Frosty Wildflowers

Snow on Wild Geranium and Periwinkle

We usually get a few frosts beginning in September but this week (3rd week in October), we had out first frost, snow and a freeze. But I did get to see a couple of new wildflowers on a trip to Morgantown.
   

#306- Heart Leaved Aster

 The first morning, I went to one of my favorite Morgantown, WV wildflower hot-spots. The Core Arboretum  is beside the WVU Basketball coliseum and has several trails and great wildflowers, especially in the spring. On a frosty morning I found an Aster that was relatively easy to identify. I have been using a great web resource called Asters and Goldenrods of New England. This one is Heart Leaved Aster, blooming through November according to some references. The heart shaped leaves  on the ones scattered throughout the Arboretum had begun to deteriorate as well as the blooms.





On the way home, I stopped at the New River Gorge: Canyon Rim Visitor Center for a rest and short walk to the Bridge Overlook. On the trails there I found several flowers, but only one was new for the year.


I think I have been seeing Old-Field Aster along the roads around home but had not looked at it closely and this was my first opportunity. It is also called Frost Aster for two reasons, one, it lasts until frost time and the other is the fine and heavier white hairs that the entire plant is covered with have the appearance of frost. The description also describes the yellow center of the blooms that turn red after pollination.

#307- Old-Field Aster

Grandson on a cold day hike, checking out the wet field where the Ladies Tresses have gone for the year.
(iPhone Panoramic Photo)

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
John Ruskin