Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist using Ozark pigments in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Category: Plants

Photos of Plants – Medicinal & Useful plants down the Wild Ozark Driveway

I’m still mostly stuck in the house because of my knee (dislocated it a little over a week ago) but I took the four-wheeler and camera down the driveway to get a few photos of plants unfurling or coming into … Read the rest “Photos of Plants – Medicinal & Useful plants down the Wild Ozark Driveway”

25 April 2016
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Unfurling

The blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) is awake early this spring. I found some the other day, in three different stages of unfurl.

The one completely unfurled is in a pot in the nursery area, the other two are in the … Read the rest “Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Unfurling”

29 March 2016
The First Flowers of Spring at Wild Ozark

Nature lovers began the frenzy of watching for the first flowers of spring a few weeks ago. Here at Wild Ozark, we’re in a little eco-microcosm that is often more than a week behind surrounding areas in spring. Our temperatures … Read the rest “The First Flowers of Spring at Wild Ozark”

9 March 2016
Did you know Osage Oranges evolved with wooly mammoths?

Osage

Maclura pomifera, also known as Osage Orange, Bois d’Arc, Hedge-apple, or Horse-apple, the osage tree is native to our area. Even so, there aren’t very many of them in our particular neck of the woods.

A bedraggled osage tree.
… Read the rest “Did you know Osage Oranges evolved with wooly mammoths?”

24 December 2015
Ginseng in November and a Witch Hazel, too

On a whim, I went out to see how the ginseng looked now. I knew it would be dead and wasn’t sure I’d find any. But the four-prong that grows in the nursery plot was still identifiable, at least.

You … Read the rest “Ginseng in November and a Witch Hazel, too”

6 November 2015
What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun

Why is this ginseng turning yellow?

UPDATE 10/5/24 This is an old post from when I first started observing ginseng in the wild and among my wild-simulated patches, and thought I knew a lot more than I did. The ginseng
… Read the rest “What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun”

19 September 2015
Gathering Lobelia inflata Seeds

Looking for Lobelia

Today I donned a surgical mask to go out and gather the seed pods of Lobelia inflata. Why the mask?

Well, it’s the time of year when ragweed tries to assault me when I go outside. I’m … Read the rest “Gathering Lobelia inflata Seeds”

4 September 2015
Unripe Fruit

I have a hard time believing I have no pictures – at all – of ripe elderberry fruit. After digging through file after unfruitful file, I thought it might be faster to just go get a new photo.

Not quite.… Read the rest “Unripe Fruit”

10 June 2015
What’s Blooming at the end of May?

Wild Ozark plants blooming at the end of May

I took a little walkabout yesterday to photograph some of the flowers that are setting berries, blooming, or getting ready to bloom right now.

Yesterday’s post highlighted the orchid I’d been waiting … Read the rest “What’s Blooming at the end of May?”

31 May 2015
Talk about Delayed Gratification! (Twayblade Orchid)

I’ve been waiting a whole year to see this flower.

When I first found the plant last summer there was only the two leaves. Without seeing a flower, it’s hard to positively identify a plant, unless that plant has something … Read the rest “Talk about Delayed Gratification! (Twayblade Orchid)”

30 May 2015
A Woodland Habitat – Dragons among the Nettles and Cohosh

There’s a particular woodland habitat at the far corner of our property that I love.

The variety of plants that grow there is amazing.

It’s the perfect place for American ginseng, but those plants have nearly been extirpated by diggers … Read the rest “A Woodland Habitat – Dragons among the Nettles and Cohosh”

15 May 2015
Dragons Hatching, Clematis Blooming, and Feeding Horses in the Rain

Dragons Hatching!

Last fall I collected seeds from a large Green Dragon. I put the berries directly into pots and kept them overwinter in the ginseng nursery. The other morning I noticed they were hatching – er, sprouting! The … Read the rest “Dragons Hatching, Clematis Blooming, and Feeding Horses in the Rain”

8 May 2015
What’s that plant good for?

“What’s that plant good for?”

A curious thing I’m noticing by selling plants at the market is that people almost always have the same question, phrased in various ways.

