native

White Wild Licorice Flowers in the Summer Woods

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While chopping out some of the multiflora rose that had introduced itself onto a new section of the farmer’s lane, I uncovered a new plant. I knew the moment I saw it, that it was one I was unfamiliar with. The briars of the thorny roses were tossed into a heap away from the little new plant.

This new plant was indeed a small one. It grew from a few to several inches tall in the filtered shade under the canes of the rose bush.

White Wild Licorice, Galium circaezans, has tiny white flowers in clusters and leaves in whorls of four. Yellow Wild Licorice, G. lanceolatum, is a similar species with yellow flowers.

Wild white licorice on the south side of the farmer's lane.
Wild white licorice on the south side of the farmer's lane. Photo taken 23 June 2011.

Plants found growing along with white wild licorice include spotted touch-me-not, poison ivy, blackberry, elderberry and maple, among others.

Leaves are uniform in appearance with a certain symmetry of four leaves in a whorl. Each softly hairy leaf is entire, blunt or rounded at the tips, and oval in shape. Leaves have three distinct veins and have a broad appearance.

Four leaves in whorls helps to identify wild licorices.
Four leaves in whorls helps to identify wild licorice. Photo taken 23 June 2011.

The blossoms are tiny, greenish-white flowers, each having four pointed petals.

Tiny flowers of wild licorice at the tips of stems.
Tiny flowers of wild licorice at the tips of stems. Photo taken 23 June 2011.

Wild licorice blooms over a period of a couple weeks or longer. Flowers develop into seed pods that look like little spheres with fuzzy surfaces.

Cluster of tiny seed pods from flowers of wild licorice.
Cluster of tiny seed pods from flowers of wild licorice. Photo taken 23 June 2011.
Leaves of wild licorice have three prominent veins.
Leaves of wild licorice have three prominent veins. Photo taken 2 July 2011.

Leaves really do taste like licorice. Chewing a leaf releases a cool, sweet taste that is reminiscent of stevia, but with a very pleasant aftertaste. Sometimes stevia is said to have a metallic aftertaste. Because of the licorice taste, I wonder how anyone has used wild licorice.

There is no mention of G. circaezans in the Peterson medicinal or edible plant field guides. Another member of the Bedstraw (Madder) family, Rubiaceae, called Cleavers, G. aparine, is listed as having diuretic and hypotensive properties.

Whorled Pogonia No Blooming for Wild Orchid

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Every year I comb through our wooded acres to see certain plants blooming and to find new discoveries. One of the plants I look for is called Whorled Pogonia, Isotria verticillata, a member of the Orchid family, Orchidaceae.

As far as I know the whorled pogonia in our small area on the mountain ridge has only bloomed once in seven years. They didn’t bloom in 2011, but they put on a show in 2010. When it does bloom, whorled pogonia flowers in May and June in moist acid woods and thickets in the eastern U.S..

Whorled pogonia flowers are an interesting oddity. The lipped flower, typical of orchids, is greenish-yellow with some streaks of purple or maroon.

The plants start coming up in May as little pinwheels. They continue to grow taller and get bigger for a few weeks until the leaves are two to four inches long. The individual plants remain standing for the summer, unless a big foot or critter knocks them over. In the autumn the foliage may turn to yellow before going back to the earth.

Eight whorled pogonia plants grow among the sassafras, lowbush blueberries and oak saplings.
Eight whorled pogonia plants grow among the sassafras, lowbush blueberries and oak saplings. Photos taken 14 June 2011.

Whorled pogonia has five leaves, and sometimes six, in a single whorl.

Five leaves are typical for whorled pogonia.
Five leaves are typical for whorled pogonia.
Sometimes pogonia leaves get misshapen when they burst through the forest floor in Spring or by animal activities.
Sometimes pogonia leaves get misshapen when they burst through the forest floor in Spring or by animal activities.
Fewer plants have six leaves to a whorl.
Fewer plants have six leaves to a whorl.
Sassafras saplings grow in the same area as whorled pogonia.
Sassafras saplings grow in the same area as whorled pogonia.

Leaves are parallel-veined and widest near the tips. Terminal ends may have pointed or rounded tips.

Apparently there are no edible or medicinal properties of interest in whorled pogonia. However, it would make a delightful addition to a native woodland garden, provided that it’s planted in the shade.

Surprise Blue-Eyed Grass in the Lawn

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One side of the lawn was allowed to grow long for the want of a mower. Before the machine was fixed the grass reached a foot high and some went to seed. The area really didn’t look that bad because of the sparseness of the grass. It is a very shady area that has a cool dampness to it. The grass that grows here is thin and different from the grass growing in sunnier spots. To my surprise there appeared a new plant in the unmowed area, Blue-Eyed Grass.

