white. The flowers have a unique unpleasant aroma that attracts flies, gnats, beetles, bees and some butterflies. Both the Spring Azure Butterfly and the Appalachian Azure Butterfly rely on Black Cohosh as its larval host.

I’m looking forward summer and greeting these visions of the past.

Deptford Pinks

It’s not native, which often means, “Do I really want this plant?” But this one brings with it such a charming color. A color that just twinkles with delight.

This is a Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria). And that is an itty bitty Crab Spider perched on one of its five white speckled petals. This flower is just one half inch across. Really an minuscule spider!

Deptford Pink is not an invasive. The word invasive would be inappropriate for this dainty flower. It just shows up from time to time, not in an offensive sort of way, but in a timid, cautious way.

Right now on April 23, small plants of Deptford Pink are just beginning to come up. Opposite leaves that are long and quite narrow. When I see one coming up I cheer it on. Welcome it wherever it is found. It’s a tall slender plant growing up to two feet tall though I rarely see any that tall. Often I’ll only see one bloom at a time. An annual, biennial or short-lived perennial.

Both the Cabbage White Butterfly and the Deptford Pink are native to Europe. The flowers bloom from June to September. Opening in the morning and closing in the late afternoon. Dots rich in pink sprinkled across the landscape. Something to look forward to.

2021 First Female Hummingbird

It is said, by those that seem to know, that after the first male Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrives in the spring, the first female with arrive in seven to ten days. Well it did indeed happen. My first male arrived on April 14 and today, April 22, the first female has arrived.

It got down to 31° last night and flurries were flying. And now, this afternoon more flurries are coming down. What a welcome for the hummingbirds.

But in the blink of an eye the Obedient Plants will be blooming and soon after, the Scarlet Bee Balm with be summoning the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Calling to them with one word they won’t be able to resist. Nectar.

Apple Blossoms

Apple blossoms. What a fragrant delight. And they bring in a host of visitors that provide great entertainment just to sit and watch. It’s been really breezy today. Petals have been flying like snow. Apple blossom season won’t last much longer.

Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) are one of the many species of butterflies that make the apple tree seem alive with action. Both nectar and pollen lure the insects in.

Another of the insects that answer the apple blossoms call are moths. This one, a Nessus Sphinx Moth (Amphion floridensis).

Birds get the call too. This is a female or juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) that uses the branches of the apple tree as a resting spot. In this image it’s sitting on a grapevine with the apple blossoms in the background. I’m wondering, if I’ll find a hummingbird nest in the apple tree if I search carefully.

This a Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum). What a surprise I had to see these birds eating the blossom petals. Amazing to find that they enjoy eating the petals.

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is making sap wells in the apple tree’s bark. This enables them to consume both the sap that collects and insects that are also attracted. The sap wells are the very small round holes in the bark. If you look closely you can see claw marks from bears climbing the tree.

After the blooms come the apples and the bears. I guess this critter thinks that the apples are his to be taken. This is a yearly tradition. I sure appreciate the bear coming by for a photo op.

Wild Geranium

Popping up with their bright pink petals on trail edges. Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), an herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America.

Before they send up their buds Wild Geranium looks like this. The leaves are palmate with five sizable lobes. The leaves also have smaller lobes and jagged edges. This is what you need to watch for if you want to find Wild Geranium before the blossoms.

Pollinators of Wild Geraniums are many types of bees, including honey bees, bumblebees, and mason bees, flies such as syrphid flies, and butterflies and skippers.

Normally I see small groups of these flowers blooming their hearts out sending good vibes. This must be a particularly content bunch of Wild Geranium bundled together at the edge of a trail.

So many blooms. So many different species of flowers and trees celebrating spring. All calling to me to join in the revelry.