Wednesday Blooms - Farmers Market Wildflowers

Over the weekend, I visited southern Putnam County, about 40 miles north of New York City.


In the parking lot of a local synagogue in Mahopac, a farmers market had set up.  Along one edge was a strip of undeveloped land, complete with wildflowers.  iPhone at the ready, I was ready to take photographs.

Here is one of the most invasive wildflowers in our area, Japanese knotweed.  The one good thing about it is that it is a good bee plant.  Bees love it.  My spouse admits a love for it, as it makes stream banks and the sides of trails beautiful at this time of year. 

Another invasive found blooming all over upstate NY is purple loosestrife.  This deadly invasive import has had New York State's wetlands under attack since at least the 1830's.

This plant was purple loosestrife.  Or was it?


The plant I saw didn't look exactly like purple loosestrife. And sure enough, the woman who sometimes provides me wildflower support ID'd this as a native Swamp Loosestrife, Latin name Decodon Verticillatus.

Not an import.  A native!

I don't think I've ever seen the next flower before but maybe I just never noticed it.  The blue flower struck me right away and I'm so glad I had my iPhone.  The picture is a bit blurry; I had to take it at a strange angle.

My "guest photographer", who I sent it to right from the spot (did I mention my iPhone?) quickly ID'd this as Dayflower.

Returning to invasive wildflowers one last time, this is Field bindweed. Actually, field bindweed is a wild morning glory, but trust me, you do NOT want to grow this in your flower garden.

You can find wildflowers in so many places - yes, even in the parking lot of a synagogue.  And if the farmers market had not set up there, we never would have visited his past Sunday.

Tomorrow, some pictures of the Mahopac, NY farmers market these wildflowers bordered.

Have you ever found your favorite wildflowers are actually noxious pests?