I saw this plant while visiting a friend in Florida. What is it? Can I grow it in Seattle?
This is Neomarica gracilis, a plant in the iris family that is also called walking iris or apostle plant. The common name ‘walking iris’ derives from the way the plant propagates itself: as stems mature, they bend to the ground and take root (when humans propagate plants by doing this intentionally, it is called ‘layering’). The name ‘apostle plant’ refers to anecdotal observations that Neomarica will not flower until it has produced at least twelve leaves.
It is not likely to thrive in the Pacific Northwest; its native range is from Mexico and Costa Rica south to Brazil. Pacific Bulb Society lists it and other species, for adventurous gardeners who are eager to grow plants that stretch beyond our hardiness zone. Local botanist and gardener Sami Gray has this to report: “It’s a tender semitropical, so here it’s a house plant. It did well enough for me for years, then I despaired of getting it to bloom when I was looking: the flowers are very short-lived.” Daniel Sparler mentions growing a different species, Neomarica caerulea, in this Northwest Horticultural Society article: “When the mood strikes it, from tall, elegant lance-shaped foliage emerges a blossom stalk with a dozen or so coy buds that suddenly burst forth one fine morning with the most captivating purple-blue flags and falls that open to reveal intricate, internal ivory and chocolate striations. Although individual flowers last only a few hours before swooning, up to six may open at once on the same stalk.”
Can you confirm the identity of this plant growing on the northeastern coast of Brazil? I’m told it is called batata-da-praia, or batata-do-mar (beach or sea potato). Does that mean it’s edible?
This is Ipomoea pes-caprae, probably the subspecies brasiliensis, given the location. It is pantropical, found along the beaches of the tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. (It produces air-filled seed capsules that float and drift in water, contributing to its wide distribution.)
Common names in English include railroad vine (referring to the ‘tracks’ created by its stoloniferous habit of spreading along the ground’s surface, sometimes over 100 feet), goat’s foot (translation of the botanical species name, given for the hoof-like leaf shape), beach morning glory (since it is in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae), and beach hops (because of the vining habit).
Cooked roots, stems, and leaves have been eaten in small quantities as a famine food, and it has a history of medicinal uses. However, it is not a major food source like its cousin, the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Toxic Plants of North America (Burrows & Tyrl, 2013) considers this species of Ipomoea to be of toxicological concern.
![[Grasses, Sedges, Rushes] cover](https://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/graphix/Grassessedgesrushes300.jpg)
Lauren Brown wrote the classic Grasses: An Identification Guide for the American northeast in 1979. Illustrated with her exquisite and effective line drawings, this book filled a void by providing a field guide to this abundant group of plants typically overlooked in general wild flower guides.
In 2020, the second edition, titled Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide was released with a secondary author, Ted Elliman. What’s new? The title now more accurately reflects the inclusion (also in the first edition) of other grass-like plants. Each entry now has a photograph, but wisely the line drawings have been preserved and together they enhance the chances for positive identification.
Why am I recommending a book that does not cover the Pacific Northwest? Primarily because this is an excellent introduction to grasses anywhere, and well worth reading for an understanding of the North American ecology and human history with these plants. The western edge of this new edition’s coverage also includes the lands of the former tall grass prairie and some of these species have ranges extending into our region. This book also includes established invasive grasses that are found throughout the country.
“To identify grasses with technical manuals or internet sources requires a fair amount of botanical knowledge, considerable patience, and sometimes a dose of luck. Even Charles Darwin was elated when he first identified a grass.” Brown and Elliman understand the challenges for the beginning grasses enthusiast. Once you have mastered the basics using this gentle guide, I recommend moving on to Field Guide to the Grasses of Oregon and Washington for a more detailed study of the grasses found in our region.
Published in Leaflet for Scholars, Volume 8, Issue 6, June 2021.
I can’t always tell rhododendrons and azaleas apart. Is there a way to distinguish between them?
The answer is complicated because an azalea is also a rhododendron, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas! Furthermore, some azaleas are evergreen and others are deciduous. This information from the Azalea Society of America gives a few pointers.
