Cranberry Marsh, Whitby, in August
Saturday the sun was still high in the sky, the colours bright, the temperature cool. It was a beautiful day here.
Largest square: Question Mark butterfly sunning itself. Moving clockwise: common burdock (Arctium)- in many places declared a noxious weed, joe-pye weed (Eupatorium ) - culivated varieties are sold in garden centres; jewelweed or spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) - the sap is supposed to protect you from poison ivy, but I have never tried it, butterfly on purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and fluff on Canada thistle (Cirsium aevense) - loved by goldfinches for lining their nests.
FYI: I include botanical names because the common names vary around the world but the botanical names stay the same.
Purple loosestrife taking over the marsh
Very prettty but also invasive, purple loosestrife is multiplying at a frightening rate. An alien plant rom Europe, its roots form a thick mat, reducing space and nutrients for indigenous plants. But I have heard a beetle has recently been relwased here to check this colony's expansion.
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
beautiful array of rich color and texture.
ReplyDeleteHI Tina Wonderful collage fo flowers and that fantastic butterfly. Gkad that beetle is going to top that invasive plant.
ReplyDeleteThe colors are astonishing - a beautiful day captured in your collage.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely array of colour you gave us!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors today in your collage. Wishing you a great week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThat is a nice collection.
ReplyDeleteI hope the beetle they imported doesn't do more harm than the plant! It always seems like when they do things like that it backfires! I love your pictures and information about each flower. I didn't know impatiens sap were supposed to ward off poison ivy! That's a good thing to know!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous colors in your collage and the purple ones in the last photo. We have Butcher's Broom that has grown all over the valley that is also invasive.
ReplyDeleteYour photo is very much August! Hard to believe we're almost 1/2 way through the month. Soon cooler weather will come (I'm really looking forward to that!)
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of this pretty but invasive plant. Let's hope the beetle doesn't somehow take on alien characteristics and eat everything else, too! :)
What a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteLovely mosaic!The purple field is adorable!
ReplyDeletehugs
Léia
Gorgeous Collage!
ReplyDeletehttp://thesunriseofmylife.blogspot.com/
Oooh I like how the marsh is being taken over!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful mosaic this is!
ReplyDeletethe question mark looks real enough to fly out into my living room.
ReplyDeleteThe loosestrife is wonderful. Enjoy the great weather. What treasures you have found.
ReplyDeletesuch a joyful, color-filled series!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful collection of nature photos!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see someone who loves "weeds" as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteI know the purple loosestrife is a major threat to natives, but it surely is pretty. And it always makes me anxious to hear that something has been introduced as a control for something else. It seems there are usually unintended consequences for that.
Lovely collage and I am happy you caught a butterfly as there are so few..I have been reading about attempts to control invasives with biologic methods..I hope it doesn't open another can of worms..Michelle
ReplyDelete