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.

Willowleaf Sunflower~Not Just Another Yellow Flower For The Garden!

Helianthus salicifolius

I had no idea I would fall head over heels for another yellow flower when I ordered Helianthus salicifolius last fall.  In fact,  I completely forgot I planted it below the Crapemyrtle, 'Natchez' until it budded and bloomed a few weeks ago.

It's been a lovely addition to the late summer/early fall  garden with its profuse late summer blooms and its graceful willow-like foliage.

 Although, I haven't been able to capture a decent photo of the bees that visit this darling,  I was able to catch a slow moving crab spider.  This tiny little creature uses  camouflage and stealth to capture its prey.   Crab Spiders really do resemble their namesake!   Their over sized first/front legs are  held open to grab their prey and  they walk sideways or backwards using their back legs to maneuver. Just like a tiny crab! But, I digress!

leans over after rain~but, I don't mind

Willow-leaf sunflower has so many pluses that I had to make an exception to my plant wildflowers  indigenous to the Central Basin rule.  Don't you agree that it's a perfect addition to the rough and tumble wildflower mix at Clay and Limestone!

• it has those pretty daisy like flowers that bloom from September through frost; 
• it's  attractive to wildlife; 
• lovely wispy leaves that resemble Amsonia hubrectii
• will grow in dry sunny spots;
• tolerates limestone; 
• it looks fabulous with all the purple and lilac flowers; and,
• has the potential to grow quite tall in the ideal spot.

It really isn't just another yellow daisy/composite flower to me.  It's a late blooming,  pollen rich plant that provides food for many types of bees and other pollinators,  insects, crab spiders and seed loving song birds.  Give it a try~You will love it!  But, you don't have to take my word for it!   Dee/Red Dirt Ramblings has it in her Central South garden, too.

xxoogail

Let's Celebrate Wildflowers This Week!

Baptisia 'Starlight Prairie Blues' is also in bloom.

It's been a great Spring for wildflowers at Clay and Limestone. Gardeners in Nashville and all around Tennessee, weren't surprised with any late freezes; so far we've had smaller weather events then the big flooding rains of last year; and, the temperatures are only now approaching 80F. The redbuds and dogwoods were the best I've seen them in years. Everything that can flower looks like it will! So, I am celebrating wildflowers everyday this week along with Frances of fairegarden and anyone else who wants to join the party. Post anytime this week~or everyday. Let's just celebrate!

Phlox pilosa, Aquilegia canadenses, Baptisias, Salvia lyrata, grasses and native friendly exotics

Wildflowers and native shrubs have to be rugged to grow in the shallow clay soil and survive our wet winters and dry summers. Cedar Glade natives and native friendly exotics that will grow and thrive in clay and limestone make sense.

Here's one that needs to be showcased more often; with a nod to several of its companion.

Salvia Lyrata

Lyreleaf Sage or Salvia lyrata

Some folks (and while I am not naming names, you know who you are~xoxo) still insist that this delightful wildflower is a lawn weed! Not in my eyes.

Blue Eyed Grass is a tiny little iris that grows best in average to poor soil!

When mixed with native sedges and grasses, and cutie pie Western Daisy and Blue Eyed Grass you can have a fantastic substitute for a water hungry lawn. The lawnette where Lyreleaf Sage grows is also Tommie Crocus friendly. I think it's a wonderful native~Good looking and functional.

Western Daisy is a native annual that makes a lawn pop from Spring through the Summer

Salvia lyrata is native to the wood's edge, thickets, roadsides, tall meadows and lawns of the eastern USA. Give it full sun, deep shade or anything in between: sandy or clay soil; and, occasional moisture! Our summer droughts and humidity don't faze it! It can be walked on, mowed or left alone to create a delightful groundcover.

It's a mint family member with a square stem and two lipped blossom and it will make a nice groundcover.

Lyreleaf sage has the square stem and 2-lipped blossom of the mints. Its pale-blue to violet, tubular flowers are arranged in whorls around the stem forming an interrupted, terminal spike. (spaces between whorled flowers) Each blossom is about 1 inch long.

This lip is the perfect bee landing pad! That makes me smile!

The exposed lower lip of this and other salvias provides an excellent landing platform for bees. When a bee lands, the two stamens are tipped, and the insect is doused with pollen.

I never tire of saying or feeling this~Isn't nature amazing!

xxoogail

PS More wildflowers to come. Mid week will bring us around to Wildflower Wednesday for any regular participants. Please note that Mr Linky will be on the sidebar all week! Feel free to join anytime.


This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for my blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011.This work protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.

Wildflower Wednesday~~Let's Be Honest About Honesty!

Lunaria annua Spring 2009
It's not a native wildflower!
It just acts like one in my garden.

"That's a lovely bunch of flowers!" said a neighbor I passed on the street a few months back.

It's an introduced species from the mustard family!

I looked at the 'bouquet' of lunaria annua seedpods that a neighboring gardener had given me and suppressed my urge to respond with anything other than a smile and thanks.

It's not invasive in Tennessee, but it does seed itself about a garden.
It looks lovely in a woodland setting or natural garden.

There was no way to explain that the lunaria seed heads were beautiful in my eyes. Seed heads of most plants have an unconventional charm and beauty that gardeners appreciate.

The early stage might be my favorite seed look.

The subtle tans, the deep browns and even the gray coloring just before the seeds are released are not dulled and dead flowers to us.

The flowers attract long tongued bees and butterflies.
Cabbage Whites feed on the foliage

We see a flower and a garden in every seed.

That's exactly what I envisioned walking home with my bouquet of brown and mildewed seedpods...A swath of white flowers in my

It blooms in early April just before PPPP

mostly pink and lavender spring garden. ...These seedheads were special.

They were from an all white garden~~A yearned for color. There was one white Honesty plant in my garden~~Only one each season, no matter how often I spread the plant's seeds about. Cross your fingers that the gifted seedpods may grow into beautiful white lunaria.

But, even if,

Lunaria is a biennial and is known as Money Plant and Honesty

the flowers are magenta

Happiest in hardiness zones 4a to 8b
Think Garden Of Benign Neglect to get the full picture!

There's nothing to complain about.

Honestly!

Gail

Honesty is the best policy. - Miguel de Cervantes

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