What's Blooming in the Park?
2008

23 November 2008
I was out of town last week, attending a wedding in Massachusetts, where, surprisingly, many maple trees still had their leaves.  In any event, I missed checking the Park.  This Sunday, I made my usual walk through the Park.  All I saw in bloom was the nodding bur marigolds near the entrance, which are still blooming merrily.  The witch-hazel that I saw was finished, but there might some still in bloom somewhere in the Park, and there could be a lonely aster hanging on somewhere.  With the recent snow squalls and frigid temperatures, winter has truly come to the Park.

With this final entry, I am closing down the What's Blooming chronicle.  I probably won't do this again next year, but this year's chronicle will remain on the web, and will still be useful in subsequent years.  I will continue to add photos and plant descriptions to the website, and I will update the links on this page, so it will be ever more useful.

As we close the book on a year in the life of Wildwood, it is interesting to look back on what was seen.  From the spring beauties first seen March 16th to the nodding bur marigolds still in bloom, we recorded 183 native and 73 alien species blooming in the Park, for a grand total of 256 species.  They are listed below in approximately the order they began to bloom:

183 Natives:  Spring beauty, round-lobed hepatica, sharp-lobed hepatica, spicebush, bloodroot, toothwort, Dutchman's breeches, small-flowered crowfoot, hooked crowfoot, star chickweed, rue anemone, American hazelnut, redbud, common blue violet, pale violet, three-lobed violet, smooth rockcress, large-flowered bellwort, perfoliate bellwort, blue cohosh, dwarf larkspur, large-flowered trillium, fairy bells, yellow trout lily, early meadow rue, hispid buttercup, pussytoes, hoary puccoon, heart-leaved Alexanders, Mayapple, wild ginger, Jack-in-the-pulpit, flowering dogwood, wild geranium, aniseroot, yellow pimpernel, green-and-gold, cleavers, Carolina vetch, smooth blackhaw, sweet buckeye, mountain phlox, wood anemone, prairie ragwort, golden ragwort, Canada columbine, ironwood, black locust, tulip poplar, alternate-leaved dogwood, carrion flower, American barberry, four-leaved milkweed, lyre-leaved sage, fringe tree, Solomon's seal, false Solomon's-seal, yellow stargrass, Robin's plantain, blue-eyed grass, black cherry, green violet, wild stonecrop, alumroot, blackberry, wild yam, black cohosh, thimbleweed, leatherflower, waxy meadow rue, Carolina rose, staghorn sumac, common fleabane, annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, wild petunia, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, hemp dogbane, hoptree, Ohio spiderwort, shrubby St. Johnswort, narrow-leaved houstonia, greater coreopsis, flowering spurge, wild bergamot, whorled rosinweed, tall larkspur, lopseed, white wood aster, woodland sunflower, white avens, American basswood, pokeweed, wild hydrangea, pointed-leaved tick trefoil, perplexed tick trefoil, oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, fringed loosestrife, tall bellflower, enchanter's nightshade, wild potato vine, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, small-flowered leafcup, monkeyflower,  butterflyweed, swamp milkweed, green milkweed, cattail, American germander, carpenter's square, trumpet creeper, agrimony, small-flowered agrimony, horse nettle, wild basil, downy rattlesnake plantain, nodding onion, wild lettuce, virgin's-bower, Indian pipe, Joe-Pye weed, sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed, boneset, biennial gaura,false pennyroyal, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, white snakeroot, hog peanut, green-headed coneflower, stinging nettle, eyebane, wild sensitive plant, common ragweed, giant ragweed, elm-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, tall goldenrod, broad-leaved goldenrod, Indian tobacco, white vervain, New York ironweed, climbing false buckwheat, great blue lobelia, purpleleaf willowherb, northern bugleweed, silverrod, cowbane, tall rattlesnake root, tall white lettuce, mild water pepper,  clearweed, wood nettle, sneezeweed, field thistle, Spanish needles, heath aster, crooked-stem aster, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster, panicled aster, Lowry's aster, wavy-leaved aster, devil’s beggartick, late-flowering thoroughwort, fireweed, witch-hazel. and nodding bur-marigold.

