Wildflower Wednesday: A Case of Mistaken Identity

No, I know it's not Wednesday, and Wildflower Wednesday was last week.  But I seem to be operating at least a week behind these days, and I'm sure our hostess Gail won't mind that I'm a little late.

July and August are good months for the natives in my garden.  

There are black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckia hirta.

And Brown-eyed Susans,  Rudbeckia triloba, which are quickly spreading in various parts of my garden.

There is a young 'Little Joe' Joe-Pye Weed, a few Phlox pilosa still blooming, and, of course, there are coneflowers--lots of coneflowers.   But there should be a lot more natives than this.  Last year I planted quite a few seedlings of prairie plants, expecting to see Royal Catchfly and Phlox pallida, among others, either last year or this, but so far they have been no-shows.  I don't know if they died from lack of water last year or were crowded out by the many thugs in my butterfly garden, but I've really been disappointed.

So imagine how happy I was a few weeks ago to notice a few small yellow flowers rising above the sea of goldenrod and aster foliage.  I scrounged around the plant and found a marker nearby--"Tall Coreopsis," it read, and checking my garden journal last year, yes, indeed I did plant a Tall Coreopsis, a native found throughout Illinois.  When friend Beckie visited my garden last week, I pointed it out, and she said, "Oh, you have some gray-headed coneflowers!"  "No, " I replied, " this is a Coreopsis tripteris."  I'm not sure she was convinced, but she was too polite to pursue the subject.  The more I thought about it, the flowers certainly did look more like gray-headed coneflowers, and I thought I'd better do a little research.

Ratibida pinnata has composite flowers with 13 drooping yellow florets and an oblong head of disk florets that grows to be 1/2 to 3/4 inches tall. That should have been enough to identify this plant, but just to make sure, I checked the leaves.  The leaves near the top of each stem of Ratibida are smaller and alternate, while the leaves of the Tall Coreopsis are opposite. That clinched it--my initial i.d. was wrong, and these were indeed gray-headed coneflowers.  I think one of the things that confused me was the height, but my sources say that these coneflowers can grow up to 4 feet tall, which mine have definitely achieved.

The head of the flower is brown when mature, but starts out as a greenish-gray, which is how it gets its name as "gray-headed."  The flowers appear in early to late summer and will bloom for one-two months.  It  likes full sun but will grow in part shade, too, and isn't fussy about soil.  In fact, it can flop over if "spoiled by too much water or fertile soil."(Illinois Wildflowers.info)  All of this makes it a perfect addition to almost any wildflower/native garden.

Each flower head has its own stalk.  The stems are slender and delicate, causing them to sway in the breeze.  Indeed, I had trouble photographing these flowers for several days because of the breeze.

Many kinds of insects visit this flower, especially several varieties of bees, who enjoy both the nectar and the pollen. Wasps, flies, some butterflies, and beetles also visit the plant as well as caterpillars of some butterflies and moths. Goldfinches occasionally eat the seeds.

Native Americans used to make a tea from the flower cones and leaves; one tribe used the root to cure toothaches. 

Gray-headed Coneflowers are fairly common in Illinois and, according to Illinois Wildflowers.info, are "fairly easy to grow."  I'm glad to hear that because I've always admired these lovely flowers and hope they continue to grow and colonize in my small butterfly garden.

For more interesting natives and wildflowers, visit Gail at Clay and Limestone, where every day is Wildflower Day!

Wildflower Wednesday: Cycles of Change

There's a change in the air.  Evenings are cool, and early mornings are even cooler.  More Monarch butterflies are seen floating through the air, and the hummingbirds are in a feeding frenzy at the feeders and at their favorite plants in the garden, perhaps fueling up for their fall migration.

It is still August, however, usually a hot and muggy month here in my little corner of the Midwest, but after the hottest July on record, the cooler days and occasional rainshowers of the past two weeks have been a welcome relief.  I can feel a little bit of fall in the air.

Nowhere in the garden is this subtle change more evident than in the natives. Goldenrod and asters are taking the spotlight in the butterfly garden. 

I'm not sure of the name of this goldenrod, possibly Solidago canadensis, Canada goldenrod, or Solidago altissima, tall goldenrod.  But it is definitely a native, having never been planted by a gardener's hands, but growing freely around the farm wherever it wants.

The asters are also growing at will in the butterfly garden, but these were intentionally planted--or at least one of them was.  One small seedling, simply labeled "Native Aster," probably a New England aster, was planted several years ago in this space and has multiplied over and over.  A few bloomed unusually early this year, as you can see from the faded blooms, but most are just now beginning to open up.

