I spotted my first ditch-daisy (midwestern tickseed-sunflower) of the season today. They always make me smile. Happy Monday!
Category: Plants
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 Sycamore Story
Earlier this month, part of a sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) came down in a storm. Normally, that would only be something to take note of and move on. But, I happened to spend a few afternoons in May looking at this particular tree. When I would pass it on the trail, I’d notice the call… Continue reading A Sycamore Story
A Taste of Spring in the Middle of November
We attended an event in Forsyth county last weekend, and had an opportunity to take a walk. We were both stunned when we came across this cherry tree, blossoming in mid-November! It turns out, there are some cultivars of cherry trees that blossom twice per year – once in the spring and again in the… Continue reading A Taste of Spring in the Middle of November
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.
American Lotus in Downtown Cary Park
The American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is blooming in Downtown Cary Park. These native plants are filtering stormwater before it enters Walnut Creek. Stormwater typically contains nitrogen and phosphates, which act as fertilizer for algae. The algae form dense mats that prevent underwater plants from growing. Bacteria break down the algae and consume the oxygen in… Continue reading American Lotus in Downtown Cary Park
American Persimmon
Have you noticed piles of small white flowers on the ground? These are American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) flowers. Persimmon trees are dioecious, which means they have separate male and female trees. If you want to have persimmon fruit, you need to have both kinds of trees. You can tell the difference between the trees in… Continue reading American Persimmon
American Persimmons are Almost Ready to Eat
The persimmons (Diospyros virginiana) are almost ripe!
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!