73 Aliens: Hairy bittercress, Persian speedwell, ivy-leaved speedwell, purple dead nettle, coltsfoot, daffodil, gill-over-the-ground, dandelion, creeping buttercup, periwinkle, common chickweed, common wintercress, white poplar. mock strawberry, Japanese quince, yellow iris, apple, Morrow honeysuckle, garlic mustard, poet's narcissus, lily-of-the-valley, dame's rocket, narrow-leaved vetch, watercress, honesty, garden columbine, princess tree, Oriental bittersweet, big-flowered rhododendron, poison hemlock, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, curled dock, wineberry, asparagus, bittersweet nightshade, autumn dandelion, multiflora rose, yarrow, low hop clover, red clover, white clover, rabbit-foot clover, white sweet clover, crown vetch, oxeye daisy, orange daylily, viper's bugloss, chicory, creeping bellflower, tree-of-heaven, yellow bedstraw, bee balm, heal-all, teasel, Japanese clover, everlasting pea, nodding thistle, Canada thistle, bull thistle, Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, moth mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, common oxalis, quickweed, English plantain, common plantain, rough-fruited cinquefoil, butterflybush, burdock, catnip, spearmint, Deptford pink, black medick, Jimson weed, black nightshade, hedge bindweed, Asiatic dayflower, bouncing bet, and peppermint.

9 November 2008
I made my usual walk through the Park Sunday.  I saw 6 species in bloom, all natives.  The witch-hazel, which is probably going to be blooming later than anything else in the Park is still going strong.  The nodding bur marigolds near the entrance are also in full bloom and quite cheerful looking.  Three asters are still hanging on: Lowry's aster, panicled aster, and  heart-leaved aster.    In Connelly's Run floodplain, amid the brown dying wreckage of the cup plants, a single forlorn, lonely, confused cup plant is still green and blooming.

2 November 2008
I made my usual walk through the Park Sunday, but was not able to spend much time there.  A mere  four species were observed in bloom, the lowest number since I started the census of blooms in March.  Though the weather was sunny and warm, there is no question that winter is on its way.

• Still blooming: 

  4 Natives:  Lowry's aster, panicled aster, witch-hazel and  nodding bur-marigold.

26 October 2008
I did spend a couple of hours in the Park Sunday, along with many other people taking advantage of this beautiful fall weather.  I only counted 14 species in bloom, although I'm sure there were a few others still hanging on as I didn't try to identify a few asters and goldenrods that were on their last blooms.  The Park continues to surprise me; two species I saw today, I had not seen before in the park: wavy-leaved aster and nodding bur-marigold.  The aster was nearly finished flowering, so apparently I just didn't recognize it earlier. The bur-marigold is in full beautiful bloom just outside the gate of the Park.

• Still blooming: 

  3 Aliens:  Spotted knapweed, dandelion, and red clover.

  9 Natives:  Common evening primrose, Lowry's aster, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster,  sneezeweed, tall rattlesnake root, black-eyed Susan, mild water pepper, and  witch-hazel.

   

• Newly seen: 

  2 Natives:  Wavy-leaved aster and nodding bur-marigold.

19 October 2008
I managed only a short walk through the Park this weekend, and saw only 9 species in bloom.  There have not been that few species noted in bloom since March 23rd!  The Park is clearly shutting down for the coming winter.

• Still blooming: 

  9 Natives:  Pale jewelweed, broad-leaved goldenrod, wingstem, common evening primrose, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster, panicled aster,  sneezeweed, and  witch-hazel.

   

12 October 2008
I managed only a short walk through the Park this weekend, and saw only 16 species in bloom.  There were probably more as I was not able to visit many of the areas I visited last weekend.  Most of the color in the Park now comes from the foliage, especially the oranges of sugar maple, the yellows of witch hazel and redbud and the reds of sumac.  The white and blue of the asters make a subdued counterpoint.  The goldenrods are on their way out for the year.  A surprise was finding some pale jewelweed in bloom after several weeks of not seeing it, however, the spotted species was not seen this time.

• Still blooming: 

  3 Aliens:  Spotted knapweed, dandelion, chicory.

  13 Natives:  Pale jewelweed, black-eyed Susan, broad-leaved goldenrod, wingstem, common evening primrose, heath aster, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster, panicled aster, Lowry's aster,  mild water pepper, wood nettle, and sneezeweed.

   

• Not seen but probably still blooming:  The alien common chickweed, and native fireweed.

