prairie smoke gone to seed

 

We added Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum to the riparian area around the pond last year. They survived the winter, and bloomed mid-May. 

Now each flower has transformed into clusters of feathery, wispy plumes that eventually will spread seeds as they wave in the breeze.

prairie smoke

 

Prairie Smoke is flowering now.  Geum triflorum is an early bloomer; fertilized flowers are later followed by distinctive silvery-pink fluffy fruits with wispy seedheads or 'plumes' densely covered in fine hairs, making them resemble downy bird feathers or wisps of mauve smoke blowing in the wind.  

This native wildflower is also called Old Man's Beard, Old Man’s Whiskers, Purple Avens, Long-Plumed Avens, and Three-Flowered Avens, or Torchflower.

purple asters

 

New England Asters

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

bloom along with the white and lavender 

colored asters around the pond. 

 They add to the display of riotous color

 in late summer.

mulleins

Last year, only one Mullein Verbascum thapsus plant bloomed in the riparian area.  This year, several have sent their tall blooming shoots up among the grasses and rushes. This large one is sending out branches. It is very hairy plant and has many common names alluding to that characteristic - - 'wooly' 'feltwort' -- 'old man's blanket'. Mullein derives from and French word meaning soft.  

Note: This is a non-native plant that can compete with native wildflowers.  Letting it grow here will reduce the good quality wildlife habitat in the natural wetland around our pond.  We will be removing its seed heads to prevent proliferation.

hoary alyssum

galls on goldenrod

 

Now, in June, the typical insects are laying their eggs in the goldenrod stems.  The eggs will hatch larvae who will feed and grow inside the bulge or 'gall'.

By autumn, the swelled galls with be more noticeable on the dried thinner stems.  The larvae will stay in the gall through winter, unless a bird pecks through to feast on them.  In Spring, those who stay hidden will emerge as adults.

The most typical insect causing galls are the Goldenrod Gall Flies Eurosta solidagnis, who completes its entire life cycle only on goldenrod. 

Last fall, I gathered several dried stems with galls.  They are such interesting shapes and colors, so they deserved to be in a drawing or painting!