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Native But Aggressive
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) a quick growing vine, native to eastern and central North America. It has palmately compound leaves usually with 5 leaflets. And can be confused with Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) so double check the number of leaflets that you’re seeing. Maybe what you see is not Poison Ivy, but just Virginia Creeper.…
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A Look Into Autumn
A picture taken here on the lane, last year (November 16, 2023) as the Sugar Maple leaves (Acer saccharum) were at their most brilliant. Much to look forward to. ________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Heartleaf Aster
Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium), is easy to identify because of its heart shaped leaves. A herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern North America. There are about 150 species of Aster native to North America. The flowers of Heartleaf Aster are composed of petal-like ray flowers which are often blue-violet to lavender, or in this…
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After Days Of Sunshine
After many days of wonderful sunshine, today is a gloomy, drizzly, rainy day. I’m very glad of the rain since today is September 17th and it hasn’t rained since September 1st when .59 inches came down upon us. Now slowly, slowly we’re getting some moisture again. Just the way it should happen. Slowly, gently. This…
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Butterfly Weed – Not A Weed
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), native to eastern and southwestern North America. This picture taken at the beginning of August of 2024. Always a delight for me to find these bright orange blooms attracting butterflies in the wild. And now, actually just yesterday, September 15th, and there are seed pods on the Butterfly Weed. Soon to burst…
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Ironweed – Gone To Seed
Ironweed (Vernonia) with brilliant purple flowers, blooming in July. Blooms that attract many butterflies and other native pollinators in search of the pollen and nectar that the flowers provide. Now those flowers have turned into seed heads. During autumn and winter many birds will eat the seeds including Goldfinch, House Finch, and Song Sparrows. And…
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Why The Name – Blackberry Lily?
Blackberry Lily (Iris domestica) Thanks to inspiration from Thomas Jefferson’s gardening mentor, Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon, seeds of this plant were sown at Monticello in 1807. Now, one of many favorites in my yard. In 2005 this plant was moved to the genus Iris and given its new scientific name thanks to molecular DNA sequence evidence. Here,…
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Copperhead
Out on a walk this morning, I came upon a Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), appearing to be frozen on the path in front of me. It stayed there for 5 or 10 minutes just watching me, being perfectly still. Made me think of some creatures that freeze and seem to be saying through mental telepathy, “You…
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Blue-winged Wasp
A Blue-winged Wasp (Scolia dubia) enjoying Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens) in one of my gardens. This is a wonderful wasp to have in the yard. The female tunnels into the soil to find Japanese Beetle grubs (Popillia japonica). It will lay its eggs on those grubs, and as the eggs turn into larvae, growing and…