Tag: Flora
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Weeds or Wildflowers
What’s a Weed? The answer to that question is a lot more complicated than you might think. Some weeds are considered wildflowers and are welcomed in your garden. Other weeds are edible. Still others have been used in folk medicine over the years. The most common definition is “a weed is something that is growing…
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Cattails and Phragmites
When I was growing up in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, in the ditches, streams or marshland one would see cattails. The brown top that looks like fuzzy hotdogs were commonplace. In the 80’s, I first noticed this grassy plant in the ditches, that I now know as phragmites. Typha latifolia is commonly known as…
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Full Moon Serenade (Beaver Moon) – November 5, 2025 @ 7:00 PM
WHO: Everybody is welcome WHAT: Singing at the benches by the pond. WHERE: Meet at the main entrance to Scarlett Mitchell Woods (the kiosk west of Scarlett Middle School and south of the bus turnaround loop). WHEN: 7:00 PM Wednesday November 5, 2025 WHY: Get a different view of the woods in the dark. See…
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Weeds and Seeds Nature Walk – Saturday, October 11 @ 10:00 AM
WHO: Everybody is welcome WHAT: Walk along the edge of the woods, check out the Scarlett rain garden and walk down to the pond if mosquitoes allow to look for plants that bear the word WEED in their names and others that are often thought of as weeds, especially if they grow in your garden:…
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Full Moon Nature Walk (November 16, 2024)
WHO: Everybody is welcome WHAT: Join us for a meditative walk to the pond to experience woods in the dark. WHERE: Meet at the main entrance to Scarlett Mitchell Woods (the kiosk west of Scarlett Middle School and south of the bus turnaround loop). WHEN: 6:00 PM Saturday November 16, 2024 WHY: Get a different…
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Maple
Maple (acer) is a hardwood tree. Maple timber is commonly used in flooring and furniture-making. Maple syrup is made from the sap of some maple species including sugar maples (acer saccharum). Maple tree pests are fungus, caterpillars, aphids and Asian long-horned beetles. The maple leaves are palmately (like a hand) lobed. The leaves are in pairs…
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Red Oak
Oak (genus Quercus) is a hardwood tree. Oak timber is commonly used in construction and furniture-making. Oak barrels are used for aging alcoholic beverages such as wine, sherry and whisky, giving them an added flavor and aromas. Oak smoke is used to flavor a number of food products. Oak trees have a large number of pests…
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Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovate) is named after the recognizable feature of the mature tree. The bark in the higher truck splays out thus the adjective shagbark. Hickory is a hardwood tree. The leaves of the shagbark hickory are a compound odd numbered pinnate (central stem) leaf. The compound leaf is 12 to 24 inches long.…
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Sunrise Nature Walk (October 5, 2024)
Judy and I walked to the pond at 7:10. We were later joined by Michael and Peter. I saw the pond, pale orange sky, ducks, geese, egret, raccoon, squirrels, reflections on the pond, small amount of fall colors, light on the trees, poison Ivy, leaves drifting down, … A gorgeous egret circled over the pond…
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Exploration of Scarlett & Mitchell Rain Gardens Nature Walk (September 7, 2024)
WHAT: End of summer Nature Walk Featuring Solidago & Sunflower/Pollinators & Predators WHEN: 10:00am Saturday, September 7, 2024 WHERE: Meet at the main entrance showcase (kiosk) to Scarlett Mitchell Woods. We’ll explore the rain gardens at Scarlett Middle and Mitchell Elementary schools. WHY: Solidago is the scientific name of Goldenrod. If the weather is right,…