In the woods

-
A few weeks ago I took some photos in the woods behind my mother's property. I've experimented with planting things there and have had mixed results. This year hasn't been bad because we have had plenty of rain. I finally gave up on trying to keep plants watered. It is an impossible task! So, they are on their own.

This is actually a wildflower and grows in pastures and open, sunny areas. It is called Ironweed (Veronica gigantea). Isn't it pretty?

 
The Black Tupelpo tree (Nyssa sylvatica) is doing well.

Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) - I've planted several of these and they seem to do well, with minimal care.
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) - I planted this right next to the creek-bed and it is doing great. I see these growing down by the Tennessee River, just a few blocks from our house, but I don't see them growing around my home place.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum) is another tree that I've had good success with. This is a native tree but again, I don't see them growing in the woods near my homeplace.
A mystery - anyone know what this is?
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) - My nemesis! I usually end up getting a poison ivy shot every year, sometimes more than once. In fact, I just got on this past weekend. I am extremely allergic to the stuff and spreads all over me.

  
Poison Ivy in the trees - an older and mature vine like this would send me to the hospital!

Something else I'm not fond of. I've seen this guy several times at the creek. I know he is probably benefit and eats lots of undesirable insects but he gives me the creeps.
 
Goldenrod blooming behind the barn.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

outlawgardener said…
It's nice that the things you planted on your mother's property are doing well. Supposedly there is poison ivy in the pacific northwest but I've never seen any myself, no do we have snakes other than tiny garter snakes and those don't hang out much in town. You'll love it here!
October 22, 2013 at 11:12 AM
Lisa at Greenbow said…
Not only does that snake eat insects it will eat small rodents. You should respect him for that. It is a little creepy coming upon them unannounced though. Love seeing how you are incorporating new things into your Mom's property. One of these days you willl be glad you did. I think Bald Cypress is such an elegant tree. It has so much going for it. Lovely foliage, wonderful bark for winter, knees when they get older and the little balls on them in fall. Wonderful.
October 22, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Phillip Oliver said…
Lisa, do you know what kind of snake it is?
October 22, 2013 at 12:55 PM
Alison said…
I'm pretty sure that is a black rat snake, definitely a beneficial. That one is beautiful! I'm a big fan of snakes.
October 22, 2013 at 2:02 PM
Eve said…
We have great respect and love for any black snake Phillip. There are those that will hunt down and eat Rattlesnakes. In my book, he's worth keeping close by!
October 22, 2013 at 6:33 PM
Sue Ellen said…
Could your mystery plant be a bottlebrush buckeye? I planted one last year and it produced a seed pod very similar to this.
October 22, 2013 at 6:52 PM
usha said…
It looks suspiciously like the cousin of the PEAR. Here in India it's a popular fruit commonly known as "Naashpati "or in other parts of the country ,"Sabarjal".
I am not sure though as there are no leaves on your plant.
October 23, 2013 at 8:06 AM
scottweberpdx said…
A Bald Cypress...that's so cool...they are such distinctive trees! I have a few Vernonia...one very tall one that flops horribly...and a newer, shorter one that looks practically like an Amsonia until it blooms...love them :-)
October 23, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Shenandoah Kepler said…
Phillip,
Sorry about the poison ivy - it can be devilish! I love veronica - but hate the name "ironweed". How big are the pear-like fruit? And even in a less than spectacular autumn color year, the sourwood appears to be performing beautifully! I wonder if bald cypress would develop knees if it got less water (we are on high ground)? It sure is pretty! Anyway, thanks for the great photos!
October 23, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Phillip Oliver said…
Not sure about bottlebrush buckeye but I will investigate.

The fruit is the size of a small pear.
October 23, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pruning & Transplanting Clematis (and other plants)

-
Image
Ah, the clematis, one of the most beautiful and frustrating of plants. I counted five books on my shelf devoted to them, and I still have to consult them every year when it is time to prune. This year I'm doing something new - moving a few that are obviously not doing well (lack of sun, more than likely). I'm worried about one of my favorites - 'Jackmanii Superba'.  First, I had to dig it up when the new gate was constructed. This clematis was massive, and the bottom stalk looked like a small tree. I divided it to give a piece to my neighbor. Somewhere along the way, it was cut back all the way down to the trunk . I'm still asking myself how this happened.  Only time will tell if I've killed the poor thing.  It has been replanted, and so far, no signs of life. Others that I decided to move were not subjected to that abuse and were moved immediately after I dug them up.  This is 'Etoile Violette'. This rampant variety was along the front fence and it alwa...
Read more

Winter Projects

-
Image
Pinus contorta 'Chief Joseph' I was really too harsh in my last post concerning the weather. It has actually been a very mild winter, and looking back, I see that I have completed several projects. The first, back in November, was a redo of the twig fence. This has been an ongoing project that has left me unsatisfied. At the beginning, I just piled the twigs up, along an existing chain fence, and soon realized that they would never stand on their own. Critters (squirrels!) continually knocked twigs out of the arrangement, but over time, it was simply gravity that caused problems. I used various methods to try and keep the twigs in place, including using wire to tie them and fence posts to brace them. All temporary solutions. Gravity always reared its ugly head.  At the end of summer, I decided on a different approach. The sheer weight of the twigs made a deep wall impractical, so I decided to construct a shallower fence and secure it with a stronger support.  This is how it l...
Read more

Ruby Tuesday's Strawberry Tall Cake

-
Image
Much to my dismay, I have cut back on sugar consumption. Difficult, because I love sweet treats, but on the other hand, I want to be a healthier person. I still like to bake and I've just discovered  "Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen"  on You Tube and enjoying it very much. That said, I normally make a dessert at least once per week, but I try to have only a piece or two, and share the rest. Going through some of my cookbooks, I came across a series of books by Todd Wilbur, who reproduces recipes from popular chain restaurants.  In the first volume, I saw the Ruby Tuesday Strawberry Tall Cake and remembered that it was a favorite of ours. I haven't visited a Ruby Tuesday in ages and I don't know if they still serve this. I decided to give it a try and it turned out pretty good. The photo I took doesn't show the cake layers and is not a very good representation, but you get the idea. Actually, we thought the best way to eat this was in a bowl, kind of like a t...
Read more