Desmodium glutinosum: flowers and foliage

Desmodium glutinosum, known in English as "pointed-leaf tick trefoil", "large tick trefoil", or "large-flowered tick clover" and in French as desmodie glutineuse is a perennial native to eastern and central North America. Like its relative, Desmodium canadense, it has racemes of small flowers similar to pea flowers (they are legumes), but D. glutinosum has smaller flowers, pale pink rather than purple.

The leaves are divided into three broad pointed leaflets. D. glutinosum is distinguished from the other tick trefoils by its whorl of leaves encircling the stem below the inforescence. (Once again, I'm linking to the superior photography at Missouri Plants.)

The tiny pink flowers form a delicate pink cloud when grown en masse. I took these photographs at High Park.

Alliaria petiolata: foliage

This is an extremely invasive species in Toronto. Alliaria petiolata, known in English as "garlic mustard" and in French as alliaire officinale ou herbe à ail is a biennial native to Eurasia and northern Africa. It is one of the worst invasive plants in Toronto.

Garlic mustard was originally brought to Canada from Europe as a food plant. Unfortunately, it has flourished too well. Garlic mustard is not edible to Canadian wildlife, it emerges early in the spring before many native plants, it produces large numbers of seeds, and it harms mycorrhizal fungi that native plants need to grow properly. These factors give it an advantage over native plants, with the result that it can invade forests and outcompete them. There are areas of the forest in High Park that are completely overrun with garlic mustard, at the expense of native plants. Garlic mustard is invading the forest around the Ontario Science Centre as well, endangering their beautiful white trilliums. Because Canadian wildlife won't eat garlic mustard, replacing native plants with garlic mustard means less food for wild animals and therefore a loss of animal as well as plant biodiversity.

For these and other reasons it is important for Toronto gardeners to be able to recognize garlic mustard and remove it. In the first year, garlic mustard forms a low rosette of heart- or kidney-shaped leaves with a jagged edge. The leaves have a distinctive garlicky smell when crushed. In the second year, the plant produces a stem 30-60 cm tall with clusters of small, white, four-petalled flowers. The flowers are followed by skinny upright seed pods, but please don't let it get to that stage if you can help it. After setting seed, the plant dies, which is good news. (There are some good photos of garlic mustard leaves, flowers, and seed pods on this page by the Plant Conservation Alliance Alien Plant Working Group.)

To control garlic mustard, remove the entire plant in the first year, or remove at the very least the flowers in the second year (in erosion-prone sites you may want to leave the roots of second year plants in place, but cut the plants off close to the ground, otherwise more flowers can form in the leaf axils). Don't leave the flowers or unripe seedpods lying around as even if cut off from the root they can still ripen and produce viable seed. You can eat the plants if you like; here's a recipe for garlic mustard pesto (I haven't tried it myself yet).

Garlic mustard seed in the soil remains viable for years, so eradicating it is a long-term project. So let's make it a May tradition to enjoy a walk outside eradicating garlic mustard!

Liatris spicata (I think): new growth

Liatris spicata, known in English as "dense blazing star" or "prairie gayfeather" and in French as liatride à épis or plume de Kansas is a perennial prairie wildflower native to eastern North America. Its spikes of purple flowers are attractive to butterflies. Although Liatris spicata is a popular garden flower, it is threatened in the wild in Ontario.

I wasn't sure if my liatris was going to return this year, as it was weeded out by someone else, but it looks like enough bits were left behind to come back! I'm looking forward to its colourful blooms.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia: foliage

Note: this plant is considered a noxious weed under the Ontario Weed Control Act Ambrosia artemisiifolia, known in English as "common ragweed" or "short ragweed" and in French as petite herbe à poux or ambrosie à feuilles d'armoise is an annual native to North America, infamous for its highly allergenic pollen.

Last year when these pretty leaves started emerging in the spring, I was sure they were something "good". Imagine my disappointment when I realised they were in fact ragweed. Ragweed's flowers are tiny and green; they don't need to be showy to attract insects because they are wind-pollinated. I don't know if I'm allergic to ragweed myself (I'm stuffed up all year round due to my fibromyalgia), but a friend down the street suffered from ragweed allergies, and ragweed pollen can travel hundreds of miles on the wind.

Even though ragweed is a native plant, I think those of us in populated areas should pull it out of consideration for all the people sickened by ragweed pollen. The Ontario government has designated ragweed as a noxious weed.

Solenostemon scutellaroides 'Wizard Mix': foliage

Wow! Six weeks after sowing, the colours on the coleus seedlings are really popping! My favourite is the white with green edge ('Wizard Jade'); I wish I had ordered another seed packet just of this variety.

Dianthus chinensis 'Double Gaiety Mix': foliage

The China pinks were doing well, but apparently they are quite palatable to cats! This is the healthiest seedling, probably because it was right under the lights and the cats couldn't get at it. I've started hardening them off; hopefully once they are outside and have less cats nibbling on them they'll all bounce back.

Reseda odorata 'Mignon Finest Mixed' foliage turning orange?!

For some reason, the leaves of the mignonette seedlings (sown about 6 weeks ago) are turning orange. I don't think they are supposed to, for I don't see orange leaves in the mignonette photos online. Any ideas what could be causing this?

Tagetes tenuifolia 'Lulu': foliage

The 'Lulu' marigold seedlings are now about six weeks from sowing and looking great. You can see their pretty somewhat ferny foliage and reddish stems. I've started hardening them off; can't wait for blooms!

Dicentra spectabilis: emerging foliage

Dicentra spectabilis, known in English as "bleeding heart" and in French as cœur de Marie, cœur-de-Jeannette or cœur-saignant, is a perennial native to east Asia and well-known for its distinctive heart-shaped pink flowers. Not only is it very pretty, but it's easy to grow and shade tolerant. Bleeding heart blooms in late spring and the foliage goes dormant some time in the summer.

I just discovered this lovely bleeding heart foliage emerging this week—it was hidden under some windblown trash which is all too prevalent in this neighbourhood for some reason (drives me nuts). I just bought this plant last spring; it's good to see that it survived the winter.

Aquilegia: first growth

Aquilegia, known in English as "columbine" and in French as ancolie, is a genus of perennials native to the northern hemisphere. They have very pretty delicate three-part scalloped leaves, and unique flowers, usually with long spurs.

I'm not sure what type of columbine this is, as it just volunteered last year and hasn't bloomed yet. (Even without flowering, it contributes to the garden as a foliage plant, in my opinion.) This is the first year I've paid attention to the very early spring growth of columbine; what a pleasure to see these very pretty purple rosettes coming up!

Verbascum thapsus: leaves

Don't plant this—it's invasive!

Verbascum thapsus, known in English as great mullein or common mullein, and in French as molène thapsus, molène Bouillon-blanc, Bouillon-blanc or Bouillon jaune is a biennial native to Eurasia and north Africa. In Canada it is generally considered a weed, and a number of sources call it invasive.

Here you can see some of the old foliage from last year, and a rosette of new leaves opening in the middle. The soft velvety leaves are rather nice, but do we really need more of this plant spreading itself around and invading wild spaces, where it displaces native plants?