Wildflower Wednesday: Enemion biternatum

Welcome to  Clay and Limestone and the Wildflower Wednesday celebration of a sweet little spring ephemeral wildflower.

Enemion biternatum is lovely with delicate columbine like leaves and small white flowers. Small bees collect the pollen  and flies feed on it, but, they would search fruitlessly for nectar. It hasn't any nectaries.

It's been growing under an oak tree in my garden since before I moved here (that would be almost 40 years ago). The foliage appears in late winter, carpeting the ground, then the flowers open and the first of the  pollinators visit to  pollinate. It dies back in mid-summer making it a true spring ephemeral.

It's also growing in my little pocket wildflower garden under the Ostrya virginiana, which is a lovely understory and underappreciated native tree. Dutchman's Breeches was already growing there and I transplanted Trillium from the way back woodland. I also added toothwort and Spring Beauties that I transplanted from the now disappeared front lawn. Phacelia bipinnatifida, a delightful lilac flowering biennial was added after a friend gave me seedlings. Their dormant roots are sheltered by a large Carya ovata/shag bark hickory during the hot summer months, but, they magically reappear each spring.

Eastern False Rue-anemone, False Rue Anemone or Enemion biternatum is a sweet little Spring ephemeral in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It's native to shady rich or calcereous woods & thickets; floodplain woods and limestone ledges (slightly alkaline soil) and is native to Middle Tennessee. The delicate looking foliage of False Rue Anemone emerges in late winter and makes a beautiful leafy mat that grows about 6 inches high. The flowers, scattered here and there,  emerge as the days warm and the bloom period is at least a month long. It would make a lovely ground cover, but, like all Spring ephemerals, grows, blooms, gets pollinated, sets seed in a short period of time before it fades and retreats back underground.

The white flowers occur individually or in groups of 2-3. The flower is small only about ¾" across, and has 5 petal-like sepals that are white, no petals, several slender stamens with yellow anthers, and a few green pistils in the center. The blooming period occurs during mid-spring and lasts about 3 weeks and if weather isn't too warm there may be flowers for a month.

Source

The pistils are replaced by beaked follicles (seedpods that split open along one side) that individually contain several seeds. You'll have to get down on all fours to see them, but, that's often the best view in a wildflower garden.

The lovely five 'petaled' (sepals) flowers with the showy yellow center stamens would look wonderful planted with Mertensia virginica, Thalictrum thalictroides, Trillium grandiflorum, Trillium cuneatum, Polemonium reptans, Phloxes, Geranium maculatum,  Phacelia bipinnatifida, Euonymus americanus, Philadelphus inodorus and Aesculus pavia. Plant them in rich loamy soil with full to partial sun and before long you'll have a small colony.

xoxogail



The particulars 

Common Name: false rue anemone  

Family: Ranunculaceae

AKA: Isopyrum biternatum

Type: Herbaceous perennial, Ephemeral

Native Range:

 Zone: 3 to 8 

Height: 0.50 to 0.75 feet 

Spread: 0.25 to 0.50 feet 

Bloom Time: March to April 

Bloom: White 

Sun: Part shade 

Water: Medium, rich soil helps

Maintenance: Low 

 

Flower: Showy. Anemone-like flowers (to 1/2" diameter) with 5 petal-like sepals and showy yellow center stamens

Foliage: Columbine like leaves

Habitat: open wooded slopes, river flood plains, rich woods and thickets. Colonizes

Wildlife value: Bees collect pollen, while fly visitors feed on pollen. Various beetles also feed on the pollen. Some of these insects probably search in vain for nectar, as the flowers lack nectaries. 

Comments: My favorite is from Missouri Department of Conservation: "This flower is often confused with (true) rue anemone, Thalictrum thalictroides. That species, however, has only bracts on the flowering stems (not complete leaves); it often has more than 5 sepals, which are sometimes pinkish; it is usually only found singly; and it prefers wooded slopes to moist bottomlands. False rue anemone and "true" rue anemone present a bit of difficulty for the budding naturalist, but meeting the challenge of learning how to identify the two similar plants helps us understand botany, and our world, better. Most members of this family are toxic, so be careful and don't eat it.

 

Wildflower Wednesday is about sharing wildflowers from your part of the world. Don't worry if you have nothing in bloom, you can still showcase one of your favorites. It doesn't matter if we sometimes show the same plants; how they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. I hope you join the celebration...It's always the fourth Wednesd

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.

Wildflower Wednesday: Polystichum acrostichoides

The flowers are gone from the garden, except for a few of the last to bloom ex-asters and two tiny fleabanes that are protected by fallen leaves. There is still color in the trees and shrubs and stalwart blooms on the native witch-hazel, but, we're quickly moving toward the season of gray and brown in my part of the gardening world.

The graceful arching fronds of evergreen Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) are especially appreciated this time of year.  It's wonderful to have a fern presence in the midst of a hot and humid Nashville summer, but, this fern shines in winter when the dark, leathery fronds pop against the decaying leaves or poke up through a light snow. 

