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June 2nd, 2008

Sharon and I were walking Hap (or he was walking us) west along the creek last night, and I came across this cool shrub with the circular flower clusters. I thought it was some sort of elder, but after spending way too much time looking for it, I still don't know what it is. Maybe the flowers aren't this way for long and turn into a globe or something? I might have to go back and get specifics. Any guesses?

And in a related story, this striking shrub from the May 1st post has been ID'd by Teresa the Gardener as an Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) also known as "fetid buckeye," as she don't smell too good when any part is crushed. Teresa blames the far-ranging squirrels for carrying the eyeball-resembling nuts far from the large tree next to the Longfellow House.
This one I know as a Columbine flower, our neighbors gardens are rife with them right now. Pretty snappy.

3 comments:

buthidae said...

And here I thought all columbines were yellow, as is proper in my fair state. A very quick google search reveals 70-odd species, representing the rainbow, pretty much. How cool is that?

mnainfochair@gmail.com said...

And here I thought Arizona was a red state.
Not sure what this one is doing in OUR state, but we also have the best of both worlds with our Blue Cardinal Flower.

buthidae said...

That my fair state is a red state is not my fault. Really. Truly.