Photos, videos and docs of Janet Brien, with the keywords: "New Flower to Add"

St. John's Wort: The 140th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 05:53:56 +0000

Creeping Buttercup: The 106th Flower of Spring & Summer

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 06:20:22 +0000

This beautiful buttercup species was found down near our pond at the end of spring, and was a lovely surprise to find!

This buttercup specis is native to Europe, Asia, and Northwest Africa. It was sold as an ornamental flower, but because it is so successful at adapting to different climates, it's become a noxious weed in many areas where it is now found. Sap of this plant will cause blisters and like other buttercups, it's poisonous.

Stringflower: The 133nd Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 05:18:14 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Yellow Hairy Owl's Clover: The 128th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 05:25:25 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(Please scroll down to see two more pictures! :D)

A few days ago, I posted pictures of White Hairy Owl's Clover, which was the 123rd Flower in my count. Today's flower is actually the same species, but it's yellow! Apparently this flower comes in both white and yellow, but I'm calling it a different species because this flower has a slightly different appearance, it grows in a different place and instead of standing at about 4-6" tall, this flower is about 8-10" tall. (This species is known to grow as tall as 16" but neither flower on my property is that tall.). It's found in the Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to California and as far east as Nevada and Idaho.

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a small source here: Wiki: Owl's Clover (Castilleja tenuis)

Downy Pincushion: The 144th Flower of Spring & Summer! (3 more pix below!) (Explore #50!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 20:57:42 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

When our seasonal pond begins to dry up, lovely flowers pop up from the rich clay there. Last year I discovered a beautiful little flower atop a plant covered with spiky leaves...this year I was waiting in anticipation for the show to commence! What I didn't realize is that there are several species of this flower that grow all in the same place! Jackpot! This blue species is amazing and I loved taking pictures to show off its stunning characteristics.

Downy Pincushions are well-named, as their leaves all end in sharp spines! These tiny plants grow low to the ground in a round shape, producing beautiful, prickly bouquets of gorgeous 1/4" blue flowers topped by sparkling white stamens. They are native to southern Oregon and northern California and grow in dry, open habitats.

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Downy Pincushion Plant (Navarretia pubescens) (You'll laugh when you see the picture provided...they really shouldn't have bothered!) General species listing Wiki: Navarretia

Explored on October 18, 2012. Highest placement: #63.

Small-head Clover: The 104th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 05:22:09 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

A couple of days ago I mentioned that I've found many species of clover on our property, and here's another one! Researching each of the flowers I've found has really opened my eyes to the enormous varieties of flowers such as clover...I thought there was just one! Silly me! :D

Small-head Clover is native to the Pacific Northwest and was first identified by the Lewis and Clark Expeidition on July 1 or 2, 1806 in Montana. This species is not cultivated as meadow forage but the leaves are edible.

If you would like more information on this lovely flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Small-head Clover (Trifolium microcephalum)

Rhododendron: The 102nd Flower of Spring & Summer

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:19:47 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Here's another flowering bush that was planted here by previous owners, and I admire both its lovely blossoms and its drought-tolerance! It never gets watered and somehow stays alive, seeming to do fine in the hot and dry summers we have here, as well as the freezing winters.

Did you know that there are over 1000 species of wild Rhododendron and over 28,000 cultivated species?! WOW!! This beautiful and extremely popular flowering shrub is native to most parts of the world except Africa and South America, and it's the national flower of Nepal. Many Rhododendrons are evergreens (including ours), which adds to their popularity as a landscaping plant. Some tropical species are epiphytes, growing on the sides of trees! Finally, did you know that Azaleas are actually a type of Rhododendron?! No wonder they look so similar!! :D

If you would like to know more about Rhododendrons, Wiki has a great page here: Wiki: Rhododendron. Also, if you want more information and lots of pictures, The American Rhododendron Society also has a wonderful site!

Sticky Mouse Ears: the 94th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:20:27 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Here's another extremely small blossom which doesn't even look like a flower when you're standing up! However, if you get down and put your nose up to this little plant, you will be rewarded with an elegant beauty! I walked past this flower half a dozen times, thinking it was a dead plant from last year when I stopped to make sure I was right. What a lovely surprise! :D

This flower is an invasive weed which was introduced around the world from Eurasia. It is sometimes used as a matting plant for rock gardens. The seeds of Sticky Mouse Ears can supposedly survive in soil for up to 40 years and can also survive ingestion by cattle, sheep and birds. No wonder it's found all over the world now!

