I happily found many blooms in a variety of colors, but as I ambled along, those of the pinkish and purplish hues seemed to be the most photogenic in the landscape on this day.
Here are some of my favorites that I spied along the route –
This week, I’m featuring Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.
PLEASE NOTE: New York Protected Status: Exploitably Vulnerable = Native plants likely to become threatened in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State if causal factors continue unchecked. Fragmentation of remaining habitat, contamination of the gene pool, and wild harvesting present ongoing threats to this species.
PLEASE NOTE:Culturally Significant Plant = Ethnobotanic Uses: The Iroquois had many medicinal uses for Cardinal Flower. Read more.
This plant was introduced to Europe in the mid 1620’s where it earned its common name, likely because the bright red flowers – variously described as scarlet, crimson, or vermilion – are the same color as the vestments worn by Roman Catholic cardinals.
It is hard to describe the intensity of a Cardinal Flower bloom. It is as if the flowers catch sunlight inside some sort of secret crystal matrix and let it bounce around for a while until it has been stripped of all but the deepest, purest red imaginable. Then and only then is the light released to burn crimson into our corneas.
William Cullina, Growing and Propagating Wildflowers
Identification Tips:
Cardinal Flower is an herbaceous perennial plant that is usually unbranched and 2–3½’ tall. Its central stem is light green and sparingly to densely hairy with alternate leaves, each up to 6″ long and 1½” across, but typically only about half that size. The rough-textured leaves are lance-like in shape and coarsely serrated along their margins; they have a tendency to curl upward along their central veins. The lower leaves have short stems while the upper ones have none. The undersides of leaves usually have fine hairs.
The central stem terminates in a spike-like raceme of showy red flowers resembling flaming red spires. This raceme is about ½–1½’ long. The red corolla of each flower has a narrow tubular structure that is upright and terminates in grayish white reproductive organs; these organs nod downward. Beneath this are two narrow lateral lobes and a prominent three-lobed velvety lower lip. The flowers are held at an upward angle in relation to the stem; they are about 1–1½” long and ¾–1″ across. Flowers open from the bottom of the raceme and progressively open upward over a period of several weeks. There is no floral scent.
Flowers are followed by round, 2-celled seed capsules that turn from light green to brown as the seeds mature. The seeds are small, numerous, and cinnamon-brown in color, and they remain in the capsules until they finally sift out through small holes in the top.
The flowers produce round capsules which erode from the sides, releasing their tiny brown seeds.
The Meskwaki believed the powder of the entire plant to have magical power capable of dispelling storms and was used as a tobacco in ceremonies for that purpose. The Pawnee used the roots and flowers as part of a love potion.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses:
CAUTION! All parts of this plant are toxic due to the presence of the alkaloid lobeline.
Despite this plant’s toxicity, American Indians used root tea as treatment for stomach aches, syphilis, typhoid, and worms. Tea made from its leaves was used for colds, croup, nosebleeds, fevers, headaches, and rheumatism. In addition, the Cherokee used a poultice of the crushed leaves for headache, and an infusion of the leaves for colds and fever.
The seeds are too small to be of much interest to birds. Mammals usually don’t browse on the leaves because of the unpalatable white latex sap that exudes from the damaged plant.
While continuing my wildflower inventory at Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve today (a rare rain-free opportunity presented itself late morning into early afternoon!), I found both species of Dewberry offering a glimpse of what’s-to-come.
Very soon, Bristly Dewberry (Rubus hispidus) will be ripe and ready to pick –
Bristly Dewberry
Look for Bristly Dewberry in thickets.
Not long thereafter, Prickly Dewberry (Rubus flagellaris) will follow suit. For now, however, their green berries are still forming.
Prickly Dewberry
Look for Prickly Dewberry in drier, open woods with more available sunshine.
Should you be fortunate enough to find more than a handful of ripe berries in any given outing, please check out the recipes listed in my prior post.
This week, I’m featuring Striped Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.
PLEASE NOTE: New York Protected Status: Exploitably Vulnerable = Native plants likely to become threatened in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State if causal factors continue unchecked.
Identification Tips:
This wildflower has evergreen leaves and semi-woody stems; botanists classify this species as a subshrub. The entire plant, including its flower stalk, is about 6-10″ tall. Plants without flowers are half that height. The central stem of each plant is red to brown, unbranched, and smooth. One or two pairs of smaller opposite leaves occur near the base of the stem, while a single whorl of three larger leaves occur at the base of the flower stalk. The leaves are 1-3″ long, ¼–1″ across, rather leathery in texture, and smooth; they are lance-like to ovate in shape, while their margins have widely spaced teeth. The upper leave surface is dark green, except in areas along the veins, where it is white; this provides the striped appearance from which its common name is derived. The lower leaf surface is light green. The stems of these leaves are short and slender.
