文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月07日
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.) produce flamboyant blooms over outsize bulbs. The tropical plants grow outdoors only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, but they also make a splash as houseplants where they brighten winter holidays. How many times they'll bloom indoors or how long they'll last in the garden depends on how you treat them after they're finished blooming.
The Perennial Bulb
Like other bulbs, the amaryllis nurtures next year's plant and bloom as this year's flowers fade. It is also perennial, which means that it lives for three years or longer. How many years your amaryllis lives depends on its ability to gather nutrients, a process fueled by photosynthesis in its leaves.
Unlike many bulbs, amaryllis leaves follow flowers and persist for several months after the plant has bloomed in the spring. Whether outdoors or in a container, do not cut the amaryllis plant's long, straplike leaves until they whither. In this way, you've given the perennial bulb another year of life.
Indoor Bulbs
Gift amaryllis bulbs typically arrive eight to 10 weeks before the winter holidays with instructions to begin watering them immediately. Depending on the age of the bulb, it will produce one or more scapes typically topped by three trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white or bicolor combinations. Indoors, with bright light and moderate temperatures, each scape of flowers lasts up to a month. Plants kept in a cool room, around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, bloom longest.
In the Garden
Plant amaryllis bulbs in the garden in September or October in USDA zones 8 through 10. Use purchased bulbs or gift bulbs that have faded. Plant the bulbs in organic, well-draining soil with the wide side down so that the narrow neck sits above the soil.
Beginning when scapes begin growing in February or March, fertilize with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12. Work 1 to 1.5 pounds into the soil for every 100-foot of row or for 100 square feet of bed. Fertilize when the bulbs break dormancy, when scapes reach 6 to 8 inches tall and again after the flowers fade in April. Remove faded flower scapes to stop energy-robbing seed formation.
Bulbs and Dormancy
Whether indoors or out, the secret to long-lived amaryllis lies in their ability to build new embryos while their leaves fade throughout the summer. Dormancy allows them to rest before entering the "home stretch" of bloom. After this period of rapid growth, bulbs need a period of 2 to 3 months of dormancy. Stop watering plants and put potted bulbs in a cool, dry basement or plant them with garden bulbs in fall.
Begin watering plants again as they emerge from dormancy in February or March and keep the soil evenly moist as bulbs bloom. Within two to three years, bulbs may produce offsets -- bulblets that, when removed during dormancy and planted in pots or garden, may produce flowers within three to four years, prolonging the bloom of your amaryllis collection.
The Perennial Bulb
Like other bulbs, the amaryllis nurtures next year's plant and bloom as this year's flowers fade. It is also perennial, which means that it lives for three years or longer. How many years your amaryllis lives depends on its ability to gather nutrients, a process fueled by photosynthesis in its leaves.
Unlike many bulbs, amaryllis leaves follow flowers and persist for several months after the plant has bloomed in the spring. Whether outdoors or in a container, do not cut the amaryllis plant's long, straplike leaves until they whither. In this way, you've given the perennial bulb another year of life.
Indoor Bulbs
Gift amaryllis bulbs typically arrive eight to 10 weeks before the winter holidays with instructions to begin watering them immediately. Depending on the age of the bulb, it will produce one or more scapes typically topped by three trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white or bicolor combinations. Indoors, with bright light and moderate temperatures, each scape of flowers lasts up to a month. Plants kept in a cool room, around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, bloom longest.
In the Garden
Plant amaryllis bulbs in the garden in September or October in USDA zones 8 through 10. Use purchased bulbs or gift bulbs that have faded. Plant the bulbs in organic, well-draining soil with the wide side down so that the narrow neck sits above the soil.
Beginning when scapes begin growing in February or March, fertilize with a low-nitrogen garden fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12. Work 1 to 1.5 pounds into the soil for every 100-foot of row or for 100 square feet of bed. Fertilize when the bulbs break dormancy, when scapes reach 6 to 8 inches tall and again after the flowers fade in April. Remove faded flower scapes to stop energy-robbing seed formation.
Bulbs and Dormancy
Whether indoors or out, the secret to long-lived amaryllis lies in their ability to build new embryos while their leaves fade throughout the summer. Dormancy allows them to rest before entering the "home stretch" of bloom. After this period of rapid growth, bulbs need a period of 2 to 3 months of dormancy. Stop watering plants and put potted bulbs in a cool, dry basement or plant them with garden bulbs in fall.
Begin watering plants again as they emerge from dormancy in February or March and keep the soil evenly moist as bulbs bloom. Within two to three years, bulbs may produce offsets -- bulblets that, when removed during dormancy and planted in pots or garden, may produce flowers within three to four years, prolonging the bloom of your amaryllis collection.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2018年01月02日
Gladiolus plants send up flowers during the summer. Each flower stem contains several buds that bloom along the length of the stem. The flowers are prized as a colorful garden flower and as a cut flower for indoor display. The plants grow from a tender perennial corm that collects and stores the energy necessary for the following year's growth, making it necessary to properly care for the gladiolus after blooming if you want it to flower again the next year.
Step 1
Cut off the flower stem at its base after all the buds have flowered and completed blooming. Use clean, sharp shears to remove the stems.
Step 2
Water the plants weekly after blooming. Provide enough water at each irrigation to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Water more frequently if hot weather causes the soil to dry out or the plants to wilt.
Step 3
Weed between the gladiolus weekly or as necessary to keep weeds from establishing in the bed. Gladiolus plants can't tolerate weed competition, as the weeds rob the soil of the nutrients and water the corms need to store energy.
Step 4
Cut back the foliage to within ½ inch of the ground after the first fall frost causes the foliage to yellow and die back. Dig the corms up after cutting back the foliage.
Step 5
Spread the corms out in a dry, warm location indoors. Dry the corms for three weeks.
Step 6
Break the bottom off the corm along the seam and discard the bottom portion, saving only the new top corm. Store the corms in a paper bag in a dry location where temperatures are 35 to 45 degree Fahrenheit until spring planting.
Step 1
Cut off the flower stem at its base after all the buds have flowered and completed blooming. Use clean, sharp shears to remove the stems.
Step 2
Water the plants weekly after blooming. Provide enough water at each irrigation to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Water more frequently if hot weather causes the soil to dry out or the plants to wilt.
Step 3
Weed between the gladiolus weekly or as necessary to keep weeds from establishing in the bed. Gladiolus plants can't tolerate weed competition, as the weeds rob the soil of the nutrients and water the corms need to store energy.
Step 4
Cut back the foliage to within ½ inch of the ground after the first fall frost causes the foliage to yellow and die back. Dig the corms up after cutting back the foliage.
Step 5
Spread the corms out in a dry, warm location indoors. Dry the corms for three weeks.
Step 6
Break the bottom off the corm along the seam and discard the bottom portion, saving only the new top corm. Store the corms in a paper bag in a dry location where temperatures are 35 to 45 degree Fahrenheit until spring planting.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月23日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is unbranched and ¾–3' tall. Older plants may tiller at the base and send up multiple stems, creating a bushy effect. The central stem is slightly ridged and hairless. The odd-pinnate compound leaves alternate as they ascend the stem. They consist of 3-7 leaflets and tend to be quite short, approximately 2-5" long. Each leaflet is dark green, linear in shape, and about 1" long and 1/8" (3 mm.) across. There are scattered translucent dots across the surface. At the top of the plant is a dense cylindrical spike of flowers about 1-2" long and about half as much or less across. Each purple flower is about ¼" across, with 5 small petals and 5 golden anthers that protrude outward. These flowers bloom together as a flowery wreath at the bottom of the spike, which gradually moves upward at the season progresses. There is no noticeable floral scent. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-summer, and lasts about 1–1½ months. The root system consists of a stout taproot that runs deep into the ground. The seeds travel only a short distance from the mother plant when the cylindrical spikes are shaken by the wind.