If you would like scientific details, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Sticky Mouse Ears (Cerastium glomeratum)

Balloon Sack Clover: The 96th Flower of Spring and Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:09:08 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Down in our granite valley where the Monkeyflowers grow and the moss there is still moist from the springtime rain, I found this really weird little plant that I guessed was a flower but I had no idea what it could be. Such an oddity...when I found a picture of one in my flower books, I was surprised to discover that this is actually a kind of clover!! Two funny names it's called are "Balloon Sack Clover" and "Cowbag Clover"! It does look like a very colorful, upside-down udder, doesn't it?!!! LOL!!

Also known as "Poverty Clover," this tiny flower measures about 1/4" in diameter and grows very close to the ground in places where it's wet. As the seeds develop, the pods inflate like balloons! :D This plant is found in the Pacific Northwest but also in parts of Chile and Peru.

If you would like to know more about this odd little flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Balloon Sack Clover (Trifolium depauperatum)

Wavy-Leaved Paintbrush: The 88th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:17:23 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I'll never forget the first time I saw one of these flowers last year, when Steve and I were on a group hike. I saw it and stopped dead in my tracks, saying, "WOAH! What the heck is THAT!!!" These flowers, with their strangely-shaped, fiery orange petals, are unforgettable. They look as if they were dipped in paint, which is exactly why they got their name! :D This flower is one of about 200 species, one of which is the state flower of Wyoming! :) Paintbrush plants are actually parasitic, living off the nourishment of roots from plants around them. They are also edible, and the flowers were often eaten by Native Americans as a condiment with salad greens. As well, it was used as a hair wash, a treatment for rhumatis, sexually transmitted diseases, and to enhance the immune system. And yet, the fact that this plant absorbs selenium easily makes the roots or green parts poisonous! Fascinating, isn't it?! :)

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a great source here: Wiki: Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja)

I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Bearded Iris: The 85th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:58:00 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

There are only a handful of flowers that were planted on our property, and this is one is among our most magnificent. For a couple of years after moving here, there were about half a dozen Bearded Iris flower stalks that bloomed, but unfortunately this area gets flooded when it rains heavily and I'm afraid the bulbs rotted. The plants seem to be making a come back, but this is the only stalk of flowers that bloomed. I made the most of it though, so tonight I'm showing the pictures seperately and not nested together as I have with other flowers. I hope you like them! :)

The Bearded Iris is native to Germany, and gets its name for the fuzz or "beard" that grows on the three lower petals, which are called "falls". The inner upper petals are called "the standard." This flower was so beloved by the king of France that it was chosen for their national emblem, the fleur-de-lis! (Conflicting information states the Yellow Flag Iris--Iris pseudacorus--was the flower used for the stylized emblem.) In any event, the Bearded Iris is an extremely popular flower. Like daffodils and crocus, once you plant irises, you'll get beautiful flowers every year without doing anything, and they will also multiply over the years! These flowers are also very adaptability to different soils and climates, and can tolerate droughts too! :)!

If you would like to know more about Bearded Iris, The American Iris Society has a great page here: Bearded Iris Classifications. For more information about irises in general, Wiki has a great page here: Wiki: Iris

Bearded Iris: In Full Bloom

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:57:43 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Here are two of the four flowers in full bloom! Aren't they magnificent?! In fact, Steve and I are going to buy an assortment of other colors to plant this fall so we have more lovely flowers to enjoy next spring! :)

Irises grow from a kind of bulb called a rhizome, and they look a lot like a ginger root, which is also a rhizome. Many flowers which bloom in the spring or early summer are planted in the fall. This is important because the bulb, rhizome, or corm must have a "resting" period of cold temperatures before they will grow. In the springtime, the soil begins to warm up and the bulbs, rhizomes and corms "wake up" and begin to send a stem up and roots down!

If you would like to see an amazing assortment of Bearded Iris in a zillion different colors, I found a wonderful farm in California which has an endless variety to see! :)

Pleasant Valley Iris Farm

Yellow Hawkweed: The 86th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 04:34:23 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

This flower should look a bit familiar, since it's another species of Hawkweed similar to the Greene's Hawkweed I posted just a couple of days ago!! If you take a look below, you'll see how different they are. Like I mentioned in my previous post, there are more than 10,000 recorded species of Hawkweed flowers, and it's likely that there are several growing on our property that I can't tell apart. Unfortunately, I have no idea which species this is, but it's obviously not a Greene's Hawkweed!

Hawkweed flowers can be found all over the world and though they are similar to dandelions, they aren't in the same sub-family. Hawkweeds are considered an invasive weed in most places because it spreads so easily and is hard to get rid of, once established. This flower is, however, a favorite food for many insects including moths and butterflies.

