Category: Plants

Mother Nature is Decorating for the Holidays

When I was looking at this sweetgum tree in November, it reminded me of a Christmas tree. The spherical fruits are dangling off the branches, hung like ornaments. The pine needles that fell from a nearby tree are scattered like tinsel. What do you think? Was Mother Nature decorating for the holidays?

Passion Flower

Have you ever seen a passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)? I’ve seen them planted in gardens over the years, but for the first time this week, I saw one growing in the wild! Take a walk down the Crabtree Creek Greenway if you’d like to check them out.

Quiet Nature- April 3, 2025

I thought this scene was rather pretty. The pink fringe bushes alternating with the evergreen trees and bushes, lining a pond half covered with pine pollen. This is spring in North Carolina.

Quiet Nature- March 19, 2025

Have you ever seen a three-petaled bluet or tiny bluet? How about one with five petals? Take some time to sit quietly and observe a patch of flowers. You never know what you might find.

Seeds of Invasive Vines

Some of our most invasive vines are producing seed right now: oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). If you see these vines on your property, it’s time to pull them out. The birds eat the seeds and help spread the vines to new locations.