July 17, 2016 NPG tours (NYBG) - guest post

July 17, 2016

Native Plant Garden tours, New York Botanical Garden

Guest post by Joel Nevis y Flores

I was scheduled for three tours today so I arrived early and as the first one to explore the rose bay trail I met up with a garter snake. I was looking for mayapple fruit on the plant or on the ground so I didn’t notice my friend until were were quite close then I was quite startled; the snake, too, which darted for the forest. I had only two people on my 11:00a tour, three for 12:30p but eight at 2:30p during the hottest time of day. Temps started at 84F (real feel 88F) and rose to 89F (real feel 94F). Pollens were mercifully low (some ragweed, tree, grass and plantain pollens) but the City had issued a mosquito alert (due to the presence of West Nile virus) as well as an air quality alert. 

Here is what I saw in the NPG:

Amelanchier (Shadbush, Serviceberry) fruit

Asclepias incarnata (Swamp milkweed)

Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) seedpods

Asclepias speciosa (Showy Milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)

Echinacea purpurea

Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge)

Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen, Eastern Teaberry, Checkerberry) fruit and flower

Heliopsis helianthoides (Ox-Eye Sunflower)

Liatris (Gayfleather)

Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm)

Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry) seeds

Phlox

Pycnanthemum muticum (short-toothed mountain mint)

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (Narrowleaf mountain mint)

Ratibida pinnata (Prairie Coneflower)

Rhexia virginica (Virginia Meadowbeauty)

Scutellaria (Skullcaps)

Silene regia (Royal Catchfly)

Trautvetteria caroliniensis (False Bugbane)

Veronicastrum (Culver's Root)

Amelanchier fruit 
Aquilegia canadensis
Aralia racemosa
Asclepias incarnata
Asclepias syriaca seedpod
Asclepias speciosa
Asclepias tuberosa
Baptisia alba pods
Boltonia asteroides
Callirhoe bushii
Calopogon tuberosus
Campanula americana
Campanula rotundifolia
Chionanthus virginicus fruit (which I read is edible when processed as an olive but reputedly does not taste very good)
Cimicifuga racemosa
Clematis ochroleuca seeds
Coreopsis lanceolata
Dicentra canadensis
Dicentra eximia
Echinacea paradoxa
Echinacea purpurea
Erigeron
Eryngium yuccifolium
Euphorbia corollata
Eutrochium
Gaultheria procumbens
Geranium macrophylla
Halesia
Hamamelis virginiana
Heliopsis helianthoides
Heuchera villosa
Hibiscus moscheutos
Hydrangea quercifolia
Ilex glabra (still green)
Ilex opaca berries (still green)
Juncus effusus seeds
Liatris
Lobelia cardinalis
Lysimachia
Magnolia virginiana
Maianthemum racemosum
Maianthemum stellatum
Mentha canadensis
Monarda fistulosa
Monarda punctata
other monardas
Myrica pensylvanica seeds
Opuntia
Osmunda regalis
Parthenium integrifolium
Penstemon seeds
Phlox paniculata
Podophyllum peltatum
Polygonatum
Pontederia cordata
Pycnanthemum muticum
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Ratibida pinnata
Rhexia virginica
Rhododendron maximum
Rhynochospora latifolia
Rosa virginiana
Sabatia kennedyana
Sarracenia x excellens
Sarracenia x mitchelliana
various Sarracenias
Scutellaria
Silene regia
Solidago
Spigelia marilandica
Stylophorum diphyllum
Thalictrum pubescens
Trautvetteria caroliniensis
trillum seed
Veronicastrum
Vicia
Zizia

There were also non-native Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed) and Daucus carota (wild carrot) in meadow

Convolvulus arvensis (non-native)

Daucus carota (non-native)

Native Plant Garden: June 11, 2015

From my archives:  Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden

Marcia Strean

June 11, 2015

Blooming new this week: Spigelia marilandica Pink Root/Wormgrass. Native Americans used it to expel tapeworms and they taught their technique to colonists. The difference between poison and medicine is often a matter of how much used, and how carefully. Spigelia is a case in point.

Does well in gardens and the flowering season can be prolonged by removing the flowers as they wither.

Spigelia marilandica

Inkberry Ilex glabra in bloom today; easy to miss the 1/4 inch flowers. Berries will follow, used by Native Americans for ink. 

Plymouth Rose Gentian Sabatia kennedyana The folklore says that the Pilgrims of 1620 named the plant after the Sabbath, the holy day on which they first saw the flower.

