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.
With this post, I have reached the one-hundred plant mark. That's one hundred different species of native plants on our small woodlot in Piedmont North Carolina. It sounds like a lot, but I suspect I've only scratched the surface. As I've noted before, I haven't even started identifying grasses, and I imagine there are dozens. There must be ten or twenty tree species and several ferns. And if you start considering insects, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals, the diversity of life on this small parcel is mind-boggling. And it begs the question, what diversity can you find in your own neighborhood? Likely more than you could imagine, and much of it depends on native plants like these. For information about adding native plants to your own garden, visit http://ncsu.edu/goingnative/.
[stepping off soap box]
Our first plant this week is a harbinger of autumn. It is called Golden Aster, Chrysopsis mariana.
Next we have another case of a tiny plant that brings me a disproportionate amount of excitement. This is Slender Ladies' Tresses. The flowers are arranged in a striking spiral up the stem, and it's a native orchid. That and the name give me enough reason to find it fascinating. The official name is Spiranthes lacera.
Next, White Topped Aster, Symphyotrichum patens.
Burnweed is common and, to be honest, unattractive. You may find it interesting, however, that this is the flower in full bloom. Or not. Erechtites hieracifolia.
I struggled to get a decent shot of this flower, and clearly failed. However, it is a new find for me, and the only blossom I've found so it will have to do. That's a cute little katydid in the background. The flower is Touch-Me-Not, Impatiens capensis.
For a list of all the plants I've found, click here.
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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