BUNCHBERRIES ARE RIPE, BUT THEY'RE FOR THE BIRDS!

BUNCHBERRY, AKA DWARF CORNEL, BLOOMS MID-JUNE

A LOW, COLORFUL GROUNDCOVER PLANT IN MIXED WOODLANDS...

OPPOSITE, ENTIRE LEAVES AND BUNCHES OF BRIGHT RED BERRIES...

...THAT ARE EDIBLE BUT NOT WORTH THE EFFORT

Sunday, 12:30 PM.  75 degrees F on both thermometers.  Wind SSW, calm with light gusts.  The sky is clear, the humidity 57 percent, the barometer 30.04" and falling, predicting thunderstorms by Thursday.

   Bunchberry, AKA dwarf cornel, Cornus canadensis, in the Dogwood Family (Cornaceae) is bearing bunches of ripe,  bright red fruit. It makes a very attractive northern woodland groundcover in moist, shaded, somewhat acid conditions.
  It is very attractive both in flower and fruit, and flowers, leaves and fruit are almost exact miniatures of the flowering dogwood of the eastern and southern United States.

   Dogwood berries are edible, indeed some dogwood species, notably cornelian cherry, Cornus mas, are actually grown for their fruit, but bunchberries are too small and bland, and have too large a seed, to bother with.  I ate some of these, and they had almost no taste at all. 

   Leave them for the birds!

FIRE BLIGHT

MOUNTAIN ASH STRUCK BY FIRE BLIGHT...

...LEAVES AND BRANCHES LOOK AS TOUGH THEY WERE SCORCHED BY A FLASH FIRE...

...YOUNG BARK IS SHRIVELED AND SUNKEN...

...OFTEN, ONLY SOME  BRANCHES ARE AFFECTED...

...BUT THE VISUAL SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME...

...OOZING BACTERIA ON INFECTED BRANCH  IN SPRING (Google photo)

Saturday, 8:00 AM.  65 degrees F at the ferry dock, 58 on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm.  The sky is clear except for  a few puffy white clouds.The humidity is 84% and the barometer has begun a gradual decline, now at 30.05".  It is a gorgeous, quiet morning and the weather should be good until Tuesday, when the chance of thunderstorms is predicted.

   Fire blight, Erwinia amylavora, is a serious and often fatal bacterial disease of plants in the Rose Family.  We see it mostly on apples, pears, quince and mountain ash.  The disease spores are spread by wind, rain, insects,  animals and pruning tools.  Spores gain entry through wounds in plant tissue and other means, and the disease is most prevalent in wet, humid spring and summer weather, when the daytime temperatures are between 75 and 85 degrees F and night temperatures above 55 degrees.  Trees that are growing rapidly are most susceptible, and over fertilization with nitrogen should be avoided.

   Orchardists are challenged by this disease and it is difficult to control even with commercial sprays and careful cleanliness.  For the homeowner the best prevention is promotion of good tree health and watching for the disease symptoms. The disease over-winters  in infected tissue, and first appears as a brown ooze on diseased tissue in spring.   Early detection of fire blight should be followed by aggressively pruning out affected branches, cutting well below the infected areas. At times the disease is so aggressive that a whole tree looks like it has been scorched by fire overnight.
  Since pruning tools can spread the disease, shears and saws need to be sterilized with alcohol or bleach after each cut.  Pruned leaves and branches should be burned or buried to prevent spread of the disease.  When purchasing new trees look for varieties that have proven resistance to fire blight.  About the only preventive spray available for home use is a weak Bordeaux mixture applied at blossom opening.

QUEEN ANNE'S LACE

QUEEN ANNE'S LACE ...

...UNFOLDING FLOWERS...

COMPOUND UMBEL OF FLOWERS

COMPOUND PINNATE LEAF, FINELY DISSECTED LEAFLETS

Friday, 8:00 AM.  65 degrees F at the ferry dock, 58 on the back porch.  Wind ENE, light with slightly stronger gusts.  The sky is blue and cloudless, the humidity 79%.  The barometer stands at 30.11" and has begun a gradual decline.  The weather should be superb through Sunday, then become unsettled the following week.  This morning approaches a "perfect ten."

