As described in last week’s Citizen, the media is abuzz with the sounds and sights of the 13-year cicada.
Category: Flora
A spectacular Piedmont wildflower display
Hey there folks, this is advance notice that the penstemons at Mason Farm are beginning to flower!!
The French explore Horseshoe Lake
The day was memorable. As soon as he stepped from Johnny’s canoe-laden truck, Arnaud peered across cypress-rimmed Horseshoe Lake and exclaimed, “Wow, cypress trees growing in their natural habitat!â€
Look in the treetops for cross vine
Crossing the Haw River in Saxapahaw last week, I glimpsed the flowers of cross vine, Bignonia capreolata, hanging in treetops where they reach for sunlight.
In the footsteps of André Michaux
Under the auspices of the French government, botanist André Michaux explored the former English colonies from 1785 to 1796.
Recognize this ‘weed’?
This cool and moist spring allows my flowering yard to go on and on!!
No, it’s not white wisteria!
Those of you who frequent the highway corridors around our town can anticipate seeing pendulous clusters of pure white flowers during the next week.
Following spring’s flowering sequence
Driving along the bypass last week, I remarked that the beautiful, but deadly, Chinese wisteria is flowering early this year.
Don’t miss them this year
There’s still time to catch most of the spring ephemerals, but you’d better get outdoors this week or next, or they’ll be gone again for another year.
Think twice before pulling
Well now, that is a good question. Gardening friend Sally Heiney and I usually agree on which weed to keep and which to toss.
Not an ordinary walk
I have mentioned Battle Park a number of times in past Flora stories, but I’ve never participated in a guided walk there.
Carpets of springtime
During the past week, a number of local folks have been curious about those blue and purple carpets of color on the roadsides and in the medians.
The once and future Piedmont savanna
The 40-plus walkers accompanying me “in the footsteps of John Terres†around Mason Farm on Sunday saw something there that John never saw.
Locate now for later viewing
Now is the best time of the year to locate two obscure native orchids that show their leaves in the winter.
In the footsteps of John Terres
How well I remember naturalist John Terres’ last visit to his beloved Mason Farm, back in 1981.