Tag: Cardinal Flower

  • Cardinal Flower Habitat

    Cardinal Flower Habitat

    A week ago I posted a picture of a Cardinal Flower and said I don’t often see it in the wild.  Today I stumbled on Cardinal Flower several times.

    Here in Connecticut, USDA Hardiness Zone 6a, Cardinal Flower is in full bloom.  You’ll spot it on the edge of streams where the soil is consistently moist.  Cardinal Flower tolerates brief flooding.  We’ve had so much rain this year it must tolerate brief flooding.

    Cardinal Flower will not tolerate is dry soil.  If Cardinal Flower dries out it’s going to disappear from your garden forever.

    Today at Putnam Memorial State Park I spotted a grouping of Cardinal Flower on the edge of a pond.  It was growing just off of the edge of the water.  The grouping to the left is in the stream that feeds the pond.

    Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis Grouping

    I also found some growing on the edge of a culvert.  Cardinal Flower is tough as nails when growing in its preferred moist place.

    Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis in culvert

    If you’re going to plant Cardinal Flower remember the Cardinal Rule:

    Plant Cardinal Flower ONLY where the ground remains moist year round.  Cardinal Flower loves to grow right on the edge of streams almost touching the water.

    Happy gardening!

     

  • An Evening Walk – The Road not Taken

    An Evening Walk – The Road not Taken

    Last night I went for the best walk I’ve had in a while.  We’ve had high heat, high humidity and a ton of rain the last couple weeks which hasn’t encouraged walks.

    I started around 5:00 PM without much of an idea where I was headed.

    At one corner left would take me home in half an hour or right in two hours.  I went right.

    I haven’t felt so calm and at peace in months as I did last night.

    Robert Frost wrote “The Road Not Taken” about a similar situation.

    I enjoy getting lost in the details of houses and landscapes as I walk by.  You never know what you’ll see.

    The picture at the top of the post is an old mill-pond.  There’s a guy on a canoe or kayak somewhere in there.  The pond is on a seldom traveled dirt road where it’s always calm and quiet.

    Walking through a different neighborhood I stumbled on a giant boulder or ledge.  I’m not sure which.  If I were standing in front of that rock my head would be in the shadow.

    Giant Rock

    Near the rock a Caterpillar D5N sits waiting for work.  It’s a BIG machine.

    Caterpillar D5N

    I stumbled on a Callicarpa closer to home.

    Callicarpa

    This picture, taken in early August, shows Callicarpa blooms.  Purple berries will be coming soon.  If anyone knows  the species please let me know.

    Callicarpa Bloom Early August

    The picture below was a surprise.  I walked by a hidden stream and glanced over to see a Cardinal Flower in full bloom.  Cardinal Flower is a native in Connecticut but I rarely see it in the wild.  I don’t know if this plant grew on its own or planted/tossed in the stream.

    Cardinal Flower

    We’ve had a lot of rain the last couple weeks and that stream is normally a trickle this time of the year.

    This post reminded me of The Road Not Taken by Bruce Hornsby, on of my favorite musicians.

    Thanks for joining me on my walk.  I look forward to sharing more pictures with you soon.