   Queen Anne's lace, the perennial plant also known as wild carrot, Daucus carrota, in the Parsley Family (Umbelliferae) is a common roadside and field plant found virtually throughout North America. Native to Europe, it is considered by the USDA to be a noxious weed.  It is a rather attractive plant in flower, and a selection, subspecies sativa, that was made from it thousands of years ago by some unnamed gardener  became the edible carrot.  

   The wild carrot root is edible when young but rapidly becomes too woody to eat.  Do not eat any part of the wild carrot unless you are absolutely sure of its identification, since many members of the Parsley Family are poisonous, and some extremely deadly.

   In England the plant is also called bird's nest, since the unfolding umbels resemble a bird's nest, before the flowers bloom. 
   Wild carrot is important in herbal medicine as a diuretic and  for the treatment of gout.  

  

RED OAK ROOT AND BUTT ROT

TYPICAL RED OAK LEAF

ARMILLARI MUSHROOM (Wikipedia photo)

TWO LARGE RED OAKS FELLED BY LAST WEEK'S STORM

ROTTING OF PROP ROOTS...

...TOTAL DECAY OF TRUNK AT GROUND LEVEL AND BENEATH

Thursday, 9:30 AM.  68 degrees F at the ferry dock, 62 on the back porch.  Wind NE, moderate with stronger gusts.  The sky is clear, the humidity 84% and the barometer more-or-less steady at 29.95".  The waves were strong and steady at the beach this morning, the whitecaps visible as far as one could see.  We should have nice weather (it is very pleasant) at least until Sunday, when a chance of thunderstorms is predicted.

   The storm a week ago last night that caused so much damage to roads and bridges felled many trees, including these two large red oaks on Chequamegon Road.  They appeared to be totally healthy trees, but they were blown over by the strong winds.  

   When tipped over the prop roots brought no soil along with them, as is the case with a more normal "tip up" of a large tree.  The reason: the prop roots were completely rotted away, and there was virtually no sound wood beneath the ground level.  Red oaks (Quercus borealis) seem to be particularly subject to infection by the wood-rotting fungus Armillaria gallica.  I have seen huge red oaks, in full leaf and seemingly strong and healthy, fall with the slightest breeze, or even on a calm day, due to butt rot.
   The warning signs of butt rot caused by Armillaria are the growth of the tell-tale mushrooms, at the base of the tree; however they only appear once a year, and may not be noticed.  Close inspection may reveal white, thread-like fungal mycellia beneath the bark; if verification of damaged wood is desired one might take a core boring sample, but this is not easy and can itself do damage and be a cause of infection.
   Prevention of injury, such as damage by earth moving or mowingequipment (and string trimmers on young trees) is the best means of protection, since root and butt rotting fungus gains entry to the tree through damage to the bark.  in the case of the tree pictured, an asphalt drive was installed some years ago right up to the tree trunks, and the grading could not help but cause damage to the prop roots.
   Any living organism can look and seem perfectly healthy and yet have hidden disease and structural damage that can cause it harm or even death.

OFF THE CUFF 

   Trees aren't the only entity that can seem perfectly healthy yet be in danger of rotting at the base and toppling to its death.  A society itself can look perfectly sound and healthy yet be in danger from rot at its core.  As my grandfather would say in German (sorry, no translation)  "Above wonderful, and underneath rotten."  Look around you, look and listen closely and think about where we are at.

BUDDY AT THE BEACH AND BLUEBERRIES

BUDDY IN THE BEACH BLUEBERRIES...