Sabatia kennedyana

Phlox, numerous species of Beardtongue, Wild Bleeding Heart, Red and White Clover (non- native to be removed), Baptisia, Wild Quinine, Bluestar, Columbine, Fleabane, Mountain Laurel, Meadow Rue, Solomon’s Seal, Wild Ginger flowers still there, one Lady’s Slipper, Bowman’s Root, Iris, Common Rush, Pitcher Plants, Ladies’ Tresses, Pickerel Weed in the water, Iris, Common Rush, Golden Alexanders under the River Birch (but elsewhere the remains were being cut back), Milkweed, Butterfly Weed Asclepius tuberosa, Spiderwort, Lanceleaved Coreopsis, Black-eyed Susan, Yellow Coneflower, Poppy, Mallow, Deptford Pink, Coneflower, Cactus, Beebalm, Fire Pink Silene virginica, Dog Hobble, Queen Columbine, Celandine Poppy, Alumroot Heuchera, Sorrel, Magnolia, Dogwood, Narrow-leaved Blue-eyed Grass.

See the apples on Mayapple. Stop to hear the frog croaking.

The red-berried shrub along the approach is Amelanchier Shadbush/Serviceberry.

People ask about Joe Pye Weed which is not blooming yet. By 1893 he legend had become that Joe Pye was the name of an Indian who cured typhus fever in New England by means of this plant (Dana). 

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Native Plant Garden: June 4, 2015

From my archives:  Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden

Marcia Strean

June 4, 2015

Approaching the NPG, along the edge, pink flower, five petals with opposite entire leaves, about one foot tall, newly opened, are Phlox. (I learned to differentiate at a distance this similar looking flower from Dame’s Rocket because Phlox has five petals, Dame’s Rocket four but with very different leaves.)

What a difference a week makes! NPG gardener Meg says, “It’s a new season.” Much greener look, fewer blooming plants.

Dwarf Beardtongue and numerous species of Beardtongue, Wild Bleeding Heart (plus a white variety), Wild Quinine, Iris, Bluestar, Columbine, very little of Shooting Star, Fleabane, Partridgeberry, Twinleaf, Kentucky Lady’s Slipper,Robin’s Fleabane, Pitcher Plants, Ladies Tresses.

In the Meadow: Wild Bergamot/Beebalm, Bowman’s Root/Indian Physic/Ipecac, Lance-leaved Coreopsis, Spiderwort.

Foxglove (by the steps down to the Education Building), Hairy Chickweed (against the Rocks by the Queen Columbine), Celandine Poppy, Deptford Pink (by the rocks past the Split Rock).

Wild Blue (and Yellow) Indigo (Baptisia alba and B. australis), also called “Shoofly” because of its loose limbs; farmers would break off a stem, and use it to shoo the flies from the horses pulling their carts.

Wild Ginger: (take advantage of pointing out Wild Ginger while the unusual three-petalled, brown flowers are still blooming under the leaves).

Lots of Red Clover, which is not native, but if you are looking for four leaf clovers you are more likely to find them in the Red Clover than the White. 

Phlox

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Wild Sweet Cicely Osmorhiza claytonii

Wild Sweet Cicely Osmorhiza claytonii is blooming at the Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden, on May 26, 2016.

Osmorhiza is a genus of perennial herbs, known generally as sweet cicely, sweetcicely, or sweetroot. Most species are native to North America, but some grow in South America and Asia. 

Description: light green lacy leaves, delicate umbels of white flowers and the long, pointed seeds, smell of sweet aniseed when crushed.

Some species are used for medicinal purposes, but have dangerous lookalikes. The seeds of this plant have barbs on the end allowing them to stick to clothing, fur, or feathers.

Osmorhiza claytonii

American Indians used the roots of sweet cicely as a panacea; tonic for upset stomach, to ease child birth; the root was poulticed on boils, and wounds; root tea used as an eye wash.

Folk medicine uses include, an expectorant, tonic for coughs and for stomachaches.


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Native Plant Garden on May 22, 2016

Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden, May 22, 2016

guest post by Joel A. Nevis y Flores

An overcast day with some raindrops as I entered by the Mosholu gate, where the day's events features the ongoing Impressionist exhibition but did not mention my two tours of the native plant garden. No wonder that no one was there at 12:30p for my first tour -- though a native plant enthusiast from Westchester arrived in a few minutes for a really good interaction. I had eight people for the second tour at 2:30p so maybe signs were put up by the main entrance after all. The temperature started off in the high 50s rising to about 71F, with predominant pollens from oak, mulberry and the grasses. 

