Color – Page 4 – Tendrils

Sweetspire

A gift from my son, some years ago, has turned into quite the pollinator magnet. Virginia Sweetspire, or another common name, Tassel-white. Itea virginica. Three small bushes have grown into a lovely mound of cream colored, cascading blooms.These cascading blooms have become tantalizing lures for pollinators in the vicinity of my central Virginia mountain cabin. Whether it is a brilliant orange Fritillary or a Silver-spotted Skipper the word is out.

They have arrived, along with all manner of bee, to take advantage of the buffet. These bushes satisfy a need in the natural world, and fill my heart, and my world of Nature, with great satisfaction. Plants native to the state.

This is something that I’ve grown to appreciate, over the years. Something that I wasn’t aware of, when I began making my home here in the mountains. Concentrating on growing native plants. Something that I wish more nurseries would help more of us appreciate. For instance there is a non-native, invasive plant called, Burning Bush which is widely sold, although some eastern U.S. states are banning the importation of the plant. It breaks my heart to see Burning Bush, Euonymus alata native to Asia growing, spreading, invading. Growing where plants that are native to this area would be of more benefit.

Sweetspire would be a lovely choice, rather than an alien invasive even if your neighborhood nursery has Burning Bush on sale. With perhaps just a tiny bit of effort, you could find Virginia Sweetspire.These yummy, richly red leaves are the autumnal reward of growing Virginia Sweetspire. And winter brings more reward with exposure of the twigs and branches twigs and branches of lovely burgundy. A nice contrast to the starkness of ice and snow.

I live in the woods. I live in the mountains. I strive to keep my world as much as possible like it would have been a hundred, or more years ago, with plants that are native to this state. Sweetspire is one of the plants that is helping me stay happy up here!

Rose Or Berry?

Late May, and the clusters of white blossoms are everywhere. Brambles covered with cascades of white. Blackberry or Multiflora Rose. For me, a friend and a foe. The two plants are nearly twins to the untrained eye. I think I’ve got it figured out though. In the picture, above, Blackberry, Rubus fruticosus. Notice the center of the bloom — a soft, pale green.

The spill of blossoms of the Blackberry, are a bit more thin and scattered than the Multiflora Rose.

Native Blackberry provides much benefit to wildlife here on the mountain. Not only does my family enjoy picking the berries, but many insects, birds and mammals benefit from its presence.

The Multiflora Rose, Rosa multiflora, above, has the same size flower as the Blackberry. The center of the bloom though, is quite a different color — soft yellow with school bus yellow stamens.

Stepping back, looking at the Multiflora Rose as a bush, the blooms are more tightly packed in their clusters than the Blackberry.

The Multiflora Rose is native to eastern Asia, in China, Japan and Korea. It is considered an alien invasive in eastern North America. Multiflora Rose should not be confused with polyantha roses which are garden cultivars derived from hybrids of R. multiflora.

Here on my mountain, and further up, in Shenandoah National Park, Multiflora Rose presents a challenge. It takes over large swaths of ground preventing native plants from establishing themselves and providing benefit to insects, birds and mammals.

Friend or foe? Blackberry is my friend, Multiflora Rose is definitely not.

Pink Fog

Perhaps spring is here. Though the forecast for this coming Tuesday (the day this will be published) is for more snow.

My Redbuds, Cercis canadensis, here in the mountains of central Virginia are just now showing the slightest signs, of thoughts of blooms. This picture, above, was taken 5 days ago, while our newest, 8 inches of snow, were still festooning tree branches. Buds with just a hint of swelling.

In what will seem like, less time than the blink of an eye, my Redbuds will be sprouting their pinkish-purple blossoms. Sprouting blossoms that will be pollinated by long-tongued bees. Sprouting from buds along its zigzag branches, and sometimes even from the trunk of the tree itself.

The trunk, with its sprouting buds, is often twisted, looking as if it is participating in a yoga class.

To my eyes, which are even now, just awakening from a black and white, monotoned winter, the color will be dazzling! Along with tiny bits of apple green, there will be a flooding of the softest of magenta, in the just coming alive forest. It will appear to be a pink watercolor wash, over nearly everything.

