Here in the United States we celebrate our independence on this day and “bombs bursting in air” are part of that celebration. Right on schedule tall meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens) blooms and add its own kind of fireworks to the festivities. This plant is also called king of the meadow, probably because it can reach 6 or 7 feet tall under perfect conditions. It likes wet feet and its head in the sun, and grows in places that never completely dry out. The example shown is a male plant which has petal-less, stamen only flowers that dangle in sparkly panicles.
Years ago I found a small group of native wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) and have never seen any since until just recently. It’s a beautiful little thing which to me is like a spring beauty bonus that blooms in summer. Unfortunately it’s very rare here, or at least I thought so. Now I’m not so sure; I found these plants growing in a spot that I have passed close to a hundred times, and that illustrates perfectly why I never hike a trail just once. You simply can’t see everything there is to see by hiking a trail once and since flowers bloom at different times, if you want to see them a trail should be hiked every couple of weeks. It’s the only way to see all of the plants that grow in a certain place.
Though slender nettle (Urtica gracilis) has fewer stinging hairs it is sometimes regarded as a variety of stinging nettle and is referred to as Urtica dioica gracilis. Its common name comes from the long, slender leaves. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has fatter, shorter, more heart shaped leaves. But grab ahold of either plant and you’ll find out why the Urtica part of the scientific name comes from the Latin uro, which means “I burn.” The hollow stinging hairs on the leaves and stems are called trichomes and act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that cause the stinging. If you’re lucky the nettle you run into will be growing next to some jewel weed (Impatiens capensis,) because the sap of that plant will stop the burning and stinging. People have been using nettles for food, medicine, fibers, and dyes since before recorded time.
When I showed the Pathfinders around the old abandoned road near Beaver Brook we saw plenty of Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and Jim, their leader, mentioned that he had never seen its flowers. The flowers won’t win any blue ribbons at flower shows but they are another interesting part of nature that many people never see, so here they are.
Each Virginia creeper flower is about 1/4 inch across and has 5 greenish, backward curving petals, 5 stamens with white filaments and large yellow anthers, and a conical pistil. If pollinated each flower becomes a bluish berry that many birds and animals love to eat. They are eaten by bluebirds, cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, and turkeys. Mice, skunks, chipmunks, squirrels, and deer eat them too and deer also eat the leaves and stems. My favorite part of the plant is its leaves, which turn bright scarlet, orange and purple in the fall.
Staghorn sumac (Rhus hirta) is another flower that most of us, myself included, pass by without a glance. This time I decided to stop and see what I had been missing. It’s another of those flowers that won’t win any prizes but insects must love them, judging by how each flower head becomes a cluster of bright red, fuzzy berries. Each greenish yellow flower is about 1/4 inch across and has 5 curved petals, a 5 lobed calyx, 5 stamens, and a central pistil, all of which are so tiny I can’t even see them by eye alone.
Black Swallowwort (Cynanchum louiseae) has purplish-brown to nearly black star shaped flowers that are about 1/4 inch across. They have five-petals and are fragrant, but not in a good way. It has a hard to describe their odor but on a hot summer day this plant is a real stinker that can be smelled from quite a distance. It’s a vining plant native to Europe that twines over native shrubs and plants at the edges of forests and shades them out. Colonies of this plant have been found that covered several acres of land. It is nearly impossible to eradicate from a garden; I can think of one or two gardens where I tried for years.
It is thought that black swallowwort was intentionally introduced to North America around 1900 as an ornamental. I’m guessing that it was more of a garden conversation piece because of its “black” flowers. Plant breeders have been trying to create a truly black flower for a very long time and this one comes very close to fulfilling that dream on its own.
Native spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) has pretty little fragrant, pink bell shaped flowers with darker pink stripes inside. They remind me of lily of the valley in shape. Many insects visit these flowers but the plant has a toxic, sticky white latex sap that means animals leave it alone. The plant doesn’t mind a little shade; I often find it growing along trails through the woods. The tough bark from the stems of dogbanes produces fibers that Native Americans made a strong thread from. It was used to make nets for hunting rabbits, among other things.
Natives had uses for Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana) as well, and one of them was as food. Like its common name implies, this plant’s small root looks and tastes a lot like a mini cucumber. It’s easy to identify because of its tiers of whorled leaves and unusual flowers. It likes to grow under trees in dappled light, probably getting no more than an hour or two of direct sunlight each day.
The flowers of Indian cucumber root have 6 yellowish green tepals, 6 reddish stamens topped by greenish anthers, and 3 reddish purple to brown styles. These large styles are sometimes bright red- brown but I think they darken as they age. These appeared to be black under the camera’s flash. Each flower will become a shiny, inedible dark purplish black berry.
