Blog Posts

  • Verbena hastata

    Verbena hastata, “blue vervain” Verbenaceae Been wanting to post about this after I heard about friends using it for back pain. I believe I have seen it out car windows on the highway, but these photos from Illinois Wildflowers, as I just haven’t had time to go look at these. For cultivation, the preference is…

  • Lespedeza capitata

    Lespedeza capitata, “Round-headed bush clover” Fabaceae Thanks Calvin Maginel for pointing this out when we were on Stegall Mountain! Picture one is from Prairie Moon Nursery, picture two is my own and shows L. capitata is on the left, and Lespedeza virginica is pictured on the right, with a probable hybrid shown in the middle.…

  • Chamaecrista fasciculata

    Chamaecrista fasciculata, “showy partridge pea” Fabaceae I first met this native annual legume at Oak Spirit. Excellent pollinator plant with extra-floral nectaries at the base of its leaves. Meaning the thing is putting out nectar for pollinators that aren’t even visiting its flowers, much like some strains of elderberrie. It is often planted for honey…

  • Lespedeza frutescens

    Lespedeza frutescens, “Violet bush clover” Fabaceae First saw this working at ONSR, then Daniel Boone showed it to me in Mount Airy Forest at the buffalo clover patch. Was doing very well there. Stems usually much branched, often below middle, covered in appressed hairs. *Often grows in spreading clumps. Delicate overall appearance. Leaves 2-ranked on…

  • Passiflora incarnata

    Passiflora incarnata, “maypop”, “passion flower”, “happy dappies” Passifloraceae Pictures from Jenny Hipscher’s yard in Columbia, MO. Passion flower’s name refers to a bit of Catholic lore. Kids stepping on the fruit And making it loudly explode=maypop. Happy dappies is what Melissa calls it, because it makes her happy to stick her nose in since she…