Inspecting a Lemon: Yellow Wood Sorrel
When I was a kid, I would taste anything—it’s a wonder I’m still alive, really. I sampled grass, mushrooms, dandelions. But here’s a real treat: wood sorrel.
Read MoreAsters in the Badlands
The Badlands. An incredibly arid, but weirdly beautiful landscape. I often marvel at how plants can shove through cracks in cement or bloom in gravel or sand. But how can any wildflowers blossom in this ash-colored, bone-dry soil? Plants need sun, of course, but here there’s nothing but sun. No trees, no shade at all. Even on a cool day, the constant sun can get to you. After a while you find yourself trying to fit into the three-inch wide shadow cast by a trail marker. Anything to hide from the glare for just a moment. But there’s nowhere for these asters to hide. And apparently, no water....
Read MoreBirdsfoot Trefoil: What’s in a Name?
Birdsfoot trefoil. You probably see it on every summer’s day. It’s the froth of little yellow blossoms that line roadways and pop out of sidewalk cracks.
Read MoreBee Balm: Hummingbird Heaven
Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. And bee balm is red. Red, red. Fire engine red. Bee balm is a member of the mint family, as can be seen by its squared-off stems and paired leaves; like most mints, it’s hardy, and spreads readily–pretty easy to grow. My kind of plant. It’s a native wildflower–at least it was originally a wildflower, though I’ve never seen it growing in the wild–what I’ve got in my garden is a nursery-bred variety of the original wild plant. And it’s red. Blood red. Hummingbirds, which have keen color vision, are...
Read MoreChickweed: Anywhere Will Do
I never cease to be amazed at the incredible habitats that plants can exploit. A McDonald’s drive-through wouldn’t seem to be the place to find beauty. But the hardy plants we usually call weeds aren’t particular about how scenic the location is. All they need is a few square inches of space, a few grains of soil, and few stray sunbeams. Even air pollution from the constant stream of cars chugging by doesn’t bother them. Next to the curb at the drive-through is a tiny flower–I mean tiny. You could fit three of these on top of a dime. I’m not a hundred per...
Read MoreRed, White, and Blue
The amazing diversity of flowers. Each bright color attracts a pollinator. Red beckons hummingbirds; yellow calls out to honey bees. Bumblebees prefer purple. Each blossom has instructions for the bees, flies, and beetles: lines and arrows and streaks to guide them to the heart of the flower where the nectar is hidden. Diversity is strength.
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