Seasonal Changes

8/12/12

flood plain stream
          As fall inches nearer, I have noticed changes in the wooded flood plain areas around our neighborhood.

     I walk there daily with the dog, and I took the following photos.










wild grape flowers

















     The numerous wild grape shrubs have been flowering over the past several weeks with their insignificant white flower clusters.



ripening wild grapes

















     Some of the wild grapes are just starting to turn from hard green berries to soft purple grapes.  Most will be done ripening by October.

grape vine tendrils

















     One distinguishing characteristic that helps in identifying wild grape vines from other vines with similar leaves is their forked tendrils.



deer damage

















     The bottom of these bushes have been eaten away by the deer.  All the wild raspberries that were pictured in a previous post have been eaten also.

pokeweed

     All the pokeweed bushes in the woods have berries that are ripening and turning purple.  When this happens, the stems and branches of the plants turn red to attract birds to the berries.


unknown flower
     I came upon this flower in the woods.  At first when I researched this, I thought it was horse nettle.  But horse nettle has spines which I don't see.  Can anyone identify this for me?  What's happening in your neck of the woods now?




4 comments:

  1. Your blue flower looks like a type of solanum, which is potato, but I know it's not. I just can't remember its real name. :o) It's a cutie, though. My solidago has just started to bloom along with some blue asters.

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    Replies
    1. The plant does look like a type of solanum, which is what horse nettle is. It probably belongs to some part of the nightshade family.

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  2. How I wish wild grapes come to my garden.

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    Replies
    1. Autumn Belle, it is probably much too hot and humid for wild grapes to grow where you live.

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