Also blooming in the butterfly garden is this Agastache 'Blue Fortune.'  Although it's actually a cultivar, at least one of its parents is a native, and in many ways it acts like a native.  It's attractive to butterflies and has a slight licorice fragrance; it has also been as tough as any native, surviving the hot, dry summer in an area that rarely receives any extra watering.

Another native that should have been included in my recent post on volunteers is this pokeweed Phytolacca americana. A giant specimen found growing behind the barn several years ago was cut down, but not before the birds decided to spread its seeds, apparently.  Technically, this is really a weed, but it's been pretty well-behaved thus far, and the birds love these dark berries, so I've left the few plants alone. 

One of them even found its way into the lily bed this year, and I decided to let it grow.  As you can see, I definitely belong to the "clown-pants" style of gardening mentioned recently by Cindy of Texas and a term coined by our hostess Gail.  The pokeweed is flanked by a 'Vanilla Strawberry' hydrangea, a NOID phlox, and not pictured, irises and Rudbeckias--whatever happened to my design plan for this garden??

Still carrying on during this transition time from summer to fall are the Susans.  There are Rudbeckia hirta in the butterfly garden, but elsewhere are a few Susans whose origins are a mystery to me.

I think these may be the brown-eyed sisters, Rudbeckia triloba, since they have reddish stems and a dome-shaped disk in the center.

I do know the name of this Rudbeckia, however--'Prairie Sun.'  I first found these last fall amongst the usual mums and kale for fall plantings at one of the local garden centers.  I just love this variety and started some seedlings this spring.  Only two of them have bloomed, and this one certainly doesn't do justice to this green-eyed species, but it's in the roadside garden, another place that I am very negligent about watering.  We'll see if it self-seeds like the other hirtas; I certainly hope so.

While the previous natives are just beginning their season, for many natives this is time for making seeds. There are still a few late coneflower blooms, but most of them are looking pretty tattered.  I always debate with myself--should I cut at least some of them down to make the garden look a little neater?  My decision was made last week when I spied a pair of goldfinches (his mate--I presume--was below him out of camera range) feasting on the seedheads.  Needless to say, the fading coneflowers will be staying the rest of the year.

The birds may not be fond of these seeds, but I think Baptisia seeds are very striking, and I like the way they rattle in the breeze.  Even my oldest son, who was helping mow one day, noticed these and asked me about this plant.  When one of my non-gardening children notices a specific plant, then you know it is something special!

   Butterfly weed, Ascelpias tuberosa, is a host plant for Monarch larvae.  I haven't noticed any caterpillars on my plants this year, but it was hard to miss these creatures--Large Milkweed Bugs Oncopeltus fasciatus (oh, the wonders of Google!)  According to bugguide.net, they feast on the seeds of milkweed plants. During the feeding cycle, they ingest toxins which can sicken any predators who might try to devour them.  Those bright-colored bodies are a warning to any foolish predators that danger lies within! As far as I can tell, they don't do any damage to the plant, but merely enjoy the seeds--and there are plenty of those to go around.

There are still a few blooms on the butterfly weed, but most have turned to seed pods,  I love the bright orange of butterfly weed when it is in bloom, but I think I enjoy this wispy stage almost as much.  Soon the winds will carry these tiny treasures off, and the cycle will begin all over again.

Wildflower Wednesday is celebrated the fourth Wednesday of every month by our hostess Gail of Clay and Limestone.  Thanks, Gail, for hosting this--I learn something new about wildflowers and natives every month!

2010 Post Season Garden Awards

All across the country right now baseball fans are cheering on their teams, hoping they reach that pinnacle of the All-American pastime--the World Series.  Inspired by another Rose, and fellow baseball fan, I thought this would be a good time to give out post-season awards.  However, since neither Rose, a Chicago White Sox fan, nor I, a fan of those not-so-lovable losers the Chicago Cubs, have a team to cheer on in the post-season, we are turning our attention to our gardens instead for candidates worthy of being named MVP.

 

First let's look at one disappointing candidate who was not even considered for an award.  These 'Royal Magenta' supertunias performed beautifully last year, spreading through the porch planter and trailing down its sides, just as I wanted them to.  Because of their coachability last year, I gave them a starting position once again this year.  But although their early season batting average was high, they went into a late-season slump and eventually had to be cut from the team.

Other Supertunias were equally disappointing over the long haul.  These 'Creme Brulee' looked good through the heart of the season, but totally disappeared by September and had to be sent back to the minors, replaced by those September dependables, pansies and violas.  And we won't even talk about the calibrachoas!   Their batting slump started much earlier in the season, prompting the owner to question the wisdom of spending the money to acquire them in the first place.  However, unlike the disloyal management of the Cubs who traded two of my favorite players, Ryan Theriot and Derrek Lee before the end of the season (I'm still mad at them for this!),  I'm going to chalk up their poor performance to a difficult season and give both the Supertunias and calibrachoas a chance at starting again next year.


