10 June 2024
Between the glory of woodland spring ephemerals and summer time’s splash of native area flowers, June has fewer blooming natives. On a stroll yesterday alongside the Three Rivers Heritage Path close to Millvale I discovered a number of fairly flowers, a lot of them invasive.
Orange day-lily (Hemerocallis fulva) is native to Asia and effectively established in Pennsylvania. You’ll see it blooming in ditches, alongside railroad tracks and in gardens. It pops up in so many locations that it has no less than 10 frequent names. Orange day-lily is taken into account invasive in Pennsylvania as a result of its tubers create thick clumps that crowd out native vegetation in delicate habitats.
Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) is listed as one of many world’s worst invasive species. Proper now its flowers have simply opened in southwestern PA. By the top of summer time the flowers shall be in lengthy, sweet-smelling racemes, a favourite of bees and butterflies.
Crown vetch (Securigera varia), native to Eurasia and Africa, is in now full bloom. Examine its invasive qualities right here.
What’s that popcorn-like scent? It’s poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and it’s in bloom. You received’t need this plant anyplace you discover it. Right here’s methods to do away with it; count on a multi-year effort.)
(all images by Kate St. John)