Flowering Plants
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry conditions. The soil can contain significant amounts of loam, clay, sand, or gravel – this plant is rather indifferent to the characteristics of the soil, to which it adds nitrogen. Foliar disease is not troublesome. Purple Prairie Clover is slow to develop, but is fairly easy to manage if the site is well-drained and there is plenty of sun.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Prairie Clover occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, but is rare or absent in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is not common in areas that have been disturbed by modern development. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravel prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, typical savannas and sandy savannas, limestone glades, and sandy hills or dunes near Lake Michigan. Recovery from occasional wildfires is good.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp., Coelioxys spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), plasterer bees (Colletes spp.), Sphecid wasps, Tiphiid wasps, Syrphid flies, bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), small butterflies, skippers, and beetles (Robertson, 1929; Reed, 1993, 1995). The following plasterer bees are oligoleges (specialist pollinators) of Dalea spp. (prairie clovers): Colletes albescens, Colletes robertsonii, Colletes susannae, and Colletes wilmattae. Other insects feed destructively on the seeds, foliage, and other parts of Purple Prairie Clover and other prairie clovers. These species include seed-eating larvae of some weevils (Apion reconditum, Apion tenuirostrum, Apion capitone), seed-eating larvae of a beetle (Acanthoscelides seminulum), a plant bug (Lopidea minor), Three-spotted Treehopper (Vanduzea triguttata), Little Pasture Grasshopper (Melanoplus confusus), and larvae of two butterflies, the Dogface Sulphur (Colias cesonia) and Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola); see Sauer (2005), Boe & Johnson (2014), Kingsolver (2004), Knight (1941), Haarstad (2002), Campbell et al. (1974), and Opler & Krizek (1984). Purple Prairie Clover is palatable and high in protein, therefore mammalian herbivores of all kinds eat this plant readily. It can be difficult to establish in some areas if there is an abundance of these animals. It is possible that small rodents carry the seeds to their dens, which may aid in the distribution of this plant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Lincoln Book Bindery in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: A mature plant that tillers at the base is very attractive when it is in full bloom. Also, the foliage is somewhat ornamental and remains attractive throughout the growing season. This plant is not easily confused with any other species, perhaps the most similar being Dalea candida (White Prairie Clover), which has white flowers and foliage that is lighter-colored and somewhat longer. In the past, the scientific name for this plant was Petalostemum purpureum.
Flowering Plants
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry conditions. The soil can contain significant amounts of loam, clay, sand, or gravel – this plant is rather indifferent to the characteristics of the soil, to which it adds nitrogen. Foliar disease is not troublesome. Purple Prairie Clover is slow to develop, but is fairly easy to manage if the site is well-drained and there is plenty of sun.
Range & Habitat: The native Purple Prairie Clover occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, but is rare or absent in southern Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is not common in areas that have been disturbed by modern development. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravel prairies, sand prairies, hill prairies, typical savannas and sandy savannas, limestone glades, and sandy hills or dunes near Lake Michigan. Recovery from occasional wildfires is good.
Faunal Associations: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Triepeolus spp., Coelioxys spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), plasterer bees (Colletes spp.), Sphecid wasps, Tiphiid wasps, Syrphid flies, bee flies (Bombyliidae), thick-headed flies (Conopidae), small butterflies, skippers, and beetles (Robertson, 1929; Reed, 1993, 1995). The following plasterer bees are oligoleges (specialist pollinators) of Dalea spp. (prairie clovers): Colletes albescens, Colletes robertsonii, Colletes susannae, and Colletes wilmattae. Other insects feed destructively on the seeds, foliage, and other parts of Purple Prairie Clover and other prairie clovers. These species include seed-eating larvae of some weevils (Apion reconditum, Apion tenuirostrum, Apion capitone), seed-eating larvae of a beetle (Acanthoscelides seminulum), a plant bug (Lopidea minor), Three-spotted Treehopper (Vanduzea triguttata), Little Pasture Grasshopper (Melanoplus confusus), and larvae of two butterflies, the Dogface Sulphur (Colias cesonia) and Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola); see Sauer (2005), Boe & Johnson (2014), Kingsolver (2004), Knight (1941), Haarstad (2002), Campbell et al. (1974), and Opler & Krizek (1984). Purple Prairie Clover is palatable and high in protein, therefore mammalian herbivores of all kinds eat this plant readily. It can be difficult to establish in some areas if there is an abundance of these animals. It is possible that small rodents carry the seeds to their dens, which may aid in the distribution of this plant.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Lincoln Book Bindery in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: A mature plant that tillers at the base is very attractive when it is in full bloom. Also, the foliage is somewhat ornamental and remains attractive throughout the growing season. This plant is not easily confused with any other species, perhaps the most similar being Dalea candida (White Prairie Clover), which has white flowers and foliage that is lighter-colored and somewhat longer. In the past, the scientific name for this plant was Petalostemum purpureum.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月22日
Description: This parasitic vine is a summer annual up to several feet long that branches occasionally. The stems are yellow to orange, more or less terete, glabrous, and about 1 mm. across. These stems curl around the stems of suitable host plants, climbing upward and often smothering them. Sessile suckers (haustoria) occur along these stems at frequent intervals, causing them to have a warty or bumpy appearance. These suckers extract water and nutrients from the host plants. There are no leaves and this vine does not produce chlorophyll; it is totally dependent for survival on its host plants. As the vine continues to grow, dense clusters of 5-25 flowers are occasionally produced. Each flower is about 3 mm. across, consisting of a light green to yellowish green calyx with 5 lobes, a white corolla with 5 triangular or ovate-triangular lobes with incurved tips, 5 exserted stamens, and a light green to yellowish green ovary with a pair of short styles with knobby stigmas. The glabrous calyx is short-campanulate (bell-shaped) and each lobe either overlaps adjacent lobes slightly or it is non-overlapping. The circumference of the calyx is circular (round), rather than angled. Individual calyx lobes are usually oval in shape with obtuse or rounded tips. Fertile anthers are up to 0.5 mm. in length and bright yellow, becoming light brown as they wither away.
The pedicels of the flowers are light green to yellowish green, glabrous, and very short (0.5-2.0 mm. in length). These pedicels are initially terete and about 1 mm. across, but they may become swollen and angular as their flowers develop. Sometimes solitary bracts occur at the bases of flower clusters, or at the bases of individual pedicels. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall, lasting about 1 month. The flowers are either mildly fragrant or not noticeably fragrant; in the absence of cross-pollination, they are self-fertile. As the flowers continue to mature, their ovaries (developing seed capsules) swell in size, becoming 2-3.5 mm. across and subgloboid (depressed-globular) in shape. Immature seed capsules are light green, becoming yellowish orange as they begin to mature, and finally turning light brown to brown at full maturity. These capsules eventually split open irregularly to release their tiny seeds (up to 4 seeds per capsule). The seeds can spread to other areas by wind or water. Individual seeds are 1.0-1.5 mm. in length, ovoid-angular in shape, and dull yellow to brown. The seed surfaces are minutely pitted (requires 20x magnification or higher to see). While an elementary root system develops from a newly germinated seed, it soon withers away as the seedling becomes attached to a host plant.
Cultivation: This parasitic vine requires a suitable host plant in order to survive. Examples of such host plants include Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo), Trifolium spp. (Clover), Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), Beta vulgaris (Sugar Beet), Solanum tuberosum (Potato), Polygonaceae (Smartweeds & Knotweeds), Allium cepa (Onion), and many others. Unsuitable host plants include Glycine max (Soybean), Equisteum arvense (Field Horsetail), and most grasses and sedges. Field Dodder occurs in drier habitats than many other Cuscuta spp. (Dodder species). It is typically found in either sandy or non-sandy areas where there is full sun or partial sun. The seeds can persist in the soil and remain viable for several years.
