27 July 2024

At yesterday’s annual Wissahickon Nature Club outing at Jennings Prairie we found many familiar plants in the expected places, but some that should be at peak in late July were already past their prime, probably due to this year’s heat. We found some other surprises as well.

We usually have to search with binoculars to find a lesser purple fringed orchid (Platanthera psycodes) nestled in the distance but yesterday we saw this one near the trail.

Hairy willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) was exactly where we expected it in the valley under the footbridge, but we also found some in the woods.

Jumpseed (Persicaria virginiana) flowers are usually white but these were pink as well.

Jack-in-the-pulpit fruit is still green. It won’t turn red until next month.

Here’s a two-step lesson on how halberd-leaf tearthumb (Persicaria arifolia) got its common name.