Wildflower Wednesday (ok, Saturday) in Purple and Yellow

This time of year the wildflowers that jump out at me are of course all the different Goldenrod varieties that are blooming now.  There are about 60 species of Goldenrod, Solidago native to North America.  Pair that gorgeous yellow with some of the purple blooms are are gracing us with their presence to complement the yellows.   This is along the road as I go into town.  A field of Solidago with Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis creating a dreamy mixture of golden yellows and bold purples.

I stopped the car and walked over to the edge of this road to try and get a great photo as evening fell.  I was worried that there wouldn't be enough light.   For your viewing pleasure.... purple Vernonia and yellow Solidago growing wild along the roadside.

This year I was able to buy some Vernonia noveboracensis at the native plant sale.  Mine isn't quite this tall yet, we shall see over the next few years if it is happy where I planted it.

This wonderful example in nature makes me smile, it is a happy happenstance.  

While mine are small, I will enjoy these big and bold natives.  

Another purple and yellow combination a little closer to home are some Liatris and Chamaecrista fasciculata or Partridge Pea.  This is just outside our back gate of the neighborhood.

Here is a closer view of  the Partridge Pea, a favorite of the Cloudless Sulphur butterfly.

The pollinators are happy with these bright yellow blooms.  I am happy to say I have a number of varieties of Solidago in my yard.  Thanks to Ellen, this is not a Solidago but a Chrysopsis mariana, Golden Aster.  Thanks!!!

Also appearing in my yard is Liatris, (happy dance!!) I bought some that are in the backyard gardens, they bloom in the late spring/early summer.  These natives bloom in the fall.  Hoping they reseed and spread in this rather hostile dry area by the street.  

I wanted to include a new little bloom.  This sweet little flower's common name is Wart-removing Herb.  Such a icky name for a cute little flower.   It is Murdannia keisak.  It is growing in a damp area in the turf.

Doesn't this remind you of a Spiderwort?  One of the links says it is similar to a miniature Spiderwort.

I stumbled across another purple/yellow combo this afternoon while enjoying my woodland garden in the backyard.  Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica and another Solidago.  Wonderful!!

Thanks to Gail at Clay and Limestone for hosting another Wildflower Wednesday.  Stop by and see some of the other natives across the country and around the world.

©Copyright 2013 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Why Here and Not There? Why There and Not Here?

Last night was a Blue Moon.  I am sure many of you were able to get fantastic photos of the moon as it rose in the sky.  We saw it on our way home from dinner, but because of our location, it wasn't until it was higher in the sky that we were able to see it from our property.    A grainy but interesting photo of said Blue Moon. I do like the jet trails in the sky.  

That photo was taken at the top of the driveway, some of the neighbors had a much better view of the rising moon.  Their views over the lake face east....ours is north.  I am glad I don't have the rising sun shining in my bedroom windows.  

At the top of our yard, by the street is pretty untamed.  I find interesting plant material up there.  The newest find is a Liatris, probably possibly  Liatris graminifolia  or perhaps something else.  My books say the Liatris in SC are difficult to distinguish.  I thought it might be a Carphephorus bellidifolius, but don't think so.   There are two plants at the edge of the woods.  I haven't seen this anywhere else in my woods, yard, garden, or along the street as I walk the dogs.  Hope it reseeds and there are more next summer!

Everywhere in the woods, I find this little Euphorbia.  This one was previously IDed for me by Daricia.  E. corollata or E. pubentissima.  Either way, it is cute scattered among the other wild things.  

Curiously, I have two Helianthus sp. in the woods outside my dining room window.   I see it blooming along the roadways all through the area, except in our neighborhood.  These two are the only ones I have seen.  Curious.  I love the bright yellow in the woods, the color just pops.  

When I take the dogs for a walk I keep my eyes open for something other than chinese lespedesa or blackberry brambles....the two most commonly growing things on vacant lots.  

Both last year and this year I have seen this plant in the photo below, in ONE location.  To me it looks like Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides.   This is as close as I got to it,  about 6- 8 feet away.  Perhaps in the later fall, if there is still some vegetation left, I might venture in to see if I can find a squared stem or leaf arrangement.  Currently I am in my fifth consecutive day since May without a bug bite needing 'After Bite' or Cortisone Cream or Benedryl Cream.  I would like to make at least make it a week!!  I have had more bug bites this year, mostly chiggers, though some might be spider bites.  

Funny this is nowhere else in the wooden lots along our street.  Believe me, I am always on the lookout!!  

The Passiflora incarnata mentioned in past posts, growing near my tiny Sassafras tree is another mystery.  For those who know this vine, it has amazing underground rhizomes  that travel great distances.  There should be a lot of these vines in my location, if there is one, there must be a lot.  I have many other vines that fill the woods, surely there must be some other Passion vines.  Haven't seen any, zero, nada.  Maybe this one is the pioneer seedling, dropped by a bird, left to germinate and grow in my yard along the driveway.  Again, very interesting. 

  Finally, I leave you with a picture of the sunset last night.  If we go down to the water, out on the dock, we get beautiful evening skies.  I suppose it all comes down to location, location, location....and we sure love ours!!  Happy Labor Day weekend to all!

©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.