WildeHerb is a collection of wild herb and wildflower sightings.
Partridgeberry, Mitchella repens, is a member of the Madder Family, Rubiaceae. It’s one of the plants that just make me think, “Forest Flowers.” You won’t find it growing anywhere else but in a forest or perhaps in a shade garden. Partridgeberry is native to the Eastern North America. The terminal white or pink trumpet-like flowers … Read more
Partridgeberry, Mitchella repens, blooming along woodland paths in central Pennsylvania lends a bit of color to the brown forest floor. Dark green foliage, accented here and there with white or light-colored veins, still bears crimson berries left over from last year. Partridgeberry gives an evergreen feel to the mixed hardwood forests of Pennsylvania. The white, … Read more
We are fortunate to have a few native orchids on the property. It is a delight to take a walk in the woods and see these orchids growing in their natural habitat. Rattlesnake-plantain flowered this summer and all that is left are seed stalks. The rattlesnake-plantains are orchids with their white and dark green checkered … Read more
Spiderwort blooms are quite attractive with the contrast of the yellow stamens and bright purple petals. Alas, they are only open in the morning and close by the afternoon. Spiderwort flowers have three bright purple triangular petals and six bright yellow stamens. Growth habit of the spiderwort plant shows the long parallel-veined leaves almost folded … Read more
About five years ago we went to a Native Plant Sale held at Millersville University, Lancaster County, PA. We picked up two native plants, Wild Ginger and Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana. Wild ginger is much more plentiful in the wild, at least in the places we’ve looked. The wild ginger we planted has spread out a … Read more
I remember reading about the Trailing Arbutus and that it could be found at the Box Huckleberry Natural Area of the Tuscarora State Forest in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania. When I took a day-trip over there on 3 April 2010, it took a while to find them. But I finally did! Near the entrance of the … Read more
This time of year the mint has filled an entire wall of the stone house, the returning lavender is getting ready to open its purple blooms, and the oregano has greened up nicely. The lettuce is just coming up in the garden, while the lilies are sending out their flower heads. The pink oxalis, which … Read more