Browsed by
Category: Plants

Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) is a small shrub with leathery, evergreen, narrowly-oval, whorled, light-green leaves. The leaves often turn reddish-green in the winter. A low growing shrub, sheep laurel rarely grows more than 2 or 3 feet high. Sometimes called Lambskill or Sheepskill, this shrub is poisonous to livestock, due to a glycoside it contains. All parts of the plant are also highly toxic to humans. Small, saucer-like, magenta flowers are arranged in clusters and bloom in early June. The…

Read More Read More

False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa)

False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa)

The false indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa) is known by many common names, including desert false indigo, dull-leaf indigobush, leadplant, and river locust. There are also other local plants with similar sounding common names, such as wild indigo (Baptisia tictoria). This is a prime example of the importance of scientific names in accurately differentiating between species. The leaves of false indigo bush, when present, are alternate and compound, with blunt oval-shaped leaflets 1 to 1.5 inches long. In May and June,…

Read More Read More

Scrub Oak Gall

Scrub Oak Gall

I hope you had an opportunity to get out and enjoy the mild temperatures we had this weekend. During my typical winter walks, I tend to walk rather quickly in an effort to build up some heat and keep warm. But this weekend’s weather afforded me the opportunity to slow down (without fear of freezing) and explore the tiny winter world of lichens, mosses and galls. One abandoned fence post I came across seemed to have an entire miniature world…

Read More Read More

Nature Study Goals 2019/2020

Nature Study Goals 2019/2020

For many, New Years is a time for making resolutions. For me, it’s a great time for reflecting on what I’ve accomplished in the past year and setting intentions and goals for the new year to come in terms of nature study.  Below is a run down of how I did on my 2019 goals and what I hope to accomplish in 2020. My goals for 2019 included: 1. Post to Seashore to Forest Floor regularly. — I managed to post…

Read More Read More

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

Despite its diminutive size, pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) can be found in the Peterson Field Guide for Trees and Shrubs. This subshrub, which grows only 4 to 10 inches high, is described as a “creeping evergreen” (it spreads through underground runners), and as “hardly woody”. Pipsissewa can be identified by its whorls of leathery, shiny, coarsely toothed leaves. The dried 5-capsuled fruits produced by its stalked flowers often remain on the plant throughout much of the winter as well, providing additional…

Read More Read More

10 ways to enjoy nature in winter

10 ways to enjoy nature in winter

This week marked our 3rd snowfall of the season, and winter technically doesn’t even start for another week (December 21st). The cold weather, snowy trails, and depressingly early sunsets have most people going from home to work (or school) and back again with little to no time spent outside in nature. But with a little planning and a slightly different approach spending time outside, even on cold winter days, it can still be enjoyable. Below I’ve compiled a list of…

Read More Read More

White poplar (Populus alba)

White poplar (Populus alba)

The genus Populus includes poplars, as well as aspens and cottonwoods. While there are a number of native poplars in Massachusetts, others, such as the white poplar (Populus alba), have been introduced from elsewhere in the world. Although it has not spread to nuisance levels in Massachusetts, some states, including Connecticut, have placed white poplar on their invasive species list.  Superficially, many poplars resemble each other. But white populars can be easily distinguished from other related species. The most obvious…

Read More Read More

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

With the start of October comes our slow turning towards the cold season. My yard is peppered with acorns, leaves are starting to yellow, and many wildflowers are noticeable now more for their striking seed pods than their colorful blooms. One of my favorites (is it weird to have favorite seed pods?) are the seed pods of the milkweed genus (Asclepias).  One of our common native milkweeds is butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), also known as orange milkweed. Where it is…

Read More Read More

Wildflower Wednesday: Bull Thistle

Wildflower Wednesday: Bull Thistle

As a group of plants, thistles are well known for their spiny leaves and large pinkish purple flower heads. Most species are biennials, producing only a basal rosette of leaves in their first year. The characteristic flowering stalks are not produced until the plant’s second year. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), although native to much of Europe, has naturalized across much of North America.  It is a large thistle generally found in fields and waste places. It can grow 3 to…

Read More Read More

Wild Edible: Staghorn Sumac

Wild Edible: Staghorn Sumac

The name “sumac” often evokes thoughts of poison sumac and general itchiness. But poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) is actually more closely related to poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) than staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) despite the shared common name.  Staghorn sumac can be differentiated from poison sumac through a variety of characteristics. Both can grow fairly tall (~20 feet) and have pointy, alternate, compound leaves, however, they have very different habitat needs. You’ve most certainly seen large stands of staghorn sumac with…

Read More Read More