Here is another weed that grows all over our neighborhood.  It is also in the genus Eupatorium.  Now this one looks a lot like Joe-Pye weed to me.  It is about 4 - 5 feet tall, and branches near the top like Joe-Pye weed.  Its flowers are more widely spaced, but the structure is similar.  Its name is Eupatorium altissimum, or Tall Boneset.  This identification came from Seek.

 

Wikipedia tells me that it is sometimes confused with Brickellia eupatorioides, or False Boneset because they both grow on limestone soils.  To confuse us further, E. altissimum has opposite leaves with 3 prominent veins, and B. eupatoioides has alternate leaves with 1 prominent vein.  I understand the language, but I have to go back to the plant to identify it.  

 

It must be Friday the 13th.  Oh, well, I will get in more steps.  OK, I checked, and it has opposite leaves and 3 prominent veins:  so, it must be Eupatorium altissimum.   FYI:  I got 700 more steps.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I know you have seen this weed all along the hillsides, in meadows, and roadways.  It grows about 5 - 6 feet tall, and looks very feathery.  This patch is not blooming, but it does bloom.  Also very feathery-looking.

 

It is Dog fennel, also called yankeeweed.  I just thought you might like to know what to call it.  Now here is the interesting thing (to me.)  Its Latin name is Eupatorium capillifolium.  Eupatorium is the genus name for Joe-Pye weed, Eupatorium purpureaum.   This means they are botanically related.  Personally, I don't see the connection, but somebody who understands taxonomy (a lot) better than I do named it.  

 

So that's our fun weed identification for today.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Our friends up on the ridge sent us this picture of a black bear in their yard!!!   This is the third sighting in the last month from the same area.  Look how close he is to the road.   This is the same road we walk when we walk the loop.  One other time he was in Tom's driveway at 1 pm!!!  I guess it was the same bear.  

 

I am not an expert on black bear behavior;  I thought they were crepuscular, but this was at 5:30 in the afternoon, nowhere near dusk or dawn.  I thought it was unusual at first, but he keeps coming back.

 

I do know this though:  FOOD is their main objective, and bird seed is a favorite, especially in nice neighborhoods like ours.  We are all so kind to feed the birds, but now may be a good time to abstain from bird feeding.  The birds have plenty of natural food in the fall:  seeds, berries, etc.  But if you must feed the birds, be sure to bring in the feeders at night.  You definitely don't want him up on your deck, or destroying your bird feeders.

 

Maybe if Mr. Bear can't find any food here, he will move on.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

I think these may be my favorite mums.  They remind of the great big red rovers.  I just love all this autumn color!!!

 

I wish these were perennial mums, but the perennial ones are soft purple.  I like them too, and they come back every year, but I really LOVE these.  They just scream happiness.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Look!!  I did find flowers for you, but not as sweet as that picture of Emily.  Love you!!!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

Yep.  September is the best time to buy chrysanthemums.  You can see what color they are, and you get to enjoy the whole blooming process.  If you wait until they are all the way bloomed, you still pay the same and only get half the enjoyment time.

 

So do it NOW!!!  That's my plan.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I was searching for flowers for your birthday, but couldn't find any that were as sweet as this.

 

So here we are wishing you the happiest of birthdays.  

 

 

LOVE YOU MORE THAN EVER!!!

 

We started out for our walk the other day, and noticed that the Tulip Poplars' leaves are starting to turn yellow and brown.  I don't remember if this is normal for them, or if they are suffering from our recent dry conditions. 

 

It is early September, and we are seeing quite a bit of fall color.  The Sourwoods and the Dogwoods are showing some color, and of course the Black gum trees are turning red.  We're seeing lots red on the Sumacs, but I think that is normal for them for September.  

 

Anyway, it is beginning to look a little like fall here in the mountains.  It may be drought-driven, but beautiful, just the same.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Ok, this is kinda gross, but also very interesting.  This is a tobacco hornworm on one of my tomato plants.  Usually I get rid of them, but this one is doing a remarkable thing.  

 

There is a parasitic wasp, Cotesia congregata, that oviposits her eggs under the skin of tobacco hornworms.  When the larvae hatch out, they use the hornworm for food.  So, you see, this hornworm is serving a very important purpose:  feeding beneficial insects in my garden, thus reducing the population of hornworms.  

 

The first time I saw this, I had no idea how a caterpillar could lay eggs.  Of course, they don't, but you don't know until you know.  The wasp larvae feed on the caterpillar, then spin their cocoons which pop out through the caterpillar skin.  So, these white fuzzy things on the caterpillar are wasp cocoons.  Natural hornworm population control.  

 

Now you know.  Still kinda gross.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

As we were walking in the park, we saw these Jack o'Lantern mushrooms.  We knew what they were because we've seen them before, just not in this spot.  But I checked the Seek App anyway.  And it said that Jack o'Lantern mushrooms often sprout at the base of decaying or living trees.  Yep, that's where we found these, at the base of a tree that fell down a few years ago.  

 

They are bright orange, and easy to see.  But here is a warning:  they are poisonous, and can cause serious gastric distress when eaten, raw or cooked.  When I know that a mushroom is poisonous, I don't even touch them.  But I do love to look.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!