Welcome

To all those interested in the natural world. Please add your sightings.

In the woods we return to reason and faith-Emerson

Best-Lynn

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Northern Bush Honeysuckle, Beauty Bush, Blue Toadflax

Northern Bush-honeysuckle is a small shrub featuring small, yellow, tubular flowers.
Beautybush, a garden escape, is identified by its bell-shaped flowers with orange throat markings.
Blue Toadflax is a native wildflower known for its small blue-violet petals and a white throat. It's found in sandy soils and disturbed aeas.

Monday, June 1, 2026

American Cancer-root, Bittersweet Nightshade, Strawberry, Carrion Flower

American Cancer-root, previously called Squawroot or Bearcorn, it lacks chlorophyll and gets its nutrients from the roots of oak and beech trees.
Bittersweet Nightshade is a woody vine in the potato family that has star-shaped purple flowers with bright yellow stamens.
Saw my first Strawberry of the season.
Carrion Flower gets its name from the fetid odor it produces to attract flies as pollinators. They are dioecious, meaning male and female reproductive organs are located on entirely separate plants. Both plant types must grow near each other for pollination and fruit production. Female plant:
Male plant:

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Harebell, Sandspurry, Blue False Indigo, Yellow Sweetclover, Multiflora Rose

Harebell, also called Scottish Bluebell, grows on rocky banks.
Sandspurry is a small plant that can be found in driveways and roadsides.
Blue False Indigo features blue-lavender flowers clustered on upright spikes.
Yellow Sweetclover has tall, spike-like clusters of small, yellow, pea-like flowers.Found along roadsides and disturbed areas.
Multiflora Rose features small, fragrant white flowers with a distinct yellow center. It is considered highly invasive forming dense thickets that crowd out native species.

Friday, May 29, 2026

Birdsfoot Trefoil, Cow Vetch, Alsike, Tent Caterpillar

Birdsfoot Trefoil is a part of the pea family. It's found along roadsides, in meadows and in other disturbed areas.
Cow Vetch is also called Tufted Vetch and is known for its dense clusters of purple flowers arranged on one side of the stem.
Alsike Clover is pale pink. It's found in meadows, fields and along roadsides.
An Eastern Tent Caterpillar features a black body with a continuous white stripe running down its back. Along the sides it has brown and yellow lines with distinct oval blue spots. They construct communal silk nest or "tents' in the forks of tree branches.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Indian Cucumber-root, Golden Ragwort, Northern Blue Flag Iris

Indian Cucumber-root flowers are greenish-yellow with recurved petals and brownish-red stamens. The plant has an edible root that tastes similar to cucumber.
Golden Ragwort or Golden Goundsel thrives in shady, moist environments such as woodlands, stream banks and bogs.
Northern Blue Flag Iris thrives in wet areas, including marshes, stream sides and pond margins.

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Common Stitchwort, Cheeseweed, Ox-eye Daisy, Yarrow

Stellaria graminea - Common Stitchwort, Lesser Stitchwort, is in the pink family. It has white, star-shaped flowers and grass-like leaves.
Cheeseweed or Dwarf Mallow is a herbaceous plant found in disturbed areas like roadsides or fields.
Ox-eye Daisy features white ray petals surrounding a yellow disk center.
Yarrow features flat-topped clusters of small, white to pinkish flowers and feathery leaves.

Monday, May 25, 2026

Dwarf Dandelion, Glossy Buckthorn, Lady's Slipper

Virginia Dwarf-dandelion resembles a miniature common dandelion but has smaller flowerheads. It grows in sandy, dry or rocky soils in open areas.
Glossy Buckthorn's flowers are small, five petaled and white. It grows in small clusters. Very invasive plant.
Pink Lady's Slipper has a single, large, pouch-shaped pink flower that looks like a slipper or moccasin. Usually found under pines or oak trees. It is pollinated by bumblebees that enter through a slit in the front of the pouch.

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Spatterdock, Ragwort

Spatterdock, yellow water-lily, is an aquatic perennail with heart shaped floating leaves.
Ragwort is a daisy-like perennial that can be harmful to livestock but beneficial to pollinators.

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Ragged Robin, Sleepy Catchfly, Tower Mustard, Goat's Beard

Ragged Robin can be found along I 91. The petals are deeply cut.
Sleepy Catchfly features small, solitary flowers. The stems are sticky.
Rising above fields is Tower Mustard which produces small, creamy-white or pale yellow flowers.
Goat's Beard or Yellow Salisfy is just beginning to open. It's found on roadsides and disturbed areas.

Friday, May 22, 2026

A whole bunch of May's showcase

Spiderwort
Common Speedwell
Hooked Crowfoot
Virginia Waterleaf
Black Swallow-wort
Feathery False Solomon's Seal
Solomon's Seal
Canada Mayflower

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Pale Corydalis, Wild Lupine, Blue Flax, Bunchberry

Pale Corydalis or Rock Harlequin is distinctive for its pink tubular flowers with bright yellow tips.
Wild Lupine have spiky, pea-like flower clusters.
Blue Flax thrives in full sun and is well suited for dry areas and poor soil.
Bunchberry dogwood have what seem to be white petals which are actually bracts (modified leaves) that surround a central cluster of tiny, yellowish-green flowers.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Field Hawkweed, One-flowered Cancer-root, Grove Sandwort

Field Hawkweed is found in fields, meadows and disturbed areas. Like dandelions the flowers are made up of many small ray flowers.
One flowered Cancer-root is also called One-flowered Broomrape. It is a totally parasitic and relies on the roots of host plants like goldenrod.
Grove Sandwort is found in moist areas. It is short and small.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Blue-eyed Grass, Herb Robert, Pineapple Weed

Blue-eyed Grass is a member of the iris family rather than a true grass.
Herb-Robert is a native geranium. It's also called Red Robin or Stinking Bob.
Pineapple Weed has a flower head that is composed of tiny greenish-yellow disc flowers without surrounding petals. If you crush the leaves or flowers they emit a sweet pineapple odor.