Blooms – Page 4

A Beauty Of A Berry

Color Me Disappointed

Nearly all the time, when I create a blog, it is the result of research. I’m learning new things, right along with you. Tonight I learned that the bushes I am pleased with – being beautiful and native, are actually not native. Well, that certainly is a surprise!

The Impostor Revealed

The telling detail which revealed the impostor to me, is the berry clusters that are held on stems away from the main stem. In the native, American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, the berries are grouped in clusters right on the main stem, looking like poufs on a French poodle. All these photographs are of my Purple Beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma, native to the Far East. In any event, these beautiful bushes provide the same sustenance to wildlife that the natives do.

Purply-Pink

In the spring, the Beautyberry bush is covered with diminutive, purply-pink flowers which attract many bees and butterflies. Being so small the flowers create a soft wash of pink, over the green of the shrubs.

Pollinators

Those bees and butterflies are happy to have the blossoms, and I’m happy that they get attracted to my gardens.

Apple Green Berries

As the summer marches on, the flowers fade and turn to tiny apple green berries.

And The Beauty Of The Berry

By early October, the apple green berries have turned into glowing magenta clusters of fruit.

For Emergency Only

Song birds put off eating the Beautyberries until there is nothing left to eat. Perhaps these berries are the Brussels sprouts of the bird world. Once they are faced with nothing but the Beautyberries, they will flock to the bushes and eat every single morsel.

Snow Cover

Once snow covers everything, and all the dogwood berries, spicebush berries, and sumac berries are gone, the songbirds are happy that I’ve planted Beautyberry bushes for them!

Witch Hazel – Peak

Floral Display

Not much is blooming now. About the only thing left putting on a show is the last of the late summer asters, with their lovely, soft lavender, diminutive petals. Tiny petals adding a comforting accent to the brilliant fall colors.

Lemon Zest

The last floral display of the year is the one I’ve been waiting for since spring. This is the opening of the Witch Hazel flowers! The flowers are a soft yellow. Four strappy petals to each flower. Petals like lemon zest. Not demanding attention but instead quietly announcing the middle of autumn and for me a warning of, “Winter is just around the corner!” A warning that I delight in!

Seed Pod

After the Witch Hazel flower is pollinated by a moth, during the following many months the flower will become a seed pod, sueded, buff colored, waiting for the floral display of the next autumn. It is in autumn that these seed pods eject their two shiny black seeds, sending them some 10 to 20 feet away. These seeds will take another whole year to germinate.

Understory

The Witch Hazel is a small tree or shrub growing in a multi-stemmed clump, reaching for the sky, but being deep in the forest, does not find the sky and the branches arch again toward the ground, creating a wide cluster of stems. The tree at best reaches about 12 to 15 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide.

Green Of Summer

The leaves of the Witch Hazel have wavy edges with the upper side having a dark emerald color and the under side having a lighter green color.

What Is In A Name

I have seen several thoughts on how the Witch Hazel got its name. One has to do with the leaf gall one often sees on the leaves of the tree. These galls are caused by the Witch Hazel Leaf Gall Aphid and do indeed look a bit like a witch’s hat! Another story links the timing of the flowering of the tree with Halloween. And still another story is of a historical nature. The branches of the Witch Hazel have been used by Native Americans and in turn by European settlers as divining rods to help them find underground sources for water. The word “wych” is an Anglo-Saxon word for “bend” which is what the branch was said to do when water was detected.

And Now

If the Witch Hazel flowers are indeed saying, “Winter is just around the corner!” I say, “Bring it on!!”

Mystery At The Pumpkin Patch

Sincerity Calls

This is the second year in a row that the sincerity of a pumpkin patch in the Shenandoah Valley has drawn me to its brilliant orange-yellow fruit of the gourd family.

Childhood All Over Again

What fun to be greeted by piles and loads of pumpkins and other gourds, of every size, shape and color that you might want to imagine. And to roam the fields just knowing that some of these round or not so round squash will be begging to be brought home with me!

A Bonus

Not only are there pumpkins growing in those fields but unlabeled wild things. Unlabeled, unknown plants call to me. Call to me even more than the pumpkins that want to come home with me. The must be identified, or I will lose sleep. I will worry. I will fret.

Illuminated Globes

The first thing that caught my eye – the frosted-glass like globes, illuminated by the sun. Beautiful! I think more beautiful than the soft-snowy white flower with deep wine colored center, highlighted with school bus yellow stamens. Intriguing.

My Library

When I come home with my giant sized pumpkin, I have more of a treasure. I have photographs of my mystery plant. Out come all my wild flower books and BINGO! I find it. My plant is Hibiscus trionum, commonly called, Flower-of-the-hour. It has been introduced to North America as an ornamental and has escaped to become a weed of cropland. So, I don’t get the prize! I discovered a weed! But still a fun mystery and I love mysteries!

Silverrod

Excitement

I love to come home from one of my hikes, filled with the thrill of finding a flower that I’ve never seen before. What a cool feeling! And then to actually find it in one of my wildflower guides! Nothing better!

