Family Verbenaceae - Verbena
This family of plants, which includes herbs, shrubs and a few trees, are mostly tropical. Verbena has squarish stems and may be confused with the Mints until you examine the flowers.
In our definitely not tropical region we have four species of Vervains - White (Verbena urticifolia), Blue Vervain(Verbena hastata), Purpletop (Verbena bonariensis) and Hoary Vervain(Verbena stricta). Note that while Vervain is commonly used name in North America, in Europe these species are known as Verbenas. Some species are grown as garden specimens while others grow wild. They are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils.
Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia wrote about Verbena, a couple of thousand years ago. “No plant however is so renowned among the Romans as hiera botane (’sacred plant’). Some call it aristereon, and Latin writers verbenaca. This is the plant which I mentioned as carried to the enemy by envoys. With this the table of Jupiter is swept, and homes are cleansed and purified.”
Family Plantaginaceae
These are the Plantains - quite common wild plants that are often found around gardens and in roadside rough grasses. It also includes the Veronicas or Speedwells of which four species are found here. The group is anatomically quite diverse with some 1900 species worldwide, mostly in the temperate zones.
Local examples include White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), Butter-and-Eggs (Linaria vulgaris), American Plantain(Plantago rugelii) and three species of Speedwell - Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia), Long-leaved Speedwell (Veronica longifolia), and Bird’s-eye Speedwell (Veronica persica). While some of these species are low growing , others can be rather large. The Long-leaved Speedwell, for example, might reach three or four feet in height and have a a two foot spread whereas the Birds-eye Speedwell is a low growing sound cover plant. Most of these species are non-natives that have naturalized.
Plantains are often found along the edges of roads and trails where the ground has been disturbed and the soil is of low quality - plough strips would be a place to look. Speedwells can be seen in recently disturbed earth such as a cleared vegetable patch … around The Garden at Fritz there are usually some fine specimens.
Family Papaveraceae - Poppies and Buttercups
Another very diverse family of plants that includes the Poppies, the Buttercups, Marigolds and Anemones. A milky sap is common to most species and a lot of them produce alkaloids and opiates, which are widely used in medicine as well as misused as narcotics.
One of the best loved and easiest to find members of the group in the study area is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) which is one of the first flowering plants to emerge after the snows have gone in very early spring. They push up, mostly in forested areas though they can also grow in the open, like tightly furled green cigars out of the top of which pushes further a beautiful white flower. One of the ephemera, these plants get their flowering out of the way before leaves appear on the trees and cast everyone on the ground into deep shade. Naturally, look for them in the Arboretum but they also grow well in corners of our gardens.
Other well know local plants include Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus), Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) and Meadow Anemone (Anemonastrum canadense). Some of them prefer wet and disturbed areas so look around ponds and streams.
The Dicentras have both horticultural varieties often known as ‘Bleeding Hearts’ but there is also the native wild Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) to be observed often at the foot of mature trees in forested parts of the area and also Wild Bleeding-Heart (Dicentra eximia). The flower forms are adapted for pollination by large Bumblebees.
Lastly, don’t overlook Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale)
Family Solanaceae
The same family as potatoes is represented here by Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) and three species of Physalis or Groundcherries.
The Nightshade is a sprawling, semi-wooded shrub to be found all over the area with a particular liking it seems to me, for drainage ditches and under fences though it does best in good sun. It has small purple and yellow flowers from which develop clusters of red berries. The flowers attract bumblebees and insects and the fruits are eaten by birds and some mammals though they are mildly toxic to humans causing nausea and vomiting. The vine provides a nesting site and protective covering for birds and other animals.
Thanks for the restack