What is unusual about this fern is that it is an evergreen plant. I should find the greenish-blue fronds against a blanket of snow next January. Another distinguishing feature of this fern is that only the upper parts of the fronds are fertile (but there are no separate sterile and fertile fronds like in other […]
Archive for the ‘Interesting’ Category
Dryopteris marginalis (marginal wood fern)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Adiantum pedatum (northern maidenhair fern)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This is one of the pickier ferns in my woodland garden, especially when it comes to moisture: The northern maidenhair fern likes it moist but not wet. At the same time, it won’t survive if it dries out even a bit. Just a few yards further I have royal fern which likes much wetter feet. […]
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (eastern hayscented fern)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
As is the case with a lot of other fern species, hayscented fern is best grown in moist, rich, humusy, and acidic soil. As for light, it prefers partial to full shade. However, it can take full sun if you keep it moist. Preferences aside, it tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor rocky […]
Anemone canadensis (canada anemone)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This member of the buttercup family (Ranunculacea) is native to most of North America, except for Alaska, the U.S west coast and the southern states. This is a great plant for naturalizing purposes, as it tends to be somewhat agressive under the right circumstances. It spreads by rhizomes as well as seed. If you don’t […]
Iris cristata (dwarf crested iris)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I observed this interesting little plant at the Brewster Museum of Natural History. It is native to the eastern United States, but will only be found south of the Wisconsinan glaciation spread (which occured some 11,000 years ago). Iris cristata spreads by rhizomes, so it could take a long time before it reclaims territory to […]
Trientalis borealis (starflower)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 2, 2011 | 2 Comments »
The woods on Cape Cod house this easily overlooked little spring beauty. Starflower does not form dense mats like bearberry, nor does it produce colorful berries. Also, the leaves are of a green similar to the surrounding grasses so you could be forgiven for missing this little plant altogether. The flowers and leaves disappear in […]
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on May 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Cinnamon fern is one of the larger ferns we have – I have a handful in the woodland garden, reaching over 4 feet in height. The plants are quite beautiful: The fertile fronds appear first as furry fiddleheads, ultimately becoming stiff, erect, and soon turn a chocolate brown color – very much like a stick […]
Cape Catbirds
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Interesting on May 25, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Living here on Cape Cod has enabled me to observe several types of wild birds such as woodpeckers, flickers and hummingbirds for the first time in my life. I am also reading “The Bird” by Colin Tudge so I guess you could say I have something of a mild obsession with birds right now. I love the […]
Viola pedata (birdfoot violet)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on May 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Viola pedata is a violet native to states east of the Rockies, from Texas to Maine (but not in Florida for some reason). This plant is different in three ways – First, the leaves are deeply lobed. Second, there are no hairs near the throat of the flower. Third, and last: Unlike other violets this […]
Lupinus polyphyllus (common lupine)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on May 24, 2011 | 2 Comments »
This is my second attempt at growing lupines. I had these in the woodland garden last year, and they looked spectacular in early summer. Then it got warm and dry, and it stayed that way. The lupines withered and did not come back this year. I’m not sure if it was just the atypical heat […]