Sundays after church, my dad would pile the family into the car and take us for a drive through the countryside just outside the boundaries of the big city. We would see miles of delicate pink flowers lining the edges of the roads, growing the cracks in the sidewalk, and on the banks of the hills. Pink evening primrose is one of the wildflowers …
native plants
Early Spring Wildflowers of the Southeast – Trillium, Jack in the Pulpit, and Bloodroot
The first flowers to show their faces after winter are the native wildflowers. By mid to late-March, they are usually in full bloom. Bloodroot, trillium, and Jack in the pulpit are some of my favorite early-blooming southeastern native plants. Which one is your favorite? Incorporate Native Plants in Your Garden Choosing to incorporate native …
Early Spring Flowers for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies
This early spring sky is filled with butterflies! I am seeing so many eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) feeding on colorful spring flowers that it has really brightened my days. Eastern tiger swallowtails are quite large - with a wingspan of 3 to 5.5 inches and with their bright yellow wings with blue spots, they put …
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Japanese Honeysuckle vs Native Honeysuckle Vine
Have you ever plucked a honeysuckle flower, turned it around, and gently sucked the nectar from the tube-shaped back of the flower? If you grew up in the southeastern U.S., I bet you did. That taste of super-sweet honey nectar always makes me think of summer nights spent chasing fireflies and summer days spent running wild and free. Imagine …
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Obedient Plant – Physostegia virginiana
The obedient plant is native to most of the U.S.. It produces lovely pale purple blooms in the fall when most things are shutting down. It's also easy to dig up and divide. Deer-resistant AND it can grow in clay soil - what's not to love about obedient plants? Like all native plants, it is particularly suited for the growing conditions of its …
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Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Chrysalis
With our purple passionflower vine planted on the trellis at the front of our house, we get to see many hungry caterpillars first fill their bellies and then find a comfy place to create their chrysalises. What Does a Gulf Fritillary Chrysalis Look Like? These chrysalises are strange-looking. They are twisty, kind of bumpy, and …