Yesterday I took Opal, the Delaware, to her first school visit. She’s the largest hen that I’ve ever brought, but Opal is so easy-going, and she talks in such happy low chortles when meeting the children, that she wasn’t at all intimidating, even though many of the kindergartners had never before seen a chicken up close. When we came back home, Opal deserved a bit of free-ranging in the meadow.
This corner of the yard is planted with native wildflowers and it is just coming into bloom. For the last half-dozen years, I’ve nursed it along. I’ve weeded out the invasive buckthorn and removed brambles. I thought I knew what was there. But, I don’t recall seeing this flower. I don’t remember planting it.
Does anyone know what this is?
It’s ever so pretty. There’s a few blooming underneath the peach tree, too.
I’m delighted to see it, whatever it is. I love these surprises in the garden.
Could be Queens Cup (Clintonia uniflora)?
On second thought, probably not Queens Cup. I just noticed the size relative to the clover in the photo, so I have no idea what it is. Very pretty, though.
I love nature’s little surprises for us. Once, we bought a Christmas tree at a stand and decorated it. A couple of days later, I found a bird’s nest on the inside branches. The tree was so full we never noticed it while decorated it. Such a sweet little surprise. We felt our little home was being blessed! So glad there are others that can appreciate God’s little gifts out there.
This winter, after the leaves dropped, I found a hummingbird nest in the Chinese Beech. A similar, lovely surprise.
Aww, so tiny. Lovely.
Maybe Candy, under the tree, using her influence to send you something new. They’re sweet flowers and show up nicely in the gree grasses.
Snowball is under that tree, too.
It looks like sweet woodruff. It’s a ground cover I have planted around the bird creek in my moss garden. It’s a very dainty little flower.
I have sweet woodruff in a shady area. Similar, but it’s not this.
A knowledgeable plantswoman on twitter told me: “It’s Ornithogalum umbellatum, I know it as Star-of-Bethlehem.”
Terry, when I looked up Star-of-Bethlehem, I also read that it can be poisonous to livestock and other animals and that the foliage and bulbs can make animals sick from the toxic alkaloids. Just thought you would like to know.
Actually Terry after looking at the last picture again, I don’t see the whorl of leaves that are in the previous picture which is what made me think sweet woodruff. It could be Star of Bethlehem. It grows in little clusters from tiny little bulbs. I noticed a few days ago that my plants have started blooming.
That is Star of Bethlehem. I had a yard full of it. It grows from a bulb and propagates from seed. If you hurry and dig it up it won’t get a chance to go to seed. The wind blew it in from somewhere or maybe a bird had the seeds in it’s droppings. The wind used to blow mine all over the yard and beyond. The following year it was all over the neighborhood. Be sure your boys do not get to it.
i’d call that an edelweiss – with no actual reason to do so. but it looks like the flowers that grow up on mountainsides and that’s what i’ve always heard them called.
one time a music student of mine brought me what she thought was a pretty plant. i thought that was nice . . . planted it, and i’ve been digging out decendants of it ever since. nasty weed. – but pretty when it’s young
My first guess was Clintonia also, though why it would be in a wildflower mix is a mystery to me. Could be Star of Bethlehem. But I can’t see the leaves to really tell. Clintonia has pretty wide, strappy leaves. And I’m not familiar with East Coast wildflowers, so not much use. But it’s a nice mystery plant, hopefully not poisonous to your pals.
I’m seeing this all over Cleveland this year, too, and I’ve never seen it here before. Maybe we have a Johnny Appleseed/Lupine Lady type wandering around the northeast and north coast ;)
Off subject Terry, hope your having a good day.:o) When you gave your chicks acorn squash did you clean the seeds out. I bought one today and not sure what to do with it.
The gloppy guts are the best parts! But little chicks won’t be able to peck it into small enough bits to eat. So, cut in half and scoop out the seeds and give them the halves. If they’re about 5 weeks or older, they should be able to handle the whole thing. Adult chickens will peck holes through the hard outer skin, but chicks won’t know to do that.
Thank you for helping!
I do not know the name of the plant, but it grows here in areas not often mowed. They bloom and then the thin leaves, much like a crocus, will yellow and die. The plant will reappear next year this time. I have never seen it become a problem. I would like to have it’s name.
I think it’s Star of Bethlehem, too.
It’s considered an invasive, so if you are aiming for a native landscape you will want to cull it. I had some in Michigan and enjoyed their flowers every year in my lawn.
http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/otgum.htm
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/bulbs-perennial/Ornitum.htm
Seems to be dangerous to grazing animals:
http://www.btny.purdue.edu/weedscience/2005/starofbeth05.pdf
http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/starofbethlehem.shtml
Definitely Star of Bethlehem. It appeared here in one of my gardens a few years back, and has managed to move into 2 – 3 other gardens. I figured it might have come in from a Plant Sale buy. It’s so far only ever been found in another garden. I’d not read it was toxic, but many bulbs are. I’ll have to keep an eye out and make sure it doesn’t appear in the pastures.
Star of Bethlehem sounds right; I have them too and mine have just started to bloom this week here in Somerville. My landscaper told me they’re a menace because they spread, and she’s right! From one little patch by the composter, now they’re all over my backyard! Too bad, because they ARE pretty. But Cathy (my landscaper and friend) says they’ve gotta go. Maybe I could put a few in a pot . . . like you do with mint.
Didn’t know about the poisonous aspect! Thank you for that information!