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Re: amazing blooms, Blue Ridge



Josh Rose quoth:

> Durham is, not surprisingly, a bit behind in phenology. The Butterfly Weed
> (Ascelpias tuberosa) has only buds, not flowers yet, here. Our Bee Balm
> (Monarda didyma) doesn't even have buds yet, nor our coneflowers
> (Echinacea, I forget the species). On the other hand our Buddleias are
> profusely flowering and popular with the hummingbirds, as well as numerous
> Syrphid flies, moths, all kinds of other nectar-feeding critters. And a
> funny coincidence: our Lantana never even came up this spring! I would
> guess that (a) the cold winter abused the Lantanas, which I think are
> Mexican (though so are the Buddleias and they're very happy);

A few notes:

My A. tuberosa has been in full bloom for a couple of weeks, and my Bee Balm
is beginning to bloom despite a hard pinching-back this Spring, and my E.
purpurea (the common Purple Coneflower) has been blooming for a week or two
as well, some plants even longer.

One thing to keep in mind, especially for folks with newer plantings, is
that Asclepias and Echinacea are both relatively long-lived taprooted
plants, and they often don't bloom that profusely for the first couple of
years in the landscape.  Obviously, there will be some variation, but I
don't count on a lot of blooms for the first two years out of either one.

Buddleias are actually Chinese in origin and are more likely used to levels
of humidity closer to our own than Lantana, which wants a sharply-draining
soil (and probably a fairly lean one, as well).  I have never been able to
get Lantana to overwinter here (I'm also in Durham), although I'm sure other
folks have had better luck.  I've given up trying, because there are so many
other good nectar plants which are hardier and better adapted to our
conditions.

obBirdingContent:

I forgot to post, but Nidhi and I went out to the BRP last weekend.  We
didn't do much proper birding as such, however we did have numerous good
looks at CANADA WARBLERS, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, and BLUE-HEADED VIREOS,
amongst the other things, and we heard both BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS
and VEERYS (the latter at Mt. Pisgah, among other places, in case Helmut
Mueller reads this :) ).  On the Pisgah trail there are numerous
Lilium-looking plants by the trail - anyone know if those are Turk's Caps or
Michaux's Lilies or something else entirely?  Also had some nice looks at
some Purple Trillium at Craggy Gardens.  For the most part, the Rhodies
weren't blooming wildly yet, but there were some good-looking plants here
and there.  A nice trip all the way around, but I wish I'd gotten to do more
birding...

Best to all,

-Sandy