Ferns remind of home – the Pacific Northwest. The Bracken Fern, scientifically known as Pteridium aquilinum, is definitely in abundance around our house.

THE FROND

The stalk is green to light brown.

The blade is triangular in shape, being larger at the bottom coming to a point at the top.

The stalk and frond are solitary, but they typically grow in dense groups.

This fern can get quite tall. The majority around our house are about 2 feet tall, but I have seen them taller than Farmer John.

Around our house, the fronds emerge from the ground mid spring. Their frilly greenery decorates the landscape until the fall frost kills the fronds. Their green color turns to brown and they fall over, smothering the small plants trying to grow underneath them. In the spring, the cycle begins again.

CLOSEUP OF THE BLADE
Showing the leaflets (or pinnae), which are primarily opposite.
Each leaflet is then divided into pinnules, which are also opposite,

WHERE IT GROWS

Bracken fern is thought to have been in existence for millions of years. It is found throughout the world, except Antarctica.

It needs sun to thrive. I think of ferns as a shady plant. But, this fern does not appreciate the shade. It grows in the forest, but in the open areas that receive more sun.

The Bracken Fern is a competitive plant, stealing much of the nutrients in the soil, and taking over entire areas. It is one of the most common ferns in the Pacific Northwest.

BRACKEN FERN GROUPING

IS IT EDIBLE?

Some say yes. Some say no.

The bracken fern has been linked to causing cancer, particularly stomach cancer.

That being said, many people eat the fronds and/or rhizomes and are still living well today.

Like many ferns, people enjoy eating the fiddleheads of the Bracken Fern. Boiling the young fronds in salt water reduces the carcinogenic material, deeming them safer to eat. This also makes them taste less bitter.

The rhizomes are eaten raw, or powdered to create a starchy fiber, and also used for root tea. Medicinally it has been used to help with stomach cramps, worms, headaches, and bronchitis.

POISONOUS FOR LIVESTOCK

All parts of the Bracken fern are poisonous to livestock, especially horses, cattle, and sheep.

Typically these animals won’t eat the fern. But, if sufficient forage isn’t available or if the fern is mixed in with their hay, they will eat it. After a couple weeks of eating the bracken fern the poisonous affects such as anemia, hemorrhaging, or tumors, will show up, often resulting in death.

Goats are said to be the only livestock that will typically eat Bracken fern.

GALLERY

BRACKEN FERNS CAN GET TALL
It’s a bit difficult to see in these photos, but these ferns along my running trail are taller than me.

IN MY FLOWERBEDS
These ferns grow like crazy in my flowerbeds. I’m either going to have to get aggressive at getting rid of them, or change my gardens to embrace them. The bracken fern is just too abundant to coincide with the plants I’ve brought in.

DEAD & DYING FRONDS

Take a moment to enjoy the Wonderful World of Plants!

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Foxgloves are my cue that summer is here. Typically they bloom from mid June until the beginning of August.

They are bright & beautiful.

STEM & LEAVES, & FLOWERS

As a biennial, foxgloves do not produce flowers their first year. Instead, a simple rosette of leaves is formed that first year.

The second year produces a 3 – 5 foot tall stalk with multiple tubular flowers.

2nd year, not yet blooming

Just beginning to bloom

Lovely purple flower

Standing tall

This flower is passed its prime. Eventually, the seeds inside will drop to reseed the area.

The majority of the foxgloves around here are purple, but there are a few white ones scattered about.

POLLINATION

I have spotted moths, butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds crawl in a flower tube to collect what I assume to be delicious nectar.

Peeking inside the freckled flower to spot the stigma.

WHERE IT GROWS

Often foxgloves are grown for vertical interest in home gardens.

Around my house, though, they grow naturally in the sunny areas among the trees.

They look beautiful among the native grasses, daisies and Columbia Lilies.

TOXICITY

All parts of the foxglove plant are poisonous. Ironically, for the same reason they are poisonous, is the reason the plant is used medicinally. Ingesting any portion of a foxglove can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat. The leaves can also irritate sensitive skin. The deer around here don’t even eat them.

Take a moment to enjoy the Wonderful World of Plants!

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Oh, the Red Flowering Currant! It is one of my favorites.

THE FLOWER

Scientifically known as Ribes sanguineum, this deciduous shrub has lovely pink flowers in the spring. At our house they show up in April.

The small, tubular flowers are in nodding clusters. They are so lovely, the plant is not only grown in the wild, but also in ornamental landscapes.

Hummingbirds and butterflies visit the flowers as a nectar source.

GETTING READY TO BLOOM

IN ALL ITS GLORY
This particular grouping grows right outside our garden fence.

THE FRUIT

In summer, the shrub has blue-black berries. The berries are edible, but not tasty to most people. Birds, however, love them.

THE STEM

The stems are thin and thornless.

THE LEAVES

The rounded leaves are small, being no bigger than about 3 inches. They have an alternate leaf arrangement.

WHERE IT GROWS

The Red Flowering Currant is native to the Pacific Northwest. It can be found in the western parts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.

It prefers sun to partial shade.

Take a moment to enjoy the Wonderful World of Plants!

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One of my favorite summer flowers around our house is the Lilium columbianum, or Columbia Lily. It is quite exotic looking compared to other Pacific Northwest plants.

This lily is native to North America and grows in open woodlands of the west. It is also known as the Tiger Lily or Oregon Lily.

THE BULB

The Columbia Lily grows from a bulb that can be eaten similarly to a potato.

THE STEM & LEAVES

This perennial plant grows quite tall – sometimes up to 5 feet.

The leaves grow in groups around the stem.