It’s often the first thing they ask, in general about any … Read the rest “What’s that plant good for?”

28 April 2015
A Ginseng Sanctuary at the Compton Gardens in Bentonville

Wild Ozark is honored and excited to be embarking on a long-term project in conjunction with Compton Gardens in Bentonville, Arkansas. This American Ginseng Sanctuary project is made possible, in part, by a grant from the United Plant Savers.

This … Read the rest “A Ginseng Sanctuary at the Compton Gardens in Bentonville”

26 April 2015
Sleuthing the Bellwort. Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?

Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?

Three species of bellwort are found in Arkansas: Uvularia grandiflora, U. sessilifolia, and U. perfoliata. The one I see most often around here is the grandiflora, or Large-flowered bellwort as it’s commonly called.

Bellwort in the Ginseng
… Read the rest “Sleuthing the Bellwort. Sessilifolia or Perfoliata?”

19 April 2015
An Entourage of Green Ambassadors

Show and Tell

I took my little assembly of show and tell items, and a small entourage consisting of three Green Ambassadors on the road yesterday. We, or at least *I*, had been invited to speak to the Olli Group… Read the rest “An Entourage of Green Ambassadors”

17 April 2015
Sun Splashes, Tree Silhouettes and Flowering Woodland Herbs

The day was dreary for the most part, but just before sunset the sky brightened. And so I went out with the camera and managed to get a few photos of some of the flowering woodland herbs in the ginseng … Read the rest “Sun Splashes, Tree Silhouettes and Flowering Woodland Herbs”

15 April 2015
Solomon’s Seal Unfurling

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

There’s a nice patch of Solomon Seal at the front of the driveway that was so choked out last summer that I don’t think any of them got a chance to bloom. I was … Read the rest “Solomon’s Seal Unfurling”

6 April 2015
April 2015 Newsletter

Welcome to the April 2015 Newsletter from Wild Ozark! For a plant lover, spring is an exciting time of year. This morning I found trout lilies blooming and blue cohosh unfurling! I try to get out to the woods every … Read the rest “April 2015 Newsletter”

2 April 2015
Sights and Sounds of Spring

The sounds of spring fills the night air now. Spring Peepers are calling!

The only visible signs of spring so far as I can see are the bits of wild onion grass growing with a bit more spright than usual. … Read the rest “Sights and Sounds of Spring”

11 March 2015
Ever Heard of Herbalism for Plants?

Is herbalism exclusively for animals and people? Why not herbalism for plants?

I’ve never heard of anyone else using herbs to treat plants. There’s lots of information about how to use plants to treat people (and animals), but not for … Read the rest “Ever Heard of Herbalism for Plants?”

28 January 2015
Plants with Strange Names

Devil’s Walking Stick. Strawberry Wahoo. Green Dragon. Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Fire-Pokers… All plants with strange names.

Sometimes my friends and family think I make these names up.

I remember coming home one day after running errands in town. I always drive … Read the rest “Plants with Strange Names”

24 January 2015
It’s A Good Day to Plant Seeds in Winter
Yesterday I took a break from figuring taxes (yes, I’m still working on taxes) and went outside to enjoy the warm-ish winter’s day and plant seeds. On the seed list today:
- American ginseng
- Echinacea purpurea
- Echinacea tennesseensis
- Comfrey (officinale)
- Poppies
… Read the rest “It’s A Good Day to Plant Seeds in Winter”
22 January 2015
Life in the Dead of Winter

I enjoy seeing signs of life in the dead of winter. This week hasn’t been the typical dead of winter. Today was a beautiful day, sunny and nearly 70*F, and I became tired of figuring taxes. Time to go outside … Read the rest “Life in the Dead of Winter”

20 January 2015
Random Nature Connection – Abundance in Nature

Vaccinium arboreum

Abundance in Nature

The other day as we were out scouting for new springs on the mountain, (springs new to us, not springs new in existence and another form of the abundance in nature out here), I looked … Read the rest “Random Nature Connection – Abundance in Nature”

16 January 2015