Self-heal

This is an unassuming weed in my yard, which has been used as medicine for centuries in countries around the world! There is a long list of active chemical components… and it is apparently being tested and showing promise for use against AIDS and diabetes among other things. Once thought to be holy and sent by God to cure all ailments. Also, Native Americans used it to make a tea they would drink in rituals to sharpen their powers of observation before hunting. It would be collected and dried while in bloom. The leaves and flowers are edible. (I feel like the nutrition doctors who advocate eating lots of fruits and vegetables are probably right when they say one reason is because they contain all these chemicals that are good for our bodies, that we haven’t fully recognized or analyzed??)

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)

Foxglove

 

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)

White Campion

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)

Dame’s Rocket

Love this stuff. The blossoms aren’t as tiny as most of the plants I’ve been recording. Showy and beautiful. Most fragrant in the evening. Native to Europe. Mustard family. (I originally identified this as phlox.)

Dame’s Rocket, Mother of the Evening (Hesperis matronalis)

Common Fleabane

Alert Flowerophile Donna has mentioned how sometimes my photos look so much better than the weedy little plant we spot out in the field. It’s true, these are kind of glamour shots for weeds. For instance, I would ordinarily yank this right out of my yard… but it’s rather nice on a macro level… the flowers are about a half inch wide.

Common Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)

Common Barberry

This is growing in the woods behind our house. Like so many things this spring, I’ve never noticed it blooming before, but it’s quite lovely. Barberry family. Origin: Europe. Compare to earlier post on Japanese Barberry — this one is evidently not a bad marauding invader. Just an invader.

Common Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)

Confederate Violet

My understanding is that this is a color form of regular violets — the pale grayish lavender is supposed to resemble the color of Confederate uniforms. A gift from Dr. Whiteside. Native.

Confederate Violet (Viola sororia priceana)

Yellow Wood Sorrel

A pretty little edible plant with leaves like shamrocks. “All parts are edible, with a distinct tangy flavor.” The green pods have a tartness similar to rhubarb, and the leaves can be brewed to make a drink like lemonade. Contains vitamin C. Can be added to salads for color and flavor. Native to North America.

Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

Corn Speedwell

I was away for a week and it rained a lot, so now there are so many new things blooming! Thanks to Alert Flowerophile Alyson for noticing this tiny bit of blue in my yard. The flower is about 1/8 inch across. Family Figwort.

Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis)

Wild Red Columbine

These are so amazing looking, I decided to appreciate them with three pictures.This blooms in my yard every year. In all the time we’ve lived here (17 years), it’s never spread beyond this one little plant. Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae). Native. Flowers April to July.

Good fact from illinoiswildflowers.info: “Because the foliage is toxic, it is little bothered by mammalian herbivores.”

Wild Red Columbine, Rock Bells (Aquilegia canadensis)