Brilliant, Chrome Yellow

Most of us know of the Goldenrod, with its brilliant, chrome yellow, tiny flowers which bloom along roadsides nearly everywhere. In mid-September I began seeing a flower, very similar to Goldenrod, but with snow white ray flowers, way up on my hike. I took my usual photographs to record what I had seen and brought the pictures to my studio to figure things out. I paged through my many wildflower guides and finally found what I had come upon.

A Species Of Goldenrod!

What I stumbled upon is a species of Goldenrod, with the common name, Silverrod, Solidago bicolor. It strikes me as amusing that there would be so many species of Goldenrod that are actually golden, and a species that is silvery with the common name of Silverrod. How very logical! The ray flowers of the Silverrod are snow white and the rich yellow coloring that sometimes shows, is the stamens and pollen which can be bright yellow.

A Native

The Silverrod is native to the eastern portion of North America. I’ve seen it occasionally but not in great numbers, mainly in the higher elevations.

The Scarlet Berries Of Jack

True Red

At my back porch, I have a wonderful cluster of berries, a color that would be perfect for a Christmas display — a true red. These are the berries of a Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum, a plant that is native to the moist woods of eastern North America. The plant gets its name from the odd flower that emerges in the spring.

The Pulpit

The “flower” consists of a flaplike spathe which shelters the little fellow, Jack, who is sitting in the pulpit. Jack actually is covered with the real flowers of the plant — both male and female flowers. The flowers are pollinated by flies that are attracted to the plant by heat, that the plant produces much like skunk cabbage does, and by scent. The pollination results in the brilliant red berries, which each contain one to five seeds. New plants from these seeds need three or more years before they are able to produce a flower.

Flower Color

The color of the Jack-In-The-Pulpit flower varies from a pale yellow-green, to a rich emerald green, to green with dark purple or brown stripes. I find flowers of these various colors here on my mountain. They are all the same species.

Careful

All parts of a Jack-In-The-Pulpit contain calcium oxalate crystals which can cause irritation of the mouth and digestive system, and can affect breathing. On one site on the internet, I see a warning that this plant is not to be confused with poison ivy, since both plants have leaves made up of three leaflets. I find that amusing, since I doubt that anyone would want to eat poison ivy either! Deer don’t seem to have any problem with the calcium oxalate crystals. I have found that Jack-In-The-Pulpit is one of their favorite foods.

Blackhaw On The Mountain

Buds and Snow White Flowers

From mid-April through mid-May the Blackhaws, Viburnum prunifolium, are in bud and bloom up here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blackhaw is a shrub or small tree that gets its name from the inky black of the fruit, that develops during the summer, and ripens in the fall.

Fruit or Drupe

The floral display turns to fruit in June. This fruit, which, seems to me would be called a berry, is actually called a drupe. They start out apple green and oblong.

Blushing

As the summer days pass, the apple green gains a blush of dark pink and then crimson as the sun shines on the drupes.

Overnight Changes

Each day as I hike the mountain, as summer turns to autumn, I see changes. I’m surprised at how quickly one little drupe will turn from its crimson red to inky black. It just takes one night and presto! there is another one, blue-black and ripe.

Preserves And Wine

There are sites on the internet that mention Blackhaw preserves and wine. Sure would take a large amount of these drupes to make anything at all. Though tasty, they are mostly a single, large seed. Birds and wildlife enjoy eating the Blackhaw fruit. I think I will leave the drupes for them!

Sumac For Autumn Color

Blossoms Of Winged Sumac, Rhus copallinum — Blossoms Of Winged Sumac, *Rhus copallinum*

Pollinator Pleasing

In mid-summer there is quite a draw at my wood’s edge. The Sumac is in bloom and pollinators are buzzing all over the flowers. I have two types of Sumac — Winged Sumac and Smooth Sumac, supplied by Mother Nature.

Fruit Of Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra — Fruit Of Smooth Sumac, *Rhus glabra*

For The Birds

From blooms to fruit, pleasing different critters. The fruit of the Sumac attracts birds throughout the winter.

Common "Yellow-Shafted" Flicker, Colaptes auratus — Common “Yellow-Shafted” Flicker, *Colaptes auratus*

Welcome Food During The Snowstorm!

With blinding snow coming down, this Yellow Shafted Flicker was able to find a meal at one of my many Sumacs. This picture was taken in February 2010. We had 72 inches of snow here on the mountain during that winter. It was wonderful!

Winged Sumac, Rhus copallina — Winged Sumac, *Rhus copallina*

And Now The Season Of Color

Sumacs turn brilliant shades in the fall. A little bit at a time. I’m enjoying taking pictures of just one branch or two, dressed in an outstanding scarlet set against the rich emeralds of its past summer finery.

Or . . .

Or tropical shades of limes and lemons, set against the warm colors of papayas.

Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra — Smooth Sumac, *Rhus glabra*

More Color To Come

In the next two months Sumacs will be turning on more scarlet, making the wood’s edges sing. A song I look forward to!

Welcome Autumn!

Red Maple, Acer rubrum — Red Maple, *Acer rubrum*

Let The Season Begin!

