Macro Walk

Day 203: Yesterday was One of Those Days. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with a "virtual assistant" trying to install a new key fob for my alarm system, and we never managed to get through the first step. I finally told her I simply wanted to return it for a refund, so she transferred me to another department. The process there took half an hour or more, and by the time we were done, I was at my wits' end. The mail came, bringing with it a squashed and mangled box of Merry's broths, and since my order had gone through a third-party seller, another half hour in a chat session never successfully resolved the issue. Next pictures and story, I poured my slipper full of chicken blood when I took the thawed meat out of the refrigerator to make dinner. After supper, I sat down to put some photos on the computer and couldn't get the data cable to acknowledge the camera's existence. It's been failing for some time, and finally just gave up. As did I. I said, "Screw this!" and went to bed cross at the entire world. This morning, I decided to follow a friend's advice and went into the woods, despite it being Saturday. I turned a mile-and-a-half ramble into a Macro Walk to bring you this selection of wildflowers and weeds blooming along the lower reach of Pack Forest's Hugo Peak trail. I'm not going to identify them for you. They're all fairly common except the Calypso Orchids which were really the highlight of my walk.

Centaurea Montana

Day 215: Quite a sizeable number of plants we now think of as weeds are in fact escapees from gardens. They become "weedy" when they spread beyond manicured spaces, and may find themselves listed as "invasive" when there are no natural predators to control them. My mother's flower bed hosted a large clump of Centaurea montana (aka Bachelor's Buttons) which as a child, I adored. They never crept out of bounds, didn't spring up spontaneously in neighbours' yards, nor did they reseed in our own landscaping. When I moved here, I discovered them growing on the road verge not far from home so, thinking in terms of free ornamentals, I loaded the shovel in the car and lifted a clump to add to the Barren Wasteland between the house and garage. I am pleased to say that they have never extended themselves beyond their allotted space, and therefore are not a "weed" as far as I am concerned.

Veronica Persica

Day 214: I find it very hard to use the word "weed" when discussing Veronica persica because its cheery blue faces are such bright spots amid the dandelion mop-tops and coarse grass which passes for "lawn" at my house, but unfortunately, this little plant is non-native and therefore deserving of the epithet. To its credit, it is not considered an invasive except in certain agricultural venues, none of which exist in this area. It may also be called "Speedwell," owing to the medicinal properties attributed to it. It can be included in salves for irritated skin, and a tea made of its leaves is said to alleviate stomach ulcers, although it is also diuretic. I prefer to let it grow, where it soothes my eyes with its simple beauty.

Lamium Purpureum

Day 188: We see weeds almost daily, but how many of us know what they are called? If I said, "Purple Dead-nettle," what image would spring to mind? How about "Henbit?" I have to admit that neither of these rang a bell with me. I simply knew this plant as "Lamium," and prefaced it with a few choice adjectives having nothing to do with its colour. Although it looks like it might sting, it does not, hence the name "dead-nettle." It is related to a more serious invasive, Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon), but is much easier to control. A shallow root system allows it to be pulled without much effort, although removal should be done before it sets seed to prevent spreading it.

Caveat Emptor

Day 261: Caveat emptor: "let the buyer beware." When I first moved here over thirty years ago, I set about trying to find something which would grow in the space which later became known as the Barren Wasteland for good reason. A ten-foot wide area between the back wall of my house and the side of the garage resisted all my attempts to turn it into a vegetable garden or a flower bed, rejecting every effort I made to enrich the soil with compost, fertilizer or other amendments. Eventually, I hit upon the idea of getting a "regional" wildflower mix to broadcast in the hopes that at least one species would find the conditions acceptable and, innocent that I was, I bought a large container which claimed to be "for the northwest." Today, with a bit more experience behind me, I would have read the label more carefully. What I planted...and what had the greatest success at establishing...were what I would now call "weeds." Over the years, I've managed to get rid of most of the undesirables, but two which persist are yarrow and California poppies. The Barren Wasteland is now a riot of colour and variety, but very little of that "northwest mix" still exists, having been pulled up by the roots and disposed of without further ceremony or regret.

Name That Plant

Day 272: Here is a plant which is found throughout the United States, is recognized by almost everyone (especially the under-10 crowd), and yet few can actually put a name on it. As kids, we delighted in popping our classmates with the flowering points, launching them by folding the stem over itself near the base and sliding the bend quickly and firmly toward the head, firing it off like an arrow from a bow. You could get pretty good distance if the stalk was young and supple; the stiffer stems of older plants tended to be brittle and oftentimes would break before the head separated. Accuracy was never an issue. It was good enough to plick any bystander, because the action nearly always instigated a quick hunt for more "shooters," as we called them in our ignorance of their true name. Plantago lanceolata bears the common names Buckhorn or English Plaintain, but I was well into adulthood before I heard either term. Even now, this weed makes me smile, and I'm not beyond popping a few at nothing in particular as I walk back from my mailbox.

