I found what was left of a daylily seed pod at work one day. An insect had eaten all of the soft tissue and left the tougher veins, creating a work of art in the process. Sometimes I have to wonder if creating works of art aren’t their primary purpose; I’ve seen some amazing things done by insects. The engraver beetle for instance, creates some beautiful and intricate calligraphy on tree branches.
I had to tangle with a Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) at work recently. The plant was quite old and some stems were bigger around than my thumb, which is unusual. Usually they are no bigger than a pencil but in this case the large size made the chrome yellow inner bark much easier to see. Barberry is the only shrub I know of with such vibrant color under its bark.
When Japanese barberry bark is injured the bright yellow color of the inner bark is easily seen. I decided to whittle the bark off a piece of stem to see what it would look like. When I put it against my black coat to take a photo it seemed to glow, so bright was the color, and in the photo it almost doesn’t look real. Not surprisingly, a bright yellow dye can be made from chipped barberry stems and roots and apparently this is true of any barberry, not just the Japanese variety.
If the inner bark doesn’t convince you that you have a barberry the fruit and thorns (actually spines) will. These small red berries are what make the Japanese variety so invasive. I’ve seen impenetrable thickets of it in the woods that not only crowd out native plants but also prevent all but the smallest animals getting through. Its sharp spines will tell you which variety of barberry you have. European barberry (Berberis vulgaris) and American barberry (Berberis canadensis) both have clusters of 3 or more spines but since American barberry doesn’t grow in New England it comes down to European or Japanese here, and only Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) has single spines.
Something I’ve never noticed before is animals eating birch polypores (Piptoporus betulinus,) but this year I’m seeing half eaten ones everywhere. Scientists have found that this mushroom is effective in treating intestinal parasites and I wonder if animals eat them for that reason or simply as food. Since chipmunks aren’t active during the winter it would probably be squirrels, deer or porcupines. I read that these fungi smelled like green apples and, though I’m not sure what green apples smell like the mushroom does have a strong but pleasant scent.
I found this starburst scar on a maple trunk and can’t imagine what made it. The way the bark has turned platy reminds me of target canker on maples, but that isn’t shaped the same. It could have simply been caused by a boy with a pocket knife, but I don’t suppose that I’ll ever know.
This bark deformity I know well, unfortunately. Beech bark disease is caused by beech scale insects (Cryptococcus fagisuga) that pierce the bark and leave a wound. If the spores from either of two fungi, called Neonectria faginata and Neonectria ditissima, find the wound and grow, cankers form. These cankers are what look like blisters on the bark of beech trees, as can be seen in the above photo. The disease originally came from Europe and the first case in the United States was reported in 1929 in Massachusetts. By 2004, the disease had spread as far west as Michigan and as far south as western North Carolina. There is no cure and infected trees will ultimately die.
I start watching buds closely at this time of year and one of those I watch are the naked buds of hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium.) They are naked because they have no bud scales to protect them but they make up for the lack by being covered with a multitude of fine hairs. In this photo the flower bud is in between two leaf buds that stand up like wings. In about mid-May the flower bud will become one of our most beautiful native viburnum flowers. This understory shrub gets its name from the way its sprawling stems can trip up or “hobble” a horse, but it isn’t just horses that get hobbled; I’ve gotten my feet tangled in it a few times. I’m guessing that the white hairs seen in the photo are from a deer, so apparently the stems don’t hobble them.
Hobblebush and striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum) often grow side by side. Deer had eaten the buds off many of the striped maples that were growing near the hobblebush in the previous photo, but they missed this one. Striped maple buds are on my list of things to watch at this time of year because when the red or pink bud scales open and the leaves emerge they are easily one of the most beautiful things in the forest.
Just to give you a little preview of why my pulse quickens in spring, here is a photo from last April of striped maple buds after they had just opened. The chance of seeing beauty like this again is what gives me spring fever.
But not so fast; there are a few things that nature has to take care of first, like this ice fall that I saw in the woods the other day. It was big.
