plants » Skinny in a Land of Plenty

After our longer-than-expected bike ride to Truro, we spent the night at the Hostelling International (HI) hostel in Truro ($42 a person).

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We came across two large black beetles yesterday just off the path around Jamaica Pond. The beetles were possibly engaged in the act of mating. If so, the female beetle was much larger than the male and her orange belly was showing.

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On Sunday, Jef led a small group of us on an urban nature walk. We started at the Bussey Brook Meadow and moved on to the Arnold Arboretum, ending at the Forest Hills gate. Mosquitoes hounded us, especially in the Meadow.

Jef called the meadow a European wildflower garden. We saw some periwinkle-colored chicory flowers (Cichorium intybus) and bird’s-foot trefoil flowers (Lotus corniculatus) with orange streaks on bright yellow. These were among the many wildflowers native to Europe.

Bird's-foot trefoil flowers and flower buds — Bird’s-foot trefoil

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On our Friday walk around Jamaica Pond, we came across both a plant and a tree in flower. The plant, yellow toadfloax (Linaria vulgaris), has a spike of yellow flowers with orange centers.

Orange and yellow toadflax flowers — Yellow toadflax

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Lupine festival banner

June heralds the blooming of lupines in New Hampshire, and we headed up to Sugar Hill for the 20th Annual Fields of Lupine Festival. The two-week-long festival features parades, open houses, markets, and concerts, but none of these events were scheduled on the day of our visit.

We first stopped at Polly’s Pancake Parlor for a delicious brunch. I, of course, marvelled at the red oak just outside the restaurant that had been planted by Lucy Hildreth and Wilfred Dexter on their wedding day, the 24th of May, 1899. Over a hundred years old, this oak still stands strong.
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I took photos of a wealth of natural life at the Arnold Arboretum yesterday. Among the birds, dragonflies, frogs, and plants, only one of the subjects was accessioned: Wilson’s spiraea (Spiraea wilsonii).

Wilson's spiraea flowers — Wilson’s spiraea

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I took a walk through Olmsted Park yesterday, a piece of the Emerald Necklace within Jamaica Plain. I saw a mother mallard duck with a dozen ducklings in tow.

A mother mallard duck with some of her dozen ducklings

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I returned to the Arboretum last Thursday to see if I could pick out a few migrating warblers. I was happy to see four species.

First, the American redstart. These birds spend the winter in the region from southern Mexico and the Caribbean to northeastern South America.

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Jef led us on a walk along the banks of the Muddy River on a sunny, seasonal spring day. We first stopped to view some outdoor sculpture as part of the Through the Trees exhibition by studios without walls.

Through the Trees outdoor art — One of the “Through the Trees” pieces.

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It is easy to miss maple flowers, especially on large trees. From a distance, the branches appear to blush and that is all. Look closely and you’ll see a profusion of anthers leaping out of short, red petals.

Red maple flowers — (Male) red maple flowers – accession #15350*A

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Tag Archives: plants

Biking Cape Cod Part 2

Giant Black Beetles at Jamaica Pond

Urban Nature Walk: Bussey Meadow

Toadflax and Spindletrees

New Hampshire’s Lupine Festival

A Walk in the Arboretum

A Walk through Olmsted Park

Arboretum: Warblers and Trillium

Urban Nature Walk: Muddy River/Fenway

Maple Flowers and Marsh Plants

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