Crow’s Nest: Plants we love, late June

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

While walking the dog after work today I noticed several of my favorite flowers in bloom along the trails. Above, Scutellaria integrifolia., hyssop skullcap, along Hopewell Road. Below, tall meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens).

Along the red trails behind the visitor center, fringed yellow-loosestrife, Lysimachia ciliata, which grows in floodplains.

And elderberry, Sambucus canadensis. We have more elderberry here than ever, but I can’t take credit for that. I’ve planted a few, because I know Senior Director of Building Stewardship Bob Johnson is fond of it and makes an elderberry jam from the fruit. But mainly it is expanding because we’ve been able to maintain some habitat free from invasive plants. It grows in sunny wet meadows.

There are a lot of other things to see—this was just one (dog) walk.