   

5 October 2008
I took a 2 hour hike through the Park, mostly photographing fruits and fall foliage.  Asters and goldenrods rule!  But the Park is definitely shutting down for the winter.  I found only 26 species in bloom.  The glory of the Park right now are the pale blue blooms of the heart-leaved asters lining many trails and parts of the bikepath.

• Still blooming: 

  4 Aliens:  Everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace, spotted knapweed, common chickweed .

  18 Natives:  Spotted jewelweed, black-eyed Susan, tall goldenrod, broad-leaved goldenrod, silverrod, wingstem, common evening primrose, heath aster, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster, panicled aster, great blue lobelia, tall rattlesnake root, mild water pepper, clearweed, wood nettle, sneezeweed, and wild basil.

   

• Newly seen: 

  4 Natives:  Lowry's aster, late-flowering thoroughwort, fireweed and witch-hazel.

   

21 September 2008
I was not able to spend much time in the Park, but I did walk several trails.  The goldenrods and asters dominate, and the great blue lobelias are still going strong.  Spotted jewelweed is still blooming, but the pale species seems to have dropped out, but then, it did start blooming first.  I found 34 species in bloom on this last day of summer.

• Still blooming: 

  2 Aliens:  Chicory and red clover.

  30 Natives:  Spotted jewelweed, virgin's-bower, black-eyed Susan, tall goldenrod, elm-leaved goldenrod, broad-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, silverrod, boneset, biennial gaura, wingstem, common evening primrose, small woodland sunflower, common ragweed, heath aster, crooked-stem aster, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster, New York ironweed, climbing false buckwheat, great blue lobelia, cowbane, tall rattlesnake root, tall white lettuce, mild water pepper, clearweed, wood nettle, sneezeweed, wild lettuce, and oxeye.

   

• Newly seen: 

  2 Natives:  Panicled aster and devil’s beggartick.

   

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace,  quickweed, and crown vetch.,

  Natives:  Wild basil, field thistle, Spanish needles,.

14 September 2008
I did a couple of hours in the Park, mostly trying to identify asters and goldenrods.  I found 55 species in bloom.  The highlight of the blooms is still the great blue lobelias with their deep blue spikes all over the Park. 

• Still blooming: 

  11 Aliens:  Chicory, common oxalis, heal-all, everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace, oxeye daisy, quickweed, red clover, spotted knapweed, Jimson weed, and crown vetch.

  40 Natives:  Pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, flowering spurge, perplexed tick trefoil,  thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, tall goldenrod, elm-leaved goldenrod, broad-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, silverrod, Joe-Pye weed, boneset, white snakeroot, biennial gaura, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, hog peanut, small woodland sunflower, common ragweed, heath aster, crooked-stem aster, New York ironweed, climbing false buckwheat, great blue lobelia, cowbane, tall rattlesnake root, mild water pepper, tall white lettuce, small-flowered agrimony, clearweed, wood nettle, sneezeweed, wild lettuce, cattail, wild basil, whorled rosinweed, and green-headed coneflower.

   

• Newly seen: 

  4 Natives:  Field thistle, Spanish needles, purple-stemmed aster, heart-leaved aster.

   

7 September 2008
With Radford University now open, I did not have time to take a long stroll through the Park, but I did pass through a good section of it on the way somewhere else.   I found 43 species in bloom.  However, many of the plants blooming last week are still blooming, even if I did not notice them. 

• Still blooming: 

  5 Aliens:  Chicory, common plantain, common oxalis, burdock, and bull thistle.

  33 Natives:  Pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, flowering spurge, perplexed tick trefoil, cup plant, cardinal flower, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, tall goldenrod, elm-leaved goldenrod, silverrod, nodding onion, Joe-Pye weed, sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed, boneset, biennial gaura, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, hog peanut,  small woodland sunflower, common ragweed, heath aster, crooked-stem aster, New York ironweed, climbing false buckwheat, great blue lobelia, purpleleaf willowherb, cowbane, tall rattlesnake root, tall white lettuce, and small-flowered agrimony,

   

• Newly seen: 

  5 Natives:  Clearweed, wood nettle, sneezeweed, broad-leaved goldenrod, and a white-flowered aster I couldn't identify.

31 August 2008
I spent a couple of hours in the Park Sunday afternoon.  Summer is definitely fading and autumn is taking over the Park.  That means goldenrods and asters, neither of which are easy to identify.  As I am no expert, there could easily be a species or two of these that I missed.  This week I did not have time to visit the open fields at the north end of the Park, ore the area around the outdoor classroom, both species rich, so I'm sure a number of flowers are blooming that I didn't record.  Still I cataloged 70 plants in bloom.  The highlight of the Park right now, I would say, are the great blue lobelias blooming in sunny places all over.