EARLY BLUEBERRIES, VERY TASTY

BUT BUDDY FOUND THIS FAMILY OF MERGANSERS  A LOT MORE INTERESTING

A GOOD BLUEBRRY CROP

Wednesday, 7:00 AM.  68 degrees F on both thermometers.  Wind E, calm with light to moderate gusts.  At present the sky is overcast and cloudy, and a thunderstorm is predicted this morning.  The humidity is 63% and the barometer has begun to rise, now at 29.96".  Today is predicted to be much cooler than yesterday, which got well into the 80's in the afternoon.  The lawn needs mowing but I keep putting it off until the weather moderates.
   I took Buddy to the beach yesterday morning before breakfast and we found the early blueberries, also known as low-bush blueberries, Vaccinium angustifolium, in the Heath Family (Ericacceae) ripe and quite tasty. Anguistifolium translates from the Latin as "narrow leafed." The wild blueberry crop looks good this year, and the cultivated blueberry crop will be over the top, as the bushes are loaded with ripening berries.
   We stopped at Highland Valley Farm last Sunday and ordered our usual twenty pounds of frozen berries (the berries were not yet quite ripe at the time).  Now that blueberries are grown in California, Florida and in South America fresh blueberries are available all year 'round, but our local berries are great, and as good frozen as fresh.
   Wild berries are usually much smaller than the cultivated, and difficult to pick, especially the low-bush blueberries.  The wild berries are perhaps somewhat more tasty than the farm raised, but if we had to rely on my own efforts to eat wild blueberries we wouldn't be eating many.
   Blueberries need acid soil, and may need to be fertilized with an acid based fertilizer.  In nature they also can be increased by fires that reduce competition with other vegetation, which eastern American Indians did historically.  In some areas of New England and eastern Canada wild blueberries are picked by machine (and also by hand) and sold as a commercial crop.  Blueberry barrens often are very large and are a natural monoculture. Blueberries are common in sandy soil in northern Wisconsin and are found in acid bogs in the southern part of the state.  They have a beautiful red fall color and can make attractive landscape plants, and I like to use them in my designs.
   Blueberries,which are rich in antioxidents, are a great health food, and  are in particular good for eye health.  During World War II and the Battle of Britain, RAF fighter pilots ate bilberry (Euroean blueberries) jam to aid their eyesight.
 

PURPLE LOOSETRIFE CONTROL: AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUCCESS STORY

PURPLE LOOSETRIFE FLOWER SPIKE

...WILLOW-LIKE LEAF

HERB GARDEN DOING NICELY

Tuesday, 9:00 AM.  71 degrees F at the ferry dock, 70 on the back porch.  Wind SSW, calm with light gusts. The sky is partly cloudy, the humidity 88%.  The barometer is at 29.95" and falling rapidly, predicting the chance of thundershowers.  Today will be seasonally warm but it will subsequently cool off substantially.
   Buddy needed a run so we went to the beach before breakfast; details in tomorrow's post.

   The little herb garden in the back yard has matured into a nice, very private sitting area in the back yard.  Eventually the large Alberta spruce trees, that were supposed to be dwarfs, will have to be removed, and the big tamarack pruned drastically, but for a few more years at least it will continue to be beautiful.

   Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, in the Loosestrife Family, the Lythraceae, is a perennial plant native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa that has been used as a garden ornamental plant in Europe and America for many years. The species name refers to the plant's leaves, which resemble those of the willow (salix). The plant also has medicinal qualities as a safe astringent.   It is quite attractive,  but unfortunately spreads readily by seeds and plant parts and is very invasive, particularly in wetlands, where it competes with cattails and other native wetland plants that are valuable to wildlife. It also grows so profusely that it can clog waterways and impede the flow of water.   Consequently it was declared a noxious invasive plant many years ago in Wisconsin and most other states.

   Purple loosestrife can be controlled by mechanical means (digging and disposing of he plants) and by chemicals (primarily Roundup), but those controls are expensive and problematic.  In 1994 in Wisconsin,  the Galerucella beetle, which feeds exclusively on purple loosestrife, was introduced from Europe to control it.  Several other weevils also feed exclusively on this invasive, and are also used in its biological control.  

   The Galerucella beetle has been distributed free of charge to citizen volunteers, who raise and distribute the beetles and monitor loosestrife populations, with supervision by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  This program has been amazingly successful, and today purple loosestrife is basically under control in the state.  Wetlands and other areas that once were overrun by this invasive plant are now mostly free of it, and the occasional loosestife bloom is nothing more than an accent among the native plants.