With the warmer, drier weather in the afternoon, and after visitors had seen the Impressionist exhibit at the Conservatory, a number of people meandered through the Native Plant Garden. A few were alarmed by a garter snake near the white baptisias next to the entrance pavilion. But everyone who noticed was intrigued by the robin's nest in the shadbushes and by the birds bathing by the Elizabeth Knight Britton plaque (robins, bluejays, yellow warblers). And the chipmunks were extremely active that day. 

hungry robin chick in nest

American robin in shadbush, darting from nest to distraction attention

Eastern chipmunk (Tamius striatus)

Here is what was in bloom or of interest that day:

Amelanchier canadensis - Shadbush
Amsonia tabernaemontana - Bluestar
Anemonella thalictroides - Rue anemone
Aquilegia canadensis - Eastern red columbine
Aquilegia chrysantha - Golden columbine
Arisaema triphyllum - Jack in the pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum

Asarum canadense - Wild ginger
Baptisia alba - White false indigo
Baptisia australis - False indigo
Baptisia carolina - Yellow wild indigo, by the native border's dry-stacked stones

Baptisia carolina

Calycanthus floridus - Carolina allspice, sweetshrub

Calycanthus floridus

Camassia scilloides - Eastern camas, wild hyacinth
Carex - sedge (which species is growing in the wetland garden?)
Cerastium arvense - Hairy chickweed
Chionanthus virginicus  - Fringetree
Chrysogonum virginianum - Green and gold
Clematis ochroleuca  - Curlyhead
Cornus sericea - Red osier dogwood
Crataegus viridis -Green hawthorn
Cypripedium parviflorum - Yellow lady's slipper, moccasin flower
Cypripedium parviflorum parviflorum - Lesser lady's slipper orchid
Delphinium tricorne - Larkspur delphinium
Dicentra eximia - Wild bleeding heart
Diphylleia cymosa  - Umbrellaleaf
Erigeron pulchellus -Daisy fleabane

Erigeron pulchellus

Geranium maculatum - Cranesbill geranium
Geum triflorum  - Prairie smoke

Geum triflorum

Gillenia trifoliata -Bowman's root, Indian Physic, American Ipecac

Gillenia trifoliata

Heuchera longiflora - Longflower alumroot

Heuchera longiflora

Houstonia caerulea -Azure bluets
Iris cristata - Dwarf crested iris
Iris hookeri - Beachhead Iris
Kalmia angustifolia - Lambkill
Kalmia latifolia -Mountain laurel
Maianthemum stellatum - Starry false Solomon's seal
Maianthemum racemosum - False Solomon's seal
Mertensia virginiana -Virginia bluebells - one left still
Monarda bradburiana - Eastern beebalm

Monarda bradburiana

mushrooms on the rosebay trail
Orontium aquaticum - Goldenclub
Osmunda regalis  - American Royal fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum - Cinnamon fern
Parthenium integrifolium - Wild quinine
Penstemon hirsutus - Hairy beardtongue
Penstemon - some white ones I could not get close to to find out which kinds they are (probably Penstemon digitalis)

Penstemon

Phacelia bipinnatifolia - Purple phacelia, fernleaf phacelia
Phlox divaricata - Blue phlox
Phlox stolonifera - Creeping phlox
Podophyllum peltatum - Mayapple
Polemonium - I never can determine if Jacob's ladder is Polemonium caeruleum or Polemonium reptant
Polemonium caeruleum - Jacob's ladder
Polygonatum biflorum  - Solomon's Seal
Primula meadia -Shootingstars
Prosartes lanuginose - Yellow mandarin, Yellow fairybells
Rhododendon choptank rose
Rhododendron minus minus - Piedmont rhododendron, Carolina rhododendron

Rhododendron minus var. minus

Rhododendron My Mary

Rhododendron 'My Mary'

Rhododendron - a number of hybrids
Sarracenia  - a number of species and hybrids I can never tell apart

Sarracenia

Sarracenia leucophylla  - Crimson pitcherplant, Purple trumpet
Sarracenia leucophylla x oreophila -Hybrid pitcherplant
Sarracenia oreophila - Green pitcherplant