Excerpt:
“Some small-leaved rhododendrons look like evergreen azaleas. To tell them apart, first look at a flower—most azaleas have only 5 or 6 stamens, while most rhododendrons have 10 stamens. Then look at a leaf—azalea leaves tend to be thinner, softer and more pointed than rhododendron leaves. Azalea leaves tend to have long straight hairs parallel to the leaf surface, usually along the midrib on the underside of the leaf. Finally, using a magnifying glass, look at the underside of a leaf for tiny round structures called scales. Azalea leaves never have scales, while small-leaved rhododendron leaves are always covered with scales. (The more correct name for small-leaved rhododendrons is ‘lepidote’ rhododendrons, where lepidote means ‘covered with scales’).”
In case you are curious, evergreen azaleas were first cultivated in Japan over 400 years ago (according to Christopher Fairweather, in his book Azaleas, Globe Pequot Press, 1988). These were the evergreen azaleas. The first azaleas in European gardens (starting in the 17th century in Holland) were deciduous, and they were endemic on three continents (particularly from Turkey, the Far East, and both coasts of North America).
There is a taxonomic explanation in Fred C. Galle’s book, Azaleas (Timber Press, 1987):
“The genus Rhododendron was first recognized by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753. Linnaeus created a separate genus Azalea containing six species. In 1834, George Don […] subdivided Rhododendron into eight sections which are botanically retained today. Azalea was included under the genus Rhododendron by Don. In 1870. Dr. C. J. Maximowicz made a major contribution in the classification of Rhododendron and many oriental Azalea based on the position of leaf bud in relation to flower buds. More recent classifications reflect refinement rather than major changes. […] The question of splitting Azalea into a separate genus came up as late as 1943, but it is hoped that this classification will never be accepted.”
I’m ready to call it quits…ia! How can I tell the difference between Weigela, Dipelta, and Kolkwitzia?
All three of these opposite-leaved shrubs are in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliceae. However, some taxonomists historically split Kolkwitzia and Dipelta (along with Abelia and Linnaea) into Linnaeaceae, while Weigela joins Diervilla in Diervillaceae.
Although spring is the time when most plant lovers notice these flowering shrubs, it is easier to tell them apart when they develop dry fruit. Dipelta floribunda and Kolkwitzia produce achenes (dry, single-seeded fruits that do not split open), whereas Weigela florida fruits are capsules (clustered together like a tiny bunch of bananas, and developing from green or red to brown as they mature). Dipelta bracts are ornamental, papery, and colorful before they dry to brown. Kolkwitzia bracts are weird-looking, like bristly chicken feet.
If you are eager to know what you are looking at while the shrub is still in flower, it is easy to rule out Dipelta and Kolkwitzia if the flowers are red or yellow, in which case, it’s Weigela. Bear in mind that Kolkwitzia and Weigela are common in home gardens, while Dipelta is much less so. Dipelta and Kolkwitzia (Linnaea amabilis) have pale pink to whitish flowers with markings on the petals; Weigela lacks such markings. Weigela petals also differ from the other two genera in that they are all about the same size (radially symmetrical, or actinomorphic), while in Dipelta and Kolkwitzia, the lower petals are larger than the upper two (that is, bilaterally symmetrical, or zygomorphic). The bristly characteristics of Kolkwitzia that are so notable in the dried fruit are also visible in the white bristles at the flower’s base. The Dipelta flower’s base is concealed between a pair of circular bracts. To summarize: Bracts? Dipelta. Bristles? Kolkwitzia.
Sources:
I have some seedlings coming up in my compost. They smell a bit like basil, but they could just as easily be weeds. I’d like to know if there are resources for identifying plants at this early stage of growth.
You could wait a week or two and allow the seedlings to develop, which might make identification a little easier. However, there are various resources online for identifying plants, especially weeds, at the cotyledon (seed leaf) stage.