The central stem terminates in a nodding umbel, or nodding umbel-like cyme, of 2-5 flowers on a long unbranched flowering stalk (peduncle). While sometimes there is only a single nodding flower, most often there is a pair of flowers. The stems of individual flowers are similar to the central stem, except they are shorter (about 1″ long) and strongly recurved, holding the flowers face-down. Each flower is about ½–¾” across with 5 waxy white (sometimes pink) petals that are rounded at the tip. The flowers are fragrant.
Afterwards, the flowers are replaced by seed capsules that are about 1/3″ across and dark brown at maturity. When these capsules split open from above, they release many fine seeds.
Plant stem and seed capsules often persist through winter, aiding their identification. Similarly, its distinctively green and white striped leaves also make it easy to spot this diminutive plant in the winter months with little or no snow.
Native Americans used leaf tea made from Striped Wintergreen to treat rheumatism and stomach problems, and crushed leaves were applied as a poultice to sores and wounds. Striped Wintergreen contains chemical compounds with antiseptic, antibacterial, and astringent properties. One of the compounds, ursolic acid, is effective in treating arthritis and other causes of pain and inflammation. The plant was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1916.
Wildlife Value:
The primary pollinators of Striped Wintergreen are bumble bees (especially Two-spotted Bumble Bee, Bombus bimaculatus, and Half-black Bumble Bee, Bombus vagans), but European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) also visit these flowers for nectar.
Leaf-cutter bees harvest regularly-shaped oval, circular or semi-circular pieces of leaves to construct cells in their nests.
Experts recommend taking down feeders until the source of the disease is identified.
Reports of sick and dying birds with vision problems, eye swelling (often with a crusty discharge), and neurological symptoms have been rippling across parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. This illness is different from the conjunctivitis condition known as “finch eye disease,” but the exact cause is currently unknown.
While many songbirds have been impacted, the illness seems to be most common in juvenile Common Grackles, Blue Jays, European Starlings, and American Robins.
While the unknown disease affecting birds has not yet been reported in New York, it has been reported in neighboring Pennsylvania. We are taking a cue from wildlife agencies and suggesting the following five steps, for now:
1. Cease feeding birds and providing water in bird baths until this wildlife mortality event has concluded. This may be infectious. 2. Remove all feeders and bird baths and clean with a 10% bleach solution. 3. Avoid handling dead or injured wild birds. Wear disposable gloves if it is necessary to handle a bird. 4. Keep pets away from sick or dead birds as a standard precaution. 5. To dispose of dead birds, place them in a sealable plastic bag and discard with household trash. This will prevent disease transmission to other birds and wildlife.
Won’t it cause additional harm to remove birdfeeders that are familiar food sources for backyard birds? Many of you may have concerns about ensuring birds have access to familiar food sources, including birdfeeders. We understand and want to provide a bit of reassurance that the impacts of these temporary precautions will have minimal impacts on the birds you love. Fortunately, it’s the summer breeding season and most bird species are relying on caterpillars and other insects to feed their young, natural food sources that are readily available in nature. Additionally, birds are resilient and crafty creatures who will adapt to changes in food supplies with relative ease, finding new opportunities when familiar options are no longer available. We hope this issue is identified and resolved as soon as possible and you can resume the use of feeders. In the meantime, for the safety of the birds, we encourage everyone to work together and err on the side of caution.
For NY specifically, residents should contact their Regional DEC Wildlife office if they find any birds with eye lesions or exhibiting neurologic signs.
This week, I’m featuring Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.
PLEASE NOTE: New York Protected Status: Exploitably Vulnerable = Native plants likely to become threatened in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State if causal factors continue unchecked.
Identification Tips:
This perennial wildflower is 2-4′ tall and unbranched, except near the apex where the flowers occur. The central stem is light green and smooth. At intervals along this stem, there are whorls of 3-8 leaves with 1 or 2 alternate leaves occurring along the upper portion of the stem. These leaves are up to 6″ long and 1″ across, narrowly ovate, smooth along the margins, and stemless. The upper surface of each leaf is medium to dark green and smooth, while the lower surface is a lighter shade of green with fine short hairs along the parallel veins.
Canada Lily whorled leaves
The upper stem terminates in 1-5 (rarely up to 20) yellow-orange to red-orange flowers on long stalks. Each stalk nods downward at its apex and some stalks may have 1 or 2 leafy bracts that resemble the leaves, except they are smaller in size. Each trumpet-shaped flower is about 2½” long and across with 6 tepals that each curve backward. The throat of the flower is yellow with purple dots. There is no noticeable floral scent.
