sunflower

Friends of the Wild Flower Garden

Seasonal Photos - Autumn #1

wild grape
 

 
In mid September and October as many plants prepare for winter rest, there is still abundant color in the Upland Garden. Asters predominate. The multi-colored fruits of various plants are quite visible. Some of the photos on this page will show a close up upon mouse roll-over. More photos, identification and descriptive information on each plant is found in the site index. Alternate common names for plants are listed in ( ).  

 
American Highbush Cranberry Pale Dogwood White Baneberry
Rose Hips
 
         
From year to year I become more and more attached to wild asters. They are so varied in color, habit, and form. The one I look at last, I like best of all. Eloise Butler
Calico Aster Side-flowering Aster (Calico Aster)(Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.). Family: Aster. Found in the Upland Garden this aster has very small flower heads with white to slight purple tinged rays, lance shape leaves. Second image under.
   
upland view

An upland view from the far hill in the Upland Garden

   
Silky Aster

Western Silver Aster (Silky Aster) (Symphyotrichum sericeum (Vent.) G.L. Nesom).One of the full sun fall asters in the Upland Garden. Short plants with profuse blooms. Leaves pale green, silky, silver tint, smooth edges. Second image under.

 

 
Great Blue Lobelia Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica L.). Family: Bellflower. Found in both the Upland and Woodland Gardens. Close-up image under
 
Many Flowered Aster White Heath Aster (Many-flowered Aster). (Symphyotrichum ericoides L.). Family: Aster. A medium height aster of the Upland Garden with white flowers. Leaves small, narrow .5 to 1.5" long, rough edges. Close-up on roll-over

 

 

New England Aster New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae L.). One of the most prolific of the asters in the Upland Garden. The plants are tall with the leaves distinctively clasping the stem. At the east end of the Upland Garden a large group of these asters are rose colored instead of the more common purple shown here. Second image under.
   
Showy Goldenrod Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa Nutt.). Family: Goldenrod. One of the late blooming goldenrods in the Upland Garden, distinctive for the large branching flower clusters.
   
Stiff Goldenrod
Stiff Goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum (L.) Small) [Solidago rigida]). Family: Aster. Upland Garden. Close-up image under.
   
Rosehips Rose hips. Seed of the Wild Rose (Rosa blanda Aiton). Upland Garden.
   
red sumac
A red apparition in the Upland Garden
   
The path in the bog area of the Woodland Garden in mid-October showing the end of the season colors.
bog path
   
The large solitary oak on the central hill in the Upland Garden in mid October. It's companions of years past on this hill now gone. Click the image for a larger photo.
oak on hill
Gray Dogwood
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa Lam.) Family: Dogwood. The white flowers of late spring give way to very white fruit with very conspicuous red stalks. Upland Garden. Close-up image under.
   
  Rattlesnake Root
White Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes alba L.). Family: Composite. Upland Garden. Flowers can range from white to greenish and yellowish. Native to most of Minnesota except the SW. Close-up image under.
   
 
Butterfly Weed
  Butterfly Weed (Butterfly Milkweed) (Asclepias tuberosa L.). Family: Milkweed. Upland Garden. A plant of the dry prairie and sunny woods. Native to Minnesota in the south and east. close-up image under.
   
  Prairie Dock
  Prairie Dock (Prairie Rosinweed) (Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq.). Family: Composite. Upland Garden. A very tall prairie plant of sunny drier areas. Leaves are basal only. One of the four Silphiums in the Upland Garden. Close-up image under.
Redstem Aster (Purple-stemmed Aster) (Symphyotrichum puniceum (L.) A. Löve & D. Löve). A lighter shade of violet than the New England Aster, the leaves have a clasping base and the stem is, of course, purple-reddish. Flowers can be up to 1- 1/2 inches wide. Woodland Garden. Close-up image under.
Red Stemmed Aster
   
Robin on birdbath
A robin on the Odell birdbath near the Martha Crone Shelter.
Horse Gentian Orangefruit Horse Gentian. (Triosteum aurantiacum E. P. Bicknell). Family: Honeysuckle. Not a true gentian at all and named for the coarseness of the overall plant, it sports these very conspicuous orange fruit in the leaf axils in late September and October. Upland Garden in several places. Second image under.
Sky-blue Aster (Azure Aster).(Symphyotrichum oolentangiense (Riddell) G.L. Nesom). Family: Aster. A sky-blue variety in the Upland Garden. Leaves stiff, thick, lower stalked with wings, upper stalkless. Second image under.
Azure Aster
   
Rose Hips

©2008-2011 Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc. All photos on this page are the property of The Friends. "www.friendsofeloisebutler.org" 012211