6 August 2022

By early August many flowers have already produced seeds. Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) above displays every step in the process: buds, new flowers, fading flowers and seed packets.

The three-flanged seed pods of American wild yamroot (Dioscorea villosa) are as distinctive as its pleated leaves.

Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) now has both seed pods and flowers (seeds in shadow at left). This alien plant is easy to find in Schenley Park because it is toxic to deer.

Yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) is much harder to find because it is ravaged by the large deer herd.

If this flower evades the deer it will turn into a seed pod that bursts explosively when ripe.

(photos by Kate St. John)