Flowering dogwood trees are a common sight in April. The large white flowers really stand out along woodland edges. But did you know that those white petals are not flowers? The white part of the dogwood blossom is a flower bract. They are special leaves that protect the flower. Take a closer look at the… Continue reading A Closer Look at Flowering Dogwood
Category: Plants
A Closer Look at Queen Anne’s Lace
Take a closer look at Queen Anne’s Lace. Have you ever noticed that the flowers on the outside edges are larger than the others? What about all the ants and other insects that explore the flowers? Have you ever looked closely at the seed head?
A Closer Look at Ragweed
As I am patiently waiting for summer’s grand finale of asters, goldenrods and tickseed-sunflowers, I can’t help but notice the large patches of ragweed growing alongside them. Yes, ragweed season is almost here. Have you ever looked at ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)? Many people think the showy yellow flowers filling the roadsides in the late summer… Continue reading A Closer Look at Ragweed
A Closer Look at Southern Magnolia
The southern magnolias are blooming now. Have you ever taken a careful look at the center of this flower? The stamens are the flat white sticks at the bottom. The curly pieces are the stigmas. This flower is older. The petals are turning brown. The stamens have mostly fallen off, and the red piece remaining… Continue reading A Closer Look at Southern Magnolia
A Guide to Yellow Summer Flowers
Have you seen any large, yellow, daisy-like flowers along the trails this month? If you look carefully, you might notice that there are several different plants in bloom right now. It’s hard to keep track of all of them, so I’ve put together this list of their key characteristics. I hope you find it helpful!… Continue reading A Guide to Yellow Summer Flowers
A Second Bloom in Autumn
Some spring flowers have a second bloom in autumn. This week, I found Carolina jessamine and green and gold blooming at Church Street Park. What a nice surprise!
A Springtime Walk in Carpenter Park
I took a walk around Carpenter Park in Cary this week. It didn’t seem like much was happening. There were a few turtles and a duck in the pond. There were a some eastern redbuds blooming at the front of the park, and some large white hydrangeas in full bloom in the back corner. Otherwise,… Continue reading A Springtime Walk in Carpenter Park
A Trip to the Coast
Everywhere we go, we can’t help but be curious about the nature that surrounds us. We recently spent a few days at the beach here in North Carolina. While the star of the show was the Atlantic Ocean, we did take note of the plants and animals that crossed our path. Sea oats are a… Continue reading A Trip to the Coast
American Beech Trees Provide Winter Beauty
Did you know that American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees hang on to their golden brown leaves in the winter? It is thought that the leaves protect the new bud growth from hungry deer.
Bluets!
Walking in the winter is very quiet. I often spend my walks admiring the bare trees against the bright blue sky, or watching the birds that spend their winters in North Carolina. I’m always looking for flowers, though. Waiting for those first signs of spring. Today I found the first bluets of the season! Bluets… Continue reading Bluets!