First blooms on the dunes
May 19, 2015 20:39:09 #
The sand dunes along Lake Michigan are home to some unique plants, hardy species that colonize and stabilize the sand dunes and can withstand the wind and blowing sand and lack of soil. These are the first plants to bloom.
1. Starry False Solomon's Seal Smilacina stellata from the Lily family. It is amazing to see dense colonies of these short stout plants pop up from the sand every year.
2. This has to be the strangest member of the Prunus (fruit) genus. It is the Sand Cherry Prunus pumila, from the Rose family (as are all of the delicious fruit species), but it is not a tree. It rarely even gets to the point where it looks much like a shrub. The woody branches run low and parallel to the ground and the blossoms are inches above the shifting sands.
3. Lyre-leaved Rock Cress Arabis lyrata, from the Mustard family, is blooming on the sand dunes right now in great numbers. The tiny four-petaled white flowers form dense drifts in the sand.
4. Here is the leaf from which the previous plant gets its name. It is biennial, blooming every other year, and the ones with the distinctive leaves are usually not blooming, and the ones that are blooming usually don't have the distinctive leaves.
Mike
1. Starry False Solomon's Seal Smilacina stellata from the Lily family. It is amazing to see dense colonies of these short stout plants pop up from the sand every year.
2. This has to be the strangest member of the Prunus (fruit) genus. It is the Sand Cherry Prunus pumila, from the Rose family (as are all of the delicious fruit species), but it is not a tree. It rarely even gets to the point where it looks much like a shrub. The woody branches run low and parallel to the ground and the blossoms are inches above the shifting sands.
3. Lyre-leaved Rock Cress Arabis lyrata, from the Mustard family, is blooming on the sand dunes right now in great numbers. The tiny four-petaled white flowers form dense drifts in the sand.
4. Here is the leaf from which the previous plant gets its name. It is biennial, blooming every other year, and the ones with the distinctive leaves are usually not blooming, and the ones that are blooming usually don't have the distinctive leaves.
Mike
May 19, 2015 21:19:19 #
This post is most interesting, Mike, and your shots are beautiful. I can't remember seeing any of these plants growing on the beaches here.
Blenheim Orange wrote:
The sand dunes along Lake Michigan are home to som... (show quote)
May 19, 2015 21:30:56 #
Dixiegirl wrote:
This post is most interesting, Mike, and your shots are beautiful. I can't remember seeing any of these plants growing on the beaches here.
Thanks, Donna. Later in the year we have some seashore plants blooming here like Sea Rocket, Beach Heath, and Beach Pea. But these early guys are just found on Great Lakes dunes, as far as I know.
Mike
May 19, 2015 21:40:47 #
I'll post some of the ones that grow here soon, Mike. We were there in March, and Beach Rosemary was in bloom.
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Thanks, Donna. Later in the year we have some seashore plants blooming here like Sea Rocket, Beach Heath, and Beach Pea. But these early guys are just found on Great Lakes dunes, as far as I know.
Mike
Mike
May 19, 2015 21:55:22 #
Dixiegirl wrote:
I'll post some of the ones that grow here soon, Mike. We were there in March, and Beach Rosemary was in bloom.
Great! Looking forward to that.
Mike
May 19, 2015 22:09:04 #
May 19, 2015 23:46:49 #
May 20, 2015 01:05:58 #
May 20, 2015 01:32:44 #
Those are cool, nice set, that's what I like about this forum, I get to see things think I'll never get to see, thanks for posting Mike!!! :thumbup:
May 20, 2015 07:18:08 #
Your photos are great, the plants exquisite and the education on beach plants is very interesting and enjoyable. Thank you.
May 20, 2015 09:53:32 #
Great set Mike, and I especially like #3 in the download. It's really nice to see different fauna from around the country. I have never seen anything like those in Colorado. Very nicely done.
Michael
Michael
May 20, 2015 12:12:26 #
Jakebrake wrote:
Great set Mike, and I especially like #3 in the download. It's really nice to see different fauna from around the country. I have never seen anything like those in Colorado. Very nicely done.
Michael
Michael
Thanks, Michael. The blossoms on that Rock Cress are very tiny, and on long, thin stalks and there is always a breeze by the lake. I was happy to get something halfway decent.
I spent some time last summer chasing plants in Colorado, near Aspen. I was surprised at how many plants I saw that were completely new to me.
Mike
May 20, 2015 12:14:47 #
HOT Texas wrote:
Those are cool, nice set, that's what I like about this forum, I get to see things think I'll never get to see, thanks for posting Mike!!! :thumbup:
Agreed. I love to see what people are finding in other parts of the country (and the world).
Thanks for your kind remarks! Much appreciated.
:)
Mike
May 20, 2015 22:29:33 #
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