Plant Sightings

Plant sightings is the main focus of wildeherb. Plants native to North America, and especially the Northeastern United States and Pennsylvania, are found, identified, observed and photographed to become part of a living diary about our plant friends, new and old.

Wild Parsnip Flowers Yellow in Umbels

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Once you see what a dill weed plant looks like in flower, you’ll easily recognize other related plants as being members of the same family because of their flowering umbels.

The Carrot Family, Apiaceae, may also be referred to as the Umbelliferae or parsley family which contains several edible plants.

The flowers of Carrot Family members grow in umbels or compound umbels. Umbels contain groups of tiny flowers that have their flower stems emanating from a single point.

Wild parsnip, Pastinaca sativa, is a Carrot Family member that is not native to America that also flowers in umbels. It can be found growing tall at the edges of fields and on the side of the road in sunny locations. It will grow 2 to 5 feet tall and is found throughout the eastern U.S. in waste places, according to Peterson’s Wildflowers Field Guide.

Wild parsnips growing at the edge of a corn field where it meets a country road.
Wild parsnips growing at the edge of a corn field where it meets a country road.

The foliage of this alien plant is made up of compound leaves attached alternately to a thick, ridged main stem.

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Viburnum Foliage Not Like Elderberry

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Comparing elderberry shrubs to viburnum shrubs in the previous post would have made a lot more sense if a photo of Viburnum leaves were included for proper identification.

The compound leaves of elderberry have 5-9 serrated leaflets.

Elderberry leaves have several pairs of leaflets with serrated edges.
Elderberry leaves have several pairs of leaflets with serrated edges.

I found a Viburnum species blooming at Boyd Big Tree Preserve near Halifax, PA. We can tell that this little shrub is a type of Arrowwood by the shape of the toothed leaves.

The simple leaves of Viburnum spp. are opposite and entire, toothed or lobed.

An Arrowwood shrub blooming at Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area.
An Arrowwood shrub blooming at Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area. Photo taken 26 Jun 2014.

If the foliage were more closely inspected perhaps we would know if this is Northern or Southern Arrowwood. The one feature that distinguishes the two is that twigs are hairless in Northern Arrowwood, Viburnum recognitum, and velvety-hairy in Southern Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum.

Details for identifying shrubs, like their leaf shapes, degree of leaf hairiness, or the absence of hairs on small twigs, can be found in Peterson’s Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs.

Close-up views of the twigs suggest that the specimen photographed above was an example of Southern Arrowwood.

So remember, if you’re seeking elderberries the compound leaves will verify that you’ve got an elderberry shrub, while simple leaves will tell you it’s a viburnum.

Elderberry Shrubs Look Like Viburnum In The Distance

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In our neck of the woods, Penn’s Woods that is, the elderberries are blooming this week. It’s time to make a mental note of where to collect some berries to make that wonderful elderberry jelly.

Elderberry shrubs are easily seen from a distance when they’re blooming. The large flowering heads are quite noticeable from afar because they measure 6 or 8 inches across, maybe more.

Flowering elderberry shrubs at the edge of a mountain stream.
Flowering elderberry shrubs at the edge of a mountain stream. Photo taken 22 June 2014.

Look at the edge of fields and near streams or water sources for elderberry shrubs.

Once you find the shrubs that are apparently elderberry bushes take a moment and verify your identification

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Bugle Was a Purple Roadside Weed

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A beautifully deep shade of purple drew my attention to the flowers of Bugle. A new spring roadside weed for me!

Spikes of deep purple stood less than a foot tall but the color was so vivid that the shade of the nearby trees didn’t hide these weeds growing by a two-lane road next to the creek.

Purple spikes of Bugle grow next to a country road.
Purple spikes of Bugle grow next to a country road.
With a cluster of purple spikes one can see how this plant would look nice at the edge of a garden.
With a cluster of purple spikes one can see how this plant would look nice at the edge of a garden.

Bugle, Ajuga reptans, is alien to America and native to Europe, but you can find it growing wild in America along roadsides because it has escaped from gardens. Bugle’s tendency to form mats could make it an undesirable alien if not an invasive one.

Another common name for bugle is bugleweed, but that’s not to be confused with Bugleweed, Lycopus virginicus, a very different-looking herb native to North America that has some medicinal qualities.

