The Apothecary's Daughter

A plant that seals itself shut all day to survive on almost nothing — and somehow uses that locked-in time to build something extraordinary. While most plants breathe through open pores during daylight, purslane runs its whole food-making process at night. Pores open after dark, carbon dioxide gets stored like a battery charge, and the plant runs on that supply all day without losing a drop of water. The survival trick and the nutrition are not separate stories. They share the same leaf. That thick, water-loaded tissue is exactly what makes the fat storage possible. Fleshy cells hold moisture and lipids together — and the omega-3 that builds up inside is the same essential fat found in cold-water fish, just assembled by a ground-hugging w**d growing through sidewalk cracks. Fifteen times the omega-3 of iceberg lettuce. Five to seven times the omega-3 of spinach. Built not in a greenhouse or a controlled field — but under full drought stress, on the edges of parking lots and garden beds most people spend weekends trying to clear. The most sophisticated leaf in the yard is the one getting pulled out by the root. Survival built something science is still catching up to. [X221Y]

Pokew**d, Pokeberry, Poke, Polk Salad. Whatever you call it, the dark purple fruits of Phytolacca americana are a food source for birds across the eastern US in late summer and fall. Migratory birds such as eastern kingbirds, wood thrushes, cedar waxwings, rose-breasted grosbeaks, yellow-breasted chats, and great crested flycatchers, as well as year-round residents like mourning doves and eastern bluebirds, eat poke berries. The berries are poisonous to humans, though, so just leave them for the birds.

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) flowers in early summer along woodland streams and in yards. It’s a great, easy to establish (even I got it to work!) shrub for woodland borders or a sunny patch with moist, acidic soils. Before you head out to get one, though, you’ll want to learn a few of its features to make sure you don’t buy one of the much more common, non-native imposters. Here are a few tips to help you tell them apart.

1. Check the scientific (botanical) name on the plant tag. It’s often written in italics. The beautyberry native to the southeast is Callicarpa americana, American Beautyberry. Chinese Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) and other introduced Asian species are often sold in garden center. Each scientific name is unique to a particular species, so if the plant is labelled correctly as Callicarpa americana, it’s the native beautyberry.

2. Look at the FRUITS. On the native shrub, the purple fruits form a dense cluster close to the stems. In contrast, on the introduced Chinese beautyberry, the fruits hang from a long, green stalk (peduncle).

3. Look at the LEAVES. The native beautyberry has large, elliptical leaves with a long leaf stalk (petiole). If you feel the underside of the leaves, you’ll notice that the native shrub has a slightly rough texture to the undersides. The introduced Chinese beautyberry has smaller, narrower leaves with a short leaf stalk and a smooth texture. Now, you’re probably thinking, “How can I remember all of this leaf detail if I forget my phone?!?” No worries, I’ve got ya covered. Try remembering this – I have a LARGE desire for American Beautyberry, but I’m having a ROUGH time finding one.

4. As for the FLOWERS, they look very similar between the native and introduced beautyberries and won’t be helpful in telling them apart. The color is not informative as well. They can be white to pink, depending on the plant and cultivar.

From walking shelter dogs to preparing meals for rescued foxes, there are so many ways to give back to our furry neighbors. This list of 10 incredible Virginia organizations has a spot for every animal lover!

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🔗: bit.ly/4Alnhlp

One of nature’s most astonishing journeys is unfolding right now, quietly passing over gardens, highways and backyards across the country.

📷️: Getty

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WOODY KEYSTONE PLANTS: The Physocarpus (ninebark) genus appears in the Wild Ones roster of native woody plants that serve as larval hosts where it is listed as supporting caterpillars of 41 Lepidopteran species, including the Dark-spotted Palthis and the Dimorphic Eulithis. Additionally, Ninebark shrubs support wildlife by providing nectar for pollinators and seed for birds. Their dense, arching branch structure provides nesting and shelter for birds and small mammals.

There is only one species of Physocarpus native to the Eastern U.S., Common or Eastern Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius). In Virginia, it is most frequent in the mountains, locally common in the Piedmont, and rare in the Coastal Plain. Ninebark makes an excellent specimen plant, showcasing its flower clusters, colorful fruit, and exfoliating bark. It can also be planted en masse as a screen or for erosion control on slopes.

Learn more about the characteristics and care of Common Ninebark on the MGNV website at https://mgnv.org/plants/native-plants/shrubs/physocarpus-opulifolius/

RESTORING NATURE: Most large-scale efforts to remove invasive plants in public and private wildlands rely on herbicides. Because of the smaller scale of a typical yard, a chemical-free approach is possible by implementing judicious management practices.
Some strategies include:
• Removing the most problematic invasive species first
• Removing invasive plants before they go to seed
• Removing small, isolated patches of invasive plants before tackling large patches, or tackling large parches in sections
• Tackling one species at a time
• Learning which method most effectively eliminates each invasive species
• Timing invasive removal by season and weather conditions
For detailed information and photos illustrating effective removal methods, see pages 4.16 to 4.20 in Nature’s Action Guide. (https://www.naturesactionguide.org/)

(Photo of English ivy removal, by R. Olsen, Choking Hazard webpage on Arlington Regional Master Naturalists website)