Range & Habitat: Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris) is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Field Dodder is one of the more common Dodder species in Illinois and it is widely distributed in North America. Habitats include banks of rivers, fields, croplands, neglected flower gardens, and waste areas. This dodder is considered a significant pest of several field crops. It is found primarily in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Robertson (1929) observed small bees sucking nectar from the flowers of Cuscuta spp. (Dodder species), including Halictid bees (Lasioglossum) and plasterer bees (Colletes). Such floral visitors appear to be uncommon. Various aphids are able to suck juices from dodder vines and successfully reproduce, weakening them substantially (Harvey, 1966). Aphids that have adapted particularly well to these parasitic vines include Aphis craccivora (Cowpea Aphid), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Potato Aphid), and Myzus persicae (Green Peach Aphid). Mammalian herbivores seem to avoid plants that are badly infested with dodder. These parasitic vines may be toxic to such animals if they are eaten in sufficient quantity. Nonetheless, should such animals consume these parasitic vines with their host plants, the seeds of dodder can pass through their digestive tracts and remain viable for several years. Because the tiny seeds of these vines become sticky when they are wet, they are probably spread to other areas by the feet or fur of mammals, the feet or feathers of birds, and the shoes of people. Agricultural machines may spread this vine into different fields through the use of contaminated crop-seed. Some materials that are used in gardens (e.g., contaminated mulch & soil) may also facilitate its spread.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at a city park in Champaign, Illinois, where this dodder infested Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo).
Comments: Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris) can be distinguished from some Dodder species (Cuscuta spp.) in Illinois by the 5-lobed corollas of its flowers: the lobes of these corollas have very acute tips that are incurved. A similar species, Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii), also has 5-lobed corollas, but the tips of its lobes are more blunt and they are less incurved. Field Dodder is also similar to Prairie Dodder (Cuscuta pentagona). This latter species has more angular calyces, while its seed capsules are slightly smaller in size and less depressed in shape. Prairie Dodder also has shorter anthers and shorter seeds. In the past, Field Dodder was considered a variety of Prairie Dodder (Cuscuta pentagona calycina), but they are now regarded as distinct (Costea et al., 2006; Costea et al., 2015). Other common names of Cuscuta campestris include Large-seeded Alfalfa Dodder and Golden Dodder, while another scientific synonym of this species is Cuscuta arvensis.
The pedicels of the flowers are light green to yellowish green, glabrous, and very short (0.5-2.0 mm. in length). These pedicels are initially terete and about 1 mm. across, but they may become swollen and angular as their flowers develop. Sometimes solitary bracts occur at the bases of flower clusters, or at the bases of individual pedicels. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall, lasting about 1 month. The flowers are either mildly fragrant or not noticeably fragrant; in the absence of cross-pollination, they are self-fertile. As the flowers continue to mature, their ovaries (developing seed capsules) swell in size, becoming 2-3.5 mm. across and subgloboid (depressed-globular) in shape. Immature seed capsules are light green, becoming yellowish orange as they begin to mature, and finally turning light brown to brown at full maturity. These capsules eventually split open irregularly to release their tiny seeds (up to 4 seeds per capsule). The seeds can spread to other areas by wind or water. Individual seeds are 1.0-1.5 mm. in length, ovoid-angular in shape, and dull yellow to brown. The seed surfaces are minutely pitted (requires 20x magnification or higher to see). While an elementary root system develops from a newly germinated seed, it soon withers away as the seedling becomes attached to a host plant.
Cultivation: This parasitic vine requires a suitable host plant in order to survive. Examples of such host plants include Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo), Trifolium spp. (Clover), Medicago sativa (Alfalfa), Beta vulgaris (Sugar Beet), Solanum tuberosum (Potato), Polygonaceae (Smartweeds & Knotweeds), Allium cepa (Onion), and many others. Unsuitable host plants include Glycine max (Soybean), Equisteum arvense (Field Horsetail), and most grasses and sedges. Field Dodder occurs in drier habitats than many other Cuscuta spp. (Dodder species). It is typically found in either sandy or non-sandy areas where there is full sun or partial sun. The seeds can persist in the soil and remain viable for several years.
Range & Habitat: Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris) is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Field Dodder is one of the more common Dodder species in Illinois and it is widely distributed in North America. Habitats include banks of rivers, fields, croplands, neglected flower gardens, and waste areas. This dodder is considered a significant pest of several field crops. It is found primarily in disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Robertson (1929) observed small bees sucking nectar from the flowers of Cuscuta spp. (Dodder species), including Halictid bees (Lasioglossum) and plasterer bees (Colletes). Such floral visitors appear to be uncommon. Various aphids are able to suck juices from dodder vines and successfully reproduce, weakening them substantially (Harvey, 1966). Aphids that have adapted particularly well to these parasitic vines include Aphis craccivora (Cowpea Aphid), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Potato Aphid), and Myzus persicae (Green Peach Aphid). Mammalian herbivores seem to avoid plants that are badly infested with dodder. These parasitic vines may be toxic to such animals if they are eaten in sufficient quantity. Nonetheless, should such animals consume these parasitic vines with their host plants, the seeds of dodder can pass through their digestive tracts and remain viable for several years. Because the tiny seeds of these vines become sticky when they are wet, they are probably spread to other areas by the feet or fur of mammals, the feet or feathers of birds, and the shoes of people. Agricultural machines may spread this vine into different fields through the use of contaminated crop-seed. Some materials that are used in gardens (e.g., contaminated mulch & soil) may also facilitate its spread.
Photographic Location: A flower garden at a city park in Champaign, Illinois, where this dodder infested Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo).
Comments: Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris) can be distinguished from some Dodder species (Cuscuta spp.) in Illinois by the 5-lobed corollas of its flowers: the lobes of these corollas have very acute tips that are incurved. A similar species, Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii), also has 5-lobed corollas, but the tips of its lobes are more blunt and they are less incurved. Field Dodder is also similar to Prairie Dodder (Cuscuta pentagona). This latter species has more angular calyces, while its seed capsules are slightly smaller in size and less depressed in shape. Prairie Dodder also has shorter anthers and shorter seeds. In the past, Field Dodder was considered a variety of Prairie Dodder (Cuscuta pentagona calycina), but they are now regarded as distinct (Costea et al., 2006; Costea et al., 2015). Other common names of Cuscuta campestris include Large-seeded Alfalfa Dodder and Golden Dodder, while another scientific synonym of this species is Cuscuta arvensis.
0
0
求助
meriunkat
2017年12月21日
Does anyone have an idea what these two plants might be? My boyfriend picked them off the ground and says they ars trees
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月19日
Description: This biennial or short-lived perennial plant initially forms a low rosette of spiny basal leaves up to 1' across. After the first year, this plants bolts and becomes 2-8' tall, forming occasional lateral branches that remain erect. The light green stems have white hairs, but they are without spines. The alternate leaves are quite spiny, pinnately lobed, and up to 9" long and 3" across. They are green on the upper surface, but powdery white on the lower surface because of minute fine hairs. Flowerheads with little or no scent occur individually on erect flowering stems in the upper part of the plant. These flowerheads are about 2" across and light pink (rarely white), consisting of numerous disk florets. At the base of each flowerhead, there are overlapping floral bracts (phyllaries) that are light green with white central veins; they resemble fish scales. Each floral bract has a single golden spine that is slender, but sharp. Underneath the base of each flowerhead, there are a few leafy bracts that resemble the alternate leaves, but they are smaller in size and more ascending. The blooming period is from late summer to fall, lasting about a month for individual plants. The achenes develop with tufts of white hair, which facilitates their dispersal by wind. The root system consists of a central taproot and some coarse secondary roots. Vegetative spread by rhizomes does not occur.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, soil containing loam or clay-loam, and mesic levels of moisture. During summer droughts, there is a tendency for the lower leaves to turn yellow and fall off the plant. This is an easy plant to grow, but it has a tendency to appear rather the worse for wear as the growing season progresses. Pasture Thistle is short-lived, but reseeds itself readily.
