Another pleasant surprise: My twinleaf is blooming! Not only was I sceptical about that particular prospect (after all, the plant had not bloomed in two years, maybe due to soil conditions), I was also thoroughly thrown by the speed. The plants had some leaves yesterday. 24 hours later, after a warmish spring day, a long […]
Archive for the ‘Plant bio’ Category
Jeffersonia diphylla (twinleaf)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio, Tips on April 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Plant bio on April 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This rather tall (3 to 5 feet) fern grows in symmetrical vase-like clumps. The ostrich fern likes it moist, and can be found natively on riverbanks and sandbars all over the northern hemisphere (North America, Northern Asia, and Northern Europe). Matteuccia struthiopteris has two kinds of fronds: The tall vertical fronds that resemble ostrich feathers […]
Asarum canadense (wild ginger)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio, Tips on April 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
When the wild ginger broke through the soil, a few weeks back, I was not quite sure what to make of it – the pale almost radiant green protrusions looked like folded handkerchiefs more than leaves, and only later did it dawn on me that this was Asarum canadense. The plant is found in the […]
Mertensia virginica (virginia bluebells)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on April 25, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Synonym: virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf While they are not yet in full bloom, Virginia bluebells are a notable presence in my woodland garden, and their leaves were one of the first to break through the soil a few short weeks ago. This member of the Boraginaceae family is a new addition to my woodland garden. […]
Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on April 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This was totally unexpected: The little rue anemones are the first spring bloomers in my woodland garden. The wild bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) and wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) are just days away from showing color themselves, but this year they got suprised at the finish line by these little upstarts. Mind you, the flowers look […]
Tiarella cordifolia (foamflower)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio, Tips on December 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
This member of the Saxifragaceae family is an excellent shade plant for the woodland garden. I have planted seven of these over the last two years, and they are already starting to form clumps. The species prefers moist and rich soils, but it seems to tolerate the poor and dry Cape Cod soil very well. […]
Holly Jolly Xmas
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on December 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Ilex opaca (holly shrub or tree) is fairly prevalent on Cape Cod. I have two cultivated specimens and a few that have propagated naturally. Long Pasture, which is not too far from where I live, has some very nice mature (ok, old) examples of this plant. The most striking features are the obvious evergreen foliage […]