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Growing At The Summit Of Hightop
April 22, 2025 A plant in the genus Sedum, and one that is quite prevalent in its native range of eastern North America. I first became acquainted with Woodland Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) on one of my many hikes up Hightop, where it grows atop the boulders at the summit of the mountain. It enjoys growing…
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More Pink In The Spring
April 21, 2025 This afternoon, climbing up the mountain I was really pleased to find a Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) blooming with the look of, “Happy SPRING!” These flowers are one of many on my list of favorite flowers. And to top off the fun color, cool leaves, and how they grow into beautiful clumps,…
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Miniature Iris Growing In The Garden
April 20, 2025 A bright spot in one of my gardens. Flowers my Mom would adore. Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata), found on rocky, wooded slopes. Native to the eastern and southern United States. Quite short for an Iris, it grows to between 4 and 9 inches tall, and spreads by rhizomes. Wonderful to see…
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The Easter Bunny?
April 19, 2025 Probably not the Easter Bunny, but a Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii). At one of my favorite places in New Mexico, Three Rivers Petroglyph Site. Ninety percent of their diet is grass. Other things they eat include the leaves and peas of Mesquite, and the pads of Prickly Pear Cactus. Fortunately for them, considering…
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Azaleas Abloom In The Woods
April 18, 2025 Pinxter Azaleas (Rhododendron periclymenoides) are blooming in the woods right now. Taking over the duty of providing pink, as the Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) send out their new green leaves and the pink blossoms drop to the ground. The Pinxter Azalea is in the genus, Rhododendron. In that genus, there are Rhododendrons as…
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At The Garden Gate
April 17, 2025 White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) They arrive here in late autumn, stay during the winter enjoying the snow, and are here for a good bit of spring. Their population is most dense in the southeastern United States during late autumn, winter, and early spring. The breeding season finds them in Canada, and northern…
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Tiny Lilies In Bloom
April 16, 2025 Pure joy every spring when these diminutive Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) decide to emerge from the soil and reach their short stems skyward. In preparation to becoming a Virginia Master Naturalist, I took a natural history class in Charlottesville many years ago. That class was incredible in its content. We took many…
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White And Sometimes Pink Trillium
April 15, 2025 White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) in bloom up the mountain right now, sometimes in large swaths. These flowers spread into large areas thanks to mymecochory, a process I’ve mentioned before. It is the process in which ants are attracted to the seeds of certain plants. Seeds that have elaiosomes, or fatty structures, which…
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Precious Star Chickweed
April 14, 2025 Another native plant that lives in the shadow of a somewhat similar non-native invasive plant. This is Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera), in bloom right now along trails up here in the mountains. Having the name Chickweed in its common name I’m sure will turn people off but this is a good plant.…
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Rich Yellow Blooms
April 13, 2025 Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) in bloom right now. A marvelous plant native to the east and central United States and southwestern Ontario. Its rich yellow is a color that I adore. Stylophorum diphyllum has two common names, Wood Poppy and Celadine Poppy. I choose to use the name Wood Poppy since there…