WHERE IT GROWS

We notice these beauties in the forested area, but outside the shade of the fir trees.

They are some what rare around here. They are much fewer in numbers than other flowers, such as these purple foxgloves.

THE FLOWER

Flowers not yet branched out or blooming

Around the end of June, the gorgeous Columbia Lily blooms.

Many flowers bloom from one plant.

The flowers are hermaphrodite, each one having both male and female organs.

Butterflies, hummingbirds and bees visit the Columbia Lily.

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Indian Plum, also known as Oso Berry, is part of the rose family. Scientifically it’s known as Oemleria cerasiformis.

I am highlighting this plant because it is always a joy to see its flowers. They are one of the earliest shrubs around our house to bloom. Surely a sign that the loomy, gloomy winter is behind us. However, this year it’s still raining… a lot.

THE FLOWER

Usually I notice the flowers sometime in March. They are lovely, even though the leaves are just barely opening.

The Indian Plum produces many suckers, which can create a nice place for birds to nest and critters to hide.

This deciduous shrub is found in the far western part of the Pacific Northwest, from southern British Columbia to Northern California. It grows in moist wooded areas.

Clusters of flowers dangle from the stem. They are a great nectar source for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

The Indian Plum is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are not on the same plant. Because of this, they need insects to aid in propagation.

THE FRUIT

The fruit emerges where the flowers once were. They change from an orange color, to pinkish, to a dark bluish black.

The fruit is edible, but is bitter.

Another beautiful plant. Another reason I love living where we do.

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One of my favorite spring plants is the Western Trillium, or Trillium ovatum. It is lovely with its showy white flower against the greens and browns of the forest floor.

Where & When Trilliums Grows

I adore trilliums. They are one of the first plants to flower near our house. It’s a sign that spring is here. I usually spot them near the end of March, into April.

I find trilliums tucked in among other low lying greenery in the coniferous forest surrounding our home.

The Stem & Leaves?

Trilliums grow to about a foot high on what is stem-like, but not scientifically a real stem. The “stem” is actually part of the rhizome.

Similarly, the plant does not have real leaves. Instead, the 3 green sections are bracts with the flower extending from it. They do function like leaves in that they aid in photosynthesis.

Color Changes

Western White Trillium with pink markings

As the flower ages it turns a dark magenta color.

Trilliums are Fragile

Trilliums are fragile. If the flower is picked, the rhizome does not get the nutrients that is needed for next year’s plant. The advice is don’t ever pick a trillium.

They also don’t propagate easily. They don’t transfer well and it can take as long as 5 – 7 years to get a plant grown from seed.

With the help of ants, though, trilliums are able to reproduce. Similar to the Western Bleeding Heart, ants aid in spreading the seed.

Beauty of the Forest

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The plant I’m highlighting for February is the Pacific Bleeding Heart, also referred to as Western Bleeding Heart. I love the delicate look to this hardy perennial. I’m also a sucker for most things purple. It is one of my favorite spring flowers.

Soon it’s foliage should start emerging. Typically April and in to May are when we see the flowers in bloom.

Where it Grows

Around our house the bleeding heart grows near the shade of the fir trees, nestled among all the other spring greens. We don’t have any right near our house, which gets quite a bit of sun. The Pacific Bleeding Heart can be found from British Columbia south into California.

Naturalization

This plant spreads by rhizomes creating naturalized areas. In our area there seems to be a good balance of these beauty’s. They are not aggressively taking over, nor are they scarce.

The Leaves

There is quite a bit of lacy foliage per plant.

Birds & the Bees

Here is a bee visiting a bit weathered bleeding heart. Hummingbirds & butterfly larvae also enjoy this plant. Deer don’t tend to eat them.

The Seed

The seed pod shoots out from the heart shaped flower.

Inside the pod are the tiny seeds. Often times ants will distribute the seeds while enjoying the fatty, jelly like goo on the seeds.

Just Lovely

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One of the great things about living where we do is we get to enjoy nature’s beauty every day. There are many plants growing wild I’d like to learn more about. In an attempt to do that, I’m going to pick a plant each month in 2017 and write a post about it.

I’m starting the year off with my nemesis, the Canada thistle, Cirsium arvense. The next 11 plants will probably be ones I actually enjoy, but I can’t do this series without mentioning the plant I think about most.

It is my very least favorite plant… ever. It is extremely invasive. It grows everywhere. It grows in places in my flowerbeds that the only way for to get rid of them is to pull them. I can only pull a few hundred at a time before my hands just can’t take the poking anymore.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike this thistle?

They start out like this. Smallish thistles clustered in a group.

Then they get a little taller. Now is the easiest time for me to pull them. However, we have so many I can’t pull them all. But, I do what I can. And, they always come come back. I pull the same thistle multiple times a year. I keep hoping eventually I’ll win. Certainly don’t till them back into the ground. These bastards can regrow from the tiniest discard of root.

There it is. The flower. All the pretty purple flowers laughing, knowing they are going to go to seed. I didn’t pull them in time.

They get tall and gangly. By the time they are this big, they are difficult to pull.

The seed. Look at all that glorious fluff wanting to make more thistles. Blech!

A deer down in a field of thistles. A FIELD OF THISTLES!

At least the deer eat the damn things.

Other creatures enjoy the thistles, as well. I am confident, though, that there are plenty of other things for them to graze on. The thistles can go.

The thistles grow like crazy in our fields, too. For years we didn’t use herbicides. However, I’ve given up. I don’t think there is a way to get rid of them without an herbicide. So, this year we will have to make a thistle removal schedule – and stick to it. Then do it again next year and the year after. They have got to go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoONBIB0S3o

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