• Still blooming: 

  21 Aliens:  Chicory, oxeye daisy, bittersweet nightshade, black nightshade, red clover, white clover, crown vetch, heal-all, everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace, moth mullein, spotted knapweed,  English plantain, common plantain, common oxalis, burdock,  black medick, Jimson weed, quickweed, bull thistle, and Japanese honeysuckle.

  37 Natives: Annual fleabane, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, flowering spurge, pokeweed, perplexed tick trefoil, cup plant, cardinal flower, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, cattail,  tall goldenrod, elm-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, nodding onion, virgin's-bower, Joe-Pye weed, sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed, boneset, biennial gaura, false pennyroyal, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, hog peanut, green-headed coneflower, eyebane, wild sensitive plant, carpenter's square, small woodland sunflower, stinging nettle, common ragweed, wild lettuce, white wood aster, heath aster and New York ironweed

   

• Newly seen: 

  1 Alien:  Peppermint.

  11 Natives:  Climbing false buckwheat, great blue lobelia, purpleleaf willowherb, northern bugleweed, silverrod, cowbane, crooked-stem aster, tall rattlesnake root, tall white lettuce, mild water pepper, and giant ragweed

   

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Common chickweed,dandelion, and autumn dandelion,

  Natives:  Daisy fleabane, wild basil, small-flowered agrimony, and white vervain.

24 August 2008
I did not have a chance to tour the Park this weekend, but I did pass through on my way somewhere else.  The state of blooming seemed much the same as last week, except that New York ironweed has begun to bloom.

16 August 2008
I spent much of Saturday morning in the Park.  The summer blooms are peaking and the fall blooms are starting to come in.  An amazing record 91 plants were noted in bloom!  The blue-flowered legume from last week turned out to be a perplexed tick trefoil with faded blossoms, so last week's total was only 80.

• Still blooming: 

  30 Aliens:  Chicory, oxeye daisy, bittersweet nightshade, red clover, white clover, crown vetch, bee balm, heal-all, everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, moth mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, common chickweed, Japanese clover, yellow bedstraw, English plantain, common plantain, common oxalis, butterflybush, burdock,  black medick, Jimson weed, dandelion, quickweed, catnip, autumn dandelion, bull thistle, and Deptford pink.

  50 Natives: Annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, monkeyflower, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, flowering spurge, whorled rosinweed, white avens, pokeweed, pointed-leaved tick trefoil, perplexed tick trefoil, oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, tall bellflower, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, swamp milkweed, cattail, American germander, agrimony, wild basil, small-flowered leafcup, downy rattlesnake plantain, elm-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, nodding onion, horse nettle, virgin's-bower, Joe-Pye weed, sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed, biennial gaura, boneset,, false pennyroyal, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, white snakeroot, hog peanut, green-headed coneflower, eyebane, wild sensitive plant, yarrow, carpenter's square, trumpet creeper, small woodland sunflower, stinging nettle, and tall larkspur.

   

• Newly seen: 

  4 Aliens:  Black nightshade, hedge bindweed, Asiatic dayflower and bouncing bet.

  7 Natives:  Common ragweed (those allergic watch out!), tall goldenrod, Indian tobacco, small-flowered agrimony, white vervain, heath aster and Ohio spiderwort.  (Spiderworts bloom in the late spring and take most of the summer off before blooming again in the late summer.)

   

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Japanese honeysuckle.

  Natives:  White wood aster.

10 August 2008
I was away last week, and busy the previous weekend, so I have not visited the Park in two weeks.  My notes today a record 81 species in bloom! 

• Still blooming: 

  26 Aliens:  Chicory, oxeye daisy, bittersweet nightshade, red clover, white clover, low hop clover, crown vetch, creeping bellflower, bee balm, white sweet clover, heal-all, everlasting pea, Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, common chickweed, yellow bedstraw, English plantain,common plantain, common oxalis, butterflybush, burdock, spearmint, Japanese honeysuckle, and rabbit-foot clover.