There are also print resources which illustrate plants at the seedling stage:
- Seeds of Woody Plants in North America by James A. and Cheryl G. Young (Dioscorides Press, 1992)
- Woody Plant Seed Manual prepared by the Forest Service, USDA (1948), also available online
- Seeds: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Vegetables, Herbs & Flowers by Sam Bittman (Bantam Books, 1989)
- Park’s Success with Seeds by Ann Reilly (Geo. W. Park Seed Co., 1978)
- Park’s Success with Herbs by Gertrude Foster and Rosemary Louden (Geo. W. Park Seed Co., 1980)
- Weeds of the West edited by Tom Whitson (Western Society of Weed Science, 2000)
- Weeds of California and Other Western States by Joseph DiTomaso and Evelyn Healy (University of California, 2007)
“The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits” was the earliest (1897 – the Miller Library has the 1921 third edition) West Coast book published in a recognizably field guide format. Text author Mary Elizabeth Parsons (1859-1947) was born in Chicago, but spent most of her life in California. She was a keen student of the state’s botany and studied with noted botanist Alice Eastwood at the California Academy of Science in San Francisco.
Her book reflects her scientific discipline by including a “How to Use the Book” introduction, a glossary of botanical terms, and keys to distinguish plant families. She goes on to describe these families – all of flowering plants – with a count of the genera and species as known worldwide and in the state at that time. This makes the book a useful time capsule of botanical history.
Parsons also studied art, but she asked Margaret Warriner Buck (1857-1929) to illustrate the book and accompany her explorations of the state. With few exceptions, Buck drew her simple but effective pen-and-ink drawings in the field. All these efforts paid off, as the “The Wild Flowers of California” remained a standard through several editions into the middle of the 20th century. Later editions included color plates by Buck, also known for her work with the early years of “Sunset” magazine. The Miller Library also has the 1960 edition, available to borrow.
In addition to her attention to detail, Parsons captured the joy of being a field botanist. “Every walk into the fields is transformed from an aimless ramble into a joyous, eager quest, and every journey upon state or railroad becomes a rare opportunity for making new plant-acquaintances—a season of exhilarating excitement.”
Excerpted from the Winter 2020 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin
I am doing some research on daisies. I have had trouble finding out what Amaranth daisy (Pearly Everlasting) looks like, and how to differentiate it from other daisies.
Pearly Everlasting is Anaphalis margaritacea, which is in the plant family Compositae (also called Asteraceae), according to David Mabberley’s The Plant-Book (Cambridge University Press, 1997). Below are links to images and information about this plant.
The problem with common names like ‘daisy’ is that they may refer to a large number of different plants. ‘Daisy’ can refer to Bellis perennis, Gerbera jamesonii, Olearia species, Chrysanthemum coronarium, Felicia bergeriana, Leucanthemum vulgare, and many other disparate plants.
Below are web links to sites which may help you with plant identification. There are also many good books on the subject, and an excellent starting place is Roger Phillips and Martin Rix’s The Botanical Garden (Firefly Books, 2002).
I am having trouble growing Silene (do not know the species). It has magenta flowers with notched petals on two foot stems and hairy basal foliage. I have killed four plants that were planted in four different locations. I am able to keep hundreds of other plants alive in my garden, but not this one! It flowers profusely from mid April through July. Then the leaves start wilting, and before long, it is dead. The only thing I can think of is that it needs superior drainage. Could I be overwatering it?
You may have one of the annual types of Silene, which die after setting seed. It is really hard to know for sure since there are over 500 species. You may be able to identify your Silene in the book Lychnis and Silene in the Garden, by J.L. Jones, 1999.
There are some magenta-colored species of Silene with notched petals (Silene dioica and Silene hookeri for example), as you describe. These are alpine or rock garden plants that prefer well-drained conditions and do not like highly acidic soil. It is certainly possible that you have overwatered or that the soil in which they are planted doesn’t drain sharply enough or is too acidic.
Are there any tree identification guides online? In particular, I am interested in weeping birch.
For several excellent images of weeping birch (Betula pendula), go to
Oregon State University’s and click on Betula pendula. Look at all the images associated with this species of birch.
Also try Virginia Tech’s tree identification page.
Here are some other online tree identification guides:
What Tree Is It
University of Wisconsin’s Tree i.d.
Cal Poly’s Urban Tree Key