Wildflowers
The Importance of Milkweed: Supporting Biodiversity Beyond Monarch Butterflies
When people think about milkweed, the monarch butterfly comes to mind. Monarch butterflies’ existence depends on this plant. It is a source of nourishing nectar; its leaves are essential for growing caterpillars. Without milkweed, monarch butterflies would become extinct. Common milkweed also hosts other living things. Walk into a milkweed patch, and you will find […]
Discover the Wonders of Nature Through the Eyes of a Biologist
Did you know that millions of dragonflies migrate each fall? Did you know that shrews traverse their underground tunnels using echolocation? Did you know that some plants need fire to survive? These are some of the fascinating discoveries I reveal about the plants and animals found along the Connetquot River on Long Island in New […]
The Plant That Escaped the Garden
Native to Europe, north Africa and areas in Asia, the lesser celandine was introduced into the American garden landscape in the 1900’s for its beautiful shiny yellow flowers and glossy green kidney shaped leaves. The plant adapted so well to our gardens that it escaped into nearby native woodlands where it formed thick mats of […]
The Golden Wildflower
Throughout the eastern U.S. and in some places in the mid-west, the golden ragwort paints fields and sunlit woodland openings with splashes of golden yellow daisy-like blossoms. Sometimes it is confused with dandelions and hawkweeds by novices, but upon closer examination its 8 to 13 yellow petals, heart shaped basil leaves and clusters of blossoms […]
The Non-Native Beauty
In my daughter’s Maryland spring backyard, I discovered a dainty blue wildflower growing in the shade cast by trees and in the shadow of a wooden fence that borders her property. With scalloped leaves and four petaled flowers, the slender speedwell thrives in the moist soils here. A non-native, this plant traveled from Europe to […]
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