Well-established plants and those occupying the best sites of the plant’s preferred habitat can be quite tall and otherwise spectacular with a candelabra-like or even a multi-tiered chandelier-like arrangement of blooms. View my prior post, One Beautiful Canuck, to see photos of each of these extraordinary examples.
Each fertile flower is replaced by an oblong seed capsule that is about 2″ long and half as wide.
Each seed capsule is divided into 3 cells; within each cell, there is a stack of large, flattened seeds. These are wind dispersed when the capsule opens.
Plant stem and (usually opened) seed capsules often persist through winter, aiding their identification.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses:
Flower buds and roots of this plant were gathered and eaten by Native Americans. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes. The taste is said to be quite similar to raw green corn on the cob. The bulb can be dried, ground into a powder and used in making bread. However, it is principally viewed as a “famine food,” used only when better foods are not available.
It is also said to have been used medicinally to treat several ailments. A poultice made from the bulbs can be applied to snakebites, while a tea made from the bulbs has been used in the treatment of dysentery.
Wildlife Value:
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are recognized as the prime pollinators of Canada Lily.
The floral nectar also attracts large butterflies, particularly Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) and various Swallowtail Butterflies. Halictid bees collect pollen from the flowers, but they are ineffective at cross-pollination because of their small size.
Several mammals readily browse on the foliage of native lilies, while voles and chipmunks eat the corms. In fact, overbrowsing by White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been documented as a significant factor in the diminishing populations of this plant in northeastern forests. View the USDA-Forest Service study.
If you enjoy the flavor of Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), now is the time to grab your berry-picking pail and head to your favorite patch(es). If you want to sample them for the first time, I found these ripening fruit along the Bird House Trail at Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve in the Town of Clifton Park.
Black Raspberry fruit
Read my prior post, which includes a variety of recipes for how to enjoy these tasty berries. View a short video to learn how to identify this plant.
This week, I’m featuring Mad-dog Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) as one of our local wildflowers that begins to bloom at this time.
Identification Tips:
This perennial plant is 1–2½’ tall with occasional opposite branching. The stems are light green to pale reddish-green, 4-angled, and hairless; they have a tendency to spread outward. The blades of the opposite leaves are up to 3″ long and 2″ across; they are ovate to broadly lance-like, hairless, and coarsely serrated along the margins. On the upper surface of each leaf blade, there is a conspicuous network of veins. The petioles of the leaves are light green to pale reddish green, slender, and up to 1″ long.
Mad-dog Skullcap leaf
Both terminal and axillary racemes of flowers are produced by the upper stems. Each slender raceme is up to 6″ long, consisting of about 6-7 pairs of flowers; the axillary racemes spread outward from their stems. Underneath each flower, there is a short leafy bract. Each flower is up to 1/3″ (8 mm.) in length, consisting of a tubular corolla that is pale blue, lavender, or white; it has short upper and lower lips. The lower is lip is often white, while the upper lip is often a slightly darker color. The pedicel of each flower is slender and short. Usually, only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time in a raceme. There is no noticeable floral scent.
Mad-dog Skullcap flower
Each flower is replaced by an oddly-shaped seed capsule that contains 4 nutlets. This capsule consists of 2 lobes that are joined at the base, but spread slightly apart from each other at their tips; these lobes are somewhat flattened and round along their margins.
Mad-dog Skullcap seeds Photo credit: Tracey Slotta, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Folklore:
Mad-dog Skullcap is a magic herb that is worn by lovers to ensure fidelity.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses:
No known edible uses.
Due to its gentle relaxing effects, this plant became a popular treatment in the 1700s for hydrophobia or rabies, resulting in one of its common names, mad-dog weed. A Dr. Van Derveer used it to prevent and treat rabies in both humans and animals, claiming to have prevented 4,000 people and 1,000 cattle from being infected after having been bitten by rabid dogs. A number of scientists and doctors of the era questioned the validity of this treatment, and by 1852, the use of Mad-dog Skullcap as a treatment for rabies had been dismissed.
The Cherokee used it to stimulate a delayed menstrual cycle, to relieve breast pain, soothe nervous tension of all sorts, and to aid in childbirth. This plant has been used in herbal medicine as a mild sedative and sleep promoter.
Mad-dog Skullcap is known as a slightly sedating nervine (normalizes functions of the nervous system by soothing and relieving tension) that is neurotrophorestorative (restores optimal function of neurons), anxiolytic (relieves anxiety), and spasmolytic (relieves muscle spasms).
Wildlife Value:
The flowers attract few insect visitors, but the Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculata), a long-tongued bee, is known to nectar from them. Mad-dog Skullcap is the host plant for the caterpillars of Skullcap Skeletonizer Moth (Prochoreutis inflatella). Mammals and geese won’t eat the foliage of this plant because of its bitter taste and mildly toxic properties.
Curious By Nature 
