October Wildflower Wednesday

We've had some nights in the lower 30s, that killed the ends of the tomato plants.  We are still picking some tomatoes, though.  Most of the flowering plants are finished blooming, but there is still some beauty out there, that I decided to post for Gail's Wildflower Wednesday.  Some of the photos were taken around noon, when the sun was quite bright, and some around 6:30 in the evening, when it was near time to get dark.

The different liatrises are nice and fluffy.  I saw a sparrow on one that was on the side of the house.  I am not sure if I knew the birds ate these seeds.  The color behind it is an amsonia hubrichtii.

Lead plant is such a slow grower when it is small, but is worth the wait.

Some of the big leaf asters are finished blooming, but some are still looking fresh.  I'm not sure what the little insect is on one of the blooms.

I was surprised to see a few purple coneflowers blooming.  I did have to pull some this summer due to aster yellows.

The Virginia mountain mints look good, even when going to seed.

The Illinois bundleflowers look their best when going to seed.

Cup plants are ones I've seen birds feed from all through the winter.

Our grandaughter loves the different goldenrod seedheads because they are fluffy.  I don't remember what kind of beetle that is, but am thinking it is one I usually see on milkweed. It took off before I could get a clearer photo of it.

Aren't clematis pitcherii seed pots cool?

Deadheading the gray headed coneflowers prolonged their bloom time.  When I bought the Liatris pyconostachya 'Eureka' I didn't notice the 'Eureka' written in pencil until I got it home.   Oh, well, some of the other ones I have are also cultivars. It is shorter than other years.

Rattlesnake master is a fun plant to grow.

I am not sure what kind of goldenrod this is.  It is one of Ruby's favorites.

The New England asters were one of the last to bloom, and I am sad they are about finished.

Round headed bushclover is another one that was a slow grower here.  It bloomed last year, but was much shorter, and the blooms were smaller.  I am tickled with how well the two plants did this year.

The short toothed mountain mint looks awesome all season, and usually has insect visitors on it.

I know I've shown most if not all of these plants in posts, but am not sure if I have shown them at this time of the season.  I hope we all have some nice fall days before winter gets here.

September's Wildflower Wednesday

I've enjoyed seeing more and more butterflies, bees, and other pollinators the past couple of weeks.  I'm sad that a number of flowers are finished blooming, but am pleased to see the asters, pitcher sage, and some of the goldenrods blooming to showcase for Gail's Wildflower Wednesday.

The New England asters have self sown around the yard, and the pollinators have found them.  Even though I cut them back this spring, the stems got a disease on them.  Still, they are loaded with blooms, and pollinators.  This particular clump had the most sulphurs, skippers, various kinds of bees, monarchs, and painted ladies on it.

The most monarchs I have seen in a day this season was seven.  In the past, there have been more.  I hope next year is better.

How many hoverflies and bees do you see?

There have been a number of painted lady butterflies around, and now there are also some American ladies.  I can tell this is one because of the two large eyespots.  I see pussytoes is a host plant.  I am pleased to have some of that for them.

There have been several kinds of sulphurs.  I enjoy seeing bees and butterflies feeding peacefully near each other.

I was thinking this was a duskywing of some kind, but Cynthia, Gaia Gardener suggested it may be checkered skipper.  How cool!  I've never heard of that.  I looked it up, and think she is right.

The goldenrod, 'Wichita Mountains' also draws a number of butterflies and bees.  I just looked it up, and read that the blooms and leaves are edible.  Have you ever tried it?

I am pretty sure the bluish and orange butterfly is a gray hairstreak.

This was taken at a different time of the day when the area was shaded.

Pitcher sage is another one that self sows around the yard, and I love the blue blooms.  They usually have a butterfly or more on the blooms.  I cut most of the plants back late spring so they will be bushier and a bit shorter.

I have seen more silver spotted skippers this year than any other I can remember.

This has more spots than the American lady.  This is a painted lady.  I think there have been more of these than other seasons, too.

I just got a big leaf aster plant a couple years ago, and am enjoying the blooms.  It is spreading around a bit, and does not seem to be as appealing to the rabbits to eat as some of the other asters.  I looked at my last couple of posts, and saw that I'd already included this in one.  I didn't remember it had been blooming that long.  That's good to know, since there are some that do not have a long bloom time.

It is a host plant for several caterpilllars. Do you know what kind this is?

It has been a hot summer and fall.  I am glad the highs this week are going to be in the 70s, instead of the 90s like they were last week.  I am almost ready for winter to be here, so we can start over with spring, and hope for milder weather.

Wildflower Wednesday, August, 2016

I tend to post a lot of photos in my Wildflower Wednesday posts, and today is no exception.  I am glad Gail from Clay and Limestone created this, as it keeps me posting at least once a month.  I did something a little different this time.  For quite a few plants, I have a photo of a whole plant, and then a close up.  I tried to include as many insects as I could in the close ups.

The joe pye plants in the yard have been full of bees each time I go out.   There are usually around 10 in this one at a time.

The Illinois bundleflower buds will be turning brown soon.  This plant got taller than usual this year.  As with a number of other plants, I had to tie it up so it wouldn't fall over.

The cup plant has been getting larger each year. Next year, I want to cut it back a bit from the sidewalk, so it doesn't flop over it as much.

Flowering spurge gets visits from tiny insects that I have trouble getting photos of.

I had to catch this photo of the monarch on the liatris, which I am thinking is scariosa.

The brown eyed susans, coneflowers, and blue mistflowers are filling up any bare spots in this area!  I think I see a clump of riddell's goldenrod that will be blooming soon in there, too.

There were no visitors this time, but these blooms are being utilized by some pollinators.

I think this is the third season for the big leaf asters, and maybe the first year they've bloomed.  Most of the asters were eaten down by the rabbits, so I am glad these are blooming.

The native Helen's flower got huge because I didn't cut many plants back this spring, hoping for more blooms on the tour we were on on Father's Day.  Next year, they should be shorter and bushier if I get them pruned.

They are drawing in several kinds of pollinators, some quite small.

I cut back the liatris aspera in this curb area in the spring.  I'm glad it took it fine, and is blooming.

There is usually at least one bee on it.

The hoary vervain is having another flush of blooms, since I deadheaded it in the spring.  The several butterfly milkweed plants around are looking great.

Ironweed is one that self sows around.

These normally have insects on them, but didn't when I took the photos.

Someone's honey could be pretty tasty, since the bees are feeding on short tothed mountain mint.  Another clump had one of the black wasps that are frequent guests.

This is a native plant given to me from a member of a Facebook group we are in, Gardening with Nature in Mind.  I'll need to look up the name of it.

I hope we start seeing more butterflies soon.