The Christmas Fern is an accommodating fern for those looking for an easy care native in their woodland garden. It will grow in a variety of situations: shady, rich, poor, rocky, etc. Although, all information about this fern recommends we plant it in moist soil, it tolerates my dry, shady soil and can go for weeks without watering. It does occasionally suffer a dried frond but, once established, it seems immune to dryer soils.

Heuchera and Christmas fern both need good winter drainage

The fountain-like clump of leathery, lance-shaped evergreen fronds is a good companion plant for spring ephemerals and woodland wildflowers. It looks good with Phacelia bipinnatifida, Spigelia marilandica, Scutellaria incana, Heucheras and woodland phlox. Young fiddleheads (or crosiers) are silvery and scaled, and emerge in the spring from the loose old foliage. Btw, don't eat the fiddleheads! They aren't edible.

The older foliage collapses into the leaf litter

 The older foliage collapses into the leaf litter as the year progresses toward winter. This accumulated detritus of decaying fronds helps to stabilize the soil and prevent or lessen erosion. The built up mass is also a protective habitat for ground feeding and ground nesting birds.

Ferns are ancient plants (350 million years on this planet) and scientific research almost always focuses on tropical ferns, but, that doesn't mean our Christmas fern has no ecological value. It's not a host plant for any insects and mammals don't browse it, but, as stated above the decaying plant provides habitat for birds, while also stabilizing the soil.

But, we gardeners know that their value is beyond measure. We want plants that are easy to care for, lovely to look at, require very little fuss, can survive our hot humid summers and our long cold winters and are not eaten by pests, like deer and rodents.  I think you'll find that Christmas fern more than meets those qualifications.

Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 16. Provided by Kentucky Native Plant Society.

Plant Particulars

Polystichum acrostichoides
Common name: Christmas fern
Family: Wood Fern Family (Dryopteridaceae)

Native range: Christmas fern is found in the north-eastern and north-central portions of North America from New Brunswick south to North Carolina. West to Minnesota and south to Florida and eastern Texas

Habitat: Garden and woodland conditions: The preference is light shade, mesic to slightly dry conditions, and soil that is loamy or rocky with abundant leaf litter. Found along stream beds and on rocky slopes.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 3-9.

Height 1 ft. to 3 ft. Spread 1 ft. to 3 ft. Moderate grower.

Light: Part Shade to Full Shade

Moisture: Moist to dry. Poor drainage in winter can lead to crown rot.

Ecological Significance: The accumulated detritus of decaying fronds helps to stabilize the soil and prevent or lessen erosion. The built up mass is a protective habitat for ground feeding and ground nesting birds.

Comments: This is a great accent plant or groundcover in a woodland garden. Good winter interest in an other wise brown winter garden. Erosion control on slopes. Is a valuable deer resistant plant for woodlands that deer browse. Useful in perennial, rock, water wise gardens and wildlife gardens. The fiddleheads are not edible.

spores on upper leaflets

People are of two minds regarding the  origin of our Wildflower Wednesday star's common name.  Some state emphatically that Christmas fern is so named because the leathery fronds are green throughout the winter and have been used as holiday decorations. Others say just as emphatically that the pinnae/leaflets, especially the larger ones, are shaped like a Christmas stocking or like Santa’s sleigh or boot.

I'll let you decide which you prefer.

xoxogail

Welcome to the November Wildflower Wednesday celebration. Today's star is a perfect plant to usher in winter with its evergreen foliage that's been used for winter decorations for generations.


Wildflower Wednesday is about sharing wildflowers from your part of the world. Don't worry if you have nothing in bloom, you can still showcase one of your favorites. It doesn't matter if we sometimes show the same plants; how they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. I hope you join the celebration...It's always the fourth Wednesday of the month!




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.

Wildflower Wednesday: Porteranthus stipulatus

Has fantastic fall color and charm going for it.

Indian Psychic sure looks pretty dressed in its fall colors

There's only one problem with this sweet rose family member and it's not the plant's fault.  It's mine.   I have it planted in the wrong spot.  It's too cute to be  hidden away when it packs this much color punch every fall.  This plant needs to be seen to be appreciated~That way visitors to Clay and Limestone will be sure to see it's many charms.

There are two leaf-like stipules at the base of each leaf which the appearance of being two smaller leaves

It's an easy-peasy native plant that is found naturally growing in rich woods on calcareous soils in a good portion of the Eastern US. They seem undeterred by the dry conditions in my garden, but, I do think they would be happier with a tad more sunshine, richer soil and room to spread to their full  growth possibility~three foot tall and wide.

The small (one inch) star shaped flowers bloom modestly each May despite their less than ideal growing conditions.  I find them very charming and have visions of this subshrub (small woody plant) massed in that same wildflower border with some  other plants edited out! The red stems look good with Aquilegia canadenses, Heuchera villosa and Pentemon digitalis.  I think this plant would work beautifully  in a small garden near a path where the small flowers would make a nice statement in the shade.

NOT deer candy!

Bowman's Root or American Psychic was introduced to me as Porteranthus stipulatus but, it is also known as Gillenia stipulata. Both are correct. Whatever you know it as,  it's a sweet little plant for your garden.

Give it a try.

PS You might be interested to learn that a pink flowered Porteranthus trifoliatus  has been discovered.  Yes, it's on my list!  The two Porteranthus differ in leaf shape. P stipulatus  has  two leaf-like stipules at the base of each leaf which gives the appearance of being two smaller leaves.  P trifoliatus doesn't.  

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.


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.

Coarsely-Hairy, But Lovely To Me

That's how the author of a book on Tennessee wildflowers describes Black-Eyed Susan. Coarsely-hairy! It’s possible that some might find her a less than refined flower. It’s true she has rough leaves and sun-flowery face that might be off-putting. Really, she is just a bit hairy. The hirta in Rudbekia hirta refers to hairs and she has them!

Take a close look at her in this photo, click to enlarge...She is indeed rather hairy. You can clearly see the tiny little hairs along her stem.

But coarse…that’s a bit much! Maybe she doesn’t belong in every garden but she is essential in mine.

Just as purple coneflower and liatris are waning...Black-Eyed Susan step ups to take a bow. Without this native which is often described as annual, biennial or even perennial this garden would look quite bare during late July and August. If I can keep her dead headed and sufficiently watered....she will be with me until the fall asters bloom.


The particulars:

She's happy in almost any aspect, although, a sunny site with adequate water is preferred. She’s a taller plant in full sun; bushier and fuller in shade. One thing you need to know…she is a prolific seeder and scatters her progeny about the gardens with glee.

She's found a home in a shadier bed at the base of Viburnum rufidulum. I leave her here to duke it out with native Columbine, River Oats and Hypericum; all vigorous self seeders.

Here’s Susan in the sunny bed with Black and Blue Salvia, Peachie's Pick Stokesia and Salvia Leucantha (yet to bloom).If you look closely, you can see that there is one flower per stem! Which makes for a very nice display in a vase or for holding her own next to tall plants in the sunny bed.

Don't you love her her black eye! It's a pretty cool cone. The dark cone or disk and golden petals are both florets. Floret is a term that's used with composite flowers. The best example of composite florets is broccoli! A large number of tiny flowers in a grouping that looks like one flower. In Susan's case it's a cone. The disk or cone floret is where all the faunal action takes place. The petal or ray florets are there to attract pollinators. A pretty golden party dress.

She has absolutely no fragrance. But she doesn’t need fragrance to attract bees, wasps, flies, butterflies and beetles for pollination. The bees take up the nectar and collect pollen along the journey. The caterpillar of silvery checkerspot feeds on the leaves. Finches occasionally feed on the seed, but they will fill up on the coneflower seeds first!


This member of the aster family's claim to fame are her sunny rays and dark center....but I celebrate her easy going nature, her long bloom time and her ability to tolerate shade. She may be coarsely–hairy, but she has her charms.


Gail

If we make our goal to live a life of compassion and unconditional love, then the world will indeed become a garden where all kinds of flowers can bloom and grow. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

When It's Too Wet To Work In The Garden, Take A Walk

One of the greenway waterfalls

This past Sunday afternoon we decided to walk in the park. Sundays are our time to talk about the past week and share plans for the coming week; so we usually head out to one of Nashville's natural areas. We decided on the Ashland City greenway.

Officially, it is named The Ashland City Bicentennial Trail. The trail in its former life was the site of the Tennessee Central Railroad tracks. There are tall bluffs on one side and a wide floodplain on the other. Beyond the floodplain is Sycamore Creek and the Sycamore Creek embayment (large cove). The trail is flat and wide, with plenty of room for bikers, walkers, joggers, parents with strollers and little kids on bikes. Completely accessible.

Either the city or a boyscout troop has done a great job of placing plant markers along the trail denoting native wildflowers, trees and even the invasives. There are carvings of the leaves on the markers to help you identify which plant in the greenery they are pointing you towards. Very clever way to educate trail users....


The bluffs are spectacular. I love river bluffs. I love thinking about water moving through and carving out the bedrock eons ago. We would walk a bit and I would stop and exclaim, "Look at that layered rock and stone, isn't it beautiful?" or "Oh, look at that columbine, isn't it amazing that plants can grow and thrive on that rock with hardly any soil?" It is amazing and beautiful.

The bluffs were also dotted with daffodils. Not quite in bloom but ready to open any day. Years ago some landowner on the top of the bluff lovingly planted bulbs in her yard (sorry guys but I think it was a woman) and now there they are growing all along the bluffs in the most unlikely places. Nature at work. I wonder how long ago they were planted and how far they traveled to find purchase on a bluff shelf.

There are even a few waterfalls. Bluffs always have waterfalls. What a nice sight and even better sound....with the water moving down the hillside. If only garden water features sounded that good.

Nothing is in bloom at this time, but soon the columbine, phacelia, spring beauties, trillium and other natives will be viewable. Columbine an evergreen, is happily growing all over the bluff ledges. It's going to be pretty this spring.


But don't limit your visit to spring, the summer may have a few surprises for you. If you're lucky you might see the American White water lily (Nymphaea odorata) in bloom. Look for it closer to the Sycamore Creek embayment.

Gail