Resurrection lilies

The curious and beautiful pink flowers you see scattered around the entrance of Clegg Garden are Lycoris squamigera, sometimes called resurrection lilies or naked ladies.  They are a popular garden addition although they are not a native Indiana plant, but rather originated in China or Japan.

Photo taken July 27, 2015.

Link to previous post on Lycoris squamigera:

Link to previous post on Lycoris squamigera:

Link to previous post on Lycoris squamigera:

Nodding wild onion

Along Wildcat Creek, a nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum).

Photos taken July 22, 2015.

I noticed some nodding onions were growing wild along the roadside on the hill approaching Clegg Garden.

Link to Allium cernuum:

Link to Allium cernuum:

Woodland sunflower

Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricata) on the high trail above Wildcat Creek.  In the background is a bank of Helianthus divaricata, the same species.  This particular flower in view is opening early and by now the flowering is more extensive.

Photo taken July 13, 2015.

Link to Helianthus divaricata:

Link to Helianthus divaricata:

Blue ash

Clegg Garden contains a considerable amount of blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata).  This species of ash is native to Indiana woodlands but is not particularly common.  To identify blue ash look for the four ridges (you might also call them wings) on the blue ash twig.  The photo above shows a typical blue ash twig and leaves.  The blue ash population at Clegg  Garden seems to be regenerating well as we find many seedling and sapling trees.

Photo taken July 13, 2015.

Link to Fraxinus quadrangulata:

Link to Fraxinus quadrangulata:

Link to Fraxinus quadrangulata:

Green walking stick insect

This green stick insect was found crawling on this Solomon's seal plant (Polygonatum biflorum).  Solomon's seal is a common plant of Indiana woodlands.   The species of the stick insect is not known.

Photo taken July 6, 2015.

Link to stick insects:

Link to Polygonatum biflorum:

Prickly ash

Prickly ash shrubs (Zanthoxylum americanum), pictured here, can be found along the high ground trail overlooking the Wildcat Creek.  Photo taken July 6, 2015.

Link to Zanthoxylum americanum:

Link to Zanthoxylum americanum:

Link to Zanthoxylum americanum:

Prickly ash is a native Indiana representative of the citrus family (Rutaceae)

Link to Rutaceae:

Prickly ash is a food source for caterpillars of some kinds of swallowtail butterflies, including the uncommon giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes).

Link to Papilio cresphontes and Zanthoxylum americanum:

Link to Papilio cresphontes and Zanthoxylum americanum:

Bottlebrush grass

Bottlebrush grass on the high ground trail overlooking Wildcat Creek.  The scientific name of bottlebrush grass is Elymus hystrix.  The genus Elymus also includes the wild rye grasses that are common in Indiana.

Photos taken July 6, 2015.

Link to Elymus hystrix:

Link to Elymus hystrix:

Link to range of Elymus species:

Pickerelweed

The blue-flowered aquatic plant in the small goldfish pond near the Clegg Garden entrance is pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata).

It was planted here at this location, but pickerelweed is also an aquatic plant native to Indiana wetlands.

Photos taken July 6, 2015.

Link to Pontederia cordata:

Link to Pontederia cordata:

Hostas

The plants with the purple flowers near the entrance of Clegg Garden are hostas.  These perennial plants are not native but were planted here years ago.  Gardeners usually plant hostas for the attractive, shade-tolerant foliage, but the flowers that show in summer are attractive too.

Photos taken July 6, 2015.

Link to hostas:

Link to hosta flowers: