Periwinkle, Myrtle, Vinca Minor

This pretty spring flower has sprouted in the last couple of weeks here in Massachusetts. I very much like this plant, as it’s a pretty ground cover and when you get up close, the flowers have a lot more to them than you can tell from afar. For one, the petals are asymmetric and create a sort of pinwheel. Also, it’s not entirely blue, but has a white ring in the middle, that looks so inviting for someone/something to enter!

Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Massachusetts, March 2012

Periwinkle has elliptic leaves, opposite, short-stalked and almost leathery. The petals are joined.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Massachusetts, March 2012

Originally from Southern Europe, this is a common alien plant in the U.S. and even has acquired an American name, Myrtle.  I looked it up in some other languages as well – in Swedish they call it Vintergröna, which means “winter green”.  This is interesting because we call wintergreen another plant that is also a dense green ground cover but with white flowers (and the leaves taste like wintergreen flavor from toothpaste!). But the name rings true, because this plant does stay green in the winter.

I wonder where the name “periwinkle” comes from? I looked it up in the dictionary and there were two entries. The first entry describes the plant and says the origin is late Old English, peruince, from late Latin pervinca, reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman French pervenke. The v and the w were changed and a -le was added, and now we have the word “periwinkle”. The 2nd entry describes the freshwater snail that goes by the same name.

Although in the dogbane family, which is known for being the bane of dogs (poisonous to dogs, and others), this plant isn’t as poisonous as its relatives. It contains many alkaloids which may have medicinal purposes.

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Woody Pileated Woodpecker

It’s a snow-less winter so far, so it is not quite as colorless as this time last year. But nevertheless, the dull browns and grays are tiresome, and that is why this little spot of red I caught looking for food was a thrill over the holidays.

Pileated Woodpecker, Massachusetts, Dec 2011

This bird is called a Pileated Woodpecker. You can tell this particular one is a male because there is a red line from the beak to the throat (instead of a black one on females). The loud noise it makes pecking holes in trees looking for insects makes the woodpecker’s presence known. I wonder how its brain is protected from all that banging against a tree? As a child, I thought all woodpeckers were similar to the cartoon Woody Woodpecker (hence the title of this post), but I don’t think the woody woodpecker call is the same as the pileated one from nature.

This bird also brings to mind the drawing of pileated woodpeckers by John James Audubon (retrieved from wikicommons). In his drawing, you can see that they eat insects from trees and berries.  Females are on the top, males are on the bottom and you can get a gimpse of the white underside of the wings.

John James Audubon - Pileated Woodpecker

 

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Butter-and-eggs, Toadflax or Gulsporre

I saw this flower in both Stockholm and in Massachusetts. It is quite unique; 2 yellow lips upward, 3 yellow lips downward, and a yellow spur that extends back. Its unique orange middle (a swollen corolla tube) is the egg in the middle of all the butter, which gives it the name “butter-and-eggs”.  It is also known as common toadflax (Latin:  Linaria vulgaris).  Toadflax comes from the corolla’s “mouth” looking like a toad’s mouth and the leaves look like those of Flax.  I found these in a field on the south shore of Massachusetts in early October.

Common Toadflax, Hingham, MA October 2011

Butter-and-eggs can be found in roadsides, waste places, dry fields from June through Oct in the North East U.S. and July through Sept in Sweden (throughout).  It is a member of the snapdragon family.  The flowers are in stalked spikes and its narrow leaves go up the stems.

I found the following flowers in a construction site in Stockholm on my way to work in August, still wet with rain.

Gulsporre, Stockholm, Sweden, July, 2011

In Swedish, this flower is called Gulsporre which means yellow spur.  I found it growing in an area that had been torn up for construction of a road in late July.

Gulsporre, Stockholm, Sweden July, 2011

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Arrowheads: pretty flowers above the water, tasty potatoes below

In August in Maine, I found this white flower growing on the edge of a marsh.  The flowers branch off delicately from one stalk and have 3 roundish waxy-looking petals. This species appears to be the grass-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea) because I think these leaves were lance-like or grasslike, although I didn’t get a picture of them.  Other arrowheads have arrowhead-shaped leaves, which is where this family of flowers gets its name.  This could be a broad-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) which is the most common species and leaves can be variable (arrowhead-shaped and lance-shaped leaves within the same species) but I am unsure.  Arrowheads are aquatic and grow near pond edges in quiet, shallow water.

