This has to go in the category of wild but not local. (It’s one of my carry-on violets from Dr. Whiteside.) He said it was collected growing wild near his high school in Coal City, Illinois. I presume it’s a variety of blue violet, because it has that sort of leaf, but I’m not sure.
I’ve realized we have at least two kinds of blueberry plants around here. There are the small (lowbush) ones which are very common in our woods, and now I’ve noticed we also have highbush blueberries — the bushes are about 6 feet tall. This is the kind that was used to create cultivated blueberries. They’re native. The photos above (both the highbush variety) were taken one day apart — the top one is at Centennial in the shade, and the bottom one is at the Town Forest in a sunny previously burned area.
Northern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Wild Crabs are just coming into bloom at Centennial.
Wild Crab Apple Tree (Malus coronaria)
| “Linnaeus probably never saw more than a dried specimen, but he named this tree coronaria, “fit for crowns and garlands.”” |
These violets aren’t strictly local, because while they’re in my yard, they were a gift last April from Wesley Whiteside, gardener extraordinaire from my hometown of Charleston, Illinois. I complimented him on how many varieties of violets he had blooming, and he offered to give me samples. I told him that was very kind but I was flying back. He said not to worry, they would be fine in a plastic bag for awhile. Soon I was amazing the security people at the little Champaign airport with my nine varieties of carry-on violets.
Right now, only the deep purple one is open. (Native.)
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)
The wild blueberries are just coming into blossom! (Native to this area.) Rain yesterday and warm weather on the way — really feeling like spring.
Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
Let me diverge from my usual local focus for a moment, to say that I spent last week in Arizona, and the flora is mind-blowingly different! Behold these lavender prickly pears!
Well, sorry to say the only new wildflower we found today was the lowly dandelion. I know people eat the leaves and use them for making wine but still. Maybe if they were blue I could get excited.
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The blooms aren’t quite open. An invasive plant common in the West. Toxic! I only see it at Red Wing Bay. A cloudy afternoon full of the sound of redwing blackbirds.
Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
Today’s find was right outside the back door—a drift of white violets have bloomed on the edge of the woods. There are a lot of violet varieties … it appears that this is Common Blue Violet which is a variable species that can occur as white or partly white. They are native.
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)
Walked today at Rocky Woods in Medfield and found nothing in bloom except back at the parking lot this beautiful little pink flower with the charming name Henbit Deadnettle! It’s a member of the mint family, native to Europe and Asia. Tiny but gorgeous surprise among all the brown.
Henbit, Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule)