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.

Coltsfoot, the Alien Cough Suppressant Plant

by

The Peterson Medicinal Plants Guide says that coltsfoot can be found from Nova Scotia south to New Jersey and west to Ohio and Minnesota. It is an alien plant, or one that is not native to America. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide simply marks it with an asterisk to note that it’s an alien plant.

Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara, is native to parts of Europe and Asia. It was most likely brought to North and South America by settlers who used the plant for its healing properties.

Coltsfoot has been used in folk medicine for a long time. Leaves and flowers are used in herbal tea as an expectorant and demulcent. The dried leaves are smoked for coughs and asthma.

Caution: compounds in wild coltsfoot have been found to be toxic to the liver.

The toxic compounds were more concentrated in the flower than in the leaf. Since we don’t know the dose that we’d get in a cup of tea from any particular plant, we probably should play it on the safe side and not drink the tea too often — and drink herbal tea made from the leaves, not flowers.

In the early summer we’ll be harvesting coltsfoot leaves for a Soothing Throat Tea.

Here’s a photo of coltsfoot leaves taken on 25 Jun 2007. They get pretty big at about 8-10 inches long by 6-8 inches wide in a scalloped, horseshoe shape.

Coltsfoot leaves grow in a horseshoe shape.
Coltsfoot leaves grow up to 10 inches long by 8 inches wide in a horseshoe shape.

Places for more research on Coltsfoot medicinal uses:

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Coltsfoot – Identifying the Roadside Dandelion

by

Blooming coltsfoot is another sign of Spring. Coltsfoot only blooms in very early Spring in Pennsylvania, during the last week of March and the first week of April. I first saw them blooming on March 24th this year and expect them to continue blooming for another week.

Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara, can be mistaken for a dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, at first glance. Closer inspection shows the flower head is similar to dandelion, but the leaves of coltsfoot are quite distinct. Can’t show the leaves just yet as they haven’t emerged. That’s one big difference between coltsfoot and dandelion, dandelion leaves appear before the flower does. Another difference is that the dandelions aren’t blooming yet. So, near the end of March you’re likely to find dandelion leaves but no flowers, and coltsfoot flowers, but no leaves.

Single coltsfoot flower on the forest floor near the lane.
Single coltsfoot flower on the forest floor near the lane.

Coltsfoot flowers are composites of yellow, just like the dandelion, but the rays are thinner and more delicate-looking in the coltsfoot. Once the flower is pollinated, the resulting seeds are arranged in a fluffy ball, just like a dandelion, and its seeds are dispersed by the wind, too.

Coltsfoot flower stem with linear bracts of maroon color.
Coltsfoot flower stem with linear bracts of maroon color.

Note the small bracts or scales along the flower stem. These inch-long bracts are held close to the flower stem and are maroon to brown.

The true leaves are supposedly shaped like that of a young horse’s hoof, thus the name coltsfoot, but I don’t see the resemblance. Leaves are heart-shaped at the base and emerge after the flowering is all but finished. Leaves continue to grow larger for a couple weeks more. The coltsfoot leaves will finish out the summer looking like little canopies all along the roadside where the flowers once bloomed.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Crocuses Still Blooming But Crowded

by

You’re right, crocuses aren’t exactly a wild herb, but since they’re one of the only flowers blooming right now, they’re getting my attention.

Narcissus
Image by stevesheriw via Flickr

I did see bunches of daffodils or jonquils, Narcissus spp., blooming in town yesterday. Although native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and Asia, you can see Narcissi flowering in American woods and empty lots here, marking where old homesteads once were — planted near the old house, no doubt. No matter when or where they’re planted, everyone knows it’s Spring when they see the daffodils blooming.

Crocuses bloom a short time before the daffodil group, but they probably bloom together for a little while. Crocus flowers last about a week. One individual plant might bloom over a week’s time and other plants will bloom earlier or later. A group of crocuses can then be blooming for about two weeks as the early ones fade away and later ones reach full flower.

Every year the crocus bulbs produce one or several clones of themselves. Over the years the proliferation of bulbs will create a compact grouping of crocuses. When there are too many plants in the same small area, they must be thinned out in order to propagate them further.