Range & Habitat: This native plant occurs in virtually every county in Illinois (see Distribution Map); it is common within the state. Habitats include moist to dry prairies, openings in woodland areas, moist meadows near rivers, limestone glades, pastures and abandoned fields, open areas along railroads and roadsides, and waste areas. This plant is more abundant in disturbed areas, including degraded prairies, but also occurs in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The most important pollinators of the flowers are bumblebees, digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), and butterflies. One of these bees, Melissodes desponsa, is an oligolege (specialist pollinator) of Cirsium spp. Among the butterflies, are such floral visitors as Monarchs, Fritillaries, Painted Ladies, Swallowtails, and Sulfurs. Sphinx moths and bee flies also visit the flowers for nectar. The caterpillars of the butterfly Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady) feed on the foliage, while the caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage and other parts of this and other thistles (see Moth Table). Other insect feeders include Cassida rubiginosa (Thistle Tortoise Beetle), Euphoria inda (Bumble Flower Beetle), Brachycaudus cardui (Thistle Aphid) and Capitophorus elaeagni (Artichoke Aphid), Melanoplus borealis (Northern Grasshopper), and many others. Among vertebrate animals, the Eastern Goldfinch eats the seeds and uses the tufts of hair as lining material in its nests. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has been known to visit the flowers of thistles for nectar. Mammalian herbivores avoid this plant because of the spines.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken near Kaufman Lake Park in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: This native plant can be distinguished from the non-native Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle) by the white undersides of its leaves. Also, the floral bracts subtending the flowerheads of Bull Thistle have thick coarse spines, whereas the bracts of the Pasture Thistle have slender golden spines.. Otherwise, they are similar in appearance. Sometimes this plant can be aggressive in disturbed areas, but not to the same extent as the Bull Thistle. It is possible to boil the young leaves and stems and serve them as edible greens. During the month of August, when other forbs are less likely to flower, this plant produces some patches of pink color, making the prairie more interesting during this time of year.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, soil containing loam or clay-loam, and mesic levels of moisture. During summer droughts, there is a tendency for the lower leaves to turn yellow and fall off the plant. This is an easy plant to grow, but it has a tendency to appear rather the worse for wear as the growing season progresses. Pasture Thistle is short-lived, but reseeds itself readily.
Range & Habitat: This native plant occurs in virtually every county in Illinois (see Distribution Map); it is common within the state. Habitats include moist to dry prairies, openings in woodland areas, moist meadows near rivers, limestone glades, pastures and abandoned fields, open areas along railroads and roadsides, and waste areas. This plant is more abundant in disturbed areas, including degraded prairies, but also occurs in higher quality habitats.
Faunal Associations: The most important pollinators of the flowers are bumblebees, digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), and butterflies. One of these bees, Melissodes desponsa, is an oligolege (specialist pollinator) of Cirsium spp. Among the butterflies, are such floral visitors as Monarchs, Fritillaries, Painted Ladies, Swallowtails, and Sulfurs. Sphinx moths and bee flies also visit the flowers for nectar. The caterpillars of the butterfly Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady) feed on the foliage, while the caterpillars of several moths feed on the foliage and other parts of this and other thistles (see Moth Table). Other insect feeders include Cassida rubiginosa (Thistle Tortoise Beetle), Euphoria inda (Bumble Flower Beetle), Brachycaudus cardui (Thistle Aphid) and Capitophorus elaeagni (Artichoke Aphid), Melanoplus borealis (Northern Grasshopper), and many others. Among vertebrate animals, the Eastern Goldfinch eats the seeds and uses the tufts of hair as lining material in its nests. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has been known to visit the flowers of thistles for nectar. Mammalian herbivores avoid this plant because of the spines.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken near Kaufman Lake Park in Champaign, Illinois.
Comments: This native plant can be distinguished from the non-native Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle) by the white undersides of its leaves. Also, the floral bracts subtending the flowerheads of Bull Thistle have thick coarse spines, whereas the bracts of the Pasture Thistle have slender golden spines.. Otherwise, they are similar in appearance. Sometimes this plant can be aggressive in disturbed areas, but not to the same extent as the Bull Thistle. It is possible to boil the young leaves and stems and serve them as edible greens. During the month of August, when other forbs are less likely to flower, this plant produces some patches of pink color, making the prairie more interesting during this time of year.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月19日
Description: This annual plant is ½-2' tall, branching occasionally. Shorter plants are erect, while taller plants are inclined to sprawl. The slender hairless stems are initially light green, but become reddish brown. The alternate compound leaves are medium to dark green. They have petioles with nectaries that attract insects. Each compound leaf has up to 20 leaflets, which are somewhat sensitive to touch. A leaflet is about 2/3" long and 1/3" across. It is hairless and oblong. The bright yellow flowers appear along the major stems near the axils of the leaves. They are about 1" across, and have an open, irregular shape. Each flower has 5 rounded petals that vary in relative size, and there are about 10 reddish stamens. There is no floral scent. The blooming period is quite long, from mid-summer to fall. During the fall, pods develop that are initially hairy green, but later become hairless and dark brown. They are about 2½" long, ¾" across, and rather flat. The seeds are dark brown, rather flat, and slightly pitted. The root system consists of a central taproot and smaller auxillary roots.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry conditions. The soil can contain sand, loam, gravel, or clay, to which this plant will add nitrogen. It favors poor soil because of reduced competition from other plants. Partridge Pea is easy to grow, but can spread readily in dry, open situations. It's not usually bothered by disease.
Range & Habitat: The native Partridge Pea is widespread and locally common in Illinois, except in some northern counties, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, savannas, limestone glades, abandoned fields, open areas along railroads and roadsides. Sometimes Partridge Pea is deliberately planted to stabilize banks around ditches and other areas, from where it frequently escapes. This plant favors disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are responsible for pollination of the flowers, which includes such visitors as honeybees, bumblebees, long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). They are attracted to the food pollen of the purple anthers, and are then dusted by the reproductive pollen of the yellow anthers. Two species of bees, Anthophora walshii and Svastra atripes atripes, are oligoleges of Partridge Pea. Sometimes leaf-cutting bees cut off portions of the petals for their brood chambers. The flowers are usually cross-pollinated by insects, but sometimes they are self-pollinating. The petiolar nectaries attract a completely different assortment of insects, which includes such visitors as Halictid bees, wasps, flies, and ants (Robertson, 1929). Unusual visitors to the nectaries are velvet ants (Mutillidae), which are hairy wingless wasps (in the case of the females). The caterpillars of several sulfur butterflies feed on the foliage of this plant, including Eurema lisa (Little Sulfur), Eurema nicippe (Sleepy Orange), and Phoebis sennae cubule (Cloudless Sulfur); see Opler & Krizek (1984). Other insects that feed on Partridge Pea include Cerotoma trifurcata (Bean Leaf Beetle) and Sennius cruentatus (Partridge Pea Seed Beetle); see Clark et al. (2004) and Vestal (1913). The seeds are an important food source for the Bobwhite Quail and Greater Prairie Chicken (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Yeatter, 1943). Because the foliage is strongly cathartic, it is usually avoided by grazing animals (Georgia, 1913). However, White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage in limited amounts.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Judge Webber Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the few annual plants of the prairie that are non-parasitic on the roots of perennial plants. The Partridge Pea is quite attractive in regards to both its foliage and flowering habit, providing quick bloom during the first year of a wild flower garden.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun and average to dry conditions. The soil can contain sand, loam, gravel, or clay, to which this plant will add nitrogen. It favors poor soil because of reduced competition from other plants. Partridge Pea is easy to grow, but can spread readily in dry, open situations. It's not usually bothered by disease.
