This is a small ground creeper. The species name repens refers to its trailing habit. Will bear red berries. The blossoms occur in pairs, and both must be pollinated to result in a single berry. Evidently people grow this in their gardens for the green leaves and red berries in winter. Native vine.
Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens)
Little green balloons with frills. In parts of Europe, it’s considered food — the leaves are eaten raw in salads, older leaves sauteed in garlic, and also used for a dish called Widower Gazpacho. In Greece it’s cultivated and sold in food shops. Native to Europe.
Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)
The scientific name (Digitalis) means “finger-like” and refers to the way the blossoms fit nicely on one’s fingertip. (What?) The entire plant is toxic, with the leaves of the upper stem being the most potent — can cause death! Also used for various cardiac-related drugs. Native to everywhere but here (Europe, Asia, Africa).
According to the 19th century book English Botany, Or, Coloured Figures of British Plants:
Dr. Prior, whose authority is great in the origin of popular names, says “It seems probably that the name was in the first place, foxes’ glew, or music, in reference to the favourite instrument of an earlier time, a ring of bells hung on an arched support, the tintinnabulum“… we cannot quite agree with Dr. Prior for it seems quite probable that the shape of the flowers suggested the idea of a glove, and that associated with the name of the botanist Fuchs, who first gave it a botanical name, may have been easily corrupted into foxglove. It happens, moreover, the name foxglove is a very ancient one and exists in a list of plants as old as the time of Edward III. The “folks” of our ancestors were the fairies and nothing is more likely than that the pretty coloured bells of the plant would be designated “folksgloves,” afterwards, “foxglove.” In Wales it is declared to be a favourite lurking-place of the fairies, who are said to occasion a snapping sound when children, holding one end of the digitalis bell, suddenly strike the other on the hand to hear the clap of fairy thunder, with which the indignant fairy makes her escape from her injured retreat. In south of Scotland it is called “bloody fingers” more northward, “deadman’s bells” whilst in Wales it is known as “fairy-folks-fingers” or “lambs-tongue-leaves”.
Common Foxglove (Digitalis)
This is growing near the pond at Centennial. It’s native to the southeastern U.S…. The inner bark is mildly scented, like bay laurel. The flowers have a vanilla scent. This species was collected in 1678 and sent to England, and was the first kind of magnolia cultivated in England.
Sweetbay Magnolia, Swamp Magnolia, Beaver Tree (Magnolia virginiana)
Yarrow is a medicinal herb. Used to treat cramping muscles, reducing fever or “help with relaxing.” “In antiquity, yarrow was known as herbal militaris,” for its use staunching bleeding from wounds. It is an astringent. Note the feathery leaves. Has a strong sweet scent. Family Asteraceae, native to North America.
Yarrow, Nosebleed plant, devil’s nettle, soldier’s woundwort (Achillea millefolium)
I originally identified this as maple-leaved viburnum, but with further research, it’s looking like this is High Bush Cranberry — based on the size (and shape) of the flowers relative to the leaves. We’ll know for sure in the fall — cranberries will have edible red fruit and the viburnum will have purple black fruit. This is growing everywhere at Centennial. A low shrub. Native to North America, and not a true cranberry, but a species of viburnum.
High Bush Cranberry (Viburnum opulus)
This was taken by Alert Technophile Aaron, checking out the macro mode on my new camera. White campion… also named the Grave flower in parts of England because they often grow around tombstones. Thought to have arrived in this country mixed in with ship ballast. Pink family.
White Campion, White Cockle (Silene latifolia)
There are a lot of these blooming at Centennial. I was trying to identify them as roses, but actually– they’re blackberries. The canes arch and bend downward to send new roots into the ground. No fragrance. Fruits are seedy and sweet. The nectar, pollen and fruits attract many kinds of bees, flies, beetles, caterpillars, birds and mammals. Also the brambles form shelter for many ground-nesting birds and other small creatures… so the value of this plant to its local ecosystem is high.
Common Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)
“Heads solitary.”
Ox-Eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
