forest and garden mysteries

13 years ago

The first image came from a forest walk. Is it some kind of saprophyte? There's no green, obviously.

The second popped up in some dirt next to our garbage cans. Something to rogue or cherish?

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Comments (10)

brody
13 years ago
The second one is probably fireweed, Epilobium augustifolium. The first one could be pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea.
toad_ca
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you brody! I wondered about pinedrops, but the photos I've seen of them don't seem to have stalks that are as bare and smooth as these--rather like asparagus. But I'll go back in a week or two and see if the flowers have developed.

And I actually hope the other is fireweed. I love it, but haven't had any luck transplanting it. I know it's invasive, but the flowers are gorgeous and I'm more than willing to chance it. So, fingers crossed!
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Embothrium
13 years ago
Coral root orchid.
weedwoman
13 years ago
I think the first one is Coral Root Orchid also. Check out Spotted Coral Root, Corallorhiza maculata.

WW

Here is a link that might be useful: Spotted Coral Root
don555
13 years ago
Fireweed can be invasive, but in the right spot it is great. I have it under a lodgepole pine in our yard, and it's about the only thing that will grow in that dry, needle-clogged area. The grass died out under the pine ages ago so the fireweed is a welcome additon. It does try to spread into the lawn but the lawnmower stops that, and it does spread to a nearby garden but it's easy to pull out and there aren't too many shoots to yank. One thing though, after it's flowered you probably want to cut the heads off before they go to seed, 'cause holy crap, it produces about 10 trillion seeds from each plant, and you'll have fluff everywhere! (Just bend the stalks below the flowers and they snap off easily.)
toad_ca
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you all! I've seen spotted coral root in another part of the same forest, but it came up more like a stick and not in a group like these. Maybe these are just healthier? So I'll be going back to try and catch it flowering.
By the way weedwoman, great photos!
And thanks for the warning don555; I'll try to curtail my enthusiasm to have a field of the stuff!
weedwoman
13 years ago
Unfortunately, they aren't my photos. Wish mine looked that good.

I guess it's legit to link to Flickr; it's not the first place I look because you can't always be sure of the ID, but she had pics that looked very much like what you found and I think the ID is right.

WW
flora_uk
13 years ago
There is a very beautiful white version of fireweed too if you can find it.

Here is a link that might be useful: White fireweed
Embothrium
13 years ago
It's been on the market here, I used to have it in the front yard. Must have gotten crowded out, I had forgotten about it.
toad_ca
Original Author
13 years ago
flora_UK, That's lovely! I'll look for it.

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forest and garden mysteries

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brody

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forest and garden mysteries

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brody

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