Wordless Wildflower Wednesday

Posted on December 2, 2009 by fairegarden


Added: This has been identified as Geranium dissectum. Thanks Gail.


Added: It is Geranium dissectum.

Many thanks to Gail of Clay And Limestone for her Wildflower Wednesday, the Yellow Stargrass and the Wildflowers Of Tennessee book. Knowledge is power.

Frances

This entry was posted in memes. Bookmark the permalink.

28 Responses to Wordless Wildflower Wednesday

  1. Sylvia (England) says:
    December 2, 2009 at 6:43 am

    Frances, the first three are wild flowers here too! We have different species of some of the other too. Some plants are determined to be noticed! Some of our wild flowers, for example lily-of-the-valley or Solomon’s Seal are only thought of as garden plants – it is surprising how many people do not know they are natives.

    Best wishes Sylvia (England)

    Hi Sylvia, thanks for stopping by. The wildflower book that Gail gave me lists many of our plants considered native to have been brought over from Europe, so we should share quite a few. My favorite is the first photo, the Prunella. That is absolutely garden worthy with its evergreen rosette of leaves and wonderful flowers. Even the dried stalks are beautiful. I noticed it one winter growing in the paths and left it to see what it might be when it flowered, then searched the books for a match. The plant sellers need to give this a catchy name and get it into gardens, pronto! We also grow the lily of the valley and Solomon’s seal, love what they bring to the table! 🙂
    Frances

  2. Lisa at Greenbow says:
    December 2, 2009 at 7:40 am

    I like the way you put the names of the flowers right on the photo Frances. It didn’t take away from the photo and I could see just what it was without scanning up or down in the narrative. Happy Wildflower Wednesday.

    Thanks Lisa, glad you liked that touch. I have been fooling around with adding text to the photos and think sometimes having the name in the shot helps people who are looking for an ID. But once in there, they cannot be removed so if an error is made, it is a pain to go back to the original photo, redo it, insert it into the post and remove the wrong one, so I need to be sure of the name. The name of the Heart’s A Bustin’ has been changed to what is now thought to be the correct ID, the Eastern Wahoo from the European one. It makes more sense but the leaves and seeds look very similar. 🙂
    Frances

  3. Rob(ourfrenchgarden) says:
    December 2, 2009 at 7:42 am

    Hi Frances

    Ah reminds me of warmer days.

    Self Heal practically colonises parts of my lawn. I hate to cut it.

    I love Ox eye daisies and that yam leaf clematis (new to me).

    That possible geranium looks right in flower form, the leaves throw me a bit.

    I collected an envelope full of evening primrose seeds from the side of the road a month or two back. This post has reminded me to sow them!!!

    Seems like you had a lovely thanksgiving.

    All the best.

    Thanks Rob. These are all blooming now, even after several hard frosts. You might be interested to know that the Cobaea is still blooming, with nary a leaf crumpled by the cold as well. Prunella is one of my very favorites that was growing here when we bought the property. It spreads nicely and I only pull it up to move it from the paths to the beds. The name of the Yam leaf came from the wildflower book that Gail gave me, I had never heard it called that. It is often confused with the native and less invasive Sweet Autumn Clematis, the difference is the smooth leaf edge versus the toothed leaf edge of the native. We collected evening primrose seeds from daughter Semi’s tall plant last year and they were planted outside last spring after starting them in the greenhouse. We should get those tall yellow flower stalks this coming year. O. biennis I believe. Thanksgiving was great. 🙂
    Frances

  4. Gail says:
    December 2, 2009 at 8:37 am

    Good morning, Frances, Your wildflowers are a beautiful treat on this wet and gray morning! The geranium is Geranium dissectum~~I think! Prunella is one of my favorites and I love ox-eye daisies, too. Whoever said red and yellow doesn’t look right together haven’t seen goldenrod in front of those red stems (dogwood?) I am glad you joined WW and thank you for the linklove~~Knowledge is power! gail

    Hi Gail, thanks, glad you liked the lineup still blooming here. Thanks too for the geranium ID. The red stems are indeed dogwood, looking to have a good year with the nice rain we have had. It is still raining here. Loved your frosty post! 🙂
    Frances

  5. Heather @ what's blooming this week says:
    December 2, 2009 at 8:52 am

    Hi Frances – you’re lucky to find things that are still blooming. The only thing blooming around here right now is frost – but it’s so lovely on the house roofs in the morning before the sun melts it away. Thanks for reminding us there is still life out there.

    Hi Heather, thanks for stopping by. We do still have a few things blooming, and probably will all winter. One just has to look very carefully for them, but we are lucky in many ways, not the least of which is our climate. 🙂
    Frances

  6. Kiki says:
    December 2, 2009 at 9:22 am

    What a fun and beautifully-sweet post..lovely wildflowers..they seem to have a spirit all of their own! Great shots..I love how wildflowers.. look delicate but truly are strong and powerful little beings. Great post Frances!