   Purple loosestrife control is an environmental success story, a successful program  of cooperation between between scientists,  governmental agencies, and citizen volunteers that has efficiently and economically solved a real-world ecological problem.

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

A PILLOW VASE YOU CAN HOD IN YOUR  HAND...

...FILLED WITH BEACH PEA, DAISIES, MILFOIL, BIRD'S FOOT TREFOIL AND TANSY

Monday, 8:00 AM.  70 degrees F at the ferry dock, 66 on the back porch.  Wind NW, mostly calm, with occasional light gusts.  The sky is cloudless, the humidity 74%.  The barometer is more or less steady, currently at 29.93".  Today will be seasonally warm and pleasant, then things will cool off some with nice weather for the balance of the week.

   I have a City of Bayfield Tree Board meeting this morning at nine AM.  We are going to do training pruning on trees planted within the last few years. Proper training pruning is extremely important to shape the growing tree; to develop a strong central leader, remove competing branches and sucker growth and reduce problems with included bark.  It also will give us an opportunity to check on the condition and necessity of staking, and on disease, insect and injury problems.

   Sometimes small is as beautiful, or even more so,  as big.  This is certainly true with flower arrangements and vases. Joan loves small pillow vases, little pots small enough to hold in the hand, but that when properly designed can hold a surprising number of blooms.

   Looking like a little pillow, filled with water and with holes for flower stems at one end,  the tiniest of roadside weeds and wildflowers assume great importance in a pillow vase, take almost no effort to collect, and are as much fun to arrange as a large bouquet.  They hold enough water to keep their diminutive arrangements fresh for days. They can fit on any table, no matter how cluttered.  Taking up almost no room at all, they provide a cheerful natural presence in any room.

BIG LEAF ASTER IS BLOOMING

BIG LEAF ASTER COVERING THE FOREST FLOOR...

...ROSETTE OF LARGE BASAL LESVES...

...SMALLER LEAVES OF THE FLOWERING STEM...

ASTER FLOWERING STEM WITH FLOWER PANICLE

LAPPIN SWEET CHERRIES

Sunday, 800 AM.  69 degrees F at the ferry dock, 67 on the back porch.  Wind SSW, very light with occasional light gusts.  The sky is mostly clear with some haze.  The humidity is 93% after a trace of rain earlier.  The barometer stands at 29.72" and is rising.  The next few days should be clear and pleasant, then temperatures around 80, with chances of thunderstorms, on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It should be  much cooler after that for the rest of the week.  The storm that threatened yesterday afternoon and evening slipped south and east and we got little but clouds and a few rain drops.

   The second crop of local sweet cherries, the Lappin cherries, are being picked at Apple Hill Orchard.  They are a firm, pretty red cherry, not quite as sweet, at least this year, as the earlier Cavalier.

   The big leaf aster, Aster macrophyllus, in the Sunflower Family, the Compositae, is an early aster of woods and woods edges.  In the Bayfield region it forms large colonies in the mixed  conifer and hardwoods  understory.  The species name translates from the Latin as large-leaved.
   The perennial plant has a rosette of large basal leaves, from which it sends up a flower  spike with smaller leaves on the stalk, topped by a panicle of white to light pink to mauve composite flowers wlth a bright yellow center.  All in all it is an attractive flowering ground cover. It ranges from the mixed forests of the northeast and Canada to around the great lakes and beyond, and southward in the Appalachian Mountains.

   The young leaves are edible and were used as greens by American Indians, and smoked as an attractant and charm for deer hunting.
   Big leaf aster is one of those valuable native groundcover plants that builders and new homeowners  probably don't know, and often damage irretrievably during construction.  It is always wise to get some expert advice on what is growing before drawing a plan or plotting a driveway on a wooded lot.

OFF THE CUFF

   A note to Almanac readers:  some of you have indicated that you do not agree with my "off the cuff" remarks, and I do get  occasional feedback from readers who don't  appreciate my mostly conservative comments.  I don't mean to offend anyone, but I write The Almanac primarily as a means of self expression, without any other reward; it is a shout-out from my rooftop, so to speak.  However, I wish to be as accurate  and objective as possible in presenting the botanical and other information.    

