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The Observations of John Larkin
- November 1996
Bloomed October 4 - November 4, 1996:
(*) indicates number of months in
bloom
- Agalinis fasciculata, Pink Foxglove - An herb,
should have finished blooming in early October. Watch for plants darkening
to collect seeds, you'll be glad you did next fall. (2)
- Ambrosia trifida and A. artemisii, Ragweeds - Both should have finished blooming and not
clogging up our sinuses. However, I pull up any I can reach so they
won't reseed. They go in my burner.
- Ascyrum hypericoides, St. Andrew's Cross - Small native shrub with short, flat leaves, 1"
yellow flowers that form a cross. (4)
- Aster adnatus, Chain-leaf Aster ; A. ericoides, Fall Aster; A. lateriflorus, White; A. Praeltus, Very showy
lavender Aster; A. dumosus, Bushy And some Others are still in abundance on our roadsides.
If you flag some of your favorites and deposit the seeds in your own
yard, you can enjoy them even more next year. (2)
- Bidens aristosa, Sticktight - 1 1/2" yellow flowers to 4' tall. Do well in damp to
wet areas.
- Bidens pilosa, Shepherd's Needle - 1 1/4" white flowers with 5 petals. Grows well
in dry to damp places and on roadsides. If you own your own railroad
they will do very well along your railroad tracks. (4)
- Baccharis halimifolia, Groundsel Tree, Everlasting - Most of these are about to shed their seeds
to the fall winds, but they can be coaxed to grow on the perimeter of
your property.
- Centrosema virginianum, Butterfly Pea - Thin twining perennial vine, with blue sweat-pea like flowers.
(3)
- Coreopsis tripteris, Tall Coreopsis - Perennial, herbaceous (dies to the ground
in winter), three leaflets on each petiole (stem). Grows on edge of
woods and in my yard. (3)
- Eupatoriums - Most of the eight listed
in Brown's W.F.La. are blooming yet and starting to make seeds. Now
is the time to scatter some of the seeds in your bits of heaven (your
garden).
- Gentiana saponaria, Soapwort
Gentian - Perennial herb (plant that dies down to ground level in
winter) to about 3’. Growing near the pond on Mockingbird Hill Road
in late September to early October. Bluish/purple flowers are borne
in clusters. 1 ½” long flowers just barely open when mature. They
prefer dappled sunshine.
- G. villosa, Sampson’s Snakeroot - Perennial
herb to about 18” with clusters of 1 ½” long white flowers that
just barely open enough to peek inside. I found this one at Lee Memorial
Forest, near Pine, LA. On the outing with LA. Native Plant Society.
- Helianthus angustifolius, Narrow-leaved
Sunflower - More that half of these plants have finished
blooming and are ripening seeds. However, the ones that are still
blooming are much shorter. They seem to be the same variety, but my
thinking is that the taller ones are at least two years old and the
shorter ones have come up from seeds. Assuming I’m right, if you want
more blooms over a longer period of time, just scatter some of these
ripened seeds where you want them to bloom. (2)
- Heterotheca
mariana. Golden Aster (this is not an aster) had stopped
blooming, but came into bloom again yesterday.
- H. graminifolia, Silk Grass (has silky
hairs on leaves)
- H. subaxillaris, Camphor-weed (upper
leaves are shorter and wider) - Each of these plants have different
leaves, grow to different heights, but the flowers are almost identical
on all three. 1” across and yellow.
- Hedeoma pulegiodes, American Pennyroyal - Small, many branched shrub with numerous light blue
flowers. Still blooming on Mockingbird Hill. (“Kentucky”
p. 206) (2)
- Hibiscus aculeatus, Pineland Hibiscus - Perennial herb to 3’ tall, deeply notched leaves and
seed pods are very rough to the touch. 3” white flowers are
blooming for the fifth month. (5)
- Ipomoea coccinea, Red Morning Glory - Orange/red tubular flowers, which stay open for two days and nights
and are still blooming. (2)
- I. quamoclit, Cypress Vine
- Bright, deep red 1” flowers with finely divided leaves. Hope my
hummers have departed, this morning glory is about finished blooming.
I expect to have plenty of seeds from it. They both look great climbing
up into shrubbery from summer to frost.
- Lantana montevidensis, Trailing
Lantana (Imported) - Low growing perennial plant that is literally
covered with lavender and white clusters of flowers for about nine months
of the year. Comes back from the roots after a hard freeze.
- Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flowers
- Perennial herb to 5' tall, many bright red 1" flowers on terminal
raceme (stalk), lower lip has three clefts and seed pods are ball shaped.
Grows best in moist areas
- L. siphilitica, Big Blue Lobelia
- Perennial herb same shape as above, but lavender blue. Will grow
in drier situations. (2)
- Polygonum hydropiperoides, Water
Pepper - About 2' tall, tiny pink flowers clusters on slender racemes
above slender leaves. Likes shallow ditches, grows in clusters. Muriel
thinks they are cute.
- Rhexia alifanus, Meadow Beauty - Perennial herb to 2', 1 1/4" lavender/pink flowers.
Fruit urn shaped. (5)
- Salvia coccinea, Red Salvia - Small bright red flowers on terminal spikes. Tender perennial;
re-seeds easily.
- Solidagos, Goldenrods - Some of these are finished blooming and are going to seed,
while others are just starting to bloom, however.
- S. altissima, Common Goldenrod - Doesn’t lose its fluffy seed heads immediately. For
long lasting decorations they can be sprayed with hair spray or yellow
paint.
- Verbena rigida, Stiff Verbena - Perennial low growing plant that blooms over a long period
of time and forms colonies. Purple flowers clusters above foliage.
Comes back after mowing, freezes and droughts. Good roadside plant,
good garden plant, too.
- Zephranthes candida, White Rain lily - 10” scape bears each single white flower with five narrow
petals. W.F.LA. says they bloom April to May. W.F.S.E.U.S. lists
three zephranthes and candida is the only one that blooms Sept. – Oct.,
which is why they bloomed on Mockingbird Hill in ’91, ’94 and ’96.
Well. we went from A to Z and it's time to get some
zzz's.
Printable
November, 1996 Blooms (Adobe PDF)
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