At this point in the emergence of spring, on rare occasions, an event might happen if I am lucky. Pink Fog. The right temperatures, the right humidity and the sun doing its best to filter through all the Redbud blooms and PRESTO! Pink Fog! Beautiful!

For about one week, during this unfurling of spring, there will be an overlapping of blooms. Redbuds on the decline, and another native tree, the Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida, just coming into bloom, contrasting their pink, and bright, snow white petals.

While the forests are having their pink and white dance, the Redbud flowers will be aging. Redbud leaves will be pushing their way out into the world. Leaves blushed with red that are perhaps the inspiration for the name Redbud. Leaves that have filled my photo collection, of Mother Nature’s hearts. Leaves that will provide food for caterpillars, of butterflies and moths of the forest, such as the striking Io Moth, Automeris io.

The seasons march on. The distinctive fruit of the Redbud will develop into flat, pea-like pods that contain 10 to 12 seeds.

As those seed pods develop, the Redbud leaves will be turning a brilliant yellow, preparing the trees for winter.

But back to the present and maybe spring. No Redbud blooms yet. Here’s to spring really happening. Here’s to at least one Pink Fog event!

Come Walk With Me

Ice storm overnight. Beauty beyond words. Walk carefully with me and I will show you some of that beauty. Watch your step. It is very slick.

If this blog had a sound track, this is what it would look like. I don’t know what the music actually sounds like, but as I was working on capturing this glazed Sumac, I felt I was photographing music.

A common evergreen here on my mountain, this is Virginia Pine, Pinus virginiana, dressed in shimmering, silvery ice. A tree native to the Blue Ridge Mountains, that grows to a height of 60 feet.

Another evergreen, my first photo in this blog, is a Blue Spruce, Picea pungens. A tree of color well worth noting. This tree is a particularly nice example of that blue-gray-green. My living room was graced with the beauty of this tree at Christmas, and it has been planted just outside my studio windows to please me throughout the year.

The Blue Spruce is not native to the Blue Ridge Mountains where I am located, but is a tree native to the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. I expect my lovely Blue Spruce to reach a height of 50 feet. Growing the wild, it might reach a height of 75 feet.

The ice doesn’t quite know how to collect itself here on these cotton topped, seed heads of Anemone virginiana. I’ve enjoyed getting to know this native perennial through the years. It’s a tall (2 to 3 feet) plant in summer, with attractive pale green to white flowers that are 1.5 inches across. The pistils are grouped in a thimble shape, which is how the plant gets its name. The common name, Thimble Weed, is perhaps why I am fascinated with it, since I am a quilter and use a thimble quite often.

Seed eating birds really go for these seeds, when they are not covered in a layer of ice. This is Black-eyed Susan or Eastern Coneflower, Rudbeckia fulgida. This is an excellent example of how handy a scientific name is. There are many flowers with the common name, Black-eyed Susan. Knowing the scientific name eliminates all confusion.

More of the Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida, seed heads protected from the desires of Goldfinches, by ice.

A stunning flower during the summer, the Purple Coneflower, Echinachea purpurpea, is another native perennial that I depend on to draw the attention of Goldfinches when the seeds are present. This seed head has served its purpose, with all the seeds gone.

The last stop on our walk in the icy wonderland, this is a White Oak, Quercus alba, which keeps its leaves until the spring. It is a grand tree that can grow to be 100 feet tall and live for 200 to 300 years.

And now, I’m hoping for more ice or snow to create an art gallery of winter beauty on my mountain!

Just An Inch

Wednesday night, into Thursday morning, the weather forecast was for some rain, and maybe in the mountains a little snow. Hooray for elevation! It was beginning to stick when I hit the sack and Thursday morning I was greeted with an inch of snow on the grass. Given all the talk of the rain/snow line and where I am located, I am happy to settle for an inch of snow.

This patch of snow (above), shows off my Aster seed heads. The Asters are a favorite spot for Buckeye Butterflies, Junonia coenia, when they choose to be in the area, in the fall. For some reason this gorgeous butterfly (seen below), with bright pumpkin orange accents and soft lavender eyespots, decided not to come visit my cabin this past autumn. I’ll be planting more natives and hoping that I can entice them this coming butterfly season.

Roaming around I found evidence of other happy creatures enjoying the snow, besides me. These bird tracks (below) look to me as if the little guy took a flying leap off the high dive, hunting for the spot where I left him some sunflower seeds.

