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Little White Floral Mystery
Silverrod (Solidago bicolor). An herbaceous perennial that grows in open, dry woods. It grows 1 to 3 feet tall though I have only seen plants 1 to 1.5 feet tall With white or cream colored flowers that emerge from the leaf axils. Just a 1/4 inch wide and crowded on a single vertical stem. The…
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Five Red Leaves
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) a vine in the grape family (Vitaceae). Native to eastern and central North America. A plant that knows its own mind. One that will wander into areas where you might not want it to grow. Keep an eye on it if you have it in your garden. And beware some (but not…
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No Customers
What an absolute kick it is to feed the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) that come to my feeders during the summer. Some of them have been here before and return to my feeders, whether during the summer or during their migration. But gone is the time when I put out 1/2 gallon of hummingbird syrup…
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Late Bloomer
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) blooms in October and November, providing nectar for Owlet Moths. Unique flowers that make me think of yellow straps of shredded coconut. The blooms closely spaced make it difficult to tell but each flower has four petals that curl up on cold days and unfurl on warmer days. Blooming after their…
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Red Berries Deep In The Woods
Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum), can be found in large colonies emerging from their thick rhizomes in the spring. Clusters of white flowers form at the end of their long arching stems. In the autumn you’ll find these beautiful clusters of red berries at the end of those stems. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…