This plant is a perennial in the Mint family, native to the eastern United States. At first, I thought the name to be quite deceptive – Physostegia virginiana can be quite agressive under the right circumstances. It spreads rapidly by the roots or stolons, when left unchecked. Luckily those roots are just below the surface […]
Archive for the ‘Plant bio’ Category
Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on August 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Helianthus divaricatus (woodland sunflower)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on August 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This perennial native to eastern North America prefers dry open woodlands, and does well in Cape Cod soil. The plant reproduces by seed, but it can form dense colonies from its rhizomatous root system. It can actually be fairly agressive and crowd out other plants. I can be somewhat messy – I’ve had to stalk […]
Rudbeckia triloba (browneyed susan)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on August 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I just added this plant to the edge of my woodland garden. Browneyed susan is a biennial, so I am hoping that it will self-seed in that particular area. That may be wishful thinking on my part, because the plant would do better with a bit more direct sunlight. However, other folks have had no […]
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio, Rants & Raves on August 2, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This vine is native to eastern North America and can be found in roadside hedges here and there on Cape Cod. The highway beautification crews up in the Boston area use this vine to cover the sound barriers along Route 93. It is often planted for its attractive, reddish orange, and sometimes yellow flowers. It […]
Asclepias amplexicaulis (blunt-leaved milkweed)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on August 1, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Asclepias amplexicaulis is also known as sand milkweed and grows to 3 or 4 feet in height. It has pink flowers like the common milkweed, but the flower cluster is less dense. The distinguishing feature of the plant, however, is the way the leaves are curled or whorled. This milkweed prefers dry soil conditions, and […]
Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio, Tips on July 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve known about Echinacea, the herbal supplement, since childhood. In Europe it’s been an essential ingredient of several cold and flu medications. Most of the research on the uses and benefits of this plant was done in Europe, Germany in particular. Although there remains some scepticism about the validity of the studies, researchers contest that […]
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on July 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Lobelia siphilitica is another short lived perennial (2 to 3 years) native to eastern and central Canada and US. It grows 3 to 4 feet tall, and produces blue flowers from August to October. These lobelias seem to be more at home in my yard than the related cardinal flower, even though they have similar […]
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio, Tips on July 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Lobelia cardinalis produces spikes of bright fire red flowers for about a month. I added these to the woodland garden to attract hummingbirds, and so far they have not disappointed. These little avian wonders have a smorgasbord to select from, with bee balm and a nectar feeder to boot, but they make the extra effort […]
From the non-native dossier: Daucus carota (queen anne’s lace)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Invasive, Plant bio, Recipe on July 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The common name of this natively European plant comes from an old tale about Queen Anne, a fervent lacemaker, who pricked herself on a needle, causing a drop of blood to fall on the lace. The flower structures of the plant are very much lace-like. In some of the flowers there is indeed a tiny […]
Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio, Tips on July 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I know my woodland garden is entering a new phase when the beebalm starts blooming. Summer and humid days are here, the canopy above is much more stingy with letting light through (even the caterpillar damaged twigs are sprouting new leaves), and lush growth is all around. At the same time days are getting noticably […]