Spring Fades, Summer Advances

The next two shrubs, to me, indicate the last of the Spring flowers. After those, I have several of the early summer flowers. We have just had our first consecutive days with 80+ degree weather, then last night back into the 40's and only 70 today. But, Summer is here and a new flush of wildflowers.

        I first found this flower while I was trimming brush and briers from around a nice little Flame Azalea growing along the unkempt border between my yard and the road. I was on the ground trimming back plants from under it and noticed these small flowers that looked like cranberries that I see in Cranberry Glades. After some research, I found that it is Southern Mountain Cranberry, and is related to the bog type Cranberries. 

#133-Southern Mountain Cranberry

Southern Mountain Cranberry

#134- Mountain Laurel 

#135- Blue Eyed Grass 
Blue Eyed Grass is an Iris relative and the seed capsules that you can see in this picture resemble those of Iris. This flower is so abundant in the field behind my home that I can see a blue tinge in patches from over a hundred yards away. 

#136- Yarrow

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#137- Crown Vetch (non-native)

#138- Spiderwort

#139- Racemed Milkwort 
Racemed Milkwort is a new wildflower for me. I was at a local water reservoir with my three year old grandson fishing. I saw the small purple flowers near the sandy shore and snapped a few quick pictures to identify later. I hope to get back in a couple of days to see the flowers bloomed out a little more, they should have a fringe similar toFringed Polygala, a relative. This plant produces its seed from small underground flowers that are cleistogamous, or non-opening and self fertile.

I am fortunate to have many Flame Azalea on my property, and it blooms at different times. The last one blooms at least two-three weeks after the first. 

June

These three trees and the shrub love the edges of the woods. The trees are abundant now along the WV Turnpike as I go to work each day, but that is not a good place to stop for photos. They finally began blooming near my home, which is about 700 feet higher in elevation. 

          The Fringe Tree is another of those wildflowers that are designated by the species surname of virginicus. I believe virginicus means 'of Virginia', and it is of Virginia that West Virginia was formed from 150 years ago this month, on June 23. It, like the Flame Azalea, is often used in home gardens.

#110- Fringe Tree

Here is a multi-purpose tree. It's blooms are sporadic, but were heavy this year. The Locust is used here to make fence posts and I use it to make posts for wood sheds and other structures. Locust wood seems impervious to rot, lasting many years. They are tenacious in their growth, being very hard to eradicate. If you cut one down, within days, sprouts are coming up and in a couple of years a small stand of locusts are mature and ready to make new fence posts. Fence posts have been known to sprout leaves and grow branches as well. The flowers smell great and are sometimes eaten raw or in salads, being very sweet. 

#111- Black Locust

 Black Locust

The Bristly Locust is seen growing in waste areas and the edges of woods. It is named for its stems with bristles, which can be seen in the following photo, upper right

#112- Bristly Locust 

Bristly Locust

This shrub is Deerberry, a type of Blueberry. Only deer will eat the fruit.

#113- Deerberry

Poison Hemlock i a huge plant, the purple spotted stems aid in identification. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and I understand the dead, dried canes can be poisonous for three years. It is not native.

#114- Poison Hemlock  (non-native