Forget-me-not When Pulling Weeds

Day 240: No matter how cute or pretty you think they might be, the fact is that three-quarters of the eight species of Myosotis found in Washington are non-native. In fact, the two native species both have much smaller flowers than the Forget-me-nots familiar to most of us. The six offenders are subtle and sneaky invaders. You might be tempted to leave a few in your garden beds for colour, not noticing that after the blooms have disappeared, tiny burrs stick to your socks and bootlaces when you brush against the stems. These "hitchhikers" detach as the barbs dry out and become brittle, dropping at their leisure to create new settlements for their kind. Forget not the Forget-me-nots when you're pulling weeds, and be sure to bag them because the seeds can mature even after the plant is uprooted.

Problem Plant

Day 236: Field guides and even professional-level plant manuals tend to focus their descriptions on the characteristics of the inflorescence, making it difficult to determine the identity of a plant based solely on foliage. Fearing that my yard was infested with Garlic Mustard (a Class A invasive), I have been diligently pulling it for years, never allowing it to come into bloom. But something bothered me. For one thing, it pulled relatively easily and the roots did not appear to have the characteristic bend found in Alliaria petiolata. I did not recall having seen first-year rosettes, and the leaves did not smell the least bit garlicky when crushed, no matter how hard I sniffed. Then I happened to notice the two "wings" below the main portion of the leaf, and I began to suspect that perhaps the plant wasn't Garlic Mustard after all. I made a point of pulling a complete specimen and brought it in the house for closer examination. No, it didn't appear to be Alliaria, but if not, what was it? With no flower to analyze, Hitchcock was no help. I tried assuming that it was a crucifer like Garlic Mustard and got nowhere, so I finally sent my photos to Arnie and David Giblin at WTU. Both of them replied with a possible identification of Lapsana communis, with Arnie adding that he'd observed Lapsana in my general area. The description of the foliage in Hitchcock matched perfectly, and I was surprised to note that it has a yellow composite flower resembling a smaller version of the hawkweeds. But...and here's the clincher...it's still a pernicious weed, if not to quite the same extent as Garlic Mustard.

Origanum Vulgare, Wild Marjoram

Day 314: As much as I appreciate being able to botanize in my own back yard, I do wish that my finds would be native species as opposed to introduced ones. While Origanum vulgare (Wild Marjoram) is not considered a serious invasive, it is nevertheless a weed, an escapee from cultivation and therefore undesirable. You might wonder why non-native species are problematic when they don't threaten to take over the world by monoculture. A major issue is that they draw pollinators which should be working elsewhere to keep native populations viable. Bees, bugs and birds are like humans. They will most likely choose a tasty food over a healthful one if the healthful one is less appealing. I mean, who can fault a child who prefers ice cream to spinach? Pollinators are no different, and although we may not fully understand their tastes or what makes one food source more attractive than another, they do exhibit preferences. Not all non-native species carry the same drawing power, and thus are less likely to become serious pests. However, weeds are often stronger or more resilient than native species and may still crowd them out over time. In any case, non-native species are the junk food of the pollinator's world, and while the B's (bugs, bees and birds) are visiting them and helping them to proliferate, native species are being neglected.

Galeopsis Tetrahit, Common Hempnettle

Day 308: For all of its name being "Common Hempnettle," Galeopsis tetrahit was not known to occur in Pierce County until yesterday morning. Yep, I found it while I was out for a walk. The "up" side of this story is that I can add another check mark to my growing tally of rare and unusual plant sightings. The "down" side is that this one is a weed, and an invasive one at that. However, it also provided me with an opportunity to submit a voucher specimen to the Burke Herbarium, the first one I have ever made for WTU. As I once told Arnie, it's against my religion to pluck a plant from the wild, but in the case of an invasive, I'll make an exception. I made a second trip out to collect it, and it is currently drying in my plant press. What I had not realized until it was too late was that the plant was in seed. As I dug it out, it released dozens of them onto the ground. I'll need to monitor this site for the next several years to ensure that Galeopsis doesn't take hold in the county.

