Welcome to the latest entry in my "Year in the Woods" series, where I document all the native plants I can find in our woods in one year.
You might be thinking that Timberwalkers is a plant ID ninja, but if so I have fooled you. The fact is, for most of the plants I photograph, I spend a fair amount of time leafing through my plant ID books trying to get it sorted out. Then, when I see it again next year, I'll go through the process all over again.
Even then, I'm often stumped. Perhaps even worse is when I confidently post a plant name on these interwebs for both of my readers to see, and later discover I was dead wrong. It's happened more than once. Today there are three that have me completely stumped, and one that I have finally identified at least two years after first finding it.
But let's start out with a few easy ones. Here's St. John's Wort, Hypericum prolificum.
Next we have Trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans. While perhaps a bit wild for your home landscape, it's a hummingbird magnet.
Here's the one that's taken me three years to figure out. It's Tall Meadow Rue, Thalictrum pubescens.
The next one stumps me. [Update: After expert consultation, I have determined that this is Ruellia caroliniensis]
Stumped again. But how nice!
I know you can't see me right now, but I have a stumped look on my face. Technically this one hasn't bloomed yet, but the buds look so interesting. [Update: An expert has advised me that this is Scutellaria integrifolia, which we saw last week in bloom. I did not recognize it in the bud stage].
And now, the eagerly anticipated "Weekly Bonus Sightings"! Let's start with this awfully handsome Pickerel Frog.
The Summer Tanager is making an encore appearance. This is the third one I've seen this year. They seem to be quite curious. All three times they have lighted on a branch just 20 or so feet away, and perched there watching and chirping. This cute little fella is carrying around a twig.
I realize some of you may be opposed to genetic engineering, but just imagine, one day we could make large friendly dragonflies that we could ride. How could you object to that?
To see additional posts in this series, click the "yearinthewoods" label in the left column.
Here's a description of my wildflower "hunting" techniques and the references I use to identify them:
Here's a description of how I take photos:
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