The combination of a mild winter and growing near a stone chimney kept this motherwort plant (Leonurus cardiaca) green through the winter. Motherwort is originally from Europe where it has been used medicinally for centuries. It is said to calm the heart and nerves as the cardiaca part of its scientific name implies. The ancient Greeks gave it to pregnant women, and that’s how it comes by its common name. Colonists brought it to North America, which is a sign that it was very highly regarded.
The lack of snow this winter has meant rough times for our mosses, but rose moss (Rhodobryum roseum) is still pretty even when it’s as dry as paper. Each rosette of leaves looks like a tiny flower, and that’s how it comes by its common name. It’s one of the most beautiful of all the mosses, in my opinion. Even when dry it sparkles as if with an inner light.
To look at a thing is very different from seeing a thing. One does not see anything until one sees its beauty. ~ Oscar Wilde
Thanks for coming by.
I have berberis in my garden and have often marvelled at the bright yellow colour. I didn’t know you could make a dye from it but I’m not surprised. Great to see signs of sprung there. Leaves are finally beginning to open here.
Yes, I found when I whittled the bark off that piece that barberry will also dye your hands!
I saw a lot of buds on the trees in your last post. I’m not surprised that you’re seeing leaves coming.
Lots of wondrously left field images here; much appreciated too.
Thank you Ben. I kind of lean toward left field.
Not a total surprise. 🙂 Me too.
Fascinating, especially the barberry!
Thanks Montucky! That barberry almost looks as if it’s been painted.
Great post, Allen. I had a berberis thunbergii in a former garden and the yellow inner bark really glowed when it was exposed during pruning. It was so prickly though! I love your shot of rose moss – it really is beautiful!
Thank you Clare. Yes, barberry is hard to work with. I used to work for several people who had hedges of it and of course the tree leaves would get caught in them each fall, so that meant scratched up hands. I don’t miss that part of the job!
I’m sure you don’t!
That daylily pod is exquisite. But what I found interesting was that it reminded me of caul fat and the beech bark disease (ugh) looked like plague buboes. I’m always intrigued by how nature’s designs are replicated in places where you may least expect them.
Thank you. Yes, nature seems to use the same patterns over and over, but in very different ways. it’s fun when you realize how many times you’ve seen one before.
You always find the coolest stuff, from the daylily seed pod, the barberry inner bark, to the frozen waterfall! I’ll have to check out some of the beech trees around here, I don’t remember ever seeing it here.
It is time for the buds, both leaf and flower, to being opening, my favorite time of the year!
Thanks Jerry! I think if you saw a tree with beech bark disease you’d remember. I hope you don’t have it there.
Spring has been up and down here but I’m seeing more and more flowers and that’s enough!
Now I am going to be on the look out for Barberry, the Japanese variety with its yellow is stunning! Great finds and lots to give us hope that warm spring breezes are just around the corner.
Thanks Martha. All you have to do is scrape the bark just a bit and you’ll see the yellow shining through. It’s an amazing shade!
Luckily I have never had to battle Japanese Barberry. Shrub honeysuckle, Buckthorn, and Garlic Mustard are all challenging, but none as thorny as Berberis thubergii.
I’ve been battling barberry off and on for most of my life because it gets started in gardens a lot here. I agree that honeysuckle, buckthorn and garlic mustard are nearly as bad.
A creation that man would have to work very hard to replicate! 🙂
Yes, if we even could!
Love that bright yellow barberry stalk. Who but you would think of carving it up for show & tell? Thanks.
Thank you Judy. I was curious what that inner bark would look like after being peeled. It was a little strange seeing that color on a twig!
The Japanese Barberry has got the most remarkable colour as you say. It sounds like a real pest though.
Yes, it almost looks as if it would glow in the dark, and it is a real invasive pest.
Your quote today is well borne out by your post. You see the small stuff as well as the big.
Thank you Cynthia. That’s only because I walk so slowly when I’m in the woods. Anyone can do the same!
Ahhh, more signs of spring! The daylily seedpod is very cool! And the barberry sure is bright.
Thanks Laura. It’ll be getting hot before you know it!
I loved the seed pod and the patterns made on the tree trunks, so beautiful.
Thank you Susan. There sure are a lot of beautiful things to see in this world.