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Heartleaf Aster
Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium), is easy to identify because of its heart shaped leaves. A herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern North America. There are about 150 species of Aster native to North America. The flowers of Heartleaf Aster are composed of petal-like ray flowers which are often blue-violet to lavender, or in this…
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Aromatic Aster Time
I was thinking that it was about bloom time for the Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) and sure enough this afternoon I came upon a few flowers. Just the beginning. It’s an herbaceous perennial, native to parts of the eastern and central United States, grows 2 to 4 feet tall. It’s the host plant for the…
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Lemon Yellow
Whorled Rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus var. trifoliatum). A bright lemon yellow flower that is a herbaceous perennial. It grows to be four to six feet tall. Native to the eastern United States. Found growing along trails up here. This plant is a variety of Silphium asteriscus which has whorls of leaves of three or four along…
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Ghosts?
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is in bloom along the trails up here right now. They have always made me think of ghosts of the people who lived here for thousands of years before now. Reminders of the past. Black Cohosh is a herbaceous perennial that grows quite tall, between three and seven feet tall, one…
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Flowers To Look For
Roam the trails up here in the mountains and you might find some Smooth Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum). Herbaceous perennials, native to eastern and central North America. Growing two feet tall and on occasion will grow to three feet tall. Bees harvest nectar and pollen from the flowers that grow in pairs along the arched…
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Delicate Yellow In May
Hiking along the trails up here in the mountains during May you might find this splendid herbaceous perennial. With rich yellow blooms, this is Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). The native range of Golden Alexanders is the eastern and central US where it can grow to 2.5 feet tall. The host plant of the Black Swallowtail…
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Starry Campions Along The Trail
Starry Campion (Silene stellata), at the top of my normal hike, when I’m out wandering. My hikes are the same all the time. I’ve gotten to know my mountains well. What plants are where, whether it is a “bush” of American Chestnut, or a little puff of Pincushion Moss, I know where they are. This…
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Purple Pink Blue
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), herbaceous perennials, native to eastern North America. Painting its landscape with rich yummy purple, fading to pink and eventually turning to a lovely soft blue as its flowers mature. A beautiful palette for spring, April and May. By midsummer the blooms are gone, the plants disappear into the leaf litter of…
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Another Early Spring Surprise
This wasn’t found until I was back to my cabin, checking on the photographs. Buds on the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). Virginia Bluebells, a herbaceous perennial plant, generally blooms at the beginning of April. A variety of bees, butterflies, skippers and hummingbird moths help to pollinate the flowers. A spring ephemeral. By mid-summer the above…
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Appalachian Bellflower
Appalachian Bellflower (Campanula divaricate). An herbaceous perennial that can grow to 28 inches tall. This Bellflower is found mainly in the Appalachian Mountains, and is native to the eastern US. Bloomtime is July, August and September. Those flowers, of just 1/3 inch, can be found in shades of white, pink and blue. Totally enchanting. _______________________________________________________________________…