We were somewhere near the Pulaski exit on I-81 when I saw a large cluster of brilliant yellow flowers along the side of the highway. They were magnificent, yet, like many beautiful things in nature, they were just weeds. They are common mullein, a species native to Europe, Africa and Asia, but introduced to America. You wouldn’t imagine such a beautiful bloom on such a strange plant, but the … [Read more...]

Since I noticed and identified what I believe to be a Butterfly Weed a few weeks back, I have been watching along the roadsides in my recent travels. There are some beautiful plants in nature, many of them considered weeds. One such plant is Queen Anne’s Lace. There seems to be a bountiful crop this year. Yesterday I saw a ten-acre field almost entirely covered with the delicate white … [Read more...]

We are rapidly losing our meadows and shrublands. We certainly don’t want to lose meadows, with all those nice wild flowers and natural flora, but who really cares if we lose shrublands? Millions of plants and animals, that’s who. The Virginia Game Department is doing what it can to educate about shrublands and their endangered status. Here are some interesting observations as supplied by … [Read more...]