    Thanks Kiki. My friend Gail has helped me to see the beauty and magic in the wildflowers, whether natives or introduced. Their toughness cannot be denied. 🙂
    Frances

  7. Janet says:
    December 2, 2009 at 9:24 am

    great photos Frances. I don’t know is very pretty as well. Good luck with your ID for it.
    Kind of a gray day here, loved seeing your colorful wildflowers.

    Hi Janet, thanks. Gail has given a tentative ID of Geranium dissectum. Further study will verify it, but she is usually correct. Grey here too, and rainy. A good day to read blogs. 🙂
    Frances

  8. Dave@TheHomeGarden says:
    December 2, 2009 at 9:42 am

    Nice pictures! That’s a great book. We’ve had it for several years and have enjoyed researching wildflowers through it. It’s amazing to still see so many things blooming.

    Thanks Dave. It is the best book of its type that I have ever seen, and teaching me a lot about general plant identification too. It may look like there is a lot blooming, but that is misleading. We had to hunt and peck to find these guys. Bloom day should be interesting. 🙂
    Frances

  9. mothernaturesgarden says:
    December 2, 2009 at 9:48 am

    The deer eat the fruit of the Euonymous americanus right away. I see the Euonymous atropurpurea seedpods looks similar and are still present.
    Donna

    Hi Donna, we are fortunate to not be bothered by deer, knock on wood! My neighbor Mickey saw one behind his property though, yikes! Nothing eats our seedpods, unless maybe the birds much later in the season. They are quite photogenic. 🙂
    Frances

  10. Monica the Garden Faerie says:
    December 2, 2009 at 10:28 am

    Love the goldenrod with the red-twig dogwood int he background.

    Thanks Monica. There are both red and yellow dogwoods in that island bed, and a new one that is both red and yellow on the same stems that I will be writing about later on. Great winter interest plants.
    Frances

  11. lotusleaf says:
    December 2, 2009 at 10:42 am

    Hi Frances! I am struck wordless by the beauty of the wild flowers and your post.

    Hi Lotusleaf, thanks so much. The beauty of wildflowers is sort of new to me, thanks to my good friend Gail. 🙂
    Frances

  12. Sweet Bay says:
    December 2, 2009 at 10:49 am

    All of this is blooming now? I love your mystery geranium, I haven’t seen one with such divided leaves.

    I agree, knowledge is power! There is something very satisfying about putting a name to something and having an idea about where it fits in the grand scheme of things.

    Hi Sweet Bay, thanks and yes, all of those are still bloming. I need to move that geranium from the weed patch at the property edge into a bed, now that it has been named. 🙂
    Frances

  13. Rose says:
    December 2, 2009 at 10:59 am

    Lovely photos, Frances! I am so impressed with your identification of wildflowers, but now I know your little secret–how kind of Gail to give you a copy of this book. I have been checking out and renewing a book from the library on Illinois Wildflowers. I think I’m going to finally break down and buy it, before I pay too much in library fines:)

    Thanks Rose. I am new to the wildflower naming game, but having a good manual with lots of photos is the key! I would recommend you buy your book, you won’t be sorry, might save money in the big scheme of things. 🙂
    Frances

  14. Noelle (azplantlady) says:
    December 2, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Hi Frances,

    Wow! What a beautiful variety. I don’t have too many photos of wildflowers but I am planning on taking a lot of them in the spring. Meanwhile, I will just enjoy your beautiful photos.

    Thanks Noelle. I look forward to your wildflower shots, your captures are always stunning! 🙂
    Frances

  15. Darla says:
    December 2, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    Beautiful wildflowers Frances…love the last photo..ALOT!

    Thanks Darla. Glad you remarked on the last photo, you are the first one to do so. We can’t even tell who it is, moving so fast! How funny. 🙂
    Frances

  16. lynn says:
    December 2, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    Nice collection of wildflowers, Frances! To my amazement, I found a lone stem of dame’s rocket and annual verbena in bloom this morning…wahoo! Or should I say Eastern Wahoo!! Love that name!

    Thanks Lynn. How nice that you have some late blooming wildflowers as well. I am thrilled that the Heart’s A Bustin’ is a native too, and to finally have the definitive ID. Wahoo!
    Frances

  17. joey says:
    December 2, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    Your beautiful parade of fairegarden wildflowers brightened this dull day, Frances, as did the lovely Thanksgiving portrait in your garden of life.

