While the majority of flowers have their peak bloom time in the summer months, the fall is the asters’ turn to shine. Although a quick look outside will leave no doubt that fall is here, with autumn colors and crunchy leaves falling to the ground, and insect numbers are definitely down, a number of important pollinator species, such as bees and moths are still active… and still need a source of food. Cold hardy late-blooming perennials, like asters, are a…
September 22nd marked the autumn equinox – one of two points in the year where the length of day and night are equal. From here, the length of daylight will continue to shorten as we move towards winter. While I always miss the outdoor exploration opportunities that early evening sunshine affords me, there are so many things to look forward to about autumn. Although traditional “berry season” (i.e., blueberries, raspberries, etc.) is long over, many fruits and nuts are ripening…
When most people think of salt marshes, they probably picture large expanses of nothing but grass. For those with a little more familiarity with marshes, you may go so far as to picture the common species of salt marsh plants, including smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), salt marsh hay (Spartina patens) or common glasswort (Salicornia maritima). But if you look closely, you may also find other interesting plants mixed in. This is what happened to me on a recent walk out…
Many plants within the aster family are in full bloom in September, long after many other flowers have faded away. Goldenrods are in bloom, bright purple asters, like the New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) are flowering, and seemingly everywhere I walk, I encounter the sunny yellow flowers of sickle-leaved silk grass (Pityopsis falcata). Sickle-leaved silk grass, also known as sickle-leaved golden aster, has a highly restricted range and is only found on the sandy glacial deposits along the coastal plain…