Category: Song Birds

Woodland Sunflower

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus). An herbaceous perennial that often grows to 5 – 7 feet tall. It’s native to eastern and central North America and can be found along rocky trails and dry open sites.

As this example, as it dances in the dappled sunlight shows, the leaves are opposite with a smooth to slightly toothed margin and hairy underside.

Butterflies, Silvery Checkerspot (pictured above), Gorgon Checkerspot, and Painted Lady use the Woodland Sunflower as their larval host plant.

An abundance of other insects are attracted to Woodland Sunflowers. Some even to the point of exclusivity. There are certain bees which visit Woodland Sunflowers that will go to only this species of flower, or flowers of the Helianthus, or Sunflower genus. They are said to be oligolectic. Their larvae must be fed the pollen or nectar of those particular flowers in order to develop properly.

Woodland Sunflowers spread by rhizomes forming colonies. In the autumn as the flowers fade those colonies become prime territory for game birds, song birds, and small mammals gathering to enjoy the seeds.

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Sassafras Trees Are Dioecious

Seems winter has given up. Spring has won the battle of the seasons and is stepping through the woods. Right now, mid-April, Sassafras Trees (Sassafras albidum) are in bloom throughout the woods of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. Creating a soft watercolor wash of pale yellow.

Sassafras is a dioecious tree, meaning any Sassafras tree that you may come upon in the woods or in your yard is either a female tree or a male tree. Each individual tree’s flowers in turn are either female flowers or male flowers. The blossoms in the image immediately above are female flowers. Each female flower is very small at about one third inch across. Each has six sepals, an elongated central pistil and six small sterile stamens.

The male flower to my eyes looks like a busier flower. These are male flowers in the photo above. Each little flower, one third inch across, consists of six sepals and nine stamens with yellow anthers.

Going from tree to tree, the flowers are pollinated by various bees, flies, sawflies, beetles and wasps. Fertilized female flowers produce oval drupes. A drupe is also known as a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed. Drupe is easier to say.

When the drupes are ripe, reaching a deep blue-black color, seated on a pedicel that appears to be a rich red goblet, songbirds, Wild Turkeys, and Bobwhites enjoy the buffet and spread seeds through the woods. Bringing us more gorgeous Sassafras Trees.