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