Whether Vinland was located in Newfoundland, on present day Cape Cod, or somewhere inbetween, there is no dispute that the Norsemen were here long before Columbus re-discovered America. And I am pretty sure they named their discovery after the fox grape vine. This was repeated when Bartholomew Gosnold named the island of Martha’s Vineyard. This […]
Archive for the ‘Edible’ Category
Vitas labrusca (fox grape vine)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on July 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Tradescantia virginiana (virginia spiderwort)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio, Tips on June 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This species of spiderwort is also fairly common in the eastern US, including Massachusetts. I can tell it apart from Tradescantia ohiensis because I acquired virginia spiderwort from a plant center with purple-pink, rather than blue flowers. T. ohiensis also has a blue tint on the stems. However, you can’t rely just on color – […]
Bluejacket spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Tips on June 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Synonyms: Ohio spiderwort, Bluejacket, Snotweed This member of the Commelinaceae family is one of the first plants to push its leaves up to the sun in springtime. In early March there was 2 to 3 inches of growth already. However, it still had a long way to go – the spiderwort doesn’t bloom until late […]
Osmunda regalis (royal fern)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The royal fern prefers moist to wet soils in partial to full shade. It also likes rich, humusy, acidic soils, but adapts to less perfect conditions, such as my woodland garden. The soil there is definitely more sandy, but over time the leaves from the overhead canopy, with some assistance from bacteria and worms, will […]
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on May 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Cinnamon fern is one of the larger ferns we have – I have a handful in the woodland garden, reaching over 4 feet in height. The plants are quite beautiful: The fertile fronds appear first as furry fiddleheads, ultimately becoming stiff, erect, and soon turn a chocolate brown color – very much like a stick […]
Maianthemum canadense (canada mayflower)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Plant bio on May 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
While I do not have canada mayflower in my yard, there are several patches on my street and alongside other streets abutting woods and woodlands. I noticed the leaves of these plants last fall, and thought I was dealing with lilly of the valley. An easy mistake to make, in fact: The other name for […]
Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Plant bio on May 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Wild sarsaparilla sprouts up just about everywhere in my woodland garden, even the lawn. This perennial woodland plant is an indicator species of rich moist woodlands, although it seems to be thriving in a more sandy and rocky environment. Aralia nudicaulis sends up a single, long-stalked leaf and flowering stalk from a very short stem. […]
Viola pedata (birdfoot violet)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on May 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Viola pedata is a violet native to states east of the Rockies, from Texas to Maine (but not in Florida for some reason). This plant is different in three ways – First, the leaves are deeply lobed. Second, there are no hairs near the throat of the flower. Third, and last: Unlike other violets this […]
Polygonatum biflorum (solomon’s seal)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Plant bio, Tips on May 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
For many years, I admired these plants at a friend’s house on the cape. They were the only species in a 3 by 20 feet border alongside the wall, and they looked magnificent. When my friend got sick of these plants 2 years ago, opting for more colorful bloomers, I took the opportunity to take […]
Assessment time
Posted in Edible, Rants & Raves, Recipe on May 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Well, I am not really assessing anything – I only wanted to highlight the fact that I am taking a break today from yard and garden work. Not that the garden is not assessment-worthy: There have been some accomplishments and early successes: The woodland garden in front of the house holds pretty much all the […]