Blue-eyed grasses easily hide among the grass in the lawn, especially when not in flower.
Blue-eyed grasses easily hide among the grass in the lawn, especially when not in flower. Note the flower bud on the top right and the seed pods on the top left. Photo taken at 9:30 a.m., 9 June 2011.

(Click on any photo to see a larger image.)

The blue-eyed grass was only noticed when a blossom had opened. There it was, this cute, light blue flower with a yellow “eye” ring and curiously pointed tips on its petals.

Blue-eyed grasses are members of the Iris family, Iridaceae. Nine or ten species native to the USA of the Sisyrinchium genus are separated according to branching of the flower stalk and the shapes of the leaves and stems.

Leaves are grass-like blades. The central rib of each leaf blade is enlarged and that is easily felt by running your fingers down the leaf.

Leaf blades of blue-eyed grass.
Leaf blades of blue-eyed grass. Photo taken 9 June 2011.

Green seed pods develop into round balls that dangle at the tips of the flower stems.

Flowers are true to iris form with three petals and three sepals making the blossom appear to have six petals. Each “petal” has a pointed tip.

Blue eyes are open in the grass by the afternoon.
Blue eyes are open in the grass by the afternoon or perhaps whenever they get enough sunlight. Photo taken at 2:45 p.m., 9 June 2011.
Flower petals are adorned with pointed tips.
Flower petals are adorned with pointed tips. Photo taken 9 June 2011.

The species of blue-eyed grass here is Stout Blue-eyed Grass, S. angustifolium, also called Pointed Blue-eyed Grass, as the stems are branched, leaves are less than a quarter-inch wide, and the flower stalks are long. It’s a perennial that reaches 4-18 inches tall. According to Peterson’s Medicinal Plants Guide, blue-eyed grass leaf and root teas were once used as a laxative, to expel worms, to treat stomach-ache, and in children, to relieve diarrhea.

Wild Anise Root Is A Native Cousin to Parsley

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The Parsley family, Umbelliferae or Apiaceae, encompasses dozens of useful plants with similar features, like flowers with five petals in umbels or umbrella-like clusters near the top of the plant. Leaves are toothed and divided, sometimes very finely. Examples are herbs and roots we commonly use in the kitchen, like parsley, dill, cilantro, fennel, and carrots.

Two native Parsley family members that can be found in the woodlands of the eastern U.S. are Sweet Cicely, Osmorhiza claytonii, and Anise Root, O. longistylis, which are very similar in appearance. Either of these woodland plants would look nice in a herb garden. The foliage is leafy and fern-like and the flowers dainty.

The main character differences are that Sweet Cicely is a softly hairy plant, while Anise Root is nearly smooth. Also, anise root has slightly longer stamen tips, hence the specific epithet longistylis.

The anise root plant photographed here was growing along a country road. It was still flowering near the end of May in Pennsylvania.

Anise Root plant nearing the end of its blooming period.
Anise Root plant nearing the end of its blooming period. Note the seeds developing in the upper right and the last umbel of flowers on the left.

(Click on any photo to see a larger image.)

Take Caution: The leaves of Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum, are similar in appearance. Do not ingest any part of any plant without a positive identification.

Sweet Cicely and Anise Root leaves are less highly divided, and potentially much smaller than, the leaves of poison hemlock.

Compound leaves of anise root.
Compound leaves of anise root.

Poison hemlock leaves have a bad smell when crushed, unlike the Osmorhiza which smell of anise or licorice. The sense of smell may be a poor indicator for some folks, so do not rely on this feature alone to distinguish poison hemlock from anise root.

Anise root stems are purple and smooth, while the stems of poison hemlock are spotted with purple.

Purple stems of anise root.
Purple stems of anise root.

Poison hemlock umbels are full of tiny flowers that make them look like several white spheres that may be held several feet high. Overall, poison hemlock plants are more substantial and grow taller. The umbels in Sweet Cicely and Anise Root are much more sparse with flowers than those of poison hemlock and they rise only 1-2 feet off the ground.

A compound umbel of anise root flowers.
A compound umbel of anise root flowers. Note the size and sparse number of individual flowers in each small umbel that make up the larger compound umbel.

Peterson’s Edible Wild Plants Guide tells us that the roots and green fruits smell of anise and that they can be used for flavoring. I’m curious, does anyone use this woodland herb?

Poison Ivy Flowers in Orange and Green

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A plant that strikes terror in some who have fallen victim to its skin-eruptive oils is Poison Ivy, Rhus radicans. It’s surprising how many people don’t know what poison ivy looks like. We always point it out when berry picking or taking a hike in the woods. People should know not to come into contact with those three leaves.

A poison ivy rash is something to be avoided at all times. Worse than an insect bite, poison ivy rashes can spread when the affected area is scratched. Pustules can break open and release liquids which easily spreads the plant’s oils that blister the skin.