Another sign of seasons past, I found snow atop what is left of another butterfly and hummingbird favorite, Bee Balm, Monarda didyma (below). Looking quite different than in the summer when it is a brilliant scarlett. It would hardly get any notice now in mid-winter, except for its rich texture.

And speaking of textures, I found my lane to be a wonderful pattern (below). Of lace? Of letters? I kept looking to see if there were actually any letters formed in the intricate designs, created by the pine needles that had fallen with the wind. I found no messages though.

Another relic of a bygone season, the empty seed pods of Butterfly Weed, Aclepias tuberosa (below). I hope that nearly all the seeds that were in these pods are now in the soil, just waiting for spring and summer to sprout up and bloom again for me, and for the butterflies, such as the Monarch that so greatly depend on the Milkweed family.

And more seed heads. This is what is left of Purple Coneflower, Echinachea purpurea (immediately below). The seeds attract many of the seed eating birds such as the Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis (seen in the second picture below), chowing down on the Black-eyed-Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida, seed heads that I left for them. I’ll wait till spring before I clean up my garden. Leaving food for the birds to enjoy during the winter attracts them to my yard, pleasing the birds and pleasing me.

Still a good bit of winter yet to come. I’m hoping for many more inches of snow!

American Mistletoe

The leaves in the forest, for the most part, all have fallen, yet every now and then there is a tree that has an odd, large clump of leaves. At first glance it appears to be a squirrel’s nest. Upon further investigation, small, leathery, emerald green leaves are revealed. This is the stuff of many myths. American Mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum.

Druids of northern Europe hung sprigs of Mistletoe over their doorways to protect the occupants against lightning, thunder and evil spirits. The Druids also looked upon Mistletoe as a symbol of peace, something we might want to consider. The custom of kissing under the Mistletoe is also an ancient one, which began more than 2000 years ago. Some believed that a kiss under the mistletoe meant the lovers would marry. Others believed that if a young woman was not kissed under the Mistletoe, she would not marry in the following year.

In our modern times, researchers have discovered compounds in Mistletoe that may have value in helping with smooth muscle problems, hypertension, and cancer.

The Mistletoe plant is a hemi-parasite, meaning it that though it does rely on its host tree for water and minerals, it produces its own food through photosynthesis. Mistletoe grows on many different hardwood trees. Birds such as cedar waxwing, bluebird, and evening grosbeak eat the pearly white berries, and distribute the seeds, which are covered with a gluey substance. The seeds end up sticking to tree branches. Once stuck to the branch, roots will penetrate the tree’s bark and the hi-jacking of water and nutrients begins.

There are three species of butterfly that depend entirely upon the Mistletoe plant for their survival. The Great Purple Hairstreak feeds on the American Mistletoe that I have presented in this blog. The caterpillars of two other butterflies: the Thicket Hairstreak, and the Johnson’s Hairstreak feed on Dwarf Mistletoe, Arceuthobium.

Good luck if you find some Mistletoe and place it over a doorway, hoping for a kiss!

A word of caution though, the plant should be kept out of reach of children and pets, since it is poisonous.

Diamonds Of Ice!

Redosier Dogwood, Cornus sericea, berry stems — **Redosier Dogwood**, *Cornus sericea*, berry stems, on main stem of deep red.

As I snuggled in my bed last night, I was prepared for nothing special in the weather this morning. Yesterday‘s forecast had been for snow, sleet and freezing rain.

Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida — **Flowering Dogwood**, *Cornus florida*, in bud, patiently waiting for spring, in soft green and muted red.

Mother Nature skipped the snow part, and went straight to sleet, and it kept going, all day long. The temperature remained steady at 27 degrees during the whole day, but as bedtime drew nigh, it began to rise quickly and by the time I went to bed it was 32 degrees with no signs of leveling off. So my thoughts of a beautiful morning were of a beautiful rainy, wet morning.

Blue Spruce, Picea pungens, and this year's Christmas tree — **Blue Spruce**, *Picea pungens*, and this year’s Christmas tree, in lovely pale blue-green.

The little girl within me was more than delighted this morning as daylight revealed a thick coating of ice over everything!

