One Of Many

Wreath Goldenrod (Solidago caesia), one of many species of goldenrod that are native to Virginia. There are 40 or 50 species of the plant that grow in the state. Across North America there are more than 100 native species.

Wreath Goldenrod is a bit different from many other species of goldenrod, with small bunches of their yellow blooms emerging from the spot where the leaves meet the stem, the leaf axil, from one end of the stem to the other. Most often other species of goldenrods only bloom at the top several inches of their willowy stems.

Sneezing a lot these days? The pollen grains of goldenrod are not responsible for hay fever. Those pollen grains are heavy, sticky, and are not wind dispersed. The culprit is Ragweed (Ambrosia). Billions of pollen grains are produced by the green flowers of Ragweed. Those pollen grains are distributed in the wind. Ragweed flowers are inconspicuous, while goldenrod flowers are eye catching. Both these flowers are blooming at the same time, while hay fever is bothering many people, and which bloom comes to mind? Certainly not the inconspicuous green flowers, but the showy yellow flowers of goldenrod.

Ah, beautiful brilliant yellow blooms of Wreath Goldenrod. I’ll take them over the green Ragweed flowers any day.

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Heaps Of Black Walnuts And Winter

There are many, many Black Walnuts (Juglans nigra) falling to the ground here in my neighborhood, up and down the mountain. More than I’ve ever seen on the ground at once. Folklore says that when there is a mast year of Black Walnuts we will be having a hard winter. Hmmm. Could that mean lots of snow? I would delight in that. I adore winter, but particularly snow. But we are suffering through a drought and precipitation of any sort would be quite welcome.

Yesterday I took ten boxes overflowing with Black Walnuts to the Virginia Department of Forestry. Every year they collect many species of nuts and acorns which will be planted, in order to get tree seedlings which will planted by forestland owners. These seedlings should become trees which will be hardy, growing in the same climate from which they originated.

I’m pleased to be part of this program, helping the forests of Virginia grow.

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Autumn And Purple

Purple, my Mom’s favorite color, and who would have thought — a perfect accent color for autumn. All those beautiful warm colors, oranges, reds, yellows, need a soft cool color every now and then.

And providing that color, Asters. So many lavender Asters dapple trails right now. It’s not those I’m speaking of today though. There are a few plants, here and there that are a bit different. A stronger color, making more of a statement. A nice rich blue-purple-violet. These are New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae). With their hairy, alternate, clasping leaves, they bring delight to my hikes. The perfect accent color for autumn.

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Maple Leaves In Autumn

From today.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) That common name, Red Maple. It’s one of many common names. So confusing. Why don’t we just learn the scientific name and avoid all the confusion. I wish it would happen, but dream on.

But that common name of Red Maple says a lot about the tree. It starts out in spring, sending out red leaves. Red leaves before the chlorophyl kicks in and turns the leaves green. Then it gets red flowers, red samaras (you might know them as helicopters), red twigs, and often but not always scarlet red leaves in autumn. Yes, the Red Maple doesn’t always turn red in autumn. Sometimes yellow, sometimes orange. Who would have thought!

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Abloom With Asters

The calendar says it is autumn and that means there are Asters blooming all along the trails up here in the mountains. They are ubiquitous. These, White Wood Asters (Eurybia divaricata). So many. It’s hard to get my head around them all. I’m working on it. Needle-like leaves. Heart shaped leaves. White, like these but with different leaves. Lavender. Bright purple. I’ve got a LOT of work to do to figure them all out.

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Still Seeing Them

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Gone are the summer days when I’d put out a half gallon of hummingbird syrup every single day. “My” many hummers are long gone but the little birds that summered further north are still coming through. Each traveling alone. That concept boggles my mind. Even the youngest, that just fledged this summer already magically know where they are going. WOW!

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Red Berries Red Leaves

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). Leaves that, in a subtle way, start to turn from green to red in late June. You have to look and be very aware. It is indeed quite a minuscule change at first. After all it takes months to reach this point of rich red. And those berries. The ultimate scarlet. Waiting for birds, squirrels, to come, to eat, to distribute their seeds.

Autumn. I love it.

Jack-O-Lantern Season

Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom (Omphalotus illudens)

Maybe not the Jack-O-Lantern that first comes to mind. This one is a fungus. And a mushroom that is toxic to humans whether they are eaten cooked or raw. This one can easily be confused with edible Chanterelles. Don’t eat the Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms!

This mushroom has a faint glow in the dark, in the gills, while the fungus is young. In order to see that faint glow you must be sure your eyes are adapted to the dark, allowing 15 or 20 minutes for them to adjust. Researchers think this bioluminescence serves as a way to attract insects to the mushrooms. And those insects will provide spore dispersal.

These mushrooms are found in clusters on decaying stumps, and at the base of deciduous trees in eastern North America.

If you are into eating wild mushrooms, be certain you are not eating these Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms.

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American Dagger Moth Caterpillar

American Dagger Moth Caterpillar (Acronicta americana). There is a long list of host plants of the American Dagger Moth, Box Elder, Maple, and Oak are three of many.

One of those caterpillars that can cause a skin irritation. No venom involved but it can cause that skin irritation. Unless you like a painful or itchy rash don’t pick this critter up.

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The Pumpkin Patch

There is a very important tradition in this family. Go to a pumpkin patch before Halloween to pick out a pumpkin.

A most difficult decision when there are so many to chose from. But nobody said just ONE!

Choosing one would be an impossible task. There are so many colors. And surely color is my thing. And then there are so many sizes and shapes. Ah! How many can I bring home? Surely a whole wagonload will do. Yes, let’s go with that. Not one, but a whole wagonload.

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