TIP: Do everything you can to not scratch the itchy, reddened blotches for your rash to go away the fastest. Wash contaminated clothing before re-wearing.

What does Poison Ivy look like? A popular saying to remind one what it looks like is, “Leaflets in three, let them be”.

Poison ivy is a vine that often grows along trails and areas at the edges of forests. It may grow from underground roots or from runners along the ground and up into the trees. Look for hairy roots on vines that can be several inches in diameter which have grown up the trunks of large trees.

Poison Ivy leaflets in three can be seen to the left of Wild Geranium in bloom.
Poison Ivy leaflets in three can be seen to the left of Wild Geranium in bloom. Photo taken 29 May 2011.

Two triplicate leaves can be seen in the below image. Each leaf is a palmately compound leaf, meaning that one leaf consists of a long stem plus the three leaflets. Flower clusters arise where the two leaf stalks meet at the main stem.

Two Poison Ivy leaves in threes lie on either side of a cluster of flowers.
Two Poison Ivy leaves in threes lie on either side of a cluster of flowers.

The flowers of poison ivy may be seen on mature plants as clusters of orange and light green blossoms that occur in the leaf axils. Petals are light green to whitish and the stamens are orange.

Flower cluster showing orange stamens and light green flower petals.
Flower cluster showing orange stamens and light green flower petals.

Flowers develop into white berries during the summer. Birds and small mammals eat them. People should avoid them as they are poisonous to the touch from all parts of the plant, including the leaves, flowers and berries.

Bowman’s Root Blooming with Mountain Laurel

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It’s always a delight to find a new flowering friend, so I was pleasantly surprised to find one while driving around taking in the sights of Mountain Laurel blooming.

As I slowed down before turning onto another country road a different white-flowering plant caught my eye. Its flowers seemed scraggly as if the petals were getting ready to fall off. I recognized that I didn’t know what it was so I stopped to take a closer look.

It was a single specimen having a stem that rose up about two feet tall. Its leaves were jagged-looking in threes. Photos taken 29 May 2011.

Bowman's Root flowering at the side of a mountain road.
Bowman's Root flowering at the side of a mountain road.

Bowman’s Root, Gillenia trifoliata, is native from Michigan to New York and points south in rich woods, according to Peterson’s Guide to Wildflowers. It’s a member of the Rose family, Rosaceae.

Leaves with toothed edges and prominent veins occur in triplets. Each leaflet is 2-3 inches long and tapered at the tip. The leaves are nearly stemless and alternate up the main stem.

Triplicate leaves of Bowman's Root.
Triplicate leaves of Bowman's Root.

The flowers are pure white with five long petals that come to a point at the tips. The petals emerge from a light green, bulbus calyx in a tubular shape and then unfurl as the blossom opens.

White, five-petaled flowers of Bowman's Root.
White, five-petaled flowers of Bowman's Root. Three flowers getting ready to open up are visible in the lower part of the image.

This plant was at the side of the road in dappled shade.

Habitat of Bowman's Root at the side of a country road in the Tuscarora mountains of Pennsylvania.
Habitat of Bowman's Root at the side of a country road in the Tuscarora mountains of Pennsylvania.

A similar and closely related plant is American Ipecac, Gillenia stipulata. It has very large stipules at the base of the leaves that make them appear to be five-parted. American Ipecac is used as an emetic, in other words to make you throw up.

It’s interesting that an alternate name for Bowman’s Root is Indian Physic. According to Peterson’s Medicinal Plants Guide, a tea made from the whole plant was used traditionally for its strong laxative and emetic properties. Very small doses were used for indigestion, colds, asthma and hepatitis. Rheumatism, bee stings and swellings would be treated with a wash or poultice of Bowman’s Root.

As I mentioned earlier I came upon the new plant while driving around looking at the pretty Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia, in bloom. It’s a large evergreen shrub that may remind you of Rhododendron bushes. The long, oval leaves are leathery to the touch. It has unique flowers that you should see up close and in person. In case you’ve missed it here are a couple of pictures.

Mountain laurel flower buds start out pink and often lighten into white flowers when blossoming.
Mountain laurel flower buds start out pink and often lighten into white flowers when blossoming.
Each mountain laurel flower has little pits or pockets in the petals where stamens are neatly tucked.
Each mountain laurel flower has little pits or pockets in the petals where stamens are neatly tucked.

(Click on any photo to see a larger image.)

Deerberry Blooms Light up the Wood’s Edge

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This rainy year produced some spectacular flower displays. One that we see in the forest is called Deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum. It’s a member of the Heath Family, Ericaceae, as are the blueberries and huckleberries, and it’s also native to the eastern United States.

Small deerberry shrubs at the edge of the woods are 2-3 feet tall.
Small deerberry shrubs at the edge of the woods are 2-3 feet tall. Photo taken 13 May 2011.