Winterberry, and one of my goals accomplished with a wintery photo of this beautiful shrub! — **Winterberry**, and one of my goals accomplished, with a wintery photo of this beautiful shrub. Complete with scarlet berries and white diamond ice!

I very quickly put breakfast on the table for the family, gobbled mine down, and went out into the wonderland of diamonds and ice.

The very sharp end to a Yucca leaf, complete with ice — The very sharp end to a bluish green **Yucca** leaf, edged in golden yellow, complete with ice.

Thank goodness I have trekking poles! The ice was thick and not forgiving for a false move, and to further complicate things, I’m on the side of a mountain! Every surface is on a slant. With the poles though, I didn’t take a spill.

Virginia Pine, Pinus virginiana — **Virginia Pine**, *Pinus virginiana, like green flowers.*

When I left the cabin, the temperature was 32 degrees and it was very cloudy.

Grape Vine Tendrils — **Grape** Vine Tendrils. showing a bronzy glow.

There was no dripping. Everything in a frozen, fairlyland.

Blueberry Bushes, with their buds all set for spring — **Blueberry Bushes,** with a blush of Christmas red, with their buds all set for spring.

As I returned to my cabin, the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds, and like magic, it seemed to begin raining. Of course it wasn’t rain, but melting ice, dripping down on me.

Seed Head of Queen Anne's Lace — A tan Seed Head of **Queen Anne’s Lace.**

Now this afternoon most of the diamonds and ice are gone from the trees and bushes.

Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra — Crimson, **Smooth Sumac** Berries, *Rhus glabra.*

But no worries! There is snow in tomorrow’s forecast!

Like A Pinecone Dipped In Molten Glass — Like A Maroon **Pinecone** Dipped In Molten Glass.

How cool is that?

Seed Head Of Echinachea purpurea — A Toast-brown Seed Head Of **Echinachea purpurea.**

Stay tuned! I may be in my element tomorrow again, wandering with my hiking companions, my two cameras, taking snow pictures!

Seed Head Of Tall Anemone, Anemone virginiana — Soft Butter-yellow and Toast-Brown Seed Head Of **Tall Anemone**, *Anemone virginiana.*

Snow!

I’m easily entertained. Give me a little snowfall and I’ll be elated for hours. I’ll become the little girl from so long ago. The little girl who grew up on the best sledding hill in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. Other things take me back to my childhood. Bicycling does it too. But snow provides the best trip back in the time machine!

Today I got snow. Today I’m thrilled! Today I’m a little kid again! Take a walk with this little kid, as I check out the beauty of the snow .. .. ..

This is Blue Spruce. It’s my favorite species of tree for Christmas. It’s got sturdy branches for all those heavy ornaments, a gorgeous color, wonderful shape. Unfortunately it is not user friendly. Its needles are very painful to work with. Yes, painful to work with, but its beauty is well worth it. My husband and I grow Blue Spruce trees here on the mountain so that we can cut our own tree each year. And they are spectacular when they have snow on their branches!

Look at those snowflakes! Aren’t they wonderful! How could anyone not want snow? And no, I do not have my Christmas lights up already. Tonight these lights will be Thanksgiving lights. Just a few weeks ago they were Halloween lights. During the summer they were 4th of July lights and when I am expecting someone special to arrive at my cabin, on any evening, they become Welcome Home lights!

Continuing on our walk through the winter wonderland, we come upon brilliant, crimson berries of the Smooth Sumac bush. These berries are saved as an emergency food supply by many birds and will be consumed when there is much more snow cover and very little else to eat.

Providing a cup to capture the snow, the fused leaves of Coral Honeysuckle create a Christmas palette of scarlet, rich holly green and snow white. These berries attract Robin, Hermit Thrush, Goldfinch, Purple Finch and Quail.

This plant is a Yucca. Its flower is the state flower of New Mexico and the national emblem of El Salvador. The Yucca is also a native plant here in Virginia. The little kid in me loves to see this plant totally covered with snow, looking like a big igloo.

This plant is one that Thomas Jefferson grew in his gardens at Monticello. The berries often form a cluster that looks much like a blackberry, which is how it got its name, Blackberry Lily.

The snow I got today was enough to let me time travel back to my childhood, but certainly not enough to go snowshoeing or sledding. I got less than 1/2 inch. Tonight I’ll be dreaming of the winter of 2009-10, the best winter ever, when I got 72 inches of snow up here on Snow Mountain. Something dreams are made of!

