Amazing plant diversity

[BarryC]

I never cease to be amazed at the plant diversity here in the Pines. Right here on this property I have 2 species of Asters with blue flower heads (one with large flower heads and one with small) and 3 species of Asters that grow very tall and will bloom at the end of the month or beginning of October. These have white flower heads. There are 4 species of Boneset (Thoroughwort), Sweet Everlasting, Maryland Golden Aster, at least 2 or 3 species of Goldenrod, Hairy Blazing Star, Butterflyweed; and just today I found Blue Curls. There's also Common Field Daisies, Indian Pipes, St. Andrew's Cross, Pineweed (a St. Johnswort), Mullein, Moth Mullein, Teaberry, Spotted Wintergreen, Pink Lady's Slipper, Little Ladies' Tresses, Dwarf Dandelion, a few species of Hawkweed, ordinary Dandelions, Queen Anne's Lace, plus plenty of other things that I can't remember right now. There's also Mountain Laurel, Sheep Laurel, High-bush Blueberry, one or more species of low Blueberries or Huckleberries, Bayberry, Inkberry Holly, and lots more.
Just down the road I can find at least 2 more species of Boneset, a few more species of Goldenrod, Pine Barren Gentian, Nodding Ladies' Tresses, Joe-Pye-Weed, Swamp Rose Mallow, Blue Flag Iris and Slender Blue Flag Iris, White Fringed Orchids, Turk's Cap Lilies, St. Peterswort, Pickerelweed, Pitcher Plants, 3 species of Sundew, Common St. Johnswort, Shrubby St. Johnswort, Sickle-leaf Golden Aster, Pine Barren Heather, Tall Ironweed and Jewel Weed. And I know I've forgotten an awful lot of what's around. There's so much that I can't possibly remember it all, and there's some that I still haven't seen yet. I'm just amazed at it all. In every season (except winter of course) there is a ton of stuff to see in bloom.
Last week I found Arrowhead at Friendship (not Arrow Arum or Pickerelweed), and today I found 2 different kinds of flowers that so far I haven't been able to identify. But I'm working on it.
Of course elsewhere in the Pines I could write another long list of what I've seen. Then there are the Oak trees. So far I've seen between 10 and 12 species, or maybe more. At the golf course where I work I can find 7 of them.
This is one of the great things about the Pine Barrens- one of the things that I love.
Barry

 

[Ben Ruset]

I have Sassafras and pitch pines growing in my yard.

 

[bobpbx]

(plant diversity) This is one of the great things about the Pine Barrens- one of the things that I love..Barry

I second that Barry.

I found Little Ladies Tresses today. As I bent down taking a shot, I felt chiggers crawling on my face, and they were all over my sleeve and on the camera. I was in Dover Forge, 2 miles from home. I went home, stripped, and scrubbed with a wash cloth from head to toe. I dread tomorrow, but I think I got most of 'em.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I can't even imagine chiggers on the face.

Yesterday Guy and I were in Cedar Bridge and I noticed what I thought were two tracks of dirt on my pants. I looked closer and saw the dirt moving. There must have been thousands of chiggers on my pants.

Like an idiot, I brushed them off with my hands. Then I doused my pants and hands in bug spray, and wiped my hands off with a paper towel. I took a long shower when I got home and fortunately did not get any new bites. I am still in a LOT of anguish from the ones I got at Nash's Cabin. This is my third night of epsom salt soaking.

 

[sschliv]

Are you sure they weren't deer ticks Bruset?

I've had that same scenario before. Three or four times I have encountered what looks like a "dust bunny" or clump of dirt on my leg and it turned out to be hundreds of ticks.

Yuk!

 

[Ben Ruset]

I'm pretty sure they were chiggers. They were trying to bite me in the right spots. The only way I stopped them was to make sure they drowned in bug spray.