Grass-Leaved Arrowhead, Southern Maine, August, 2011

Grass-Leaved Arrowhead, Southern Maine, August, 2011

Another name for this plant is “Duck Potato”.  Small 1-2 inch potato-like tubers form at the ends of long subterranean runners that originate at the base of each plant.  You can use these tubers like a potato. Gather them by freeing them from the mud with a hoe or rake and collect them as they float to the water’s surface. According to my “Edible Wild Plants” Peterson Field Guide, these tubers are unpleasant raw but taste very good when cooked.  Collect them in the fall to early spring.  Maybe I will try to find some now that it is fall!

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Wild Turkeys!

Out in the suburbs of Boston, I saw a gaggle of turkeys making their way across the lawn. These birds are so interesting looking, and are a bit creepy and funny to watch!  It is amazing to me that they have done so well living in the wild, but apparently they are omnivorous and the suburban woods  are good places to forage.  The best time to see turkeys is early morning or late afternoon when they go foraging. These pictures were taken in the afternoon (also taken from inside the house, so they didn’t turn out as clear as I would have liked).

Wild Turkeys, Outside Boston, MA

Wild Turkeys, Outside Boston, MA

There are six species of wild turkey, these are most likely the Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), the same species the Puritans encountered in New England in colonial times.  I think they were all female because males are a lot larger than females and should have a kind of “beard” that hangs from their chins. Be careful if you come across turkeys with their babies, they will fight you (broods appear in June, the babies are called “poults”).  They also attack shiny objects, so if you are attacked that might be the reason (mostly during breeding season).  If you google “wild turkey boston, MA” you will discover that Boston and the surrounding suburbs have witnessed an increase in the number of turkeys who even make it into the city. Some people have seen groups of them of almost 20 at a time and they tend to stop traffic and have harassed residents.

I especially liked the article on “How to Live with Turkeys” http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_turkeys.htm

More information on wild turkeys in Massachusetts: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/facts/birds/turkey/turkey_home.htm

An NPR story from 2006 on wild turkeys: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6504117

It is only September, but thinking of turkeys makes me excited for Thanksgiving!

Wild Turkeys, Outside Boston, MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New York Aster

Today was a beautiful September day – a little cooler than last week but the sun was strong and warm.  I came across these blue asters by the Fens.

New York Aster (Aster novae-belgii), September (Boston, MA)

It is hard to identify asters sometimes because there are so many of them and they can be very similar. I believe this one is a New York Aster for the following reasons:

1. Stem is pretty smooth and only slightly downy. Other asters have a hairy stem.

2. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate (long, like a lance).  Other asters have wider leaves or heart-shaped leaves.

3. Leaves have some teeth (but not many). Other asters can have mostly toothed leaves.

4. Leaves are not strongly clasping the stem.

5. Floral bracts are reflexed (the green part that surrounds the underside of the flower look like they’re peeling away from it)

6. Found in meadows, shores, wet spots from July through October.

The only reason I am still unsure is that this flower is not deep violet but a lighter shade and the stem was purplish in parts. These characteristics are found in other species but not alongside the 6 above ones.  I think asters can hybridize, so maybe this is a mix of a few.  The name “aster” comes from Latin and means “star”.

Note the leaves:

New York Aster, September, Boston, MA

Here you can see the flower bracts:

New York Aster, Boston, MA, September

Funny to find these New York Asters here in Boston… we won’t tell the Red Sox fans nearby that New Yorkers are residing so close to Fenway Park!

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White Trillium wakes the robin

Last week I went for a walk in the woods in the suburbs just west of Boston and came across a very special flower.

White Trillium is a striking flower – found in the woods, where you wouldn’t expect it, its single white flower stands on a stalk above 3 broad leaves.  From the lilly family, this flower has several different names: “large-flowered trillium”, “white trillium” or “wake robin” (latin: Trillium grandiflorum).  The name “wake robin” comes from the fact that this flower blooms around the time the robin appears, during the spring time.

 

White Trillium, May 2011

The flowers usually are from 2 to 4 inches and turn pink with age, blooming from April through June. They grow from 12-18 inches high.  To distinguish between other trilliums, this one’s flower stands above the leaves instead of drooping  down.

This flower is unique in several ways. Firstly, it is native to Eastern North America – many of the plants I have posted about have been brought over from Europe, Asia or Africa.   Secondly, the seeds are mainly dispersed by ants!  this is not very common. This means the plant does not spread its seeds as far as other plants.  Thirdly, the seeds require double dormancy, meaning it takes 2 years to fully germinate.  Lastly, this plant is special because it is considered “vulnerable” (in Quebec and New York), or endangered (in Maine).  It is slow growing and its habitat has decreased and white-tailed deer (that have taken over what is left of the woods in Massachusetts, at least) love to eat it.  The flower is very pretty, but hard to cultivate – it is unclear whether those found at stores are taken from the wild or not because it hasn’t been show that much cultivation has been done.