  34 Natives:  Annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, monkeyflower, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, narrow-leaved houstonia, flowering spurge, whorled rosinweed, white wood aster, white avens,pokeweed, pointed-leaved tick trefoil, oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, fringed loosestrife, tall bellflower, wild potato vine, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, swamp milkweed, cattail, American germander, agrimony, wild basil, small-flowered leafcup, downy rattlesnake plantain, elm-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, nodding onion, horse nettle, virgin's-bower, and sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed.

   

• Newly seen: 

  4 Aliens:  Black medick, moth mullein, Japanese clover and Jimson weed.

  16 Natives:  Green milkweed, Joe-Pye weed, biennial gaura, boneset, false pennyroyal, wingstem, horse balm, common evening primrose, Virginia knotweed, perplexed tick trefoil, white snakeroot, hog peanut, green-headed coneflower, stinging nettle, eyebane, and wild sensitive plant.

One other plant in bloom was a blue-flowered member of the pea family that I am still trying to identify -- that makes 81.

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Dandelion, quickweed, and Deptford pink,

  Natives:  Yarrow and wild lettuce.

   

27 July 2008
This week my notes record 75 species in bloom; the Park is still in peak form!  The downy rattlesnake plantain is a new species for the Park, and the first orchid recorded in the Park.  The Indian pipe and sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed are also new records for the Park.

• Still blooming: 

  26 Aliens:  Dame's rocket, oxeye daisy,  bittersweet nightshade, red clover, white clover, low hop clover, crown vetch, creeping bellflower, bee balm, white sweet clover, heal-all, teasel, cleavers, everlasting pea, Canada thistle, Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, common chickweed, yellow bedstraw, English plantain, quickweed, common plantain, common oxalis, and the presumed butterflybush.

  36 Natives:  Annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, leatherflower, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, shrubby St. Johnswort, narrow-leaved houstonia, greater coreopsis, flowering spurge, wild bergamot, whorled rosinweed, tall larkspur, white wood aster, small woodland sunflower, white avens, pokeweed, pointed-leaved tick trefoil, oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, fringed loosestrife, tall bellflower, wild potato vine, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, butterflyweed, swamp milkweed, cattail, American germander, trumpet creeper, agrimony, wild basil, carpenter’s square, lopseed, and small-flowered leafcup.

   

• Newly seen: 

  5 Aliens:  Bull thistle, burdock, catnip, spearmint, and Deptford pink.

  8 Natives:  Downy rattlesnake plantain, elm-leaved goldenrod, showy goldenrod, nodding onion, wild lettuce, virgin's-bower, Indian pipe, and sweet-scented Joe-Pye weed.

   

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Dandelion and rabbit-foot clover.

  Natives:  Monkeyflower, yarrow and horse nettle.

   

20 July 2008
I walked the Park Sunday afternoon, hot but lovely weather.  My notes record 70 species in bloom, beating last week's record by 10!  (There were probably more since I did not visit some areas I visited last week, and may also have just not noticed some of the weeds still blooming.)

• Still blooming: 

  26 Aliens:  Chicory, dame's rocket, curled dock, oxeye daisy,  bittersweet nightshade, viper's bugloss, red clover, low hop clover, crown vetch, creeping bellflower, nodding thistle, bee balm, white sweet clover, heal-all, teasel, cleavers, everlasting pea, Canada thistle, Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, dandelion, common chickweed, yellow bedstraw, and English plantain.

  30 Natives:  Annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, leatherflower, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, black cohosh (practically finished, though), shrubby St. Johnswort, narrow-leaved houstonia, greater coreopsis, flowering spurge, wild bergamot, whorled rosinweed, tall larkspur, white wood aster, small woodland sunflower, white avens, pokeweed, hemp dogbane, pointed-leaved tick trefoil, oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, fringed loosestrife, tall bellflower, wild potato vine, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, yarrow and butterflyweed.
   

• Newly seen: 

  5 Aliens:  Quickweed, common plantain, rabbit-foot clover, rough-fruited cinquefoil and what appears to be a butterflybush (how did that get in the Park?)

