Orange hawkweed was first introduced from Europe into New England because of its attractive flame-colored flowers – it is a beautiful plant: Orange hawkweed has matted hairy leaves and handsome flowers, each about an inch in diameter and usually red on the margin, merging into an orange-colored center. The flowering branches, or shoots, grow from […]
Archive for the ‘Invasive’ Category
From the non-native dossier: Hieracium aurantiacum (orange hawkweed)
Posted in Flora, Invasive, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
From the non-native dossier: Hypericum perforatum (common st. johnswort)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
While there are quite a few native Hypericum species (other types of st. Johnswort), the common yellow roadside flower we can currently observe, is not. Hypericum perforatum was introduced to North America in the 1700s. Its origins are in Eurasia. It has “perforatum” in its name because it seems the leaves have perforations when you […]
From the invasives dossier: Tanacetum vulgare (tansy)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio on July 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This perennial herb from the sunflower family is native to Europe and Eurasia. The plant has distinct finely divided, alternating compound leaves and yellow, button-like flowers. It is a tall plant that branches near the top. Tansy gives off a scent similar to camphor with hints of rosemary. The leaves and flowers are toxic if […]
From the invasives dossier: Veronica serpyllifolia (thymeleaf speedwell)
Posted in Flora, Invasive, Plant bio on May 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Thymeleaf speedwell is another miniature invader from Europe. It is present in my lawn. I don’t mind particularly, because the little flowers are beautiful even though you may need magnifying glasses to truly enjoy them. Sure, I could eradicate them from my yard just like some other lawns I’ve seen – the plant can take […]
From the invasives dossier: Veronica arvensis (corn speedwell)
Posted in Flora, Invasive, Plant bio on May 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This plant is diminutive and has the smallest flowers possible (1/8th of an inch if even that). This is an upright, clumping winter annual that produces small purple, blue or whitish flowers in the spring. The lower portion of the plant has leaves that are round-to-oblong, while the leaves on the flowering upper branches are […]
From the non-native dossier: Chelidonium majus (celandine)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio on May 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Celandine is native to Europe and Western Asia, but it has been present in North America for almost 400 years, as it hitched a ride with the earliest European settlers. Back in those days the plant was used as a yellow dye (if you break a stem you will see the yellow sap), and it […]
From the non-native dossier: Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress)
Posted in Edible, Flora, Interesting, Invasive, Plant bio, Recipe on May 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I have to admit I kind of like the sight of these little annual plants in early spring – they are one of the first to flower, and now in mid May they are already dispersing seed into the yard. This little plant is actually pretty much impossible to get rid of. You can pull […]
Median strip
Posted in Flora, Invasive, Plant bio, Rants & Raves on May 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
There are miles and miles of highway on and off cape. Although those artificially created corridors are intended for human traffic, they are also occasionally used by wildlife and plantlife to get around. Granted, when it comes to wildlife it is more often a treshold, boundary and all too often, killing field. I put a […]