Red, Pink and Green
Or the good, the bad and the not so ugly. Down on the shore of the Grasse River some hanger-ons are still in good bloom.
Wild Cardinal Flowers are better than good. They define ‘RED’ and they don’t just display the color – they scream it. So intense is the red of these flowers a camera has a hard time capturing it.
Wild Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis
Purple Loosestrife on the other hand might be pretty but it’s such a noxious weed. Purple Loosestrife is probably known as the number 1 alien invader.
Lythrum salicaria
Looking at ‘wild’ places gives a false impression on just how invasive this plant is. In undisturbed places Purple Loosestrife has to fight just as hard as anything else to get a place in the sun. But disturb the soil and long dormant seeds just waiting for the right conditions will sprout in uncountable numbers. I’ve seen estimates that the seed will stay viable for over 100 years so I guess there’s no waiting it out.
I do yoink these out when I come across them along the river – no sense letting them go to seed. Sooner or later if we don’t the river is going to be lined with them.
And the not so ugly. With a kiss he might get even better looking.
Go ahead an put him on your desktop so you can sneak a kiss every time you boot up. If he doesn’t turn into a Prince you can always keep the one you caught.
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August 25th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
A weed is a weed, and a flower is a flower. Maybe! As with beauty, only in the eye of the beholder is there a difference. We like flowers, we loathe weeds. What’s not to like about a pretty pink flower? River bank lined with pink–is that so bad? Does it do any particular harm to anyone or anything? Just wondering?
August 25th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Might need some gin to kiss the frog. Where do princesses come from?
August 26th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Can I get money instead of a Prince. I am a Prince myself.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I think I’ve seen those pink flowers at a few of the nature parks I visit. I like the frog, but I don’t think I’m in the market for a prince. It’s amazing what some potential princesses will go through to get their man. Maybe I should paint myself green.
August 26th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Aw, forggie is so cute! Purple loosestrife has been more or less contained here; our big big problem is garlic mustard.
August 26th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I love wild flowers.
Froggie kisses don’t work for me for some reason….maybe thats because I already have a Prince?
August 26th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Great frog picture! The flowers look great but like you said better leave the soil around the loosestrife undisturbed, 100 years is a long time.
August 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I’ve been told that the loosestrife is bad to have because it crowds out the native plants and isn’t very beneficial to the local fauna. True or False?
It is a beautiful plant. We have in great abundance around here along the rivers and marshes. It’s even found it’s way into the pots around my backyard ponds. I don’t think we could ever eradicate it now.
The cardinal flower is gorgeous. Now if we could just get that to reproduce as well as the loosestrife we’d really have some dramatic landscapes!
August 28th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I’d kiss him regardless of his looks!