White Trillium - 3 Broad Leaves

As always, you should never pick flowers!  Especially Trillium, which are rare and threatened.  Enjoy wildlife by observation, not by interaction with it. Leave the flowers and the woods as you found them.

Thanks very much to the wildflower sanctuary where I found these trillium – what a magical place!  It reminds me about how important land conservation is and how much I appreciate that people have made space available for people like me to enjoy nature.  Thank you!

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

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Magnolias in the Back Bay, Boston

I almost missed them – they bloomed while I was busy and are just starting to lose their petals now.  There was an article recently in the Boston Globe about the magnolia trees on Commonwealth Avenue  which are certainly magnificent.  There is a place in my heart, though, for the magnolias on Marlborough Street (parallel to Comm Ave) because I lived there once and that’s where I fell in love with them.  I took a few pictures of the magnolias still blooming May 2nd, 2011.

Magnolia on Marlborough

Magnolia Flower

Magnolia Flowers, May 2, 2011

Magnolia in the Back Bay

Magnolia Flower, without petals

I posted last year about the magnolia trees blooming in North Carolina in March, check it out for some more background information on magnolias.  It’s interesting to compare the species – the ones in Boston are clearly different.

Here’s a little more from the Peterson guide (1958 edition) about magnolias – thank you Aunt JoAnn!

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Stemless violets

There are now flowers blooming everywhere here in New England, the sun is out and the temperature has risen to a bear-able level.  I sat outside on a picnic blanket the other day, it was a little too cold after some time, but it was nice to get out of the apartment!  I saw these violets as I was looking for a place to sit – I wouldn’t have seen them if I hadn’t slowed down a bit.

Violets, Boston, MA

Now back at my place, I’ve been trying to identify which violet I saw.  There are about 900 species, and hybridization is common, so it might be difficult to pinpoint which one!  There are some clear defining features, though, that might help me narrow it down.

1. Purple flowers.  Unlike the Wild Pansies I found in Stockholm, this violet is just one color

2. These violets were “stemless” – meaning the leaves and flowers were on separate stalks

3. The flower stalks were much taller than the leaf stalks

4. The leaves were heart-shaped with a nearly closed notch

5. The bottom petal was shorter than the rest

6. The lateral petals were bearded (had little hairs on them)

From my Peterson’s guide, the only one that fits well is the Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata).  I did find this flower near the Fens, where it is quite damp and this flower is found in wet meadows, springs, bogs in most of the area from April to June. The lower petal is shorter than the rest and flower stalks are longer. The description says the Marsh Blue Violet has lateral petals that are darker toward the throat, with beards “clavate” (like small clubs).  I’m not sure if this fits… maybe it is a hybrid.

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Daffodils, what Narcissus left behind

Daffodils appear around this time every year, giving them their name in some languages which translates into Easter Lilly (Swedish: påsklilja).  The French call this flower “jonquille”, which comes from the Latin name for one species, Narcissus jonquilla. The daffodil is also called “narcissus” after the Greek myth about Narcissus, a young man who became so obsessed with his own reflection in the water that he fell in and drowned.  The daffodil grew from the spot where he died.

The English name, “daffodil” doesn’t seem to have a lot in common with these other names, although Wikipedia does have a good possible explanation.  The name is arrived from an earlier name, “affodell” which came from “asphodel”. Perhaps the Dutch article, “de” was added to “affodell” and  we are left with “de affodil” = “daffodil”.

Daffodils grow in the wild here in Massachusetts, but it appears that they are not true wild flowers.  They aren’t in any of my North America Wildflowers books!  They are originally from Europe, North Africa and Asia.  They are so unique and striking, with a kind of trumpet-like corona and 6 petal-like leaves as a back drop.  There have been many different species cultivated, the coloring varies a lot.  The ones I came across on the Fens this week were all yellow.

Daffodil (Narcissus), Boston, April 2011

The daffodil is a member of the Amaryllis family, along with snowdrops.  This family of plants are bulbed with narrow grasslike leaves and showy 6-parted often lily-like flowers.  They are not lilies because their “petals” are attached to or part of the seed receptacle (Peterson’s Field Guide to Wildflowers).

Daffodils have been  around for a long time, wow-ing their admirers and even inspiring poetry.  Here is William Wordsworth’s poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” about this beautiful flower in 1804.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Daffodil (Narcissus), Boston, April 2011

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