Looking down on Bugle you can see how the flowers tower over the oval leaves.
Looking down on Bugle you can see how the flowers tower over the oval leaves.

Several flowers grow in the leaf axils. Flower shape is tubular and the lower central lip is long and gracefully cleft.

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Invasive Plants List for Pennsylvania

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Q: Interested in learning more about what plants are invasive and why that matters?

A: Head on over to Invasive Plants by the United States National Arboretum for all the information you’ll need. Scroll down that page for a link to your state where you can find out more about invasive plants that are causing problems in your locale.

For Pennsylvania the DCNR lists many forbs/grasses as invasive.

For a plant to be invasive

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Wild Pink Flowers on the Hillsides

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Wild Pink would make a nice addition to any garden. It’s low to the ground and the flowers are a delightful light pink color.

Who says pink isn’t a natural color?

Wild Pink, Silene caroliniana, looks similar to a common garden plant called moss phlox. Moss phlox, Phlox subulata, is popular in gardens and you’ll see it planted around houses as it’s a popular landscaping plant that flowers in neon-bright colors.

By the way during the month of May you can see a great display of a tall Wild Blue Phlox, Phlox divaricata, at Shenk’s Ferry.

Wild pink flowers range in color from the lightest pink, almost white, to a dark pink. Flowering in the middle of May most of the flowers are light pink in color.

These wild pink flowers are such a light pink they're nearly white.
These wild pink flowers are such a light pink they’re nearly white.
Wild pink flowers in a dark shade of pink.
Wild pink flowers in a dark shade of pink.

The whole plant will get only a few inches tall. The photo above shows the flower stalk reaching about 5 inches high, a little taller than the leaves.

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Wild Geraniums Bloom for Weeks

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Wild Geraniums are one of my favorite forest plants. The light purple flowers appear in May or late April. Rains at this time of year will beat down existing blossoms or make them drop some petals, but other flower buds will open to replace them.

The wild geranium blooms for a couple of weeks or longer with the largest and oldest plant blooming the longest. Flower buds open in succession so that some will be spent and developing their beak-like seedpods before others are in complete bloom. Photos taken 16 and 26 May 2014.

Wild geranium bloom surrounded by flower buds that have yet to open.
Wild geranium bloom surrounded by flower buds that have yet to open.
Wild geranium flower on the left is just opening and the flower on the right has been fertilized and has lost its anthers.
Wild geranium flower on the left is just opening and the flower on the right has been fertilized and has lost its anthers. The pistil is swelling at the base as it starts to form the seed pod.

In our area of the Appalachian Mountains in South Central Pennsylvania we saw wild geraniums blooming for 4 weeks from the middle of May to the middle of June. Most years I would start looking for them to flower in the beginning of May.

Large plants may bloom for a couple of weeks, while plants in different locations will bloom at slightly different times. For instance, the wild geraniums on a south-facing slope may bloom a week earlier than a similar-sized plant on a north-facing slope.

Wild geranium blooming next to a country road.
Wild geranium blooming next to a country road.

The foliage is quite noticeable. I mean, it’s pretty easy to identify. Look for the palmate leaves in clumps near forest openings, along roads near wooded lots, and surely along hiking trails in Eastern North America.

Wild Geranium will be seen along roads, but probably only when it's in bloom.
Wild Geranium will be seen along roads, but probably only when it’s in bloom.
Flowers are held high over the palmate foliage of Wild Geranium.
Flowers are held high over the palmate foliage of Wild Geranium.

Dame’s Rocket Not Native to America

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Dame’s Rocket is all but done blooming for this year. Even though it’s an invasive plant I admit I still enjoy seeing it in bloom.

Just yesterday we saw a few plants still holding on to their flowers while on a drive in the Allegheny Mountains of Central Pennsylvania.

Some of the most common plants we see today came from afar and that is the case with Dame’s Rocket, Hesperis matronalis. It is original to Asia and Europe and was supposedly brought to America back in colonial times as a garden plant. I can see why – the deep purple, pink or white flowers are real pretty flowering along Pennsylvania roads in late May.

Dame's Rocket Blooming in Purple
Dame’s Rocket Blooming in Purple

Dame’s Rocket has had a few hundred years to spread out in America, so we’re sure it’s here to stay.

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