Burning Cardinal Flower

Once again I have lifted the words of John Burroughs as the best possible description for the native treasure Cardinal Flower.  In an essay comparing our native flowers to those found in England, he used the three words in my title as a succinct complete description for this plant.  This picture may look familiar but this second shot was taken early in the morning while moisture from night fog still coated the leaves.  Ordinarily the stunning color of the flowers captures and holds the focus of the eyes but in this light the glistening dark leaves also star.  The other connection here joining this plant with Burrough's words  is the dark area of woods.  On one of his outings he described finally finding this uncommon plant and its affect of breaking the gloom of the deep woods.  

As the newly opened flowers approach the top of the stalk, the time for observing just how this plant creates viable seed is nearly over.  Out working early in the day allowed me to witness the ever so brief fertilization ritual of Cardinal Flower.  The central tube that is surrounded by five petals is tipped with what looks like a white beard.  As the moments of fertilization approach, these white hair like structures explode with a dense coating of yellow pollen.  Try as I might, I cannot find a photograph of either the initial appearance of the white beard or its coating with pollen.  By 8 AM that time had passed and the fertilization process was well underway.

 

In this photo, the location of the white beard has been penetrated by a stigma and style.  The flower in the lower left corner clearly shows the condition of the stigma extending past the opening of the tube.  Its pollen load is already moving toward the ovary at the base of the flower.  Soon this stigma will become limp and shrunken its work having been completed.  In the center of the photo, two yellow pollen covered stigmas are visible.  Our belief is that Cardinal Flower is a self pollinating plant.

 

 

This view shows some dropped pollen staining a leaf.  It also shows several pollen coated stigmas.  Once again we state that all of this activity unfolded early in the morning and the pollination was complete while the birds and the bees remained asleep.  For me the remaining mystery is how the pollen is transported from the tip of the stigma to the ovary buried deep within the base of each flower.  I am reminded that the function of corn silk is to carry a pollen grain to an area that will grow a seed.  Removing a single flower and cutting it open hoping to discover just how an enormous number of pollen grains found their way to the base of the flower crossed my mind but just when to do that remained unknown.  As noon approached, we did see a Humming bird working open flowers in the garden near the house.  Is it possible that its search for nectar is somehow part of the movement of pollen to the deeply placed ovary?  

Dream Coming True

Neither of the native plants shown here have been encountered by us in the wild but we are well within their required climate zones.  The white flowered Summer Sweet has expanded wildly in the gardens near the house where the Cardinal Flower continues but struggles.  These two treasures needed to grow together so that the brightest red flower and the sweet smelling pure white flower could enhance each other.  Transplanted last year, all three have survived and the size of this display will increase yearly if this site proves friendly.  A huge patch of pine trees covers the hillside to the south of these plants.  Late winter shade lingers here delaying snow melt.  The raised lane traps water runoff meeting the moisture needs of both plants.  Wire cages help us find these plants as Goldenrod also flourishes here.  Some of that will be uprooted each year and at some point the cages will be removed.  This planting is supposed to appear natural after all.

A drive to the back was made early to avoid the searing heat forecast for this afternoon.  This Joe Pye Weed grows totally on its own with no help from us.  This ground between the bedrock ridge and the flat meadow has never been farmed.  Streams of water from the springs ooze along between sizeable rocks but a downhill run to the river does not exist.  All of this water disappears into the gravel loaded glacial till that fills the flat areas.  The two Fritillary butterflies display different markings suggesting that they are different species.  We do not know their proper names.

This view looking eastward shows the rising ridge that contributes to our land's interest.  Goldenrod flourishes here but all of these plants are on their own.  We do not have the time to interfere and this ground is dangerous to walk on.  Muddy depressions, jutting rocks and low growing vines almost guarantee a fall but still the pictures just had to be taken.  Once more my luck prevails with the solid ground found.

This Boneset is another plant that is totally on its own.  These flowers are a little past their prime so they fit right in.  A late afternoon trip down the hill to fetch the garbage cans and get the mail will be quickly made but otherwise we are in for the day.  Neither one of us can endure the heat anymore.