Crocus flowers more abundant this year
Crocus blooms still flowering

Here, three or four bulbs were planted four years ago for each of the three clumps of crocus blooms. Each group of crocus now provides about two dozen blooms.

About every three years we’ll dig up the crocuses – and other bulbs – and re-distribute them or plant some in new areas. This time I might plant some randomly in the yard instead of tidily in a flower bed. Thanks, Martha!

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Perennial Catnip Growing Green Again

by

The felines will be happy that the catnip keeps coming back. I don’t know what drives them crazy about catnip, but we do know that they really enjoy it. The outdoor cats will come by to roll around on and near the catnip plants and to take a nibble. The indoor cat demands a fresh sprig now and then. After a playful romp it’s nap time.

A few years back we sprinkled some catnip seed — from some flowering tops we harvested and allowed to dry — along the front of the house, next to the driveway and near the flagstone walk. Since that day we have had catnip plants every year, much to the delight of our feline friends.

I am a little surprised how extensive the catnip colony is getting. From the original few plants that sprouted from seed, there is now a large group of plants. The root system probably keeps this set of plants coming back year after year, while allowing the mother plant to spread out. More plants are popping up right in the gravel driveway and between the flagstones. Some of them are pulled up, given away or harvested for the kitties, but it seems like we’ll always have a few plants around.

Here in Pennsylvania catnip grows wild along the roadsides. Once you can recognize the plant it’s easy to see that catnip is quite common. It’s growing really close to the ground right now, but if you wait until mid-summer then you’ll be able to see the 3 feet tall plants more easily. When the catnip blooms, its white blossoms are easy to spot along a country road.

Re-growth of catnip leaves. Notice large stem from last year's growth.
Re-growth of catnip leaves. Notice large stem from last year's growth.

Leaves of catnip are soft, almost fuzzy to the feel while other mints don’t feel quite as downy. The scalloped edges of the triangle-like catnip leaves are distinctive.

Distinctive scallop-edged leaves of catnip.
Distinctive scallop-edged leaves of catnip.

If you’re unsure whether you’ve got another member of the mint family or catnip, just rub a leaf and smell it. The odor should tell you which plant you have found. If you can’t smell, just give it to a cat. They will wrinkle up their noses if it’s a different member of the mint family!

LaVern guarding her catnip!
LaVern guarding her catnip!

Now, what good ‘ole country girl doesn’t have a cat or two to play mouse-catcher?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Crocus Blooms Open Up with the Sunlight

by

We planted a few sets of crocus bulbs three years ago and now the area they occupy has at least double, probably triple, the amount of crocus bulbs we started with. That’s one thing to like about bulbs…they multiply over the years to make for really colorful patches in your flower beds or lawn. To keep up the expansion of color going, dig up the bulbs in the fall and spread them out for an even more beautiful display the following spring!

Crocuses are probably favorites of many people by virtue of their early blooming time in the Spring. Since they are among the very first ones to flower it sort of makes you feel like winter is over and that spring is really here when you do see the crocuses coming out of hiding.

The time of day will make all the difference as to what kind of display you’ll see. If you are viewing the crocus flowers in the early morning, say before going to work in the a.m., you’ll likely see the flowers closed up. After nightfall, the crocus flower petals all relax into the center of the bloom and remain closed until the next day’s sunlight nudges them open.

Three sets of crocus flowers in purple and white in the AM.
Three sets of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 7:15 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Three sets of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 11 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Three sets of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 11 a.m., 21 March 2010.

Here’s a nice side view of the early morning flowers with their petals closed —

Side view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 7:15 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Side view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 7:15 a.m., 21 March 2010.

Before the sun and after the sun images of purple and white crocuses —

Early morning view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 7:15 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Early morning view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 7:15 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Late morning view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 11 a.m., 21 March 2010.
Late morning view of crocus flowers in purple and white. Photo taken at 11 a.m., 21 March 2010.