Autumn started this afternoon! Yay! I love to experience the seasons — each and every one — all four, to their fullest potential! As always, autumn is starting slowly. Yes, we’ve had cooler weather, but the leaves are slow to respond and are waiting for the days to get shorter and shorter. I have to really look to see any leaves turning. The patch of Red Maple leaves, above, being true to their name are a beautiful scarlet, but I had to hunt for them. Most trees are still green.

Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida — Flowering Dogwood, *Cornus florida*

An Exception

Dogwood is an exception to that rule. If you’re really observant, you’ll notice that the Flowering Dogwood begins, ever so subtly, to turn from green to red, in early July. I noticed this a few years ago and it sorta blew my mind, but every year since, I’ve noticed the same thing happening. Not every Flowering Dogwood tree goes by this pattern, but most that I see here on my mountain do.

Clasping Aster or Late Purple Aster, Symphyotrichum patens — Clasping Aster or Late Purple Aster, *Symphyotrichum patens*

Asters, Asters Everywhere!

On my daily hikes Asters are the most abundant flower. Snowy white asters with sunshine yellow centers that turn to warm burgundy as they mature. Lavender asters – small and even smaller ones. And my favorite – grape purple asters with the name Clasping Asters or Late Purple Asters. The flower of this species is a tiny bit larger than most of the Asters I’m seeing. It’s the smashing grape color that really gets my attention though. I’m really a sucker for a yummy, rich color.

Goldenrod, Species to be determined later! — Goldenrod, *Species to be determined later!*

Brilliant Yellow

I cannot leave out the Goldenrod that greets me each time I hike up the mountain. Beautiful yellow Goldenrod that is such a cheery sight. Oh dear! So many different species (over 50 in North America) that I have not begun to try to figure out which I’ve been running into. I think I’ll leave that to those long winter days when there are no flowers to identify as I hike!

Locust Borer (Megacyllene robiniae) Blending In With Goldenrod — **Locust Borer, *Megacyllene robiniae,* Blending Right In With Goldenrod**

Brilliant Yellow In Insects Too

A frequent sight on the Goldenrod — the adult Locust Borer enjoys the pollen of the Goldenrod. The species gets its name from the larvae that bore into Black Locust Trees.

Bold Identification

One plant in the Solidago (Goldenrod) genus that I feel confident identifying is Silverrod. I just saw it for the first time a few days ago and it fascinates me, looking like a Goldenrod but it is white with just the smallest hint of yellow. Nice to have something with no question of what it is!

Colors To Come!

As the days get shorter, the leaves will respond, shutting down their production of chlorophyll, which will bring about the change in colors that I’m waiting for. I’ll keep you posted!

Happy Yellow!

Happiness!

Yellow is such a happy color! I had a dear friend, Pat Gallagher, whose favorite color was yellow, I think for that very reason. She was a truly happy person. She made a point of doing watercolor paintings, and making quilts with the warm color in it, even in the day when yellow was not favored.

Yellow But Not A Sunflower

The flower below, with its gorgeous curvy stamens is not a Sunflower, but a Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia). I see it along roadsides at the foot of the mountain where I live. I’ve got one plant of it in the front of my cabin, due to my curiosity about it, and my seed collecting habit. Nice to have it added to the many yellows provided by Woodland Sunflower and Goldenrod!

A Favorite Flower

My Dad’s favorite flower is the sunflower. Whenever I order a bouquet for Mom and Dad, I try to have the florist include sunflowers in the bunch to make both Mom and Dad smile. Yellow and sunflowers, they just work together so well.

Not Yellow

This ladybug is not yellow, but I think she’s pretty happy wandering about in her yellow flowered world. Yellow has a way of attracting birds and insects.

Speaking of bees, do you see the face created by the bees in the picture below? Happy bees!

Fading

Even fading yellow appeals to me. These sunflowers, in the two pictures below, well beyond their peak, are beautiful!

New Yellow

And a most comforting sight, a bud of a sunflower, just thinking of opening, starting a new life, providing sustenance for birds, and bees.

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Creatures In The Goldenrod Patch

A Birthday

Today was a busy day here at the cabin. It was my Mr. Wonderful’s birthday, so I didn’t get out on a hike. But yesterday I found some fun critters in a large clump of Goldenrod in a power line right-of-way, up by the waterfall. Maybe right now I should be calling that a water-trickle, rather than a waterfall though. There is not much water flowing over those rocks. I was looking through my photographs yesterday and noticed some picts of the waterfall from back in June. My, what a difference! There sure was water flowing then!

A Pair of Mating Locust Borers, Megacyllene robiniae — A Pair of Mating Locust Borers, *Megacyllene robiniae*

So Much Activity

What a busy place it was up there at about 2400 feet. There were several pairs of Locust Borers busy taking care of perpetuating the species. I guess they find those black and yellow stripes irresistible!

Soldier Beetle, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus — Soldier Beetle, *Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus*

More Critters

There were also Soldier Beetles busy up there, feeding on the pollen of the Goldenrod. Many Soldier Beetles. Both the Soldier Beetle and the Locust Borer particularly enjoy Goldenrod pollen.

What Will Tomorrow Find

Looking forward to my hike tomorrow morning. What beautiful colors, intriguing insects, new trees will I discover?