Iris! Your Beard is Showing
Iris takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow.
Did you know that there are over 300 species of flowering Iris? Did you know that some have beards and some do not?
Beards?! I had no idea.
The Iris’s “beards” are furry stripes located on the downward petals.
You can find this Iris’s beard on the two downward petals which resembles two little light colored fuzzy caterpillars.
I have never grown Iris’s but finding this beauty on my walk has inspired me. I predict a trip to the gardening section of the local hardware store is in my future.
For more information about Iris’s and how to plant, care and cultivate them, I found a great site at – wiseGEEK
Blossoms for Apples
Pictured here is the delicate, yet fragrant blossoms of the Crabapple tree.
- Did you know that Apple trees and Crabapple trees are in the rose family?
- Did you know that they are classified separately based on the size of their fruit?
So what makes the difference? It’s all in the size.
If the apple fruit is two inches in diameter or less, it is termed a crabapple. If the fruit is larger than two inches, it is classified as an apple.
In addition, the fruit of the crabapple is extremely sour and is rarely eaten raw for this reason.
However, in some southeast Asian cultures they are valued as a sour condiment, sometimes eaten with salt and chili pepper, or shrimp paste.
The Cherry Blossom
What does Canada, Germany, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and Japan have in common? They are all countries where the beautiful blooms of the Cherry tree is a major tourist attraction.
The Cherry tree originates in the country of Japan and all of the above countries were bestowed this beautiful tree as a gift from the Japanese government.
Each country has a unique story as to why they received the Cherry tree from Japan and if you would like to know what those reasons were, please click here.
Here is a little known fact that may surprise you:
Cherry blossoms and leaves are edible and both are used as food ingredients in Japan.
The blossoms are pickled in salt and umezu and used for coaxing out flavor in wagashi or anpan. Salt-pickled blossoms in hot water is called sakurayu and drunk at festive events like weddings in place of green tea.
Leaves, mostly Ōshima cherry because of the softness, are also pickled in salted water and used for sakuramochi. Since the leaves contain coumarin, however, it is not recommend to eat them in great quantity.
The Lone Morning Glory
Tucked away between a variety of grasses, lays the solitary bloom of a morning glory in defiance of Fall.
Though it stands alone, forsaken by its fellow blooms, it’s hardiness to survive is vibrantly displayed through its eye catching color.
The Magnificent Magnolia
The Magnolia Tree, state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi, is truly an eye opener adorned with large fragrant, but tough flowers. So why are the blooms so tough one may ask? It is due to the unique work of its pollinators, which surprisingly are not bees.
The carpels of Magnolia flowers are pollinated by beetles, and the toughness of their blooms can withstand damages that may be caused by the eating and crawling of these unique pollinators. Proving that God designs everything with purpose. Amazing.
Red Magic
The Daylily earned its name because its flower opens at sunrise and withers at sunset.
This gives valid meaning to the phrase, “Here today and gone tomorrow.”
Feathers in the Pod
Not all flowers lose their interest after they’ve spent their bloom and gone to seed.
Look closely, it almost appears that there are feathers in the pod.
The Bumble in the Blossoms
On a sunny spring day this busy Bumble Bee enjoys the sweet nectar offered by the blossoms of a Cherry tree.
A Small Beauty
What this miniature flower lacks in size, it makes up in beauty.
Bleeding Hearts
Bleeding Heart
Also known as Venus’s car, Lady in a bath, Dutchman’s trousers, and Lyre-flower
Tiger Lily
Panthers of the meadow, Tiger Lillies-Titus Munson Coan
The Tiger Lily, bears large, flowers covered by spots. The name tiger probably refers to the spots on the petals.
The flowers of this perennial can grow up to three inches in width. It is also known as the Ditch Lily as it is found in and around ditches in large parts of America
Dahlia Dressed in Fog
The Dahlia
Dahlia is a tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia.
The Aztecs gathered and cultivated the dahlia for food, ceremonies, as well as decorative purposes,and the long woody stem of one variety was used for small pipes.
Queen Anne’s Lace
Queen Anne’s Lace…gone to seed.
A commonly seen wild flower during the summer months. But come August the Queen exchanges her royal garments for something less stately but still intriguing.
Path Pictures is designed to offer a small resting place for folks to take time and "stop and view the roses."
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