Range & Habitat: The native Partridge Pea is widespread and locally common in Illinois, except in some northern counties, where it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, savannas, limestone glades, abandoned fields, open areas along railroads and roadsides. Sometimes Partridge Pea is deliberately planted to stabilize banks around ditches and other areas, from where it frequently escapes. This plant favors disturbed areas.
Faunal Associations: Long-tongued bees are responsible for pollination of the flowers, which includes such visitors as honeybees, bumblebees, long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). They are attracted to the food pollen of the purple anthers, and are then dusted by the reproductive pollen of the yellow anthers. Two species of bees, Anthophora walshii and Svastra atripes atripes, are oligoleges of Partridge Pea. Sometimes leaf-cutting bees cut off portions of the petals for their brood chambers. The flowers are usually cross-pollinated by insects, but sometimes they are self-pollinating. The petiolar nectaries attract a completely different assortment of insects, which includes such visitors as Halictid bees, wasps, flies, and ants (Robertson, 1929). Unusual visitors to the nectaries are velvet ants (Mutillidae), which are hairy wingless wasps (in the case of the females). The caterpillars of several sulfur butterflies feed on the foliage of this plant, including Eurema lisa (Little Sulfur), Eurema nicippe (Sleepy Orange), and Phoebis sennae cubule (Cloudless Sulfur); see Opler & Krizek (1984). Other insects that feed on Partridge Pea include Cerotoma trifurcata (Bean Leaf Beetle) and Sennius cruentatus (Partridge Pea Seed Beetle); see Clark et al. (2004) and Vestal (1913). The seeds are an important food source for the Bobwhite Quail and Greater Prairie Chicken (Martin et al., 1951/1961; Yeatter, 1943). Because the foliage is strongly cathartic, it is usually avoided by grazing animals (Georgia, 1913). However, White-Tailed Deer occasionally browse on the foliage in limited amounts.
Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at Judge Webber Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments: This is one of the few annual plants of the prairie that are non-parasitic on the roots of perennial plants. The Partridge Pea is quite attractive in regards to both its foliage and flowering habit, providing quick bloom during the first year of a wild flower garden.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月18日
Description: This perennial plant is ¾-1½' tall and unbranched. It is usually erect, but sometimes sprawls across the ground. The central stem is light green and hairy; it rarely twines about the stems of adjacent plants, fences, or other objects. Alternate leaves about 1½-3" long and about one-half as much across occur along the central stem. They are yellowish green to dull green, oblong-cordate in shape, smooth along their margins, and slightly to moderately hairy. The leaf bases are usually cordate (less often truncate or rounded), while their tips are blunt or pointed. Each leaf usually has a short petiole about ½" long or less; sometimes the upper leaves are sessile. Occasionally, individual flowers develop from the axils of the leaves; there are 1-4 flowers per plant. Each flower is about 2-3" long and 2" across, consisting of a white (rarely pink) funnelform corolla with 5 shallow lobes, 5 light green sepals, several stamens, and a pistil with 2 white stigmata. At the base of the flower, 2 sepal-like bracts surround the sepals; these bracts are light green and ovate. The pedicel is 1" long or less.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1-2 months. On any given day, only 0-1 flowers are in bloom per plant. Each large flower opens up during the early morning and closes at around noon; it lasts only a single day. Fertilized flowers are replaced by globoid seed capsules; each capsule is 2-celled and about 1/3" across. Each cell of the capsule contains a single large seed. The root system is rhizomatous, occasionally forming vegetative offsets.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and soil containing sand, rocky material, or clay.
Range & Habitat: The native Erect Bindweed is found primarily in central and northern Illinois, where it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). Populations of this species have declined across the state. Habitats consist of upland sand prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, open rocky woodlands, limestone glades, and roadside embankments. Erect Bindweed tends to increase in response to occasional wildfires as this reduces woody vegetation and excess debris. This is an indicator plant of high quality prairies.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for Erect Bindweed, although there is some information available about its more weedy relatives, e.g. Calystegia sepium (Hedge Bindweed). The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by miscellaneous long-tongued bees. The caterpillars of Agrius cingulatus (Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth) require bindweed as a food source; the caterpillars of Emmelina monodactyla (Common Plume Moth) and Bedellia somnulentella (Morning Glory Leafminer) also feed on the foliage of species in the Bindweed family. Several beetles feed on the foliage and other parts of these same species: Typophorus nigritus (Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle), Strongylocassis atripes and other tortoise beetles, Chaetocnema confinis (Sweet Potato Flea Beetle), the stem-boring beetle Phaea monostigma, and the seed weevil Megacerus discoidus. One insect, Charidotella sexpunctata (Golden Tortoise Beetle), has been found on the foliage of Erect Bindweed specifically. There are also records of upland gamebirds eating the seeds of bindweed species: the Bobwhite, Ring-Necked Pheasant, and Prairie Chicken.
Photographic Location: The Coneflower Hill Prairie near Lake Shelbyville in Moultrie County, Illinois. The flowers are mostly closed because the photograph was taken after the blooming period during the morning.
Comments: Unlike Erect Bindweed, most species in the Bindweed family are long twining vines that are adapted to thickets, overgrown meadows, and similar habitats. Most of these species are weedy annuals, although Ipomoea pandurata (Wild Sweet Potato) is a perennial with a tuberous swollen root. Species that are twining vines produce large showy flowers in abundance. While the flowers of Erect Bindweed are also large and showy, they are sparingly produced. All of these species have short-lived flowers that remain open during the morning of a single day. Other common names of Calystegia spithamaea are Dwarf Bindweed, Low Bindweed, and Low False Bindweed. An older scientific name of this species is Convolvulus spithamaeus.
The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1-2 months. On any given day, only 0-1 flowers are in bloom per plant. Each large flower opens up during the early morning and closes at around noon; it lasts only a single day. Fertilized flowers are replaced by globoid seed capsules; each capsule is 2-celled and about 1/3" across. Each cell of the capsule contains a single large seed. The root system is rhizomatous, occasionally forming vegetative offsets.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and soil containing sand, rocky material, or clay.
Range & Habitat: The native Erect Bindweed is found primarily in central and northern Illinois, where it is uncommon (see Distribution Map). Populations of this species have declined across the state. Habitats consist of upland sand prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, open rocky woodlands, limestone glades, and roadside embankments. Erect Bindweed tends to increase in response to occasional wildfires as this reduces woody vegetation and excess debris. This is an indicator plant of high quality prairies.
Faunal Associations: Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for Erect Bindweed, although there is some information available about its more weedy relatives, e.g. Calystegia sepium (Hedge Bindweed). The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by miscellaneous long-tongued bees. The caterpillars of Agrius cingulatus (Pink-Spotted Hawk Moth) require bindweed as a food source; the caterpillars of Emmelina monodactyla (Common Plume Moth) and Bedellia somnulentella (Morning Glory Leafminer) also feed on the foliage of species in the Bindweed family. Several beetles feed on the foliage and other parts of these same species: Typophorus nigritus (Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle), Strongylocassis atripes and other tortoise beetles, Chaetocnema confinis (Sweet Potato Flea Beetle), the stem-boring beetle Phaea monostigma, and the seed weevil Megacerus discoidus. One insect, Charidotella sexpunctata (Golden Tortoise Beetle), has been found on the foliage of Erect Bindweed specifically. There are also records of upland gamebirds eating the seeds of bindweed species: the Bobwhite, Ring-Necked Pheasant, and Prairie Chicken.