I don’t see ground cherry plants (Physalis heterophylla) very often. In fact I know of only two places where they grow, but it’s always worth going to visit them in June to see their unusual flowers. There is a bit of work involved though, because the nodding yellow and black flowers can be shy at times and hard to see. You can just see a bit of yellow in this photo at the rear of the plant.
I had to prop this ground cherry blossom up on a leaf to get this photo so we could see what it looks like. They look like someone put a drop of ink on each petal and then blew through a straw to make a feathery design. If pollination is successful each flower will become a bright yellow berry. This plant is called clammy ground cherry and there is another which looks quite different called smooth ground cherry (Physalis subglabrata.) That plant isn’t hairy and has orange or red berries. All parts of this plant are poisonous except the fruit, which can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be found in all of the lower 48 states except Nevada and California.
Though I’ve seen signs advertising it for sale as bee bomb its common name is actually bee balm, which comes from the way the juice from its crushed leaves will soothe a bee sting. The native scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma) is also called Oswego tea, because the leaves were used to make tea by the Native American Oswego tribe of New York. Early settlers also used the plant for tea when they ran out of the real thing. No matter what you choose to call it, it’s a beautiful thing that I’m always happy to see. Hummingbirds love it too and will come from all over to sip its nectar.
If ever there was a flower that could stop me in my tracks and absorb me so fully that I lose all sense of time and place, it is swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata.) It is one of those flowers that take me out of myself, and I wait impatiently for its blossoms each summer. How can you not love life when you know there is beauty like this in your future?
The back of a columbine flower resembled a flock of white swans, come together to discuss whatever it is that swans discuss. I never knew this until now but technically a group of swans is called a whiteness, which seems appropriate. Unless you happen to be a black swan, I suppose.
In every man’s heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty. ~Christopher Morley
Thanks for stopping in. I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th!
Walking every day in the same places, like my walk to work, certainly does help you see the variety of flowers that grow over a season. It’s surprising how much can change even over a weekend. I love the aquilegia, ive never thought of them as swans before but I see what you mean.
It’s really amazing how fast things can change, so if you want to really know a place you have to visit it again and again.
I never thought of those flowers way either until I saw that photo. Then I thought of your swans that you see so often.
I’m glad the Black Swallowwort doesn’t grow here – it sounds quite unpleasant. The flowers are attractive in a sombre way. The Swamp Milkweed is gorgeous!
It’s especially unpleasant if it gets in a garden. It’s nearly impossible to ever get rid of because the stems break off when you try to pull it, so you never get any root.
Swamp milkweed is one that I wish would invade my garden!
Another beautiful collection, Allen…and you’ve caught the backside of my favorite, the white Columbine…and it does look like a group of swans. 🙂
Thanks Scott!
Swamp milkweed is a favorite for me, also, but I love most milkweeds. Nettles are a host plant for red admiral butterflies. I tried to grow a non-stinging variety called false nettle this year, but not successfully.
I like all milkweeds but it’s hard to beat the beauty of swamp milkweed.
I wonder if the butterflies would be fooled by false nettle.
What a great collection, as always!
Thanks Laura!
I should have said, there’s PLENTY of Woodbine in my yard, and I both hate it and love it; but I had never seen the flowers before. I really loved them!
Your yard will be especially beautiful this fall!
Thank you so much for the photo of the Woodbine flowers! Coincidentally, a week or so ago I noticed this flower in my yard, for the First Time in my very long life, and I was much astonished. I think the itty bitty stamens gave a lovely all over effect. Bees were very interested in it, a Bumblebee; a couple that looked like Honeybees, and a host of tiny bees and flies. The blossoms didn’t last very long; two days later I was disappointed to find them closed up and the minute green berries forming.
Thank you Charlotte. Actually woodbine is a different plant than Virginia creeper but they look a lot alike. Woodbine climbs by twining around things and Virginia creeper has sticky pads at the ends of its tendrils, and climbs by “gluing” itself to walls and trees. In any case I’m glad you saw the flowers. As you say, they don’t last long!
Fascinating! Only four of these grow in my area. Sure wish the swamp milkweed did though… it’s gorgeous!
Thanks! I agree, it’s hard to beat swamp milkweed. They do sell it now and I’d sure like to have it in a garden.
It’s hard to think that we’re up to early July already, but at least the flowers keep coming.
I also try to commit your blog to memory, but other than the recent slime molds, that doesn’t seem to be working.
I went looking for rattlesnake plants today, It’s supposed to grow where I went, but I didn’t find any. I did find Partridge berry flowers for the first time that I can remember though, so keep on posting, some of it does sink in. That’s the main thing, I learn new things from every one of your posts. I never knew that a flock of swans was called a whiteness either.
I was thinking the same thing Jerry; July already? Next thing you know I’ll be seeing golden rod.
