Wildflower Wednesday-On the Eve of the Hurricane

As earthquake chatter dies down, and we find ourselves in the possible path of Hurricane Irene (we wouldn't be struck by the hurricane but we might have wind gusts up to 70 mph), it is time for our thoughts to turn to....wildflowers.

Right now, although the sun still says "summer" our climate (zone 5, upstate NY on the edge of the Great Lakes snow belt) cries out "fall is almost here".  The wind has a little chill, the sun has to fight harder to warm us, the angle of the sun is a little more subdued.  And the wildflowers are transitioning into fall also.  So besides flowers, we have berries, such as these white berries on this mystery plant. (it isn't poison ivy.)

This is Japanese knotweed, a major source of pollen for bees this time of year.  It is almost impossible to get rid of once established but it sure is pretty.

A wild morningglory, light purple with stripes.

Purple loosestrife, the bane of wetlands.

Black walnuts (in their green husks), not quite ripe.  It looks like we are going to have a banner year for nut trees, judging from how loaded they look.

And finally - this may be Japanese knotweed growing at a different angle but I am not 100% sure.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that Irene does not devastate the East Coast and that we have wildflowers to look at next Wednesday (and not massive floods).