Wagon Wheels - Verbena canadensis

"Wagon Wheels" - Verbena canadensis

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Final Four Photos courtesy Outback contributor Mike Hall.

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Mike sent these to me to showcase a special capture of a humming bird moth visiting Phlox. What a find. Only problem, these blooms aren't phlox. It's an easy id miss. These Verbena and the Blue (Purple) Phlox now blooming are of similar color and size. Quick differences (beside the leaf) -- The Verbena tends to grow in very visible "wheel" patterns, while the Phlox tends to a circular dome. Beyond that, the Phlox has an open "well" in the center, while the Verbena are a more like a covered pit, with stamen(?) hairs filling up the center of each flower.

It appears however, that both the Phlox and the Verbena are composed of a 5 "lobed" Corolla. The lobes are not the same a petals, in that -- if you look at the flower from the back, all five lobes are part of the same funnel shaped "mono-bloom."

Phlox

4/28/06


4/28/06

4/28/06


4/28/06

4/28/06

Repost from April of last year, as I am beging to see them sprout with great force along the hiway from Mayflower to Conway.

I am not sure which of the many varieties of Phlox these are, however a quick photo comparison suggests "Blue Phlox" - which is odd, given that these (including the pictures of known Blue Phlox) are all purple. These are wild variety, however, I also see phlox of various hues as a vital part of Arkansas landscape gardens.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlox

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlox_divaricata

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ericales
Family: Polemoniaceae
Genus: Phlox
Species: P. divaricata

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Of note, the flower has a 5 "lobed" Corolla. The lobes are not the same a petals, in that -- if you look at the flower from the back, all five lobes are part of the same funnel shaped "mono-bloom"

Crimson Clover (Recycle)

Crimson Clover

Trifolium incarnatum

Fabaceae

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimson_clover

I was surprised to find upon reading the Wikipedia article, that Crimson clover is neither native to Arkansas nor the US. Turns out this very visible highway-medium bloom and bushy head grass is a European transplant.

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Note: I started ID Arkansas just short of year ago, and will now begin to recycle posts as they match current blooming things. As the Crimson Clover are just now starting to go full force in Central AR, I am reposting my first ever post from last year near this time.

Ragwort (Senecio, ?)

This would appear to be a member of the Senecio Genus (Ragworts) which in turn are part of the larger Daisy (Asteraceae) family. This may be a Senecio plattensis, but it appears to have a different base leaf than the sample shown in Missouri Plants.

I have yet to take the picture that shows their peculiar growth pattern, often standing alone, like sentinels in short new-grass pastures.

For a larger introduction to all things senecio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senecio

May Apple

Most folks saw this....




but Photographer Mike Hall, belly bound and with a nice wide lens, discovered what most folks will never see... a May Apple flower under the umbrella like leaf.









Guest Artist submission by Mike Hall.

(Podophyllum peltatum)

Grape hyacinth

(Comon Grape Hyacinth)

Muscari botryoides

I thought these were wild, but they turn out be used pretty often in gardens, and a European transplant at that.

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Hyacinthaceae
Genus: Muscari

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape_hyacinth

Wistera (American)

Wild hedge smothering

Ornamental

Wisteria (American Wisteria)

These are file photos from years past, however, I just saw the yearly avalanche of Wisteria that drape a hedge row near the junction of Interstate-430 and I-630 in Little Rock, AR (USA) -- and seem to hang around for a week before disappearing into a purple rain.

(Note: as obsrved now for several weeks, our Spring this year, 2010 is about a week behind the last several.)

As lovely as they are, the wisteria vine is not always welcome as it can smother trees and brush. Years ago I came across wisteria clusters that formed something of a Wisteria Falls, as clusters cascaded down a 40 foot tree.

Kingdom:Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Faboideae

Tribe: Millettieae

Genus: Wisteria

Species: W. frutescens

Wisteria/Wickipedia

Guess what else is part of the Fabaceae family? (You may be suprised)

Dogwood

the small gree flower of the Dogwood.

"Y" branch attached to "Y" branch

Flowering Dogwood (American Dogwood)

Cornus florida

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Pics from serveral different years, though most in the first week of April.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornus_florida

Question: How do you tell a dogwood?

Answer: by its bark.

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Corny joke aside, the easiest way to tell a Dogwood (after the flower) is the shape of its branch. Dogwoods tend to produce a wishbone shaped branch, with "Ys" growing out of "Y's" - so they are pretty easy to spot, even without leaf. Truth is, the thing we call the Dogwood flower is not a true flower. And the white petals are not real petals. Technically they are "Bracks", and the flowers -- a collection of them -- much like the center of daisy, is comprised of the small flowers. In the case of the Dogwood, the real flower is almost inconspicuous and green! (See second frame above)

Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).

Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).

We happen to have one of these in our side yard, and I just now found out what it is. Thanks Joannie of the AR State Parks (and friends) for the help. As is, the Wild Black Cherry is coated in finger length floral plumes, that will soon replace berries where the individual flowers are found. The berries are supposed to edible, and good for jam, though somewhat bitter for a direct taste.
The other standout of this tree is its smell. I rather like it, but it is potent and some folks may find it overbearing.

Snapshot (Repost 3/30 from 3/22-3/29/09 Catkin Country

Water Oak, copper with floral catkin




Chestnut Oak, heavy with floral catkin

This almost last week of March was absolutley huge for Spring Time display. Only probem...It rained so hard and for so many days (in waves) that lots of the growth happened "unseen." If any week was flash week, this was it. Most of the Oak are in some form of flowering (thick in copper Catkin), with several species putting out new green to chase the gold. Beyond that, the maple are lumpy with seed and color.

Silver-tip Maple (green), and Red Maple (Red) burst forth in helicopter seed outcrop

Seedlings of a Red-Maple (?) variety

Highlights:

Water, Willow, Chestnut, Southern Red.... To be honest I am not sure of all of my Oak trees, pre-leaf - but I have seen all of these in bold flowering. (It seems the Pin Oak hold back, now naked and brittle)

Many of the Maples hit full seed. Even the Sugar Maple, latter than the others in flowering display are putting out some kind of odd display that I haven't figured out. Did I miss the flower (and they are going to seed) or is this the flower part, and the seeds follow late and behind the leaf. (see below)

Redbud - hit there full purple zenith early in week, some are starting to throw heart shaped tenders.

This is from 2009, and as has been the rule this season, we are about 7 days behidn last year's bloom cycle.  I have yet to see opening dogs, but they should be opening soon.


Dogwood started opening the begining of the week, and some are reaching full form by week's end (March 29)

Tulip Poplar, putting out leaf

Weeping Willow, cascading green

Little lawn flowers. Everywhere

Little violets - all over.

Three Leaf clover (standard white, still largley flowerless) but throwing out huge clover mounds.

Purple Dead-Nettle in large patches, appears to have eclipsed Henbit in volume.

Large bolts of onion grass.

Crimson clover emerging along our roadsides.

I hadn't seen them till someone mentioned them, but the yellow trumpet hedge floweres (Jessamine) are everywhere.

Tulips in full regalia.

Brads, now monolithic fresh green

Wisteria, in fall

Buttercups on the upwards swing