THE BLOOMING FLOWERS

BLOODROOT BLOOMS IN MORRIS PARK  PHILADELPHIA PA
BLOODROOT BLOOMS IN MORRIS PARK PHILADELPHIA PA

The trail at the back of the Woodcrest Ave. opening that loops north has a great show of  blooming Sanguinaria canadensis this week.  The warm weather has really accelerated the blooming in comparison to previous years, where it was in fits and starts. Today was sunny and warm, and bees were swarming around some of the blooms.

 

 

 

PHILADELPHIA’S NATIVE FALL GARDEN BLOOMS

OThe garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hibiscus moscheutos, The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Just about six months ago!  It was the very end of summer and the beginning of fall when these shots were taken.  Usually at this time of the year, late summer and. Early fall is not given hardly a thought.  Spring is highly anticipated and winter is rationalized, having finally gotten used to it.  But, just to mix things up a bit, here is a snapshot of the very end of summer 2011.

The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, PennsylvanIa

Helianthus, in our back alley.  This is the native one and it grows really tall and produces a late summer show of bright yellow flowers. Really  fun to find them in the wild.

The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lobelia cardinalis.  This is our garden specimen that did nothing but bloom all summer, and throw seeds out.  Now, in mid February, there is a nice healthy Rosette of green leaves soaking up the winter sun, signalling that the plant is still alive and ready for the upcoming season.

The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The garden of the Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Goldenrod, a volunteer, graces our back alley on Morris Park Road. We get alot of native wildflowers in our yard just by weeding out the non native plants and letting things grow, and repeating  the process. Now our yard is more and more like what grew there many years in the past, sort of an heirloom wildflower yard.

Beech drops,  Morris Park, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Beech drops, Morris Park, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is a forest discovery, a parasitic native plant that grows off the roots of Beech trees.  Always fun to try to find them below Beech trees in the fall. They are a bit camouflaged.

New England Aster, The Garden of The Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
New England Aster, The Garden of The Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Some more blooms to look forward to in six months. At this time of the year, it is hard to believe these flowers exist.  They are just living roots, waiting for a full growing season. The Swamp Mallow, a native flower that likes sun and moist soils, loves growing at the end of our drainpipe.  Available for sale at your local native plant nursery, eastern North America.

Hibiscus Moscheutos, The Garden of The Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hibiscus Moscheutos, The Garden of The Sanguine Root, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ON THE EVE OF SPRING

THE SANGUINE ROOT STAFF ESTIMATES THE ARRIVAL OF BLOODROOT FLOWERS  IN MORRIS PARK TOMORROW MORNING, MARCH 20TH 2011

Bloodroot about to bloom, Morris Park, Philadelphia PA
Bloodroot about to bloom, Morris Park, Philadelphia PA

Sanguinaria canadensis

We found these specimens growing along the path leading from Morris Park Road. The buds are pinkish, we have not seen this before.

Bloodroot about to bloom, Morris Park, Philadelphia PA
Bloodroot about to bloom, Morris Park, Philadelphia PA

Conveniently for us, a Sunday bloom-time estimation this year.  We expect continual blooming of various populations in the area to continue for the next two to three weeks, if all goes well.

status update of skunk cabbage March 19, 2011
status update of skunk cabbage March 19, 2011

The Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is at this point, well on its way into leafhood.