  9 Natives:  Monkeyflower, swamp milkweed, cattail, American germander, trumpet creeper, agrimony, horse nettle, wild basil and carpenter’s square.
   

• Not seen, but probably still blooming: 

  Aliens:  Autumn dandelion, white clover, and common oxalis.

  Natives:  Lopseed, enchanter's nightshade and small-flowered leafcup.
   

13 July 2008
I spent 3 hours walking in the Park in the heat of Saturday and a much shorter time walking through on Sunday morning before the storms.  My notes record 60 species in bloom, a record for this year!  The enchanter's nightshade and small-flowered leafcup, along with the lopseed first seen last week, are new records for the park.  Three newly discovered native species in 8 days!

• Still blooming: 

  20 Aliens:  Dame's rocket, curled dock, oxeye daisy,  bittersweet nightshade, viper's bugloss, white clover, red clover, low hop clover, crown vetch, creeping bellflower, nodding thistle, garlic mustard , bee balm, white sweet clover, heal-all, teasel, cleavers, autumn dandelion, everlasting pea, and Canada thistle.

  21 Natives:  Annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, thimbleweed, leatherflower, pale jewelweed, Ohio spiderwort, black cohosh, shrubby St. Johnswort, narrow-leaved houstonia, greater coreopsis, flowering spurge, wild bergamot, whorled rosinweed, tall larkspur, lopseed, white wood aster, white avens, pokeweed, wild hydrangea, hemp dogbane,and pointed-leaved tick trefoil.
   

• Newly seen: 

  6 Aliens:  Queen-Anne’s-lace, common mullein, spotted knapweed, common St. Johnswort, common oxalis, and English plantain.

  12 Natives:  Oxeye, cup plant, cardinal flower, pale Indian plantain, fringed loosestrife, tall bellflower, enchanter's nightshade, wild potato vine, thin-leaved coneflower, black-eyed Susan, small-flowered leafcup, and butterflyweed.

  Also cinquefoil, but not sure of species.

6 July 2008
I spent several hours in the afternoon searching for New Jersey tea.  I found one plant, but it had finished blooming.  I also noted another 46 species in bloom.  Some 15 of these are natives that I saw blooming for the first time this year.  A lot can change when you go away for even a little while!

• 16 aliens still blooming:  Dame's rocket, Japanese honeysuckle, curled dock, orange daylily, oxeye daisy,  bittersweet nightshade, viper's bugloss, white clover, red clover, low hop clover, crown vetch, chicory, creeping bellflower, dandelion, and nodding thistle.  In addition, the horribly invasive garlic mustard is blooming again, throwing out a few blossoms while most of the plants are dying back.

• 6 aliens newly blooming:  Bee balm, white sweet clover, heal-all, teasel, everlasting pea, and Canada thistle.  (The everlasting pea, I think, has been blooming awhile, and I just forgot to note it.)

• 9 natives still blooming:  Black cohosh, annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, thimbleweed, leatherflower, pale jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, Ohio spiderwort, and green-and-gold (still blooming!).

• 15 newly blooming natives:  Shrubby St. Johnswort, narrow-leaved houstonia, greater coreopsis, flowering spurge, wild bergamot, whorled rosinweed, tall larkspur, lopseed, white wood aster, woodland sunflower, white avens, American basswood, pokeweed, wild hydrangea, and pointed-leaved tick trefoil.  The lopseed is a new discovery for the Park, not reported previously.

29 June 2008
I have been out of town so there has been no posting here for a while.  Today I missed visiting the Park on account of the weather, but yesterday, on a run through part of the Park, I noticed that thimbleweed, leatherflower, dame's rocket, curled dock, oxeye daisy, viper's bugloss and chicory were still blooming.  In addition, yellow bedstraw is now blooming on the edge of the Park, above the tunnel.  I have not seen this beautiful, but alien species in the Park before.

15 June 2008
I made a quick walkthrough of the Park on my way elsewhere this morning, and a more leisurely tour in the afternoon.  I noted 33 species in bloom.

• 15 aliens still blooming:  Dame's rocket, Japanese honeysuckle, curled dock, orange daylily, wineberry,  privet, asparagus, oxeye daisy,  bittersweet nightshade, viper's bugloss, creeping buttercup, poison hemlock, white clover, red clover and crown vetch.