   That's why I decided to label my political or social comments clearly, and separately from the main body of the post.  You can read about Bayfield weather, happenings, plants and landscaping and stop, if you wish, at "Off The Cuff."  Not that I mind in the least a friendly discourse about politics or whatever; I'm certainly up for that.

COMMON MILKWEED BLOOMING

r

COMMON MILKWEED FLOWER UMBELS...

...SIMPLE, TOOTHLESS, OPPOSITE LEAVES...

...MILKY SAP

Saturday, 8:15 AM.  68 degrees F at the ferry doc, the same on the back porch.  Wind NE with light gusts (wind off the lake will bring cooler temperatures).  Sky clear with some haze, humidity 84%.  The barometer has begun to fall precipitously, now at 29.95".  There is a chance of heavy rain and flash flooding from this afternoon into Sunday morning but things look good at present.  The big storm Thursday morning injured four campers at Birch Grove campground west of Washburn, and trapped others with fallen trees.  We have had enough bad weather for the summer.

   The common milkweed, Asclepias sriacus, in the Milkweed Family (Asclepiadacea) is a common roadside and field plant in the eastern half of North America and beyond.  It has simple, opposite leaves and milky sap.  It's umbels of sweetly fragrant flowers are old rose to whitish or greenish, and are just now blooming in Bayfield.

   The genus name is after that of the Greek god of medicine, because of the traditional medicinal uses of plants in the genus (too complicated and somewhat arcane to go into here).  The species name was applied erroneously by Linnaeus when it was confused with another plant.

   The most well known property of common milkweed today is that it is the obligate host of the Monarch butterfly caterpillar, and thus an object of great conservation interest.  For that reason alone it is a plant that should be protected and encouraged where possible  Other uses have been as cordage made from the stems, both commercially and by American Indians, and the fluffy seeds as filling for pillows and in former times, life preservers.  At certain stages and with proper preparation the leaves and stems are edible, but I wouldn't recommend doing so.

   There are a number of other native milkweeds, some, such as butterfly weed, A. tuberosa, that are important flower garden plants.  The swamp milkweed, A. incarnata, is common in wet places and quite attractive.

OFF THE CUFF

   The president yesterday told the American people that the world has never been safer or less violent, and that we should go out and enjoy the sunshine.  I wonder what parallel universe he lives in.

RED OSIER DOGWOOD BERRIES ARE RIPE

RED OSIER DOGWOOD SHRUB...

....PANICLE OF RIPE FRUIT

Friday, 8:30 AM.  72 degrees F at the ferry dock, the same on the back porch.  Wind variable with occasional light to moderate gusts.  The sky is clear with some haze, and the humidity has risen to 79%.  The barometer has begun to fall gradually, now at 29.93".  Cooler weather, in the high 70's and low 80's, is predicted for next week, which will be welcome.

   I have written about red osier, or red twig, dogwood, Cornus stolonifera, in the Dogwood Family (Cornaceae) before, but I write about it again because the very distinctive white berries are ripe now.  They won't last long on the shrubs because they are very much relished by birds.  They are edible but not particularly palatable to humans, although there was some use of the berries as food by Native Americans.  When the berries are gone, the bright red stems of the fruit will remain.

   Of more importance to American Indians was the use of the inner bark of the twigs, mixed with tobacco, in the smoking mixture known as kinnikinnic.

   The red osier dogwood is a medium to large shrub that spreads by stolons, thus its species name, and its usefulness in wetland restoration and other ecological work.  The red twigs are a great esthetic addition to the winter landscape, but the shrubs are large and very aggressive, padrticularly in wet locations, and must be used judiciously.

   Very obvious leaf veination, alternate leaves and branches, and distinctive flowers, fruit and branch color make this plant easily identified.