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has two sources:
Wiki: Hieracium
Wiki: Hawkweed

Greene's Hawkweed: The 84th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 04:09:45 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Did you know there are more than 10,000 recorded species of Hawkweed flowers?!! WOW!! The name Hawkweed comes from folklore that said hawks ate these flowers to improve their eyesight--though they would do better to eat carrots! :D This flower can be found all over the world and though they are similar to dandelions, they aren't in the same sub-family. Hawkweeds are considered an invasive weed in most places because it spreads so easily and is hard to get rid of, once established. This flower is, however, a favorite food for many insects including moths and butterflies.

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has two sources:
Wiki: Hieracium
Wiki: Hawkweed

I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

Bearded Iris: Beginning to Open

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:57:51 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

It's nice having this flower right outside the front door because I could just step outside to see its progress as each flower began to open! (You can see the drying daffodils and jonquils that form the bokeh in the lower right! :D)

Bearded Iris comes in every color of the rainbow except true red, and has been cultivated to grow in many different sizes from miniature to tall. Ours is a Tall Bearded Iris! :)

Sticky Blue-eyed Mary: The 87th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 06:07:51 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Say hello to the third species of Blue-eyed Mary on our property! In April, I presented the extremely tiny Smallflower Blue-eyed Mary , which was #27 on the Flowers of Spring and Summer. Then, in May I found the lovely Giant Blue-eyed Mary, weighing in at #71! And here we have the lovely Sticky Blue-eyed Mary! All three species were found in different places on our property and I was surprised to find this one growing on our ridge! I love its pure colors of purple contrasting with white.

Sticky Blue-eyed Marys are in a genus called Collinsia, which includes about 25 specie and is native to the Pacific Northwest from Washington to northern California. While looking around for more information, I discovered a company which sells seeds for this flower! Silver Falls Seed: Sticky Blue-eyed Mary

If you would like to know more about this lovely flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Sticky Blue-eyed Mary

Poison Oak Blossoms: The 89th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:46:17 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(please scroll down for 2 more pictures!)

It is simply amazing to me that a plant that I hate so much has such an incredibly beautiful, tiny flower! Measuring only about 1/8" in diameter, poison oak blossoms are so small and plain looking that most people don't even know that poison oak has flowers. Steve, in fact, was amazed when I showed him these pictures! It's almost irritating that such a noxious plant should have a lovely flower! :D They are beautiful though, aren't they!

Western Poison Oak only grows along the Pacific Coast of North America and can be found from Canada to Baja, California. It produces a toxin called "urushiol" which causes an itchy rash which makes itself known a few hours after contact. This rash will last for up to three weeks depending on how allergic you are and the severity of contact. Most people are allergic, but there are a few who are not affected by this toxin. Also, if there is continued contact with Poison Oak, most people will become sensitized to it.

Handy tip!! If you get a rash from poison oak (or any sort of itch, actually!), put the affected area under hot water--as hot as you can stand--for 10-15 seconds. This will burn out the histomines in the area that cause the itching sensation, and it takes hours for your body to rebuild the histomines again. Try this the next time you get a bug bite or rash. You'll be amazed how well it works. I only wish I'd learned this when I was a kid, not a year ago!

If you would like to know more about Poison Oak, Wiki has a great source of information here: Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)

Wavy-Leaved Paintbrush Close-Up

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:17:15 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

Howell's Pussytoes: The 91st Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:00:30 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

These flowers grow only along our ridge line and I found only about half a dozen plants on my walks. Hard to see, these flowers only grow about a foot off the ground and have small clusters of flowers that are about the size of a dime. They are part of a genus of about 45 species that grows in the northern hemisphere. This species is found only in the Pacific northwest and is uncommon. The name comes from the resemblance of some species flowers to that of a cat's toes! :)

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a page here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antennaria

Yellow-Leaved Iris: The 90th Flower of Spring & Summer!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 05:05:19 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(By the way, the latest news about Lucky's Pond is my third picture tonight, and picture two shows the frogs that are living at the pond! :)

I love irises and their interesting shaped petals, but when it comes to photographing the small wild ones that grow here on our property, they are a real pain. They grow low to the ground and are always in the middle of their sword-shaped leaves with lots of other plants around them. In short, they are quite a challenge. I suppose I could just PICK one and turn it into a studio shot, but I don't want to do that. So, in the case of this flower, I did some heavy Photoshop work to separate the flower from the background and also used selective color. I hope you like the result!

The Yellow-Leaved Iris is native in the Pacific Northwest from midwest and southern Oregon to northern California. On our property they are a cream color with yellow, but they can also be pale yellow as well, with butter yellow in the centers of each petal and lavender veining.

If you would like to know more about irises, Wiki has a nice page here: Wiki: Iris

I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)