Sarracenia oreophila

Sarracenia x areolata - a naturally occurring hybrid between the Pale Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia alata) and the White-top Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia leucophylla)
Sedum nevii - Nevius stonecrop
Sisyrinchium angustifolium - Narrow-leaf blue-eyed grass
Stylophorum diphyllum - Celandine Poppy
Tiarella cordifolia  - Foamflower
Tradescantia - Spiderwort

Tradescantia

Trillium erecta - Red trillium
Trillium recurvatum - Bloody butcher, Prairie trillium 
Trillium flexipes - Bent trillium
Trillium grandiflorum - White trillium and double white trillium
Trillium luteum -Yellow trillium
Uvularia grandiflora - Bellwort
Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush blueberry - mostly fruit but a flower or two left
Viola walteri - Walter's violet
Viola blanda -Sweet white violet
Zizia aptera - Golden Alexanders

Also non-natives Taraxacum official (dandelion), Rumex acetosella (red sorrel), Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

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NPG May 20, 2016

NPG May 20, 2016
Marcia Strean

No signage yet when I got there before 10:00 AM. It was lovely to have relaxed time to list all the blooming plants.

Sunny, pleasant at 10:00, going to 77 degrees, Short-sleeved tour guide shirt appropriate by the 11:00 tour. First time that I can ever remember doing a NPG tour on a Friday. Whether it was the perfect weather, a new show (Impressionists) at the Garden, or the day of the week, but there were 12 on the tour, and, also unusual for me, a second tour at 12:30, with more than 17 on the tour.  Shoulda brought my loudspeaker...

Marcia Strean leading a tour

We did get a follow-up report from James that at this time there is no plan to provide Garden leadership for the school groups coming through, but I found it painful that, literally, hundreds of school kids came walking through with teachers and aides or parents and never heard a word about what they were seeing. Whenever I could, I asked the teacher if I could tell them something, and the teachers were extremely grateful, each time saying they knew nothing. I have an idea: Instead of a docent leading a whole class through the whole NPG, several of us stationed around could explain at their level.

school groups in the Native Plant Garden 

school group in the Native Plant Garden

Plants are listed as you approach the NPG:

Wild Geranium

Golden alexanders

Wild bleeding heart

Gardener John said what I called Fairywand is Camassia.  Live and learn.

Baptisia alba

Baptisia australis

Already there is the dark green fullness of summer.

Columbine

Phlox

Turn right onto the Gravel-Lok:

Bluestar

Shooting star

Fleabane

Plume Solomon's seal

Foamflower

Yellow trillium

Yellow lady slipper

Jacob’s ladder

Sedum

Bluets

Mayapple apple

White trillium/Bent trillium T. Flexipes

Kalmia latifolia

Tiny bud on inkberry

Ferns to note xmas, mickel, maidenhair, marginal wood fern, ostrich, royal

Osmunda regalis American royal fern

Go up steps:

Azalea

Curlyhead behind the bench

Rhododendron

One lavender four petalled flower by water pipe?

Grass and Sedges flowering

Wild ginger. Soon gone, show while it is there!

Celandine poppy

Shrub with bell-like white flowers    photo

White wild geranium

Dirt path continue past fallen tree

Visitor pointed out the Green'nGold Chrisogonum along the dirt path

Turn back on the Gravel-Lok:

Common Reed Juncus effusus

Pitcher plants

Iris

Back on boardwalk:

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum Cinnamon fern

Cinnamon fern

Robin’s fleabane

Rue anemone

Starry Solomon's Seal

Gardener John watering says not fairywand but a bulb camassia

Camassia scilloides Atlantic camas, wild hyacinth

Back to entrance boardwalk

Orontium in third water section

Graves Beach plum

Up Gravel-Lok toward split rock

Another bee in my bonnet: Agitate for paths in meadow

Cornus sericea Red Osier Dogwood

Spiderwort

Wild Quinine

Prairie smoke

Beardtongue dwarf hairy "pygmaeus" 

Penstemon hirsutus Beardtongue dwarf hairy "pygmaeus" 

Big buds on coreopsis lanceolata

Little yellow flowers are clover

Fringe tree

Fringe tree Chionanthus virginicus

Narrowleaved blue-eyed grass

Narrowleaved blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Green hawthorn tree

Iris cristata

Chickweed, hairy

Larkspur

Umbrella Plant

Diphylleia cymosa Umbrella leaf

Yellow Mandarin Prosartes and Bellwort neighbors showing their somewhat similar yellow flowers

Viola walteri

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