    You such a way with words, Joey, thank you so much. Glad to add some brightness to your day. 🙂
    Frances

  18. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says:
    December 2, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    Lovely little bloomers! I really like your mystery plant, but I have a suspicion it isn’t hardy to Zone 5. I still have a few things in bloom, but with snow on its way, I think the outdoor flowers will be done here.

    Thanks MMD. We have a whole lot of tiny flowered hardy geraniums here, this one is unique with that leaf, I am sure Gail’s ID of G. dissectum is correct. The colder temps are here and colder still coming soon. The Cobaea is undamaged, leaf and flower though. Amazing.
    Frances

  19. Kate says:
    December 2, 2009 at 7:57 pm

    All lovely photos but your ‘Don’t Know’ is hands down my fave! Just darling! I love how she is showing off a micro-mini second flower inside the larger pink petals.

    Hi Kate, thanks so much. That is a pretty little thing, with the emphasis on little. I believe she has been identified by Gail as Geranium dissectum. The flower was very photogenic. 🙂
    Frances

  20. Catherine says:
    December 2, 2009 at 10:41 pm

    What a pretty collection of wildflowers. I don’t really have many. I love the name of the Eastern Wahoo too 🙂

    Thanks, Catherine. We have not really concentrated on adding wildflowers here, but we should. Most of these were once considered weeds by the gardener, the violets still are. Isn’t that a great name, almost as good as Hearts A Bustin’. 🙂
    Frances

  21. Lola says:
    December 2, 2009 at 11:21 pm

    How in the world can you remember so many lovely plants. They are gorgeous.
    That was some fast “ghost”.

    Thanks Lola, but I don’t remember all those names, I have books and google for that! Isn’t that funny? I can’t even tell which grand it is. HA 🙂
    Frances

  22. chuck b. says:
    December 3, 2009 at 2:59 am

    I came by looking for pictures of your Cobaea scandens. I was thrilled to hear it’s beating back the frost. That news needs to get out!

    As it is, this could be your Bloom Day post, two weeks early.

    Hi Chuck, thanks for coming over. We are still watching the Cobaea, but after several nights of harder frosts, not even a leaf is shriveled. If it can hang on until bloom day, well, I don’t want to spoil what is in mind for that, and that is a big IF too. We are to get snow this weekend, that would make a pretty shot of the arbor. There are still some regular garden plants blooming, those more protected underneath foliage and stems. December is always unpredictable here, we shall see what blooms are still around by the fifteenth.
    Frances

  23. TC says:
    December 3, 2009 at 11:01 am

    I think it’s wild that you don’t know “Don’t Know.”

    Hi TC, HA, you are so funny. We actually do know *don’t know* but changing the photo means a whole lot of work, not just adding something to the text, since this is a wordless post. In the comments, an ID was made of Geranium dissectum. Maybe I will add that underneath somehow.

    Frances

  24. Carol Flower Hill Farm says:
    December 3, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    What lovely wildflowers … only you could make self-heal look like candy and jewels at the same time. Beautiful photos as always Frances.

    Why thank you, Carol, what a sweet thing to say! The Prunella is very photogenic for some reason, easier to capture than many other prettier, fancier flowers, like roses. 🙂
    Frances

  25. Teresa says:
    December 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm

    Lucky you to have flowers still out there. It makes me long for summertime and it’s not even January yet. I am just glad we have Christmastime to get us through part of the winter. The thought of wildflowers warms my heart in this cold cold season. Thanks for that!

    Hi Teresa, thanks. While it might look like we have lots in flower, we do not. A little gem here and there under stuff was discovered. I am keeping watch for bloom day subjects, there aren’t many! But there is always the greenhouse. 🙂
    Frances

  26. Grace says:
    December 4, 2009 at 2:37 am

    Hi Frances, Your blog is so pretty. I’ve been scatter brained and missed so many great blogs. I love how you captured the little hairs on the violet and the clematis. The best thing, in my opinion, about wildflowers is spotting them, you know? The diamond in the rough–so endearing. Cheers.

    Hi Grace, thanks so much for those kind words and welcome. You are exactly right about the wildflowers, the search is the thing! 🙂
    Frances

  27. Tatyana says:
    December 6, 2009 at 11:23 am

    Hi frances! Yam Leaf Clematis is funny with its fluffy ears, isn’t he? And I like I Don’t Know pretty bloom!

    Hi Tatyana, thanks for visiting. The clemmie is a cutie, even if it is the invasive one. The unknown is now known, Geranium dissectum. 🙂
    Frances

  28. Ginger says:
    December 6, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    Woh! Yam-leaf clematis is crazy and so cool! Must acquire…

    Hi Ginger, thanks and welcome. Watch out for the yam leaf clemmie, it is very invasive and not the native. Look for C. virginiana instead, same look but a better garden inhabitant. If only someone had warned me….. 🙂
    Frances

Comments are closed.