• 4 aliens newly blooming:  Chicory, creeping bellflower, tree-of-heaven, and nodding thistle.

• 8 natives still blooming:  Black cohosh, alumroot, annual fleabane, thimbleweed, leatherflower, wild petunia,  waxy meadow rue and Carolina rose.

• 6 newly blooming natives:  Pale jewelweed, smooth blackhaw, daisy fleabane, hemp dogbane, hoptree, and Ohio spiderwort.

12 June 2008
On my way to the first lecture of the summer at the Outdoor Classroom, I noticed a few species now in bloom that were not blooming Sunday (the 8th): the native wild petunia and three aliens, oxeye daisy, orange daylily and viper's bugloss.

8 June 2008
I was out of town for the end of May and so could not update the Blooming list.  Sunday, despite the heat, I spent several hours in the Park.  Spring and fall tend to be peak flowering times in this part of the world.  It is thus not surprising that the number of species blooming is dropping from its spring high as we now begin summer.  Only 36 species were seen in bloom this visit, and many of them were alien weeds that bloom much of the summer.

• 6 aliens still blooming:  Dame's rocket, watercress, yellow Iris, garlic mustard, common chickweed and white clover.

• 13 aliens newly blooming:  Poison hemlock, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, curled dock, wineberry, asparagus, bittersweet nightshade, autumn dandelion, multiflora rose, yarrow, low hop clover, red clover and crown vetch.

• 9 natives still blooming:  Alumroot, common fleabane, mountain phlox, tulip poplar, Solomon's seal, pale violet, blackberry, blue-eyed grass and green-and-gold.

• 7 newly blooming natives:  black cohosh, thimbleweed, leatherflower, waxy meadow rue, Carolina rose, staghorn sumac and annual fleabane.

• Also spotted was cinquefoil, but I didn't see any close-up enough to identify.

17 May 2008
I spent a very enjoyable morning exploring the Park, which was in fine form.  Some 53 species were seen in bloom!

• 11 aliens still blooming:  Creeping buttercup, garlic mustard, Morrow honeysuckle, common winter cress, Dame's rocket, gill-over-the-ground, purple dead nettle, dandelion, Persian speedwell, narrow-leaved vetch, and mock strawberry.

• 7 aliens newly blooming: Yellow Iris, Watercress, honesty, garden columbine, princess tree, white clover, Oriental bittersweet and big-flowered rhododendron.  

• 18 natives still blooming:  Black locust, tulip poplar, prairie ragwort, Canada columbine, yellow pimpernel, hoary puccoon,  rue anemone (still blooming!!), pussytoes, green-and-gold, common fleabane, mountain phlox, aniseroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit, wild geranium, cleavers, dwarf larkspur (only a very few still blooming), hooked crowfoot, and pale violet.

• 18 newly blooming natives: Alternate-leaved dogwood, carrion flower,  American barberry, four-leaved milkweed, lyre-leaved sage, fringe tree, Solomon's seal, false Solomon's-seal, yellow stargrass, Robin's plantain, blue-eyed grass, black cherry, green violet, wild stonecrop, alumroot, blackberry, wild yam, and golden ragwort.

11 May 2008
I did not get a chance to visit the Park this week.  Likely the species blooming were much the same as last week, although the earlier bloomers, coltsfoot, spring beauty, wild ginger, redbud and trillium may have dropped out.  In addition, passing the Park, I noticed that black locusts are in full bloom.  Tulip poplars are blooming outside the Park, and are probably blooming inside as well.

1 and 4 May 2008
With my grading done, I played hooky and spent  a couple of hours hiking the Park on Thursday, May 1st.  I also took a shorter walk through on Sunday, May 4th.  The following 48 species were noted in bloom:

• 12 aliens still blooming:  Dandelion, common winter cress, garlic mustard, mock strawberry, common chickweed, gill-over-the-ground, Persian speedwell, purple dead nettle, coltsfoot, creeping buttercup, lily of the valley and Morrow honeysuckle.

• 2 aliens newly blooming: Dame's rocket and narrow-leaved vetch.