Photographic Location: The Coneflower Hill Prairie near Lake Shelbyville in Moultrie County, Illinois. The flowers are mostly closed because the photograph was taken after the blooming period during the morning.
Comments: Unlike Erect Bindweed, most species in the Bindweed family are long twining vines that are adapted to thickets, overgrown meadows, and similar habitats. Most of these species are weedy annuals, although Ipomoea pandurata (Wild Sweet Potato) is a perennial with a tuberous swollen root. Species that are twining vines produce large showy flowers in abundance. While the flowers of Erect Bindweed are also large and showy, they are sparingly produced. All of these species have short-lived flowers that remain open during the morning of a single day. Other common names of Calystegia spithamaea are Dwarf Bindweed, Low Bindweed, and Low False Bindweed. An older scientific name of this species is Convolvulus spithamaeus.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月15日
Moss balls (Cladophora aegagropila) create otherworldly aquarium aquascapes, creating big puffs of green in fresh water. When you first add one of these unassuming aquatic plants to water, it expands from a partly dehydrated state to twice its size. These lush Japanese plants also known as "lake balls" or "marimo balls," propagate by division. This plant is so treasured in the region near Lake Akan in Japan, that the Ainu people have held festivals to preserve it since 1950. Lake Akan is one of the few places in the world where these moss balls grow naturally, but they can be propagated for your aquarium.
Remove the moss ball from the aquarium or other container. Gently squeeze excess water out of the moss ball.
Cut the moss ball in half. Cut each half of the moss ball in half. If the resulting pieces are larger than 2 to 3 inches, cut them each in half. This gives you four to eight new moss balls. Moss balls don't have a kernel or central structure, so it's fine to cut it through the center and in any direction.
Tie thread around each moss-ball cutting in two directions. Wrap the thread around the moss, twist it and wrap it in the opposite direction, the way you'd wrap ribbon in both directions on a gift box. Knot the thread and cut off the excess.
Put the moss ball cuttings in your aquarium or other fresh-water aquatic plant environment. Moss balls prefer low light outdoors or moderate light in an aquarium, with water temperatures of 59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn the moss balls at least once a week to encourage growth on all sides of the moss balls. If a marimo moss ball sits in one spot the side that doesn't get any light will die. They also won't become round if they aren't turned regularly because they need light on all sides to grow round.
Remove the moss ball from the aquarium or other container. Gently squeeze excess water out of the moss ball.
Cut the moss ball in half. Cut each half of the moss ball in half. If the resulting pieces are larger than 2 to 3 inches, cut them each in half. This gives you four to eight new moss balls. Moss balls don't have a kernel or central structure, so it's fine to cut it through the center and in any direction.
Tie thread around each moss-ball cutting in two directions. Wrap the thread around the moss, twist it and wrap it in the opposite direction, the way you'd wrap ribbon in both directions on a gift box. Knot the thread and cut off the excess.
Put the moss ball cuttings in your aquarium or other fresh-water aquatic plant environment. Moss balls prefer low light outdoors or moderate light in an aquarium, with water temperatures of 59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn the moss balls at least once a week to encourage growth on all sides of the moss balls. If a marimo moss ball sits in one spot the side that doesn't get any light will die. They also won't become round if they aren't turned regularly because they need light on all sides to grow round.
1
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月14日
Description: This herbaceous perennial plant is 1-2½' tall. Young plants develop from a single central stem, while older plants tiller at the base, sending up multiple erect to ascending stems from a large taproot. These stems are unbranched below, becoming branched above where the flowers occur. The stems are light green to dull reddish purple, terete, and more or less covered with spreading hairs. Densely distributed along these stems, are alternate leaves that differ little in size. These leaves are 2½–3½" long and ½–¾" across; they are linear-oblong to lanceolate-oblong in shape, while their margins are entire (toothless). The tips of the leaves are acute, while their bases are slightly cordate, truncate, or rounded. The leaves are sessile, or they have short petioles up to 3 mm. long. The upper leaf surface is medium to dark green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent, while the lower leaf surface is light to light-medium green and mostly short-pubescent. Along the lower sides of the major veins, this pubescence is somewhat longer. The foliage of this plant lacks a milky latex. Usually several umbels of flowers develop from the upper stems and the axils of upper leaves. These umbels span 1–2½" across, consisting of 8-25 flowers each; they are slightly dome-shaped and often horizontally adjacent to each other.
Each flower consists of 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 hoods with horns, and a central reproductive column that is white to light green and short. The sepals are light green, hairy, and lanceolate in shape; they are largely hidden when the flowers open. The petals are more or less orange, lanceolate in shape, and declined (bent downward). The hoods are more or less orange, erect, and curved-ovate, forming open oblique tubes. The horns are more or less orange, sickle-shaped, incurved, and exserted from the hoods (one horn per hood). Usually the petals, hoods, and horns are orange, but sometimes they are reddish orange or yellowish orange. The pedicels are ¾–1½" long, light green or light reddish purple, terete, and more or less covered with spreading hairs. At the base of these pedicels, there are several spreading bracts up to 8 mm. long; they are green, linear-lanceolate in shape, and pubescent. The peduncles of the umbels are ½–2½" long, light green to dull reddish purple, terete, and hairy. The flowers bloom during early to mid-summer and sometimes a second time during late summer to early autumn. The flowers are relatively long-lasting, but they have no noticeable fragrance. Flowers that have been successfully cross-pollinated are replaced by follicles (seedpods that open along one side). These follicles are 4-6" long and ½–¾" across at maturity; they are initially light green, but later turn brown. The follicle surface is smooth and short-pubescent. These follicles eventually split open to release their seeds to the wind. Mature seeds are about 4 mm. long, flattened-oval in shape, brown, and narrowly winged along their margins; the apices of these seeds have large tufts of white hair. The root system consists of a woody taproot that is thick and knobby. This taproot can extend several feet below the ground surface.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, mesic to dry conditions, and an acidic soil that is sandy or rocky. However, this plant will adapt to other kinds of soil, including those that contain loam or clay, if they are well-drained. Although this plant develops somewhat slowly, it is easy to cultivate in open sunny areas once it becomes established. Tolerance to hot dry weather is excellent. If the taproot of a young plant is planted too close to the soil surface, it may become damaged by frost due to heaving of the soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Butterfly Milkweed is occasional to locally common in Illinois, except for the western section of the state, where it is less common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland sand prairies, hill prairies, cemetery prairies, sandy savannas, open rocky woodlands, shale and sandstone glades (in southern Illinois), abandoned sandy fields, roadside embankments, and areas along railroads. Because of the showy orange flowers, Butterfly Milkweed is often cultivated in gardens. This milkweed is found in both disturbed areas and high quality natural areas. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial in maintaining populations of this plant as this reduces competition from woody vegetation and taller herbaceous vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flower nectar attracts honeybees, digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), thread-waisted wasps (Ammophila spp.) and other Sphecid wasps, and butterflies, including Fritillaries (Speyeria spp.), Swallowtails (Papilio spp.), and the Monarch (Danaus plexippus); see Robertson (1929). The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is also attracted to the flowers. Some insects feed destructively on the leaves, flowers and buds, seedpods, and other parts of Butterfly Milkweed. These insects include larvae of the Blackened Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes melanurus), the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii), the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), larvae of a butterfly, the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), and larvae of a moth, the Unexpected Cycnia (Cycnia inopinatus). Butterfly Milkweed is the preferred host plant of the preceding moth (see Yanega, 1996; Betz et al., 1997; Wagner, 2005). A polyphagous insect, the Curve-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia curvicauda), was observed to feed on the leaves of this milkweed (Gangwere, 1961); it may also feed on the flowers. While the foliage of Butterfly Milkweed lacks the toxic milky latex that is typical of other milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), mammalian herbivores nonetheless appear to avoid it.
