Photos from a walk in Appalachia’s late summer woods. The flowers of spring have now borne their late summer fruit, fungi rule the forest floor, and the intoxicating perfume of dying ferns fills the air.
From top: the incandescent red berries of partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), which illuminate the forest understory wherever its creeping foliage grows; a gorgeous Pholiota cluster, possibly golden pholiota (Pholiota aurivella); the ripening, spotted berries of false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum), which will turn bright red by October; the luminous orange-red berries of yellow mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa), also known as yellow fairybells; the deep purple-blue fruit of Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana); common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum), just now fruiting in the local woods; white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), a deadly beauty infamous for diary poisonings in the 1800′s; and bluestem goldenrod (Solidago caesia), also known as wreath goldenrod, an elegant, shade-tolerant perennial unusual among goldenrods in that its flowers grow from the leaf axils rather than from long panicles at the ends of the stems.
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Flowers That Make You Feel Loved
Whether you're admiring them in a garden or giving them as a gift, flowers have the power to bring a smile to your face and make you feel loved.
They can also have a positive impact on your mood and stress levels. So next time you're feeling down, why not try adding some beautiful flowers to your home?
Dahlia 'White Perfection'
Dahlia 'White Perfection flowers' is a beautiful Dinner Plate dahlia that produces huge blooms up to 25cm in diameter. It's a fantastic choice for a garden border or patio pots and containers.
This elegant variety features giant flower heads that are crisp white with glowing yellow centres. It would add a wonderful light and vibrancy to any planting scheme.
These dahlias are an excellent addition to a mixed planting of flowers and will look stunning planted alongside lilies or gladioli. They also make an outstanding cut flower that will last up to a week in the vase.
The sheer number of dahlia varieties available means that you're bound to find one to suit your needs. Some are multi-colored, featuring stripes and two-toned petals. Others are chimeras, which feature cells of two different genetic make-ups that are intermixed.
Chives 'Pink Perfection'
Allium schoenoprasum, also known as chives, is a perennial herb with dark green foliage and attractive pale lavender flowers. Both the leaves and flowers are edible and provide a mild onion flavor to dishes.
In spring, chive plants send up hollow flower stalks called scapes. At the end of each scape, a tight lavender bud develops into a blossom.
Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum), also known as Chinese chives, are grown for their mild onion flavor. They are native to China, and have been cultivated as a culinary ingredient for thousands of years.
They can be eaten raw, pickled, deep-fried, or added to dips and spreads. They also add a pop of color and mild onion flavor to baked potatoes, soups, and salads.
They can also be used in omelets, scrambled eggs, stir-fries and noodle dishes. They are also a popular ingredient in Cantonese cuisine. Yellow chives are available yearround, and can be found in markets, grocery stores, and distributors.
Indian Root
The Indian Root (Medeola virginiana) is a native wildflower that blooms in late May and June, depending on the weather. It grows in moist woodlands throughout the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.
The flower is a greenish yellow with brown or purple stripes. In the fall it is replaced by bright red shiny berries that stand out against the leaves.
It is a low growing perennial herb that will grow to a height of 20 to 26 inches. It has three large leaves that grow together at the top of the stem.
The one tier foliage of this plant resembles that of the Starflower, although it has parallel veins rather than pinnate ones. It is a popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine. It is a good source of vitamins A, B, C and potassium. It is also a good source of protein. It should be used sparingly as it can cause nausea and gripping pains in the bowels when consumed in high doses.
Desert Willow
The Desert Willow is an incredibly versatile, easy to grow shrub that can provide color and fragrance in your landscape, as well as wildlife habitat and shade. It also is a natural erosion control plant that grows along ephemeral streams and washes.
It can be planted in almost any garden space, and will thrive even if you live in a very arid zone or have limited water resources. The only thing it needs is water and minimal pruning for a vigorous, low-maintenance, set-it-and-forget-it plant.
It has been a popular landscaping tree for ages and has an extensive collection of named cultivars that vary in flower production, leaf form and branching characteristics. Choose a cultivar that produces blooms in the color and intensity you are looking for.
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Indian cucumber root in bloom.
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Backcove embankment, again back coves are sandstone rock shelters that provide humidity doming frequently. They share many of the same life as normal rock shelters with spray cliff communities as well.
Here are a few classics of RRG.
Narrowly distributed to ILP sandstone backcoves and spray cliff communities Thalictrum mirabile or Little Mountain Meadow-Rue
Heuchera parviflora var. puberula, ILP small flowered cave alum root.
Medeola virginiana, while commonplace everywhere in most of Appalachian temperate and mixed forrest, heck even the heath belts have it, it’s also another frequent part of these back cove communities. Indian cucumber. same goes for the Ilex opaca; Asplenium montanum and Cystopteris fragilis appear in this photo set as well.