OFF THE CUFF

   Having watched Donald Trump's acceptance speech as the Republican nominee for president last evening, I am very favorably impressed with his message, and with his sincerity.  I think he is really a believer in the common citizen, and is serious about jobs, law and order, terrorism and the other difficult problems the nation faces.   

   I also think he has the ability, if elected, to impact these threats to our way of life, and to enhance its quality.  He has begun to surrounded himself with the talent he will need to advance his goals, if elected. 
   He has started a movement that gains more momentum by the day.  No one has spoken more clearly for the common man in many years.  It is little wonder the nation's elites hate him.

  

SWAMP ROSE

SWAMP ROSES ALONG SALMO TRAIL...

...FRAGRANT SINGLE-PETAL FLOWER...

...SMALL THORNS

Thursday, 5:30 PM.  89 degrees F at the ferry dock,  85 on the back porch. Wind WNW, calm with occasional light to moderate gusts.  The sky is clear, the humidity down dramatically, to 49%.  The barometer is at 29.79" and rising  The forecast calls for another hot day tomorrow, then cooler with a chance of a thunderstorm on Sunday.
   We had a terrific thunderstorm at 4:00 AM this morning which caused area wide electrical and internet outages, which were just reconciled, thus the late post.  There was a great deal of wind damage, with lots of trees down everywhere, but Bayfield itself did not suffer a great deal of wind damage, but it was one of the best sound and light shows that I have ever witnessed.

   Our trip to Northwoods Nursery in Rhinlander was good, and we accomplished our business of picking out large conifers  for a fall planting job, but I lost the camera inside the car and couldn't find it until we got home in the evening, so I missed some good photo opportunities, including little turkey chicks no bigger that a robin scampoering after their mother as she crossed Hwy. 51 south of Hurdley.

   Buddy and I took a walk along the new Salmo trail on Tuesday afternoon and found swamp roses, Rosa palustris,  blooming heavily enough to perfume the air. The single pink flowers are pretty but not overly prolific.  The bushes, mostly about four feet tall, are rather sparsely armed with small thorns.  They are growing on the banks of of the trail through the marsh, and in the marsh proper, which has very high water at present.  I claim little expertise with wild roses but am pretty sure of these because of the habitat they are in.  The swamp wild rose has a large geographic territory in Wisconsin and throughout eastern North America.

WILD OREGANO

WILD OREGANO PLANT...

...FLOWER PANICLES...

...LEAVES

Wednesday,7:30 AM.  71 degrees F at the ferry dock, 65 on the back porch.  Wind SSW, light to moderate.  The sky is clear with some haze on the horizon.  The humidity is 88%, the barometer 30.02" and falling.  We are in for some hot, humid and hazy weather, with the chance of thunderstorms throughout the next week.
   We are going to Northwoods Nursery in Rhinelander today to tag evergreens for fall digging.  The road is open to light vehicles where the bridge has washed out on Hwy 2 at Odanah.  We'll see how the rest of the roads are.

   Wild oregano, or wild marjoram, Origanum vulgare, in the Mint Family ( Labiatae), grows readily on slightly acid to acid soils in fields and along roadsides in the Bayfield area.  The genus name is from the Latin for the plant, and the species name simply refers to its being common.

   Oregano is much used in Italian, Greek and other ethnic foods, and very specifically on pizza. It's essential oils are said to have medicinal qualities, particularly for strengthening the immune system.  There are a number of species and varieties of Origanum, and many differences in strength and flavor.  The wild oregano, also known as wild marjoram, does not seem to me to be very strong in flavor or smell, although I have not dried any, which would increase its strength.

   Wild oregano, which is an herbaceous perennial,  competes surprisingly well with other plants in the right location, and can make a really pretty and aromatic ground cover for a sunny location with calcareous soil.

OFF THE CUFF

   So Donald Trump, despite many twists and turns, has clinched the GOP nomination.  The Old Guard has gone off in a corner somewhere to plot and pout.  The Romnys and the Bushes have had their chance and their day.  They need to get over it.

   Donald Trump is often a rough guy, obviously comfortable with the demeanor of construction crews and the often crude language of New York.  Get over that, too. 