Photographic Location: The above photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden, Urbana, Illinois, and a flower garden at the Anita Purvis Nature Center of the same city.
Comments: This is perhaps the showiest of the milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) because of the long-lasting and colorful flowers. Because Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is the only milkweed in Illinois that has orange flowers, it is easy to identify. This species is also unusual for a milkweed because its leaves are alternate and its foliage lacks a milky latex. Because of the absence of milky latex, it is often referred to as Butterfly Weed, rather than Butterfly Milkweed. The thick and bitter-tasting roots were used for various medicinal purposes in the past, including the treatment of pleurisy. As a result, another common name for this species is Pleurisy Root.
Each flower consists of 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 hoods with horns, and a central reproductive column that is white to light green and short. The sepals are light green, hairy, and lanceolate in shape; they are largely hidden when the flowers open. The petals are more or less orange, lanceolate in shape, and declined (bent downward). The hoods are more or less orange, erect, and curved-ovate, forming open oblique tubes. The horns are more or less orange, sickle-shaped, incurved, and exserted from the hoods (one horn per hood). Usually the petals, hoods, and horns are orange, but sometimes they are reddish orange or yellowish orange. The pedicels are ¾–1½" long, light green or light reddish purple, terete, and more or less covered with spreading hairs. At the base of these pedicels, there are several spreading bracts up to 8 mm. long; they are green, linear-lanceolate in shape, and pubescent. The peduncles of the umbels are ½–2½" long, light green to dull reddish purple, terete, and hairy. The flowers bloom during early to mid-summer and sometimes a second time during late summer to early autumn. The flowers are relatively long-lasting, but they have no noticeable fragrance. Flowers that have been successfully cross-pollinated are replaced by follicles (seedpods that open along one side). These follicles are 4-6" long and ½–¾" across at maturity; they are initially light green, but later turn brown. The follicle surface is smooth and short-pubescent. These follicles eventually split open to release their seeds to the wind. Mature seeds are about 4 mm. long, flattened-oval in shape, brown, and narrowly winged along their margins; the apices of these seeds have large tufts of white hair. The root system consists of a woody taproot that is thick and knobby. This taproot can extend several feet below the ground surface.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, mesic to dry conditions, and an acidic soil that is sandy or rocky. However, this plant will adapt to other kinds of soil, including those that contain loam or clay, if they are well-drained. Although this plant develops somewhat slowly, it is easy to cultivate in open sunny areas once it becomes established. Tolerance to hot dry weather is excellent. If the taproot of a young plant is planted too close to the soil surface, it may become damaged by frost due to heaving of the soil.
Range & Habitat: The native Butterfly Milkweed is occasional to locally common in Illinois, except for the western section of the state, where it is less common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include upland sand prairies, hill prairies, cemetery prairies, sandy savannas, open rocky woodlands, shale and sandstone glades (in southern Illinois), abandoned sandy fields, roadside embankments, and areas along railroads. Because of the showy orange flowers, Butterfly Milkweed is often cultivated in gardens. This milkweed is found in both disturbed areas and high quality natural areas. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial in maintaining populations of this plant as this reduces competition from woody vegetation and taller herbaceous vegetation.
Faunal Associations: The flower nectar attracts honeybees, digger bees (Melissodes spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), thread-waisted wasps (Ammophila spp.) and other Sphecid wasps, and butterflies, including Fritillaries (Speyeria spp.), Swallowtails (Papilio spp.), and the Monarch (Danaus plexippus); see Robertson (1929). The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is also attracted to the flowers. Some insects feed destructively on the leaves, flowers and buds, seedpods, and other parts of Butterfly Milkweed. These insects include larvae of the Blackened Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes melanurus), the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii), the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), larvae of a butterfly, the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), and larvae of a moth, the Unexpected Cycnia (Cycnia inopinatus). Butterfly Milkweed is the preferred host plant of the preceding moth (see Yanega, 1996; Betz et al., 1997; Wagner, 2005). A polyphagous insect, the Curve-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia curvicauda), was observed to feed on the leaves of this milkweed (Gangwere, 1961); it may also feed on the flowers. While the foliage of Butterfly Milkweed lacks the toxic milky latex that is typical of other milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), mammalian herbivores nonetheless appear to avoid it.
Photographic Location: The above photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden, Urbana, Illinois, and a flower garden at the Anita Purvis Nature Center of the same city.
Comments: This is perhaps the showiest of the milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) because of the long-lasting and colorful flowers. Because Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is the only milkweed in Illinois that has orange flowers, it is easy to identify. This species is also unusual for a milkweed because its leaves are alternate and its foliage lacks a milky latex. Because of the absence of milky latex, it is often referred to as Butterfly Weed, rather than Butterfly Milkweed. The thick and bitter-tasting roots were used for various medicinal purposes in the past, including the treatment of pleurisy. As a result, another common name for this species is Pleurisy Root.
0
1
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月09日
Growing mushrooms at home allows you to save money and enjoy delicious varieties of mushrooms each day with every meal. Because mushrooms do not contain the green chlorophyll that's found within other types of plants, this fungus relies on drawing all nourishment from the soil and water. To grow mushrooms, start by harvesting mushroom spores from dried mushrooms. Carefully monitor the mushrooms until they are fully developed and ready for consumption.
Collecting Spores
Step 1
Cut the stems off several fresh mushrooms and lay each mushroom on a piece of laminated card-stock paper. If possible, lay each mushroom cap with gills facing down, against the laminated paper.
Step 2
Place plastic bowls over each mushroom cap. Turn a dehumidifier on near the covered mushroom caps. The tiny gap between the card and the bowl allows the dehydrator to dry the mushroom caps, but prevents the mushroom spores from escaping.
Step 3
Allow the mushroom caps to sit under the plastic bowls overnight with the dehumidifier running. The next day, remove the plastic bowls and reserve the dried mushrooms for cooking, but notice the powdery white or black film on the laminated paper piece. This dusty substance is thousands of mushroom spores that have dropped straight down from the mushroom gills.
Planting and Growing Mushrooms
Step 1
Cut straw into sections between 3 and 6 inches long. Place the straw in a container and sterilize the straw by pouring boiling water over it to kill any unwanted bacteria.
Step 2
Pour the hot water off the straw and allow the straw to cool down to room temperature. While it cools, mix the mushroom spores from the laminated paper with the damp grains.
Step 3
Place the spore and damp grain mixture over a 1 to 2-inch layer of straw inside a plastic container.
Step 4
Monitor the grown as the mushroom spores and grain develop into a spore colony that creates a root structure for the mushroom network. The roots, called mycelium, develop into white and lacy filaments.
Step 5
Sterilize a collection of peat moss using the same method described in steps 1 and 2. Place the drained peat moss over the mushroom root structure and allow the mushrooms to grow up and through the peat moss over a period of days or weeks.
Collecting Spores
Step 1
Cut the stems off several fresh mushrooms and lay each mushroom on a piece of laminated card-stock paper. If possible, lay each mushroom cap with gills facing down, against the laminated paper.
Step 2
Place plastic bowls over each mushroom cap. Turn a dehumidifier on near the covered mushroom caps. The tiny gap between the card and the bowl allows the dehydrator to dry the mushroom caps, but prevents the mushroom spores from escaping.
Step 3
Allow the mushroom caps to sit under the plastic bowls overnight with the dehumidifier running. The next day, remove the plastic bowls and reserve the dried mushrooms for cooking, but notice the powdery white or black film on the laminated paper piece. This dusty substance is thousands of mushroom spores that have dropped straight down from the mushroom gills.