This season was a difficult one for my garden team this year.  Many players folded from the heat and lack of constant rehydration.  But there were three that seemed unfazed by the less than ideal field conditions.

 

First off, the Golden Glove (for fielding percentage for those of you who are non-baseball fans) award goes to the Susans.  Last year I planted two, maybe three, of my very first Rudbeckias--one or two 'Goldsturms' and one Rudbeckia hirta.  This year there were too many to count, and I have no idea which plant is which.

Perhaps they also deserve the Silver Slugger award for batting percentage, since they had to slug it out with all the other volunteers for space on the field.  But the Susans didn't seem to mind, finding space where they could, and cooperating well with all their teammates.

Always eager to please, it's hard to miss their cheery faces, especially when the sun intensifies their golden glow.  They were chosen for the fielding award, since they were so talented at catching flies . . . and bees . . . and butterflies.  (Okay, so maybe this analogy is getting a little old . . .) 

You might have been surprised that I didn't choose my signature flower, the Purple Coneflower, Echinacea Purpurea, for some type of award.  True, it achieved its usual superstar status this summer and is surely destined for the Hall of Fame, but I decided to look at season-long performance rather than just a one or two-month blaze of glory.  Though the Susans have mostly turned to seed like the coneflowers, there are quite a few of them still blooming and keeping their field positions. 

The last two awards also go to consistent season-long performers:

Rookie of the Year has to go to the Salvia, 'Wendy's Wish.'  I was looking for another 'Black and Blue,' which did so-so in my garden last year, when I spied the hot pink blooms of this new salvia.  Little did I know when I bought this plant what a superstar it would become.

Trying to capture the appearance of the whole plant defies my camera and my photographic abilities.  A photograph on a bubblegum trading card just can't do it justice; this is one player you have to see in person to appreciate.

Nope, not much better.  You'll just have to take my word that it has bloomed non-stop all summer and, purely by accident, became the focal point of the lily bed once the lilies stopped blooming.  Add to its impressive stats that it is also a hummingbird magnet.  Several times as I was weeding or watering this flowerbed, a hummingbird would come to sip nectar from its blooms. 

And now the most coveted award of the season--the MVP--goes to 'Lucky Lemon Creme' lantana!  For many years different varieties of lantana have been used in containers, but this was the first time I planted it in the ground.  It soon became obvious to me that it loves the outfield much better than being a designated hitter.

Never before did I realize what a butterfly magnet this plant is.  It was a great season for butterflies, and every one that visited my garden made time for a refreshment stop at the lantana. From the Red Admirals Painted Ladies (thanks, Shy Songbird!) . . .

. . . to the sulphurs . . .

. . . to the numerous Buckeyes . . .

. . . to the Tiger Swallowtails, as well as many other types, the lantana was a favorite, often covered in a fluttering of wings.  This butterfly magnetism was a quality exhibited by several other plants in the garden, but what really vaulted the lantana into first place for MVP were its other statistics:  blooming non-stop all summer, no need to deadhead, drought tolerance, and exceptional growth.  To be fair, it may have had an advantage over other annuals and perennials this year because of field conditions-- lantana loves heat, and  that was something we had plenty of all summer long.  I might add that other varieties of lantana probably would have performed just as well as 'Lucky Lemon Creme.'  I picked this soft yellow to border the lily bed so that it wouldn't clash with the oranges and reds of the lilies.  But since my color scheme eventually went out the window as usual, next year I might opt for a more colorful lantana. 

As a final justification for the awards for 'Lucky Lemon Creme' and 'Wendy's Wish,'  just look at these before and after photos.  You'll see in my first attempt at drawing on a photo, a crude red oval showing the location of the lantana in mid-June.  A flat of small lantana seedlings were planted here between two plantings of alyssum.  Next year the border will be all lantana, since the alyssum didn't perform nearly as well.  In the middle you'll notice a blue circle indicating the barely visible 'Wendy's Wish,' which I located only after zooming in and in on this photo.

Here is the same bed now--no need for arrows, because both are clearly visible, though the lantana, to the far left, looks white in this sunny photo.  Some cynics might accuse both of these players to have used performance-enhancing drugs to achieve this stature, but I assure you other than a few infrequent applications of fertilizer to the lantana and probably none on the salvia, both 'Lucky' and 'Wendy' are true natural athletes.  Their physical stamina this season edged out all the other competitors.

