Posted by wilde on July 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Vegetable
We’ve had some really hot weather lately, and with the nightly downpours, that was enough of an excuse that I’d stopped mowing the lawn for about a month. Yes, the grassy areas did get deep and I know I’ll regret it when I have to twice-mow that long grass to get it back into shape. But there’s a silver lining to that cloud - I’ve met a few more meadow plants!
In the front yard we have Indian-tobacco, a type of Lobelia. I remember seeing it last year there, but didn’t take any pictures then.
Indian-tobacco, Lobelia inflata, is the most common lobelia and it can be found along roads, at the edge of woods, and in meadows, like where the front yard meets the woods in our case.
Lobelias are characterized by their flower shape, having five petals joined at the base so they form a tube, or corolla. Two upper petals can be thought of as ‘ears’ and the three lower petals as ‘lips’. Different Lobelia species vary in their overall flower and leaf shapes, as well as the placement of the blossoms.
Flowering from July to October, Indian-tobacco has its flowers in the leaf axils.
After flowering the blossoms swell at the base into pea-sized seedpods with the remnants of the flower sepals at the top of the round pods.
Alternating leaves are toothed, oval shaped, and larger than the leaves of most Lobelia, especially nearer the ground.
Looking down on this common plant, you can see that blooms further down the stem are on longer stems that hang over the leaves. Further up the top of the stem the blooms are nearer the main stem, and at the top they’re right on the stem.
You can see that flowers are blooming at the top and sides of this Indian tobacco.
The bright sun blanched out the pale blue color of the flower petals, but you can see the progression of budding flowers to opened blooms to swollen seedpods.
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Posted by wilde on July 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Food, Vegetable
Last year I must have lopped off too many branches on a couple elderberry plants because this year they have only a few bare sticks and very little greenery. I hope they come back stronger next year or I’ll have to go hunting for more bushes if we want some elderberry jam. That shouldn’t be too hard as elderberry, Sambucus canadensis, grows wild all around Pennsylvania at the edges of fields and along roads.
Pinnately compound, toothed leaves on branches that reach 10 or 12 feet tall will help you find them. The plants are easy to spot when in bloom, even from a distance, because of the broad clusters of white blossoms.
Once you find your elderberry plants make note of their location because they’re not as easy to find when in berry. Guess I should have mentioned that a couple weeks ago because the elderberries are growing fast with all the rain we’ve had.
Elderberry branches are starting to get weighed down with their fruit, even though the berries are still green.
Once they’re big enough the berries will turn a deep purple and then they’ll be ready to harvest.
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Posted by wilde on July 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Vegetable
Not too many flowers are found in Pennsylvania woods in the summer months of July and August. Most of the Spring flowers have now turned into berries and fruits. In a few days the elderberries should be near ready to harvest and the blackberries have been yummy this week!
One group that does flower in the heat of the summer is the Rattlesnake Plantains that flower in July and August. We are fortunate to have the most common species blooming in our woods called Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera pubescens, a member of the Orchid family, Orchidaceae.
A single, fuzzy flower stalk tipped with a compact group of white flower buds rises up from a basal rosette of mottled leaves. The quarter-inch long flowers will open into the typical orchid-like irregular shape, having a large lower lip overshadowed by a group of fused petals.
Leaves in a basal rosette are oval in shape. The strong silver-white midrib contrasts with the dark green leaves. Veins that cross the leaf and run the length of it are all silver-white giving the leaf a unique, variegated look. The name “rattlesnake plantain” comes from the suggestion of rattlesnake skin by the pattern on the leaves.
Flower spike appears fuzzy or woolly, thus the “downy” part of its name. A few scale-like bracts are seen on the flower stalk.
Downy rattlesnake plantain leaves and roots were used by Native Americans for a number of ailments, but its collection and medicinal use are discouraged today due to its rarity.
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