Hydrophyllum appendiculatum in Celebration of National Wildflower Week

Appendaged waterleaf/Great waterleaf is a biennial plant about 1–2½' tall that I wish made a bigger impact in my garden. It's found a damp space and every year there is at least one plant, of which I am most  greatful.

It's a sweet flower and has common characteristic of the Hydrophylloideae family~a taprooted plant whose flowers have 5 petals and 5 stamens. The flowers of this plant are perfect. Of course they are lovely, but, in botany terms that means that each individual flower has both male and female structures (stamens and carpels). The lovely pale purple flowers are very like a Phacelia bipinnatifida, a wonderful early bloomer that is adored by pollinators. (Bees love Purple Phacelia and so do I)

Western gardeners have many Hydrophylloideae family members to choose among. So check them out!

I wish I had gotten a photo of the many little bees that visit it for pollen and nectar. There are flowering plants every year, so it is getting pollinated. Besides the little bees, bumbles, wasps, flies, beetles, skippers and butterflies stop by!

Flowering: April -July.
Habitat: Moist rich woods, slopes, base of bluffs, woodland borders, near woodland paths, thickets.
Native: Middle Tennessee and many Eastern states in the U.S.

Now get your wildflower on and share a favorite or two for National Wildflower Week!
xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

A Few Favorite Flowers For Friday

Aquilegia canadensis

Columbine is found in rich rocky woods, north-facing slopes, cliffs, ledges, pastures, and roadside banks. Native to all states east of the Rockies, except Louisiana. A Duskywing skipper feeds on the leaves and hummingbirds seek out its nectar.

Phacelia bipinnatifida 

Purple Phacelia is common biennial wildflower in Middle Tennessee where it's found growing in moist woodlands and rocky slopes. Phacelia is all about the bees and that makes this gardener happy.

 Trillium luteum

Yellow trillium can be found in deciduous forests, open woods and along rocky stream banks in Eastern Tennessee, but, it grows happily in my Middle Tennessee garden.

 Phlox pilosa

The Practically Perfect Pink Phlox has just begun blooming~It has had a late start, which means that it might bloom into June! "Phlox flowers are the classic butterfly plant with their perfect landing pad (flared petals), a narrow tube that is accessible to the long proboscis of butterflies and fragrant flowers that occur in loose, rounded clusters.  The long bloom time means there's plenty of nectar for pollinator visitors from early to mid-spring. I've seen butterfly, skippers, bumblebees, Minor bees, carpenter bees and Flower flies visiting. I've read that Hummers visit as well and since it's blooming late here, they might stop by, too." It's happy in shade, sunshine, dry open woods, along roadsides and prairies. I am sad to report that the bunnies have discovered the PPPP and have taken a toll on the population~Not to worry, I bought new plants!

Hydrophyllum appendiculatum

Appendaged Waterleaf is a northern species of Waterleaf that is frequently found in rich woodlands in  Middle Tennessee. You'll recognize it and its near relatives by the mottled/waterstained leaves. You'll be able to tell this from the others by its maple leaf shaped leaves. Like its distant cousin Phacelia, it's a bee magnet.

Just a few of my favorite blooming wildflowers for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Yes, I'm late, but, you can still pop over to Carol/May Dreams Gardens blog to check out gardens from all over this great big beautiful world.

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.