12 November
Family Rosaceae
A very large and surprisingly diverse plant family with some 3000 species that on the face of things look nothing like their relatives. After all, we all know what a rose looks like yet many Rosaceae appear wildly different in so many ways.
For the botanists … Roses have alternate leaves, which vary from simple to trifoliate, palmate, or pinnate. The whole leaves or smaller leaflets are frequently more or less oval-shaped with serrated edges, which is a good secondary pattern for recognizing the Rose family. As for the flowers, there are typically 5 (rarely 3 to 10) separate sepals and a similar number of petals. There are a minimum of 5 stamens, but often many more, usually in multiples of five … the result is a distinctive, fuzzy-looking center surrounded by lots of stamens. Plants of the Rose family form many different fruits, varying from fleshy fruits to various false fruits, dry seeds, capsules, or follicles.
The closest to the typical garden roses likely to be lurking in hedgerows are wild-type garden escapes with simple flower forms and a short flowering season giving way to the production of really large hips. For example you will encounter Rosa rugosa and possibly the similar Russian or glabrous rose (Rosa glabrifolia). Often these wild-type roses have a much stronger scent than horticultural varieties.
Look for the attractive Cinquefoils or Potentillas. There are many species, some native and some naturalized. They are usually low growing with yellow or white flowers showing five distinct petals (hence Cinquefoil). Local examples are Silverleaf Cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), Rough Cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) and Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta). One in particular that can be found in unmown corners of town gardens is the Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) which bears a large red fruit that looks remarkable like a strawberry but is quite unpalatable.
A couple of very attractive, if small, members of the Rosaceae are two species most easily distinguished from each other by the flowers - one being white and the other yellow. These are the somewhat straggly Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) and White Avens (Geum canadense). Again a five petals, simple flower. These species like to grow on the edges of woodlands, along the sides of paths and in recently disturbed land, sometimes in damp areas too.
There there is the very frequently observed Purple-flowered Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) which is quite shade tolerant and happily spreads by runners once it is established. Related wild raspberries you might encounter are the Dwarf Raspberry (Rubus pubescens), and the innovatively named Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus). The raspberries are all exploited by songbirds, butterflies, bees, and both large and small mammals as well as providing nesting material for some species of bees. The fruits are edible but not very exciting.
A number of Rosaceae species grow into woody shrubs and moderate sized trees. There are many species of Hawthorns (Genus Crataegus) for example and all the many species of Plums and Cherries (Genus Prunus). Then we have the Mountain Ash species of the genus Sorbus, both native and the naturalized, and often garden grown, European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) which is flocked to in early winter by many fruit eating birds such as American Robins, Waxwings and European Starlings. The European mountain ash is also known as Rowan and the wood of it is said to ward off witches and makes the perfect staff for a wizard.
Less desirable and far too widely grown on this side the Atlantic where it neither native, nor wanted, are two species of Buckthorn. The Glossy or Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and the Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). These spine-bearing trees are originally from Asia and Europe but far too well established here. The black berries are often only eaten by birds at the end of winter when other foods have already been consumed. The shrubs/trees form dense thickets and the roots secrete substances into the soil that inhibit other plants from growing so that the buckthorns can “take over”. Worse yet, the seeds remain viable in the soil for up to seven years meaning that this is a plant that is difficult to control - even when you think you have rooted it all out the dormant seeds pop up once your back is turned. Do not give these plants any quarter - they have to go.
There are the several highly desirable species of Dogwoods (Cornus spp.) like the Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), the red bark of which brings some colour to the countryside in winter. If you are from the Maritimes you will recognize Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) though it is less common here.
There are numerous other Rosaceae easily discounted as mere weeds. Among these are, for example, the Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), Canada Clearweed (Pilea pumila), and several species of related plants such as two species of Jewelweed and Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), this latter being a highly invasive alien.
Last, but not least, we have the Loosestrife species like Dotted Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata) and Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) and also what is perhaps the most insignificant of the Rosaceae, Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea). This close to the ground, fleshy plant creeps into your garden when you are not looking and is often rooted out as just another weed. In the Garden at Fritz that is exactly what happened a few years ago until we discovered that for the clients of the food banks that the Garden at Fritz provides with produce, who originated in Mediterranean countries, this is a prized food plant eaten as crunchy part of salads or lightly sautéed in oil and with a lemon dressing.
A rose by any other name, or appearance, is very often a rose indeed.
Enjoyed this post, especially the segment on purslane. In my youth, my dad and I raised strawberries commercially, and we in regarded purslane as a common invasive weed, to be vigorously eradicated -- until my grandfather informed us it was edible in salads and sauteed. I can't say that I ever savoured it -- so ultimately it was again consigned to the weed pile.
Gosh, there are some plants in there I wasn't aware of as being part of the Rosaceae! Thanks for the info.