If you could have something named after you, what would it be?
Loved trees since my childhood. They deserve better care for contributing so much to the environment and climate.
]]>The Game of Apple Cores
When my children were small, we played a simple game whenever we enjoyed apples outdoors. After finishing our apples, we would toss the cores into the woods for the deer. It became a cherished tradition, blending playfulness and care for nature.
Wondering About Seeds
Over the years, I often wondered if any of the seeds from those discarded cores ever sprouted and grew into new apple trees. The curiosity lingered, adding an element of mystery to our family’s routine.
Planting Our Own Apple Tree
Later, we planted an apple tree ourselves. Because our growing season is short, we selected a tree grafted onto hardy rootstock. Unfortunately, the scion—the upper part of the tree—did not survive the first winter. However, the rootstock persisted and eventually produced small apples.
Discovery of Wild Apple Trees
This past spring, my husband discovered two wild apple trees at the edge of the woods. Their appearance sparked questions about their origin.
The Mystery of Their Origin
We wondered whether these wild apple trees grew from the seeds in the apple cores we once tossed, or from one of the tiny apples produced by our rootstock tree. The answer is still elusive.
We may never know for sure.
]]>Pug moth
caterpillar
First described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1863
Found in Northeast America
Larvae feeds on cherry, clover, coneflower, and willows
All growing in and around the garden
Identified with PictureThis
Confirmed on:
]]>Native to eastern North America
Specialist herbivore
Feeds on milkweed and dogbane
Unpalatable to birds and bats
Parasitoids lay they eggs on or inside the caterpillars
See links below to learn more about these colourful caterpillars
Further Reading:
]]>Anemonastrum canadense
Anemone canadensis
Native to Canada
Indicator plant: Grows in wet soil and where the snowmelt flows, which is an important part of the water cycle.
As I described them in my book on Anemones, I first noticed them growing in a large colony surrounding a few versicolor irises.
They spread by rhizomes but are not aggressive, at least not in my garden.
]]>
Neurocolpus nubilus
Herbivore pest
Diet: Generalist
In my garden, first found on my Kogesha ensata irises and today inside a Hymenocallis x festalis ‘Zwanenburg’ flower.
If not eaten by crab spiders or birds, they end up in a bucket of soapy water.
Further reading;
]]>Found this lovely regal pelargonium years ago while visiting the Byward market in Ottawa, Ontario labeled simply as a Martha Washington. A real shame. It is too lovely to be unnamed. I am sharing the photo with hope someone will recognize it.
You can send me clues via social media.
]]>North American beetle
Pest
Feeds on foliage and flowers
Have few natural enemies
Adult beetles are toxic to birds
In my garden they get dumped in soapy water
Further Reading
]]>