   Donald Trump is a builder. He thinks higher and bigger.  He likes to win.  He has his faults, but he is a believer in America, in its promise and its people.  

   Give him a football and he'd be Vince Lombardy. Give him a Bowie knife and he'd be Andrew Jackson.   Give him a horse and a pistol and he'd be Teddy Roosevelt. 

   Considering the alternative, I think we should all give him a chance.

STAGHORN SUMAC FLOWERS

DEVELOPING FRUIT STALK  OF STAGHORN SUMAC...

...WITHERING MALE FLOWER SPIKE

Tuesday, 7:25 AM.  62 degrees F at ther ferry dock, 58 on the back porch.  Wind SSW, calm with light gusts.  The sky is clear, the humidity 85%.  The barometer, currently at 30.23", is taking a nosedive, predicting unsettled weather for the week ahead.

   I have written much about staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, in the past and won't dwell on it, except ot say that both the male and female blooms, which usually occur on separate shrubs and are both yellow and quite distinctive, are now maturing. The male flower spike is through with dispensing the pollen, and is withering and falling off.
   The female flower, now fertilized, is developing fruit, the whole flower spike turning a rosy, fuzzy red.
   Sumac is quite a charming shrub, with long, graceful feather compound leaves, colorful flower spikes and distinctive, colorful fruit that lasts on the shrub all winter.  To top it  off, the fall leaf colors of pinks, oranges and reds are spectacular.  It is, however, very aggressive and needs lots of room and strict control in the smaller landscape.

SPIRAEA'S, TRUE AND FALSE

FALSE SPIRAEA SHRUBS IN FLOWER...

...MT. ASH-LIKE COMPOUND LEAVES

MEADOW SWEET SPIRAEA SHRUB AND FLOWER...

...FLOWER SPIKE

Monday, 8:00 AM.  68 degrees F at the ferry dock, 62 degrees on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm, with light gusts.  The sky is clear, the humidity 70%. The barometer is stead at 30,10". The chance of thunderstorms is predicted for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but this is a perfect ten morning.

   False Spiraea, Sorbaria sorbifolia, in the Rose Family, is an Asiatic shrub native to eastern Russia, China and Japan. It is a vigorous shrub with spiraea-like compound flower spikes.  It grows to perhaps four or five feet in height.  It is a useful landscape plant but has a tendency to take over an area and might be invasive.  The group pictured is growing along Hwy. 13 at the bridge over Pike's Creek.  It is an obvious escape from cultivation, or perhaps was planted there many years ago.

   Meadow sweet, Spiraea latifolia, also in the Rose Family,  is a shrub native to northeast North America.  it may grow up to six feet tall but the one pictured is only about three feet in height.  It is pretty in bloom and also fragrant, and makes a pleasant tea. Its habitat is sandy shores, swamps and wet meadows. A rather similar native within the same geographical range is hardhack, S. tomentosa, which has pink to rose colored blooms.  It's habitat is basically similar.

   An easy way to distinguish the false from the true spiraeas is that the former has pinnately compound leaves, similar in appearance to the mt. ash (Sorbus), and the later simple, toothed leaves.

  OFF THE CUFF

   Tragedy after tragedy, our society edges toward anarchy.  What we usually forget, or dismiss as a historical anachronism, is that the old scourge of the Anarchist movement, notorious for assassinations (including President McKinley in 1901), murders and bombings throughout the later half of the Nineteenth Century through the 1930's, never really disappeared.  We laugh at the cartoon character of the black clad and mustachioed Anarchist, holding a round bomb with a lit fuse.  It doesn't seem so funny at the moment.
    Anarchism came to life again in the violence of the 1960's and '70's, and in the Oklahoma bombing of 1995.  The writings of the notorious radical Saul Alinsky,  author of Rules For Radicals, has influenced many, including some current politicians and organizers,  to create anarchy to further the leftist agenda.  Anarchy has long been recognized as a tool of Communism, and a precursor to dictatorships of both the right and the left.
   The old Anarchist movement  is alive and well, at home and abroad.