Two Kinds of Vervain and a Penstemon

When I was corrected re my 'Vernonia' and my Penstemon, I went back to the field for better pictures,
 to the web and to all my weed and wildflower books.

As best I can tell, that is a Penstemon. It definitely is not Ruellia. I don't have a Ruellia bloom for comparison on mine, except for Red Katy. The foliage is not Ruellia.

I carried a card to put behind the plant so the background didn't confuse.

In its sandy habitat.

 

 

What I've been calling Vernonia turns out to be a Verbena of some kind, but not V. bonariensis if what I was given as Verbena on a Stick is the right one. It resembles V. hastata but is not exactly like what is in my books. There may be 25 kinds of Verbena, according to my Little Golden Book. My Audobon Field Guide was little help, either. This must be a common one, it's all over the wilder parts of the farm, in fence rows and meadows.

 

Anyway, here's a look at the one in the garden on the left and the one in the meadow on the right.

 

The foliage is similar but not identical.

 

Verbena bonariensis

 

Verbena species, in the wild.

 

 

A last look at the little Penstemon, only about 6 inches tall.

 

By the Way, I saw butterflies today. Two Pipevine butterflies were on Catchfly, and a tattered American Painted Lady.

 

 

 

 

 

Before I went to the fields to make pictures of the Verbena, I saw a dark moth of some kind on the damp driveway after the shower of rain we had. It wasn't enough rain to measure, but I am grateful for any amount. I'm glad to see butterflies returning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Table is Set. Where Are my Butterflies?

We went to pick Mayhaws for a friend this morning. Mayhaws make jelly considered a delicacy and the fruits are found only in certain areas of the Coastal South. We prefer whole fruit jams, so I rarely make jelly.

 Erigeron, commonly called Daisy Fleabane, covers the meadows. He-Who-Mows mowed paths through the flowers yesterday.There is a cultivated field at the very north end beyond the woods, but this area is just meadow and woods.

 Eragrostis, Plains Lovegrass in the flat beside the Mayhaw pond. The little tree is a Mayhaw.

New York Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis  

 New York Ironweed and Plains Lovegrass. This particular Eragrostis blooms in Spring. It resembles Muhly Grass which blooms in August. Lovegrass is smaller.

These are Mayhaws, tiny red fruits that look like apples and taste

somewhat like apples. We gathered about 5 pints of fruit.

 Beautyberry grove at the top of the hill under Live Oaks.

 

 

In previous years, wild Penstmon was plentiful.

I identified this penstemon some years back and have

forgotten the exact species, I found only a few today.

Elephant's Foot blooms in the Fall but it is always

interesting to see.

This is the primary butterfly magnet in the wild areas, wild Lantana. I saw no butterflies. In my home garden, I plant trailing Lantanas because they don't seed about the way these do. In the wild areas, they are free to move about but stay along wood's edge.

 

Near the Lantanas are vines of Passiflora -- we call them Maypops -- host

plant for Gulf Fritillaries. This vine has firmly attached itself to a

small Chinaberry tree. Passiflora has a distinctive 3-lobed leaf.

Erigeron close up. Not an intentional picture, lol.

It clicked while I was trying to get close to the Maypops.

 

Butterflies were plentiful here when azaleas were blooming. There is a lull while we wait for the next horde. I saw plenty of Pipevine and Wild Cherry, too. They will know when it's time.