#NPOD: Maryland Golden Aster #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/30/2011

Final native plant daily for the year; December will feature species not native to the United States.

Photo from 11/6/2011  Location:  Walker County, GA.

Maryland Golden Aster - for more info and photos go to the  Chrysopsis mariana detail page.

Maryland Golden Aster – Chrysopsis mariana

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#NPOD: Virginia Ground Cherry #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/29/2012

Photo from 6/17/2012.  Location: Walker County, GA

Virginia Ground Cherry- for more photos / information go to the Physalis virginiana detail page.

Virginia Groundcherry – Physalis virginiana

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Yellow Flag – Iris pseudacorus – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Yellow Flag, an introduced and possibly invasive species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (11/27/2012.) Scientific name is Iris pseudacorus.  It  is also known by the common names Paleyellow Iris, Yellow Iris, and Water Flag.  Photo below was taken along an irrigation canal in Boise, Ada County, ID, on June 8, 2010.   Go to the Yellow Flag detail page for more photos and information.

Yellow Flag Iris, Paleyellow Iris, Yellow Iris, Water Flag – Iris pseudacorus

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#NPOD: Star Chickweed #NativePlants

Native Plant of the Day 11/28/2012

Photo from 2/21/2010.  Location:  The Pocket, Walker County GA.

Star Chickweed - for more photos / information go to the Stellaria pubera detail page.

Star Chickweed – Stellaria pubera

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#NPOD: Robin’s Plantain #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/27/2012

Photo from 4/9/2011. Location: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA.

Robin’s Plantain - for more photos / info go to the  Erigeron pulchellus detail page.

Robin’s Plantain – Erigeron pulchellus

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#NPOD: Yellow Fringed Orchid #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/26/2012.

Photo from 8/1/2011. Location: Blue Ridge Parkway, Haywood County, NC.

Yellow Fringed Orchid - for more photos / info go to the  Platanthera ciliaris detail page.

Yellow Fringed Orchid, Orange Fringed Orchid – Platanthera ciliaris

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#NPOD: Wild Garlic #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/25/2012

Photo from 5/10/2009.  Location: Walker County, GA

Wild Garlic- for more photos / information go to the Allium canadense detail page.

Wild Garlic, Meadow Garlic – Allium canadense

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Lula Lake Area and Lula Falls – 11/24/2012

On Friday, 11/23, I was planning for a potential visit to Virgin Falls in February and I ran across information that Virginia Spiraea – Spiraea virginiana – one of the rarest shrubs in North America, is found there.  A bit more time on Google quickly revealed that Virginia Spiraea is also found along Rock Creek at Lula Lake, and I got pretty excited.  Lula Lake is on Lookout Mountain just above the valley where I live south of Chattanooga.  Found the Lula Lake Land Trust on Facebook, and lo and behold, there was a picture of a gentleman looking at their Virginia Spiraea posted only a couple of days earlier, and a notice that the property would be open today, Saturday.  OK, there are now some tentative plans for Saturday.

Lula Lake and Upper Falls

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#NPOD: Shepherd’s Needles #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/24/2012

Photo from 12/18/2011.  Location: Sarasota County, FL

Shepherd’s Needles – for more photos / information go to the Bidens pilosa  detail page.

Shepherd’s Needles ,Spanish Needles, Romerillo, Hairy Beggarticks, Cobbler’s Pegs – Bidens pilosa

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#NPOD: Slender Gerardia #NativePlants

Native Plant of the Day 11/23/2012

Photo from 10/15/2010.  Location: Blount County, TN):

Slender Gerardia - for more photos / information go to the Agalinis tenuifolia detail page.

Slender Gerardia, Slenderleaf False Foxglove – Agalinis tenuifolia

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#NPOD: Common Ragweed #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/22/2012

Photo from 9/4/2011.  Location: Walker County, GA

Common Ragweed - for more photos and information go to the Ambrosia artemisiifolia detail page.

Common Ragweed, Annual Ragweed, Small Ragweed, Roman Wormwood – Ambrosia artemisiifolia

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#NPOD: Christmasberry #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/21/2012

Photo from 12/21/2011.  Location: De Soto National Monument, Manatee County, FL

Christmasberry- for more photos / information go to the Lycium carolinianum detail page.

Christmasberry, Carolina Wolfberry, Carolina Desert-thorn, Creeping Wolfberry – Lycium carolinianum

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Cankerweed – Prenanthes serpentaria – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Cankerweed, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (11/20/2012.) Scientific name is Prenanthes serpentaria.  It  is also known by the common names Lion’s Foot, Snakeweed, Earthgall, and Butterweed.  Photo below was taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Haywood County, NC, on Aug 1, 2011.   Go to the Cankerweed detail page for more photos and information.

Cankerweed, Lion’s Foot, Snakeweed, Earthgall, Butterweed – Prenanthes serpentaria

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#NPOD: Small Camas #Nativeplants

Native Plant of the Day 11/20/2012

Photo from 6/13/2010.  Location: Custer County, ID

Small Camas - for more photos and information go to the Camassia quamash detail page.  (Detail Page link corrected.)

Small Camas, Quamash – Camassia quamash

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Cedar Waxwing #birds in Bradford Pear Tree

Around 20 years ago when I planted a row of Bradford pear trees in front of my house, I thought I liked them.  Now I’m thinking of replacing them, even though I still like them – occasionally.  Those occasions are the 2 days in the spring while they bloom (OK, maybe it’s 3 days,) the week or so in the fall while they turn a beautiful red/purple/orange before dropping their leaves, and finally whenever the Cedar Waxwings show up to eat the berries.  I still want to replace the trees, but it will have to be with something (native) that will continue to feed the Cedar Waxwings (wonder about Serviceberry.)   This fall the arrival of these lovely birds coincided with the fall color of the leaves – reducing my time of appreciation for my Bradford pear trees. (Click on the photos for a larger view.)

Cedar Waxwing takes a Bradford pear berry

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