Ready To Roll On Weeds

Day 237: Once again this year, the Invasive Plant Council honoured me with an award for being one of their top three volunteers. I was asked to pick my prize from one of three items, and opted for a Patagonia "Black Hole" day-pack worth (gasp!) $129. It has convenient sleeves in the interior to hold various small items, one of which will be used to contain the brochures I hand out to land managers when appropriate. I've already put in several patrols this year. While I can't exactly claim to enjoy finding invasive species, having my time and effort recognized in this fashion softens the aggravation and annoyance of discovering large patches of Yellow Archangel, acres of Knapweed and patches of Poison Hemlock or concentrations of any of the other "baddies" on the state's blacklist. I treat them when possible: pulling, digging out or clipping seed heads as recommended for each individual species, or if the situation is obviously beyond the scope of one person's ability to handle, filing a report with EDDMapS for referral up the chain. Say 'bye-bye,' you weeds! Crow is coming to get you.

Creeping Charlie, Glechoma Hederacea

Day 202: Cheerful though he may be, Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) has plans to take over your lawn and garden. It has a long list of regional common names: ground-ivy, field balm, gill-over-the-ground and my favourite, run-away-robin. It is a member of the Lamiaceae family, and is related to mint. Now those of you who have ever grown mint will have a better picture of what I mean when I say it is "persistent." You're still digging out bits of that peppermint you planted twenty years ago, aren't you? Creeping Charlie takes "persistent" to a whole new level, one which makes your peppermint seem tame by comparison. It is almost impossible to eliminate without resorting to herbicides due to its vining nature and an extensive root system. Even tiny fragments of root are capable of generating new plants, so hand-weeding it is pretty much out of the question unless you have nothing better to do with your time. The only environmentally responsible course of action is to resign yourself to keeping it out of flower beds and letting it have the run of your yard. The good news is that it can be easily cut with the dullest lawn mower blade.

Deptford Pink, Dianthus Armeria

Day 289: I have found both Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria) and superficially similar European Centaury (Centaurium erythraea, formerly C. umbellatum) growing wild, but in this case, the Deptford Pinks came in a wildflower seed packet and surprised me by showing up in the area I refer to as the "Barren Wasteland" between my house and garage. I greeted them as I do many of the people I know: by addressing them by the wrong name. With plants but seldom with people, a closer look invariably corrects the error. Deptford's freckles and fringe immediately generated an apology. "Oh, hi, Deptford!" I said, as I offered a much-needed drink of water to the inhabitants of the Wasteland. Deptford keeps company with Coreopsis, Oriental and (persistently) California poppies, white yarrow (much to my dismay), Sweet William and assorted other drought-tolerant, rather weedy species. I don't much care what grows in the Wasteland, just as long as it puts up some colour. Aggravatingly, the company which packaged the wildflower seed also saw fit to include Bindweed, that white Morning-Glory which strangles anything and everything in its path. I am being diligent about removing it, but have found a few strays which escaped notice climbing up the stems of the Coreopsis. WHY would anyone consider Bindweed a desirable plant? Wildflower mixes often include non-native species which can become invasive, so know what to be watching for when the seeds sprout. As for Deptford, he and his offspring are welcome to populate the Wasteland, pink or not. I mean, who can resist freckles?

Stellaria Graminea, Lesser Starwort

Day 313: Somewhere in the world, every weed is a wildflower. It is only when they escape their habitats and the predators which normally keep them in check that they come to be regarded as pests, or when the predators die off and the plants are free to grow rampantly.

Weeds can be divided roughly into two vague categories: invasive and non-invasive. Invasives are the enemy. In the absence of predators or diseases which would otherwise limit their spread, they are capable of establishing monocultures where little else grows (examples in the Pacific Northwest would include Scotch Broom, the Knotweeds, Himalayan Blackberry). We fight a never-ending war with invasives, but they are not the subject of this essay.

Stellaria graminea (aka Lesser Starwort, Grassleaf Starwort) is a member of the Chickweed family. It is a small plant, rather leggy and wiry, and tangles itself among grasses to go unnoticed until its tiny white flowers appear. It will not take over your lawn or pasture, nor will it poison your livestock or your children. The only bad thing you can say about it is that it may entice pollinators to its blossoms when they should be visiting native species instead, but it does not seem to do so to the extent that natives go unpollinated. Its five deeply divided petals (yes, five!) bring a small moment of beauty to the eye where it is found; non-native, non-invasive, a weed by definition, but a lovely one.

Penny Perspectives: Shepherd's Purse

Day 11: Here's another plant most everyone will recognize, although if asked to name it, they would scratch their heads and say, "I don't think I've ever heard what it's called." It's Shepherd's Purse, so named for the heart-shaped, mildly peppery seed pods which many of us ate as children. In fact, it makes a pleasant garnish for a green salad. A member of the Mustard family, it carries a hefty chunk of Latin for all of its diminutive size: Capsella bursa-pastoris, and its distribution is almost world-wide, giving it a reputation as a "weed," if not a particularly invasive one. You will find it growing on disturbed land (this specimen is in my driveway).