The foliage looks a lot like that of the lowbush blueberry, but the flowers are distinct. Each bell-shaped flower is white to pinkish-white with many stamens that protrude beyond the edge of the short bell. The five lobes at the edge of the bell do not flare outward as the blossoms of the blueberries do.

The flowers are arranged in loose clusters where each blossom dangles just below a small leaf on the main stem. This ‘leafy-bracted raceme’ is a character worth noting to identify deerberry.

Three leafy bracted racemes are present in this closeup of deerberry flowers with their long stamens.
Three leafy bracted racemes are present in this closeup of deerberry flowers with their long stamens. Photo taken 13 May 2011.
By holding up a branch of the deerberry, you can see how the flowers dangle below their stem.
By holding up a branch of the deerberry, you can see how the flowers dangle below their stem. Photo taken 13 May 2011.
Mass blooming of deerberry. Note how the flowers are tucked behind the new growth of light green leaves.
Mass blooming of deerberry. Note how the flowers are tucked behind the new growth of light green leaves. Photo taken on 23 May 2011.

(Click on any of the photos to see larger images.)

Deerberry blooming at the edge of the woods.
Deerberry blooming at the edge of the woods on 23 May 2011.

Huckleberries On the Mountain Ridge Are Lowbush Blueberries

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We made an interesting discovery this year in our wooded acres on the mountain ridge. A lot of undergrowth is present near the wood’s edge. That’s not too surprising because the deer population has a lot of choice of what to eat around here in the country. We see them crossing our property as they go into or out of the crop field next door, so to speak.

We did plant some goldenseal one year that didn’t flourish and I blamed their lack of growth and eventual disappearance on the local deer population. Perhaps so.

Anyway, I was surprised that we had these little low-growing shrubs flower this year. In overall appearance, these shrubs look similar to the deerberry that we’ve seen flower many times. This year was the most spectacular display of deerberry blooming so far!

I’m told by the local farmer that they call the plant “huckleberry”. It’s like a wild low-growing blueberry. Indeed, Newcomb’s description for the Early Low Blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, fits it like a glove. Peterson’s Medicinal Plants Guide calls this species the Late Lowbush Blueberry with its blueberry fruit ripening in August or September. Our lowbush blueberry is probably the early variety as its fruit was already turning from light green to pink in late June before turning blue.

Pink lowbush blueberry fruits.
Pink lowbush blueberry fruits. Photo taken 26 Jun 2011.

Flowers dangle in clusters at the tips of stems. Urn-shaped with five flaring tips, blueberry blossoms are typically white with shades of pink. The flowers of huckleberries and blueberries are very similar.

Leaves of the blueberries, Vaccinium spp., are soft to the touch and no where as near as leathery as the leaves of the Box Huckleberry, Gaylussacia brachycera.

Lowbush blueberries are about a foot tall, with green stems that terminate in oval-shaped, pointy-tipped leaves. Flower clusters are borne on the green stems between leafy side branches.

Green stems support several flowers clusters in between the leafy stems.
Green stems support several flowers clusters in between the leafy stems. Photo taken 13 May 2011.
Flower cluster of lowbush blueberry showing blossoms of different ages. The petals of the early flowers have fallen away, while others are blooming or not yet opened.
Flower cluster of lowbush blueberry showing blossoms of different ages. The petals of the early flowers have fallen away, while others are blooming or not yet opened. Photo taken 13 May 2011.
Flowers of a Duke Blueberry, V. corymbosum, are quite similar to the lowbush blueberry, except that these highbush blueberry blossoms are pure white. The stems attain their woody character with age.
Flowers of a Duke Blueberry, V. corymbosum, are quite similar to the lowbush blueberry, except that these highbush blueberry blossoms are pure white. The stems attain their woody character with age. Photo taken 13 May 2011.

A week or more later, other huckleberries were seen blooming in the woods. Some of the flowers were more pink than white.

Pink cluster of lowbush blueberry flowers. Note that the flower clusters arise on the previous year's new growth, which has become woody.
Pink cluster of lowbush blueberry flowers. Note that the flower clusters arise on the previous year's new growth, which has become woody. Photo taken 23 May 2011.

Fruits are small and ripen into the familiar blue berries in early to mid July. One can just see the remnants of the flower blossom’s five tips on the bottom of the berry.

Huckleberries ripening from green to pink to blue.
Huckleberries ripening from green to pink to blue. Photo taken 2 July 2011.
Huckleberry or Lowbush Blueberry fruit gets bigger as it matures from pink to blue.
Huckleberry or Lowbush Blueberry fruit gets bigger as it matures from pink to blue. Photo taken 4 July 2011.

I tasted the lowbush blueberries, but I didn’t think they had much flavor, at least not compared to the highbush blueberries we planted a few years back. We’ll leave the small berries for the birds and chipmunks in hopes that they’ll leave us our delicious blueberries.