Crocuses are native to parts of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Signs of Spring in South Central Pennsylvania

by

After a long, hard winter and a week of very mild temperatures – in the 60s! – people are smiling again. We still have some cold and chilly weather ahead, here in the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania, but that’s ok. It’s not like we can expect more snowfalls that are measured by the foot instead of the inch!

Counties of the South Central Region of PA
Counties of the South Central Region of PA

To our south the snow piled up deeper and more often, but we did enjoy the wood furnace immensely. Talk about a radiating heat that lasts…once the floor and stone heated up it carried over through the night. It is so pleasing to not burn all that petroleum oil. Sorry, Canada, but we’d rather use our reusable resource that is so plentiful in PA! Time to re-order another 3 cord of wood for next winter.

Now that we’ve officially said goodbye to Winter and hello to Spring, we can list the signs of Spring all around us:

  • Canada geese flying north
  • slate-colored juncos no longer here
  • increase in songbird’s morning music
  • perennials like lilacs and raspberries showing off buds
  • maple trees flowering bright red
  • crocuses flowering beautifully in purple and white
  • first blooming yard weed — the white-flowering Pennsylvania Bittercress
  • strawberries greening up with new leaves starting to push
  • lilies, echinacea, mint, catnip, columbine showing new growth
  • tulip greenery up about halfway
  • garter snakes visiting the garden and spooking the leaf raker
  • garlic and parsley re-greening in the garden

Time to get to the woods to see the Spring ephemeral flowers, like hepatica, bloodroot, trout lily, violets and lots more. Check out the local parks and forests near you for places to see these beautiful Spring flowers. Your state department of conservation or forests and parks will be able to help you find a walking trail. In Pennsylvania we have the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help find a local state park.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Bee Balm Blooming Bright Red

by

The bright red blooms of Bee Balm, Monarda didyma, also known as Oswego Tea, can be seen from a distance. The red color is truly a bright red – it surely attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

Bee Balm or Oswego Tea in bloom.

Bee balm or Oswego tea in bloom.

Several tubular flowers open on bee balm.

Several irregularly-shaped, tubular flowers open at a time.

Maroon bracts just below the bee balm flowers.

The bracts just below the rounded head of flowers are also red, but more on the maroon side of red.

A friend found a few plants growing near the Juniata River and gave us a couple for our native plant gardens. To match it’s native habitat I’ll be transplanting ours along the lane near the spring that runs after a good rain.

Once they’re established I’d like to harvest the leaves to try the tea. Does anyone here use bee balm as oswego tea?

Pink Pasture Roses Blooming at the Woods Edge

by

Walking around the farmer’s fields gives a different perspective on things. The view is quite different up close compared to what you see zipping down the highway. From afar you see the contents of the farmed field, what’s growing or what’s being planted or harvested. Neat rows of corn or soybeans. Perhaps a few white-tailed deer or a flock of turkeys.

On closer inspection one sees a host of wild plants at the edge of the fields. Most would be called roadside weeds, but when seen up close their true beauty can be enjoyed. Oxeye daisies, butter-n-eggs, Venus’s looking glass, black mustard, deptford pink, and even crown vetch lend a pastel rainbow to the fields’ edge with various shades of yellow, orange, pink, purple and white.

Today, I spotted a type of rose flowering on the west side of a soy field where the field meets the woods. It had five pink petals with many yellow stamens and uniformly toothed leaflets. One or two long, straight prickles at the base of each compound leaf helped to identify the plant as a Pasture Rose, Rosa carolina, also called Carolina Rose.

Pink, five-petaled pasture rose at the edge of the woods.

The pink, five-petaled Pasture Rose as seen at the edge of the woods.

Toothed leaflets of pasture rose with long straight thorns.

Toothed leaflets of pasture rose and it’s long, straight “thorns” (in the upper center and upper left).

Pasture rose in soft pink and yellow.

Pasture rose in soft pink and yellow.

Here in Pennsylvania the pasture or carolina rose will be blooming in June and July. Do any of you find this plant blooming later in July? If you’re going out there to check it out, be careful of the poison ivy as it’s typically found in the same habitat. Leave a comment to let us know what you find!