While there are quite a few native Hypericum species (other types of st. Johnswort), the common yellow roadside flower we can currently observe, is not. Hypericum perforatum was introduced to North America in the 1700s. Its origins are in Eurasia. It has “perforatum” in its name because it seems the leaves have perforations when you […]
Archive for the ‘Flora’ Category
From the non-native dossier: Hypericum perforatum (common st. johnswort)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
From the invasives dossier: Tanacetum vulgare (tansy)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This perennial herb from the sunflower family is native to Europe and Eurasia. The plant has distinct finely divided, alternating compound leaves and yellow, button-like flowers. It is a tall plant that branches near the top. Tansy gives off a scent similar to camphor with hints of rosemary. The leaves and flowers are toxic if […]
Oenothera fruticosa (southern sundrop)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This tough perennial finds its home in prairies, roadsides and among rocky hillsides from Manitoba to Florida and many states inbetween. The sunshine-yellow flowers are 1-2 inches in diameter and appear in early summer. These pictures were taken in the garden of the Brewster Natural History Museum. There is not a whole lot of sunlight, […]
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on July 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Not many other plants say “hello summer” the way butterfly weed does – there is no understating the glowing orange flowers which attract human smiles as well as butterflies (i.e. Monarchs) and assorted other critters. I purchased a few plants from Mahoney’s on the cape, and put them in average soil in as much full […]
Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on July 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The lady fern is native to all of North America and Eurasia, and prefers semi-shaded deciduous forests. This fern seems to move – the old rhizomes will die off and fresh fern growth will appear elsewhere. Lady fern has some food value to wildlife – out west Grizzly bears eat this fern. Here on Cape […]
Vitas labrusca (fox grape vine)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on July 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
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 […]
Lonerica sempervirens (coral honeysuckle)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on June 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This beautiful vine is finally blooming, 2 years after having been planted. Curiously, the plant in the semi-shade is erupting into flowers before the coral honeysuckle on the south side of the house, but that one is not far behind. It may have been a matter of maturity. Lonerica sempervirens is a good climber that […]
Sisyrinchium augustifolium (stout blue eyed grass)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on June 29, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
All members of this genus of plants of the Iris family are native to the new world. Sisyrinchium augustifolium is a common species in the eastern United States. In this region there are 6 species of blue eyed grass alone – other eastern species of blue eyed grass are Sisyrinchium montanum and Sisyrinchium atlanticum. The […]
Thermopsis villosa (carolina lupine)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio, Tips on June 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This plant was a total surprise addition to my garden. I had some Chelone glabra delivered last fall for a late fall planting, and somehow or other this plant made it into the mix. Probably the result of a pre-dawn or pre-coffee loading of the delivery truck. The plant is almost 5 feet tall and […]
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 – […]