• 24 natives still blooming:  Jack-in-the-pulpit, wild geranium, aniseroot, yelllow pimpernel, green-and-gold, Carolina vetch, small-flowered crowfoot, spring beauty, common blue violet, pale violet, star chickweed, rue anemone, smooth rockcress, blue cohosh, cleavers, dwarf larkspur, large-flowered trillium, fairy bells, hoary puccoon, heart-leaved Alexanders, Mayapple, wild ginger, redbud and flowering dogwood.

• 10 newly blooming natives: Sweet buckeye, hooked crowfoot, mountain phlox, perfoliate bellwort, wood anemone, three-lobed violet, prairie ragwort, Canada columbine, common fleabane, and ironwood.

27 April 2008
I took a relatively short walk through the Park today before the rains came in.  Bloodroot, Dutchman's breeches, hepatica and trout lilies appear to be done for the year.  Otherwise most of the things in bloom last week were still blooming this week.  In addition, the following 11 species were newly seen in bloom:

• 2 aliens:  poet's narcissus and  lily-of-the-valley.

• 9 natives: Jack-in-the-pulpit, flowering dogwood, wild geranium, aniseroot, yelllow pimpernel, green-and-gold, cleavers, Carolina vetch and smooth blackhaw.

19 April 2008
I took a walk through yesterday, and led a walk for Treefest.  The bittercress, spicebush, daffodils, and most of the bloodroot are finished for the year, but some 42 species were seen in bloom.

• 10 alien weeds continue blooming: dandelion, common winter cress, common chickweed, gill-over-the-ground, purple dead nettle, coltsfoot, Persian speedwell, ivy-leaved speedwell, creeping buttercup and periwinkle.

• 6 aliens have begun to bloom: mock strawberry, Japanese quince, yellow iris, apple Morrow honeysuckle, and the horribly invasive garlic mustard.

• 10 natives continue blooming  small-flowered crowfoot, spring beauty, common blue violet, toothwort, Dutchman's breeches, star chickweed, redbud, sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone, and the last few bloodroots. 

• And 15 new natives have begun to bloom: pale violet, smooth rockcress, large-flowered bellwort, blue cohosh, dwarf larkspur, large-flowered trillium, fairy bells, yellow trout lily, early meadow rue, hispid buttercup, pussytoes, hoary puccoon, heart-leaved Alexanders, Mayapple, and wild ginger.

This week might be the flowering peak for Wildwood.  (We'll see, next week.)

13 April 2008
Unfortunately, I was not able to walk through the Park this weekend -- a combination of grading, a cold, and the weather.  However, passing by, I could not miss the fact that the redbuds have begun to bloom.

6 April 2008
A long walk through the Park found essentially the same things blooming as last week.  I did not see any round-lobed hepatica, but the sharp-lobed species is still blooming.  The highlight this week is the big patches of Dutchman's breeches along the west side trails.

Three additional alien weeds noticed in bloom: common chickweed, common wintercress, and the alien tree white poplar.

Preview of common attractions, redbud, blue cohosh, yellow trout lily, and dwarf larkspur, all natives, are in bud and will soon be blooming.

29 March 2008
Despite the threat of rain about 25 people turned out for a Virginia Native Plant Society walk through the park this morning.  Twenty-two species were found in bloom. 

• 6 alien weeds that were also blooming last week:  hairy bittercress, Persian speedwell, ivy-leaved speedwell, purple dead nettle, coltsfoot, and daffodils.

• 4 newly blooming alien weeds: gill-over-the-ground, dandelion, creeping buttercup and periwinkle.

• 4 natives that were also blooming last week: spring beauty, round-lobed hepatica, spicebush, and bloodroot. 

• And 8 natives newly blooming this week: toothwort, Dutchman's breeches, small-flowered crowfoot, star chickweed, sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone, common blue violet and American hazelnut.

The American hazelnut has not been reported in the Park before; however it was in plain view, so it apparently had been merely overlooked until now.

23 March 2008
Ten species now in bloom.  The seven seen last week (see below) plus three new native species:  round-lobed hepatica, spicebush, and bloodroot.  Toothwort and Dutchman's breeches were in bud and will be starting to bloom soon.

16 March 2008
I noticed seven species in bloom on an afternoon stroll, one native and six exotic weeds.  The native was spring beauty.  The weeds: hairy bittercress, Persian speedwell, ivy-leaved speedwell, purple dead nettle, coltsfoot, and daffodils.  If anyone has seen anything else, I'd be happy to hear from you.