Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Wildflower Wednesday


Normally starting to bloom in July, Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower), like quite a few others this year, is blooming a bit later than usual.  The cooler-than-usual spring and early summer may be responsible, or maybe it's because I pinched them to help prevent sprawling.  It's the first time I've pinched them.  I hoped it wouldn't prevent them from blooming, and it didn't.  I definitely like them better more upright.  I don't think the hummingbirds care.  Cardinal flowers attract hummingbirds here like nothing else except the fuchsias we pot up every year.


Spigelia marilandica/Indian Pinks are reblooming!  They usually do, though not as prolifically as their initial bloom in June.


Helenium autumnale, a/k/a sneezeweed, just getting started.


Earlier in the season somebunny chewed Elymus hystrix (bottlebrush grass) to the ground.  It rebounded, and is blooming here for the first time.  We started bottlebrush grass from seeds Monica sent in spring 2012.  She sent seeds for several native grasses, and all were very easy to start and grow. I put it here in this messy-looking border in front.  I'm still working on convincing the Lawn man we need to yank the ugly yews and Euonymus.  I think I'm getting closer . . .


Monarda fistulosa isn't blooming in the original spot I planted it.  I moved a clump to a sunnier spot this spring, and I'm happy to see it doing so well here.


Joe Pye weed, formerly known as Eupatorium purpureum, now Eutrochium purpureum,  was a flopping mildewed mess and hardly bloomed at all during last summer's heat and drought.  They've recovered beautifully this year, though not quite as tall as usual.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  I really wish 'they' would quit re-classifying and re-naming plants.  It took me a long time to learn so many botanical names, and I'm getting too old for this!


Related to Joe Pye, I believe, this volunteer mystery plant appears to be a eutrochium/eupatorium.  For the first time, it decided it wanted to turn a nice dusty pink this year.  We lost a spruce that gave this plant a lot of shade in previous years.  The shade never prevented it blooming, but it's much taller this year, and it's nice to see the pink!  In the past this plant produced white flowers that faded to a rather unattractive gray.   This year they started white and aged to pink!  Whatever it is, it attracts an unbelievable number of bees of every kind.

Please visit the  host of Wildflower Wednesday, Gail at Clay and Limestone, where today she's featuring Blue Mist Flower/hardy ageratum.  Her in-depth posts on natives she grows in her garden are educational, entertaining, and feature gorgeous photography, as well as links to many other Wildflower Wednesday posts. 

18 comments:

  1. Nice collection of natives in bloom. Monarda fistulosa is a beauty and I keep volunteer mystery plants too when they turn out pretty flowers and attract pollinators like that one. Happy Wildflower Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Shirley. Me too - I like volunteers, especially natives. (No invasives need apply!)

      Delete
  2. The natives really bump up the floral factor this time of year. Isn't the red from the cardinal flower spectacular. Thinking I must get a few going again next year.
    B

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Barbara. I love the cardinal flowers.

      Delete
  3. It all looks great, I really love eupatorium this time of the year

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you're calling it eupatorium too, Deanne!

      Delete
  4. I am with you all the way LInda! Stop changing their names! This has been a good year for Joe-Pye but not for Cardinal flower, strange when it likes the wet soil so very much. I think somebunny has been chowing down on many of my plants, too. Happy WW and good luck convincing the LM about the shrub removal. xogail

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the reinforcement Gail!

      Those bunnies are ravenous. Sorry they're eating yours too.

      Delete
  5. First, I have to say that you have two plants I've wanted for a long time--I thought I couldn't grow cardinal flower here because my shade garden is too dry. But I recently saw it growing in several gardens in full sun. Maybe I should try it after all. As for the Indian pinks, I've yet to find a source for these, but as soon as I do, they're definitely going to be an addition here!

    Your last Joe Pye weed looks like my original plant. I was always disappointed that mine didn't have the purple stems nor the darker pink blooms, but I've recently found that there are several types of Joe Pye. This may be a Sweet Joe Pye, which is more native. And I agree about the names--I'm still learning the originals!

    Good luck on removing the yews--I finally convinced my husband last fall to cut our overgrown ones back severely. Most of them don't seem to be growing back this year and may have to be pulled out after all--what a pity:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you find some Indian Pinks, Rose. They are great plants. We lost a couple of cardinal flowers last year during the drought. The spot they grow in has always been moist no matter what time of year, but last year it went dry for the first time since I've lived here, and two didn't make it through in spite of watering. But I found a seedling a few days ago, and that makes me happy - first one since I started growing them.

      Such a shame about the yews . . . not!

      Delete
  6. I'ts a long time since August - hope all is well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Time flies! Our dog is in the later stages of Degenerative Myelopathy, probably has only a few months left, at best. I've been focused on him - taking care of him, spending as much time with him as I can, and the blog has been sadly neglected this year. But it will still be here long after he is gone so we are living in the moment, enjoying him, and loving him up while we can.

      Delete
  7. HI, I've missed you and couldn't let Christmas go by without wishing you a Merry one. Hope you are happy and healthy and looking forward to the New Year.
    Hugs, Balisha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you Balisha! I've missed you too. Our sweet old doggie George is still hanging in there. We have him on a medication that appears to have caused his disease to go into remission the last four months. He has improved quite a bit, though he still can't walk unassisted. He still needs a lot of attention and care, and keeps me very busy; but I'm thrilled he's doing so well! His 13th birthday is tomorrow. I didn't think he'd be here to celebrate it - very happy and grateful he is!

      Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to you! Hugs, Linda

      Delete
  8. It's been too long, are you just busy?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Victoria, yes, I agree - it's been too long! My sweet old doggie is still hanging in there and I've just been focused on spending as much time with him as possible. Caring for a paraplegic dog is a lot of work, and between that and everything else (grandkids, business, trying to have a life . . .) I just haven't had the time, energy, or focus to do any blogging the last few months. Maybe after this long, brutally-cold, snowy winter I'll find some motivation. :) Thanks for your concern! <3

      Delete

Thank you for stopping by! Comments are welcomed, and while I may not always respond here, I'm happy to pay you a visit.

While comments are invited, links to commercial websites are not, and comments containing them will be deleted.

(Note to spammers: Don't bother. Your comments are promptly deleted. Hiding in older posts won't help - they're moderated.)