A plant that loves to be near water. Called jewelweed because if a leaf is held underwater it appears silvery, and called touch-me-nots because when the seed pods are ripe enough, a light touch will make them pop open and shoot out their seeds. Native to the U.S.
Common Jewelweed, Touch-me-not, Spotted Jewelweed, Orange Balsam (Impatiens capensis)
Near a bridge over the Charles in Sherborn. This is one of those really tall vigorous weeds– the flower spikes can reach 10 feet! They live to be 2 years old — the first year they’ll have a rosette of foliage only, and the second year the flower spike will appear, and that’s it. Each plant can make over 100,000 seeds in a year, and the seeds are very hardy and can last for dozens of years… so they can wait in the soil for the right conditions. It’s considered a pioneer plant, meaning when an area has been burned, for instance, this is one of the first plants that will appear. Was introduced to Virginia from Europe. Not many creatures will eat mulleins — mostly insects that also are native to Europe. Some birds eat the seeds. The leaves are soft and furry — hummingbirds line their nests with them!
Update: the new first shot is of an open blossom, shot in my yard in late September.
Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Perennial shrub. A favorite of bees, deer, rabbits… During the Revolutionary War, the colonists used it as a tea substitute! The roots contain a blood-clotting chemical. Native.
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Annual. About a foot tall. Delicate flowers with yellow tongues. Figwort family. Native.
Cowwheat (Melampyrum lineare)
Bonus picture: Beavers have moved into this forest, and their dam has flooded part of the trail. Lucy was hot, so she took the opportunity to get as wet as possible.
A tall shrub-like wildflower. Foliage similar to columbine. This is an area we haven’t been to for months, and it was full of flowers new to me, and not appearing at our other usual places. This is one of those herbs considered to have magical properties (good for divination).
Sweet Meadow Rue (Thalictrum aquilegifolium)
The genus Circaea is named after Circe the enchantress in Greek mythology, who was said to have used this plant for her magical purposes. I think this is one of the best names! Has only two petals, but they are deeply lobed so they look like four. Evening Primrose family. (Not related to deadly nightshade.) Native.
Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)
A truly blue flower. Very common and little noticed, but it’s pretty great up close. I can’t believe it doesn’t have a better name! A medicinal herb in China, and a source of dye in Japan. Spiderwort family. Native to Asia.
(Bonus picture: the two blue petals remind me of a photo I took recently at a dance workshop with Alanah of New York.)
Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)
A close-up of the dandelionish head, and a silhouette after it has closed for the evening. There are many varieties of hawkweed around here. This one can be 4 feet tall… They get their genus name, meaning hawk, from Pliny, naturalist of ye old ancient times, who thought hawks ate these plants to improve their eyesight (!). Aster family. Native.
Panicled Hawkweed, Devil’s Paintbrush, Mouse-ear (Hieracium paniculatum)
Bees love it and it’s a major source for nectar. Has a sweet odor. Introduced to North America in the 1600s as a forage crop for cattle. Legume family.
White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba)
As long as 2000 years ago, the crushed seeds were used for birth control… by disrupting ovum implantation… It is documented to increase tomato plant production when it’s planted nearby. The root is edible when young. Carrots are a cultivated form of this species. Occasionally the cluster will have one dark red flower in the center, to attract insects — the name is because the flower cluster is lacy, and the red flower is like a drop of blood where Queen Anne pricked herself while making the lace.
Queen Anne’s Lace, Wild Carrot, Bird’s Nest (Daucus carota)