Since both the lantana and the salvia are annuals, their contracts will have to be renewed next year.  But rest assured, this owner/gardener has been so impressed by their superstar performances this season, that I will do whatever it takes to sign them again next year!

July GBBD: Bloomin' Hot!

It's hard to believe it's already the 15th of July--where has the summer gone?? Once again it's time to showcase what is blooming on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, a monthly meeting hosted by garden guru Carol of May Dreams Gardens.  Like most parts of the country, it has been very hot here the last few weeks, which means the only garden maintenance that gets done is before 8 AM or after 7 PM, and evening hours are often cut short by the mosquitoes.  Flowers are struggling to survive not only the heat but also the lack of rainfall.  Fortunately, this garden tour is a virtual one, so sit back and enjoy from the cool comfort of your office or kitchen.  I know you have many places to visit, so I'll try to keep my usual chatter to a minimum.

This is coneflower season--my favorite bloom time of the year.  Just beginning to bloom for the June bloom day, they have now been in full force for the past few weeks.  There are coneflowers in the front garden (above) where butterflies get drunk on nectar and dance the day away, while the bees busily go about their work of pollination.

There are coneflowers in the butterfly garden where they must stretch to new heights to be seen.

And there are coneflowers in the roadside garden, waving to passersby.

Since this is a virtual garden walk, that 1/8 mile jog down the lane to this area wasn't too strenuous, was it? Notice the passalong lilies behind the coneflowers--'Nettie's Coral' have been blooming for nearly four weeks.  I think these have to be the star performers of all the lilies I have.

Growing to gigantic proportions in the same garden area this year is the butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa.  Still no sign of Monarch activity on it, however.

Walking back up the lane to the new lily garden, we find that a few new additions have been made besides the lilies because I can't resist a bargain.  This balloon flower 'Scentimental Blue' was purchased on the clearance rack at Lowe's.

Another bargain plant, a cherry pink phlox, whose tag I've already lost, is struggling to stay alive in this weather.

The three new lilies mentioned in my last post have been planted, and 'Spider Miracle' accommodated me by blooming again for this Bloom Day.  'Juliet' has also settled into her new home and is blooming, but 'Romeo' apparently is going to sulk until next year.

Walk a few steps to your right of the lily garden, and we'll find Roco's memory garden, where the daisy 'Becky' is putting out numerous blooms.

 

Now let's continue to the very back of the yard to the Buttefly Garden, where chaos rules.  Cleomes came from seedlings started by Beckie, but some also appeared voluntarily.

Besides coneflowers, this is the season of the Susans.  Two perennial 'Goldsturm'  and just a few--maybe 2 or 3?--annual rudbeckias were planted last year.  This year, I have no idea which is which or how many there are, because they just keep on popping up everywhere.

The Susans are determined to steal the spotlight away from the bright blue Bachelor's Buttons, which also reseeded themselves.

There was also no need to replant these orange cosmos.  'Cosmic Orange,' originally from seeds from Tina, are just as prolific this year as they were last year.

A plant I hope will reseed itself next year is this Verbena bonariensis.  I'm so excited to finally have this plant in my garden after several unsuccessful attempts in the past.

This is not a volunteer, however.  As if I didn't have enough Rudbeckias already, I couldn't resist picking up two of these 'Cherry Brandy' Rudbeckias.  I'm hoping they will reproduce next year as well as their cousins have.

Since there are so many volunteers in the Butterfly Garden, it is hard to weed--many a plant has been left alone, only to discover later it was really a weed after all.  Fortunately, this Joe Pye weed--which I swear I planted in a different place--survived the hoe.

Joe has really grown this year to 4-6 feet tall, which is a good thing, or I wouldn't have even seen it behind all the coneflowers and cosmos.

Summer annuals are everywhere, too.  Just a quick look at a few of them--here is my old standby Salvia 'Victoria Blue.'

Overwintered geraniums are doing very well.

Yellow 'Zahara' zinnias in the lily garden.

Bordering the lily garden, this lantana 'Lucky Lemon Creme' is one plant that loves the heat.

And finally, before you leave, just a quick glance into the cooler regions of the Shade Garden.  Hydrangea 'Limelight' is just beginning to show some blooms.

 Besides the hydrangeas, the only other real blooms in the shade right now are the hostas.  Most of them are almost finished, but 'Sum and Substance' saved its stately blooms for last.  And in case you are wondering, no I wasn't sipping a little wine when I took this photo.  I think the heat has affected my brain--my view of the world these days seems slightly skewed.

I hope you enjoyed the tour, and I hope you stayed cool enough.  Now, why not enjoy the rest of the day touring gardens across the world from the comfort of your own home by visiting Carol's list of Bloom Day posts?