Have you ever noticed that there is not just one kind of red clover? You can recognize Alsike Clover (above) by the fact that the flower is on a stem without leaves, but Red Clover (below) has the flower always sitting on a doily of leaves. Also, Alsike Clover leaves don’t have the pale markings of Red Clover. Pea family. Native to Europe. Its name is from the Swedish town of Alsike.
Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)
Edible. All parts taste peppery. The young leaves can be sauteed or eaten in salads, and the young seedpods can be used like black pepper. Mustard family. Native.
Virginia Pepperweed, Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum)
This is a plant I photographed weeks ago (second photo) but couldn’t identify. But recently, it’s gotten some very distinguishing characteristics, namely these leafless vertical seed pods that hug the stem. Plus they’re about 4 to 5 feet tall.
Tower Rockcress, Tower Mustard (Arabis glabra)
Okay, this blossom looks similar to Dandelions and also to Yellow King-Devil… but it’s tall with thin basal leaves, and branched stems. Here’s some botany talk: “The plumed pappus is longer than the achene.” An annual introduced from Europe.
Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)
First described in Europe in 1597. Use as a cultivated species noted about 1900. Now a valuable forage crop, but considered invasive in some states. “Bloat is no problem and palatability is fairly high.” — that’s the sort of thing it says on agriculture sites. Bird’s Foot refers to the look of the seed pods… so we’ll find out about that later. Poisonous to humans. This is one of the few plants that have a negative meaning in the language of flowers; it’s associated with revenge!
Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Smaller flowers than the kind of Dianthus cultivated in gardens, with pale spots on the petals. The name Deptford refers to an area of England where this pink was once common. Annual or biennial. Pink family. Native to Europe.
Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria)
Growing tall in big drifts at Red Wing Bay. Small whorled leaves, meaning they circle completely around the stem. A kind of Bedstraw. Madder family.
Wild Madder (Galium mollugo)
I have already posted photos of common vetch and crown vetch. This is another species of vetch, similar to a pea in habit, with tendrils that fasten on to other plants. Widely used as forage for cattle. Pea family. Origin: Eurasia.
Cow Vetch, Tufted Vetch, Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca)
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)
These are very showy right now. Native to the Americas. This part is called a spore-bearing frond. This kind of fern is considered a living fossil because it occurs in the geologic record 75 million years ago.
Cinnmon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)
Bonus picture: Lucy said, she always has to wait for me to take pictures; maybe I could wait a little bit while she checks for critters in this stump…
