Rose hips. These were grown from seed over 20 years ago and now are scrambling 70 feet up fir trees and make for a nice sight in spring when they flower and in the fall with their hips.
Ruschia is the largest genus in the Ice Plant Family (Aizoaceae), with an extensive distribution in southern Africa. This one was grown from seed collected in South Africa, but it does not match any of the species we have seen in cultivation, and its name remains undetermined. It forms a small shrub with chubby rounded leaves and violet-pink flowers in late autumn.
Out of all the mints commonly found along temperate forest’s edge, when in bloom, this is perhaps the showiest. The upper leaves closest to the true inflorescence will begin to turn a lighter blue color and will be much more densely pubescent than other leaves with snow white hairs, acting as a floral bract. The bracts almost give the appearance that someone may have came by and spray painted the tips of the plant white.
Many members of Lamiaceae are wonderful nectar species, I.E. pretty much any Monarda sp. that you can think of; with that said, you can most likley associate this species with many different butterflies and a good amount of moth species.
Photographed along a no longer used logging right of way near Bison Way Trailhead, Red River Gorge, Kentucky.
THE HISTORIC 16th century GALLICA ROSE, ‘ROSA MUNDI’
Every bloom is different, and this year, there has been some reversion to the mother plant, the ‘Apothecary’s Rose’, which is all pink with golden anthers, and was found in every monastic herb garden. It is true the leaves are subject to mildew in a closed situation like our front garden but the rough foliage and tissue thin flowers of this rose are so enchanting..
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