Learn To Look

Marsh Marigold Seed Pod

In a talk I gave this past March at the Wildflower Association of Michigan’s annual conference, I talked about being a Naturalist. One of the things I focused on to help us see the world around us better was to look for what is different or out of place to us. As our eyes and mind get used to and expects to see certain things in certain environments we need to look for what is not so familiar to find new and exciting things. Look for colors or shapes you may not be familiar with or readily recognize and take time to explore them. You’ll be amazed at what you are missing in the world around you and you might be surprised as to how many species new to you that you’ll find. As a naturalist who is familiar with many species of plants and birds, I am always excited to find something new to me and the rarer the better. While the Marsh Marigold seed pod above is not uncommon to me I can see artist patterns in them and a different beauty than the yellow flowers of early spring. I am including this in the flower identification section as some may find it and think that it is a blooming flower.

Mutated Wild Geranium

While in the Hudsonville Nature Center I noticed some different Wild Geraniums. Upon further examination, I found two different mutated petals. The one is not very different but was a little smaller, almost waxy looking and white in color. The other one was obviously different. It had narrow greenish with pink petals, not the showy pink we now this plant for.

Another find came as I was driving through part of the Allegan State Game Area looking for flowers to photograph. I noticed several large clumps of long basal leaves in a clearing. They looked like American Columbo, a long lived plant that fascinates me. Upon further investigation I was correct and there were several plants, including a few which are sending up flowering stems. In with the Columbo I also found a new plant for me, Rock Sandwort. It is a very delicate looking plant with small, dainty white flowers. I also noticed a different group of plants along the road in the woods and yes another new one for me, Figwort. The plant almost resembles Stinging Nettle at first glance, but has whorls of curious looking brown and green flowers. Figwort likes road edges and openings in the woods.