Actually I thought your memory had been doing quite well. You’ve named quite a few flowers on your blog that I remember you not knowing the names of. I’d say it’s really sinking in!
The rattlesnake weed I see grows in pure gravel in full sunlight along a rail trail. It likes disturbed places and can take a lot of abuse.
I’m glad you saw the partridge berry. They did well here this year and in places the woods looked like it had snowed.
I hope the website that listed all the bird group names was right about a whiteness! I thought it was a flock too.
Fascinating! I have probably walked right by a number of these beauties without ever looking closely enough to appreciate them. Your photography brings the tiniest details to life. Love the ground cherry blossoms.
Don’t feel bad Martha. I’d bet that we’ve all walked by the tiny ones without a second glance. I know that I have.
I like the ground cherries to. I think you can buy the seeds and / or plants.
Thanks!
The swamp milkweed is indeed a stunner but I especially enjoyed looking at your columbine swans. I have looked at columbines a lot but never seen the swans before.
Thank you. I’ve seen a lot of columbine flowers too, but I never looked at one in that way until this white one came along.
I’ll give your Virginia creeper flowers a blue ribbon!
Thanks Jim! I hope you’ll get to see them in person.
I believe Black Swallowwort tricks monarchs into laying their eggs on it since it resembles milkweed in someway. The monarch catepillars are unable to eat it and therefore die. Not a great plant to encourage.
Thank you Margaret. I’ve never heard that about black swallowwort but it is in the milkweed family. No, it should definitely not be encouraged but eradicating it is close to impossible, I’ve found. Weed killer might do it. I’ve never tried that.
Again, it’s so nice to see plants we don’t have here. I sure wish we had the Indian cucumber root. It’s so attractive!
I just checked the USDA map and Illinois is the only state east of the Mississippi that Indian cucumber root doesn’t grow in. That seems very strange!
I wonder why. It is odd.
I don’t know. Plants seem to have a funny way of doing this sometimes. It could be the soil makeup.
We have clay soil here.
That might do it. These plants like loose, loamy forest soil with lots of humus. They’re fussy about it-you don’t see them everywhere.
Thanks for the great photography and attention to the flowers that don’t get much “air time” . Am so glad there are others tending to and watching the flowers instead of the fireworks …
Thank you K. I’m far more interested in flowers than I am in fireworks!
I think it might help people see what they’ve been missing when I post those tiny missed flowers here. Hopefully next time they’re outside they’ll want to see them for themselves.
awesome photos Allen, love the dogbane!
Thanks Michael!
Your posts always take forever to read, because I find myself going back and forth, trying (futilly, for the most part) to commit the photos and names to memory. The black swallowwort and the Indian cucumber really got my attention.
I’m always taken aback by the number of poisonous plants out there. Sounds stupid, but I really had no idea. Hopefully, if I’m ever lost in the woods for a week, I’ll be able to pull up your blog for a reference as to what to snack on or not.
Thanks for your always interesting posts.
You’re welcome and thank you Judy. I’m sorry it takes you so long to get through these posts! I think it would probably take years to remember all of these flowers. I know all of these ones by sight but I still see plants that I don’t recognize every day. Just yesterday I found an herb Robert, which I’ve never seen before.
Yes, there are a lot of poisonous plants out there but most of them won’t kill you, they’ll just make you sick. I hope you never do get lost in the woods. It’s a very unpleasant experience!
While perhaps not the prettiest of the bunch I did find your shot of the Virginia creeper flower fascinating and the Indian cucumber flower rather exotic.
Thanks! Virginia creeper flowers are easy to miss and I think most of us do. I usually think of them when the berries have already formed.
Indian cucumber root is another one that you have to make a point of finding, because it isn’t at all showy. I think it probably grow in Ohio though.
Happy Fourth of July, Allen. I love the way you started your post with the “bombs bursting in air.” Beautiful shots, as always–I was particularly drawn to the ground cherry and the white columbine images.
Thanks Mike and the same to you. That meadow rue always reminds me of the 4th and that’s usually about the time it blooms.
The ground cherry is an unusual plant that you don’t see that often, but you might find one in someone’s garden.
Love that last flower – the columbine of swans. Our bee balm will bloom any day now. I’ve never seen the swamp milkweed. How big is the flower and does it grow only in swamps?
Thank you Cynthia. That was the first bee balm I’ve seen this year. Swamp milkweed is about the same height and shape as common milkweed but the leaves and flowers are quite different. I’ve never seen it in a swamp so I’m not sure where the name comes from. I find it near ponds but people also grow it in gardens.
You take so many stunning pictures as you walk your trails, it is difficult to find a favourite but I think the native spreading dogbane wins it for me. I enjoyed your quote too.
Thank you Susan. I enjoy trying to show the best of these flowers. I like the dogbane too, and I think that quote is very true.
nice