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Finally identified the “obviously not ginseng” plant growing above the creek next to the cabin. It’s Cucumber root/Medeola (Medeola virginiana) and it has an edible rhizome growing sideways just under the surface of the soil. We’re going to play around with reproducing and spreading this patch before we try to use it for food. It has an interesting method of making 1-3 replacement root nodules and then the main rhizome dies back over the winter, so there should be a way to work with that to wild-propagate them (aka I don’t plan to move them into pots or gardens).
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Medeola virginiana - What pollinates the indian cucumber root? Possibly no one has ever bothered to look. My usual sources of such info came to nothing nor did googlation. My weak logical inference string is that since it is in the lily family and since it is similar looking to native lilies and native lilies often are visited by day flying moths and butterflies that this too might get its pollen moved by a lep. AND!!!!! what is going on with those giant purple stigmata? Probably a world record of some kind. Its not there for nothing and it would be shameful if we didn't know what their uses might be. The only member of its genus, so I think it urgent that we figure this out. Shame. Specimen and photo by Helen Lowe Metzman.
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20200517 MP243.7 Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway NC
Indian Cucumber Root Medeola virginiana
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Six on Saturday: Not Flowers
Six on Saturday: Not Flowers
Six on Saturday, hosted by The Propagator. This week: colourful “blooms” that aren’t flowers; all photos taken in New Hampshire in the last two weeks.
bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), and a mushroom, like clustered jewels, 24 Oct 2019
Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’) and Rodgersia (Rodgersia aesculifolia) in my garden, 19 Oct. 2019
Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana)…
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6/4/19 - Winchester Fells Reservation
- between 10:42 am and 2:00 pm - 63F, mostly sunny - vernal ponds - phenology of plants and animals - the reservation has three kinds of both pine and hickory
Hickory Nut
Hop-hornbeams of the genus Ostrya
Poison Ivy growing up a tree
Brackens of the genus Pteridium
Dandelions of the genus Taraxacum
Sassafras
Greenbriers of the genus Smilax
Blueberries of the genus Vaccinium
Different Oaks for Different Folks
Three Galls
Of the genus Malacosoma
Poor Man’s Soap
The Beautiful Scenery :)
Winter Firefly or Ellychnia Corrusca
Wintergreens of the genus Chimaphila
More Beautiful Scenery :)
Red Maple or Acer Rubrum
Indian Cucumber Root or Medeola Virginiana
Of the genus Ceratomia
American Chestnut Tree and Leaves or Castanea Dentata
Common Polypody or Polypodium Vulgare
Mountain Laurel or Kalmia Latifolia
Witch-hazel or Hamamelis Virginiana with a Witch-hazel Cone Gall Aphia or Hormaphis Hamamelidis
Leaf roll - something lives inside!
Possibly a Tulip-tree Beauty but not entirely sure
Pink Lady’s Slipper or Cypripedium Acaule
Fungi of the family Strophariaceae
Possibly Diaperis Maculata in a mushroom
Another ladybug type beetle
Birch leaves of the family Betulaceae
Yet another beautiful view :)
Yellow Star Grass or Hypoxis Hirsuta
Pincushion Moss or Laucobryum Glaucum
Common Haircap Moss or Polytrichum Commune
Flowering Greenbriers of the genus Smilax
Big leaf roll!
Wild Sarsaparilla or Aralia Nudicaulis
Wood Thrush or Hylocichla Mustelina
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Indian Cucumber Root (medeola virginiana) at the @greatsmokynps. It was used by Native Americans for food, now it is scarce. #indiancucumberroot #medeolavirginiana #greatsmokymountains (at Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
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Although located adjacent to Ohiopyle State Park, Bear Run Nature Reserve gets significantly less tourist foot traffic than its noisy, crowded neighbor, probably due to a lack of beer and funnel cakes within walking distance. It’s a gorgeous place for a hike at any time of the year, but especially in the spring and fall. The reserve is owned and operated by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and includes Frank Lloyd Wright’s triumph of form over function, Fallingwater. Someday, when I can better organize and address the many priorities of my life, I’ll schedule a tour of the revolutionary edifice that chased away Edward Kaufman and his family. Today, however, I settled for a lovely spring hike.
From top: golden ragwort (Packera aurea), perhaps the spring wildflower I miss most when its radiant yellow flowers die back; a pair of wood anemones (Anemone quinquefolia), which often mass impressively at woodland margins; Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), a master colonizer that overtakes fallen stumps and rocks as easily as it does rich, moist soil; Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana), a whorled perennial with an edible root that tastes like . . . you guessed it; and a delicate painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) rising from the moss at the edge of a stream.
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Medeola virginiana. One of my favorite snacks when I'm hiking in the woods is the root of this delicious Medeola virginiana, also known as Indian cucumber. I only have one a year and I only harvest it if they are in abundance. 💚💛💚 And check out that sweet flower.
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Bloom of the Indian cucumber root, Medeola virginiana.
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Indian Cucumber Root
(Medeola virginiana)
Pretty for fall.
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20200517 MP243.7 Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway NC
Indian Cucumber Root Medeola virginiana
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