Plants

What’s in Bloom: Week of April 22, 2024

Daffodil, Narcissus sp., many locations

Serviceberry, Amelanchier sp., Violet Path 

Yoshino cherry, Prunus yedoensis, several locations

Weeping cherry, Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’, Azalea Path

Snow Goose cherry, Prunus ‘Snow Goose’, Pond Rd.

Lennei magnolia, M. soulangiana ‘Lennei’, Indian Ridge

Magnolia, Magnolia ‘Betty’, Cedar Ave.

Star magnolia, Magnolia stellata, several locations

Magnolia, Magnolia ‘Goldfinch’, Mound Ave.

P.J.M. rhododendron, Rhododendron ‘P.J.M.’, several locations

Rhododendron, Rhododendron ‘Caronella’, several locations

Big white trillium, Trillium grandiflorum, Sumac Path

Large bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora, Sumac Path

Purple trillium, Trillium erectum, Buttercup Path

Dutchman’s breeches, Dicentra cucullaria, Sumac Path

Barren strawberry, Waldsteinia fragarioides, many locations

Red barrenwort, Epimedium x rubrum, Birch Gardens

Virginia bluebell sumac, Mertensia virginiana, several locations

Forsythia, Forsythia sp., several locations

Hobblebush, Viburnum lantanoides, Sumac Path

Creeping forget-me-not, Omphalodes verna, Spruce Ave.

Spicebush, Lindera benzoin, Halcyon Ave.

Plum yew, Cephalotaxus  harringtonia, Chapel Ave.

Moss pink, Phlox subulata, Daphne Path

Candytuft, Iberis sempervirens, Chapel Ave.

Basket of gold, Aurinia saxatilis, Ash Ave.

Johnny jump-up, Viola tricolor, Indian Ridge Path

Virginia bluebell, Mertensia virginica, Chapel Ave.

Winter hazel, Corylopsis spicata, Fountain Ave.

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, Rose Path

Grape hyacinth, Muscari sp.,several locations

Adder’s tongue, Erythronium sp. Magnolia Ave., Birch Gardens

Sugar maple, Acer saccharum, many locations

Three-flower maple, Acer triflorum, Halcyon Ave.

Norway maple, Acer platanoides, many locations

Japanese andromeda, Pieris japonica, many locations

Mountain andromeda, Pieris floribunda, many locations

Paper birch, Betula papyrifera, several locations

River birch, Betula nigra, several locations

Squill, Scilla siberica,several locations

Anemone, Anemone sp., @ Sphinx

Creeping myrtle, Vinca minor, many locations

Japanese spurge, Pachysandra terminalis, several locations

Golden weeping willow, Salix xsepulcralis, Willow Pond

Red maple, Acer rubrum, several locations

Lenten rose, Helleborus ‘Pink Lady’, Birch Garden

Lenten rose, Helleborus ‘White Lady’, several locations

little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower 

who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see I will comfort you because you smell so sweetly…

                                -e. e. cummings

 Abies balsamea, balsam fir is familiar as the traditional, fragrant, Christmas tree among many people. The human nose can detect thousands of different odors – a whiff of the ocean, freshly cut grass, vanilla, coffee, lilacs, roses, – but many of us experience distinct emotions, reaching back to childhood memories of Christmas when smelling a balsam fir. To quote Helen Keller (1880-1968), “Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived.” (more…)

Birds small enough to nest in our young cypress
Are physicians to us
They burst from the tree exactly
Where the mind ends and the eye sees…

Donald Revell

Scientific identification of plants was dramatically changed and formalized by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) when he successfully introduced the concept of binomial classification: each thing would have just two-names in Latin. However, since that historic era in the 1750’s, periodic revisions have occurred, even until today, resulting in accepted botanical changes. One example involves the genus Cupressus, cypress which in Linnaeus’s time included some plants different than today. In the 1840’s,updated analysis created the new genus of Chamaecyparis, False-cypress, from within the latter. Another example of such a change from Linnaeus’ time led to the creation on the genus Tsuga, hemlock from within the then larger genus Pinus, pine.

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We highlight the genus Spiranthes, with its common name of Ladies Tresses. This is a genus presently with about 30 worldwide species of terrestrial perennials occurring in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, north Africa and Australia. These perennial orchids can be and have been perplexing to taxonomists. Their list of common names, each with differing accompanying Latin names include nodding ladies tresses, fragrant ladies tresses, slender ladies tresses, hooded ladies tresses, woodland ladies tresses, marsh ladies tresses, little ladies tresses, grass-leaved ladies tresses, lacelip ladies tresses, long lipped ladies tresses, spring ladies tresses, summer ladies tresses, autumn ladies tresses, reclusive ladies tresses, Appalachian ladies tresses, great plains ladies tresses, Atlantic ladies tresses, Nepalese ladies tresses, etc.

We quote from orchid authority, Robert L. Dressler in his The Orchids: Natural History and Classification, “In our present state of knowledge, no classification can be the final word.

A classification should be viewed both as a hypothesis to be tested with new information and, ideally, as a guide in search for new information…”. One example of this floristic transitoriness comes close to home for us with Spiranthes grayi, Gray’s ladies tresses, named as a species, in the early twentieth-century by Harvard University’s renowned orchid expert, Oakes Ames (1874-1950). He named this to honor the earlier notable Harvard botanist, Asa Gray (1810-1888), namesake of our Asa Gray Garden and buried on Holly Path.  However, with advanced analysis this species status was rescinded, combined within Spiranthes tuberosa as var. grayi.

Taxonomy aside, October is the time to seek out the delicate, fragrant, small flowers of our native and rare Spiranthes odorata, Marsh Ladies Tresses. During this commencement of autumn, asters and goldenrods may attract much more attention throughout our landscape, but we turn to Emily Dickinson to capture the delight of aficionados of these rare and eye-catching plants.

If you were coming in the fall,
I’d brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.

            -Emily Dickinson

Spiranthes odorata, Marsh Ladies Tresses are recognizable by their unique vertical rows of tiny flowers (as with many of the differing species within the genus), sometimes braided spirally around their 8-18-inch, unbranched stems. Each flower, slightly curved downward, is about 1/3-inch long, with 3 white petals and 3 white sepals.  The etymology comes from Greek speira meaning spiral or twisted and anthos meaning flower. Odorata of course alludes to fragrance.

Bumblebees, Bombus sp., are the most frequent pollinators of Ladies Tresses.

…As the fainting bee,
Reaching late his flower
Round her chamber hums,
Counts his nectars-enters,
And is lost in balms!

            -Emily Dickinson

On an early autumn visit to Mount Auburn look for Spiranthes odorata, Marsh Ladies Tresses, and maybe a few bumblebees, at the Gardner Tomb on Oxalis Path.

Withered orchids scatter the highroad as the officer rides away
Heaven itself will wither in pity…

            -Li Ho

…I desire that you would remember the ladies,
and be more generous and favorable
to them than your ancestors…

            -Abigail Adams