One of my favorite springtime flowers is blue eyed grass. The leaves of this plant look like grass, and it’s called a grass, but it isn’t grass. Blue eyed grass is actually a member of the Iris family. For the untrained eye, there are two different kinds of blue eyed grass. The first is annual… Continue reading Identifying Blue Eyed Grass
Author: Jaclyn
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Identifying Fleabanes
Fleabanes are the small, white daisies that seem to be blooming everywhere right now. The plants are 1-4 feet tall, and the flowers are less than one inch wide. Take a closer look, and you’ll realize that there are several different kinds of fleabanes. I’ve found four types so far. The trick is to look… Continue reading Identifying Fleabanes
Identifying Partridge Peas
It’s easy to see the common partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) flowers this time of year. If you look carefully, you can find its smaller relative, the sensitive partridge pea (Chamaecrista nictitans). Common partridge pea flowers are about one inch wide. The flower petals are about the same size. The sensitive partridge pea flowers are less… Continue reading Identifying Partridge Peas
It’s Berry Season
It’s berry season! The spring flowers have given way to summer fruit. What fruits have you seen this year?
Joro Spider
We saw our first Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) this weekend! The large web was what caught our attention. We didn’t realize what spider we were looking at until after doing some research at home. This yellow and gray spider is native to Asia. It was introduced to Georgia in 2014 and has been making its… Continue reading Joro Spider
July Fourth
In honor of the 4th of July holiday, enjoy this image of a firecracker plant. Happy Independence Day!
Killdeer Crossing
I was watching a pair of killdeer in the retention pond at the corner of Town Hall Drive and Harris Mill Road. At some point, one bird flew away while the other stayed in the pond. I finished taking my pictures of the bird in the pond, and started to walk to the other side… Continue reading Killdeer Crossing
Kudzu
You’ve probably seen kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) along a highway roadside. This invasive, twining vine can grow up to 100 feet tall, and takes over everything. I’ve read that it can take down utility poles. Today was the first time I had a chance to get up close to kudzu. It is beginning to… Continue reading Kudzu
Ladies’-tresses
A few different types of ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes) can be found along the trails now. Their small white flowers spiral around the stem. Did you know that they are part of the orchid family? Here’s a closer look at the flower of spring ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes vernalis):
Luna Moths
Be on the lookout for beautiful Luna moths in late May and early June. Luna moths spend just one week as an adult butterfly. They typically fly at night. I’ve had luck seeing them in the morning on cloudy days. Luna moths have three broods in North Carolina, each 8-10 weeks apart. They can be… Continue reading Luna Moths