Planting and Growing Mushrooms
Step 1
Cut straw into sections between 3 and 6 inches long. Place the straw in a container and sterilize the straw by pouring boiling water over it to kill any unwanted bacteria.
Step 2
Pour the hot water off the straw and allow the straw to cool down to room temperature. While it cools, mix the mushroom spores from the laminated paper with the damp grains.
Step 3
Place the spore and damp grain mixture over a 1 to 2-inch layer of straw inside a plastic container.
Step 4
Monitor the grown as the mushroom spores and grain develop into a spore colony that creates a root structure for the mushroom network. The roots, called mycelium, develop into white and lacy filaments.
Step 5
Sterilize a collection of peat moss using the same method described in steps 1 and 2. Place the drained peat moss over the mushroom root structure and allow the mushrooms to grow up and through the peat moss over a period of days or weeks.
0
0
求助
hege
2017年12月06日
now vs then. one of my air plants are really struggling and I don't know why, have definitely not been underwating more concerned about overwatering but I have treated them the same
0
0
Kiersten_27：Roughly how big are they? You could be soaking then for too little or too long, and do you hang them upside down to dry? If you don’t then they can rot from the inside out
文章
Miss Chen
2017年12月04日
Mushrooms are fungi that have very different growing requirements from those of green plants. Mushrooms come in many varieties, but they have similar growing needs. The easiest mushrooms for new growers to cultivate are oyster mushrooms, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. White button and shiitake mushrooms are two other popular choices. Mushrooms may be grown in almost any container. With the right growing medium and conditions, you can have delicious and fresh mushrooms for your culinary needs.
Step 1
Fill your container with hardwood chips, chopped cereal straws, such as wheat, or shredded corn cobs. Mushrooms contain no chlorophyll, the substance that makes leaves green, and must obtain their nutrients from their growing medium.
Step 2
Moisten the growing medium with water, keeping it warm and consistently damp. Turn it often with a hand-held rake to make sure the mixture has adequate oxygen. The growing medium will reach temperatures of 145 degrees. This unique compost contains the nutrients mushrooms need to grow.
Step 3
Place the container with the composted growing medium on a heating pad to keep the temperature of the growing medium about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4
Sprinkle the mushroom spawn over the growing medium. Mushrooms don't grow by seed but by spawn, or microscopic spores. One mushroom can produce up to 16 billion spores according to Fresh Mushrooms.
Step 5
Keep your container in an area of your house that receives little to no sunlight, such as a basement or even a closet. The location should be easily accessible as the growing mushrooms need supervision.
Step 6
Lower the temperature of the soil to between 55 and 60 degrees F once the spawn has rooted. You will notice filaments spreading through the growing medium. This takes about three weeks according to Gardening Know How.
Step 7
Cover the spawn with one inch of garden soil. Lay a damp cloth over the soil and the entire container. Keep the cloth and the soil damp, but not wet. This will provide your mushrooms with the humidity and moisture they need to grow.
Step 8
Harvest your mushrooms when the cap has separated from the stem. It takes between 17 and 25 days for mushrooms to mature, according to Fresh Mushrooms.
Step 1
Fill your container with hardwood chips, chopped cereal straws, such as wheat, or shredded corn cobs. Mushrooms contain no chlorophyll, the substance that makes leaves green, and must obtain their nutrients from their growing medium.
Step 2
Moisten the growing medium with water, keeping it warm and consistently damp. Turn it often with a hand-held rake to make sure the mixture has adequate oxygen. The growing medium will reach temperatures of 145 degrees. This unique compost contains the nutrients mushrooms need to grow.
Step 3
Place the container with the composted growing medium on a heating pad to keep the temperature of the growing medium about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4
Sprinkle the mushroom spawn over the growing medium. Mushrooms don't grow by seed but by spawn, or microscopic spores. One mushroom can produce up to 16 billion spores according to Fresh Mushrooms.
Step 5
Keep your container in an area of your house that receives little to no sunlight, such as a basement or even a closet. The location should be easily accessible as the growing mushrooms need supervision.
Step 6
Lower the temperature of the soil to between 55 and 60 degrees F once the spawn has rooted. You will notice filaments spreading through the growing medium. This takes about three weeks according to Gardening Know How.
Step 7
Cover the spawn with one inch of garden soil. Lay a damp cloth over the soil and the entire container. Keep the cloth and the soil damp, but not wet. This will provide your mushrooms with the humidity and moisture they need to grow.
Step 8
Harvest your mushrooms when the cap has separated from the stem. It takes between 17 and 25 days for mushrooms to mature, according to Fresh Mushrooms.
0
0
文章
Miss Chen
2017年11月30日
Pine trees and their fallen needles create an acidic soil environment hostile to many plants and fungi. There are, however, several types of mushrooms that not only tolerate the soil beneath pine trees but thrive in such a location. Mushrooms associated with pine trees include edibles, such as the prized king bolete and matsutake mushrooms, as well as poisonous mushrooms, like the death cap.
King Bolete
The king bolete, or Boletus edulis, is a European bolete mushroom associated with spruce and pine trees. This very large mushroom has a swollen, meaty stem and a smooth, brown cap with a tacky surface. According to Michael Kuo, author of "Morels" and "100 Edible Mushrooms," scientists debate whether North American examples of the king bolete are actually the same as the species found in Europe. However, regardless of classification, this pine-loving mushroom is prized for its nutty, slightly bitter flavor and works well in soups.
American Matsutake
A relative of the prized Japanese matsutake mushroom, American matsutake, or Tricholoma magnivelare, is a white to brownish mushroom with a partial veil on the stem. It has a distinctive spicy odor and a complex flavor. This mushroom is often found under jack pine trees in the American northeast.
Hedgehog Mushroom
Also called by its scientific name, Hydnum repandum, the hedgehog mushroom is an orange to tan fungus that grows near conifers. Its name comes from the distinctive spines on the underside of its cap. Except for these spines, it closely resembles the also-edible chanterelle mushroom. Hedgehog mushrooms taste similar to chantarelles, but are usually milder. Old specimens may have a bitter flavor.
Death Cap
This large, white toadstool is one of the most dangerous mushrooms in North America, not only for its poisonous nature but for its resemblance to edible field mushrooms. This fungus is mostly associated with European species of oak, but does grow under several types of pine tree, as well. Death cap mushrooms have a distinctive sack-like volva around their bases and a white ring under the cap.
King Bolete
The king bolete, or Boletus edulis, is a European bolete mushroom associated with spruce and pine trees. This very large mushroom has a swollen, meaty stem and a smooth, brown cap with a tacky surface. According to Michael Kuo, author of "Morels" and "100 Edible Mushrooms," scientists debate whether North American examples of the king bolete are actually the same as the species found in Europe. However, regardless of classification, this pine-loving mushroom is prized for its nutty, slightly bitter flavor and works well in soups.
American Matsutake
A relative of the prized Japanese matsutake mushroom, American matsutake, or Tricholoma magnivelare, is a white to brownish mushroom with a partial veil on the stem. It has a distinctive spicy odor and a complex flavor. This mushroom is often found under jack pine trees in the American northeast.
Hedgehog Mushroom
Also called by its scientific name, Hydnum repandum, the hedgehog mushroom is an orange to tan fungus that grows near conifers. Its name comes from the distinctive spines on the underside of its cap. Except for these spines, it closely resembles the also-edible chanterelle mushroom. Hedgehog mushrooms taste similar to chantarelles, but are usually milder. Old specimens may have a bitter flavor.
Death Cap
This large, white toadstool is one of the most dangerous mushrooms in North America, not only for its poisonous nature but for its resemblance to edible field mushrooms. This fungus is mostly associated with European species of oak, but does grow under several types of pine tree, as well. Death cap mushrooms have a distinctive sack-like volva around their bases and a white ring under the cap.
0
0