P.S. The bare branch, with fire engine red berries at the top of this post is Winterberry, another native to Virginia.

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A Whole New World

Life At A Different Level

I was greeted by a whole new world yesterday, as I hiked up the mountain. I’d been down in Florida and not able to check on things up here for more than a week. When I left, autumn was on the downswing. Now, I am greeted by what looks like a winter landscape. Just browns, blacks, whites, grays and a stray bit of evergreen. This is good! I love to have the seasons change around me, welcoming each one as it approaches.

Bark! Bark!

As winter creeps into our area, it’s time for me to change my focus. From butterflies and insects, to bark and buds.

Hey Bud!

These are the buds of Spicebush, Lindera benzoin. They are out there in the forest, right now, just waiting for spring, to burst into a soft wash of lemon yellow.

Not Chinese Chestnut

The bark of Spicebush puts me in mind of the young branches of Chinese Chestnut, Castanea mollissima, a tree that is often confused with American Chestnut, Castenea dentata. The Chinese Chestnut has lenticels (breathing pores on the bark of trees) that are pronounced and feel like course salt on a pretzel. I think this bark looks like a salted pretzel, like the Chinese Chestnut. This is the bark of Spicebush.

Another Shade Of Gray

Another small tree bark that I am working to get to know is Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. Both Witch Hazel and Spicebush are small trees or large shrubs that grow in look-alike groupings. I can count on the bark of each, to let me know which I am looking at, during the winter when there are few other clues. Witch Hazel (above) also has visible lenticels, but they are elongated, fewer, and the bark in general has a rosey-gray appearance, while the coloring of the Spicebush bark is more a green-gray.

Subtle Coloring

I look forward to a season of gentle coloring. Almost monotone, like a black and white pen sketch, beautiful in its simplicity.

A Day Of Chestnut Trees And Berries

Yes! American Chestnut Trees!

I was pleased this morning to be able to tell a dear friend that the trees he thought might be American Chestnuts, Castanea dentata, were indeed, the not often found species. Yay! This is good. I had mixed feelings though, because at the same time, I had to tell him that his trees would definitely succumb to chestnut blight. That is of course unless some crazed, chain saw wielding person comes along and cuts the trees down.

Ocean Waves

The first thing I looked for on my friend’s trees – the classic ocean wave of the leaf edge. The leaf in the photo above is one that I pressed to save, since it has the perfect example of the American Chestnut leaf edge. This morning the leaf edges were a bit hard to see since it is so late in the season, and the leaves were curled and dry, but I was encouraged by the edges I could see. Also the shape of the leaf is like a canoe – quite pointed at both ends. And an American Chestnut leaf is generally 5 to 9 inches long.

Lenticels

Another thing I took into consideration was the bark of the trees. American Chestnuts have easily visible lenticels, or breathing pores, that look like fine salt on a pretzel. These trees did have these lenticels. Chinese Chestnuts also have these lenticels, but they look like large salt grains. My friends trees had an appearance of fine salt grains.

Tootsie Rolls Anyone?

Another sign of an American Chestnut is the color of the twigs, a rich Tootsie Roll brown, along with those lenticels. Again the trees passed the test. Last but not least, I took into consideration the environment that the trees are living in – forested land with no clearing. American Chestnuts are shade tolerant trees, surviving in shade, just waiting for an opportunity to capture sunshine and shoot up to their tallest potential. Chinese Chestnuts are not shade tolerant. Good news, Buddy! I feel you’ve got several American Chestnut trees. Keep your fingers crossed, and if you are very lucky, they may grow to be sizable trees!

One Ridge North

As I was checking out Buddy’s trees, I was taking in the beauty of his property, one mountain ridge north of mine. He’s a landscape architect and his property reflects what a person in this profession would have, if he was guided by Mother Nature. He lives in the woods, surrounded by native plants. I was struck by one native in particular. One that I blogged about yesterday: Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana. The photo above is his native species. See how the berries cluster on the stem, like poufs on a French poodle?

Mine – Not A Native

While Buddy has the native, I get the booby prize, with my Purple Beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma, (above) which is not a native to North American, but of the Far East!