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Christmas Fern Revisited
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is a perennial, evergreen plant that gets its name from either being green through the Christmas holidays, or from the resemblance of individual leaflets to Christmas stockings. There isn’t snow up here right now but I thought this an appropriate photo to illustrate that the plant is evergreen. Like most ferns,…
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Starry Campion
Starry Campion (Silene stellata) is a native plant found in the eastern and central United States. It is here on my mountain, greeting me as I roam the trails. Pollinators are mostly moths and an occasional bumblebee that slurp the nectar. A herbaceous perennial plant, loosely branching, 12 to 30 inches tall. The flower has…
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Bowman’s Root
Bowman’s Root (Gillenia trifoliata) is a herbaceous perennial that grows to 2-3′ tall. It’s native to eastern North America from Ontario to Georgia. Bowman’s Root is found up here in the mountains along the trails. It’s fun to find blooms with their five-pointed flappy star-like flowers. Right now the bushes are not in bloom, although…
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Pokeweed
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). A poisonous, herbaceous, perennial plant with red stalks that can grow to be 3 to 10 feet tall. And under perfect conditions can reach more than 20 feet tall. It’s native to eastern North America, the Midwest, the South, through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to the West Coast. All parts of the plant…
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White Wood Aster
White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata), is an herbaceous perennial plant native to eastern North America. It’s encountered mainly in the Appalachian Mountains but can be found scattered in other places in the east. Stems that are not perfectly straight, take on a reddish/purplish hue as the season wears on. Heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges. Plants…
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Aromatic Asters
Aromatic Asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) are visited by bees, butterflies and skippers, seeking nectar and in the case of the bees, pollen. The caterpillars of moths and of Silvery Checkerspot Butterflies eat the foliage. This Crab Spider is hanging around hoping to catch some dinner, just waiting for the perfect insect to come along. I’ve got…