Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Down at river's edge

I don't know what they're called, but I saw this bunch of pink flower spikes at the edge of the river the other day. It was the only bunch I saw so I don't know how common they are.

Flowers on the Cher River.

The US Open is under way in New York. I haven't watched any of it yet (it's on live here starting in the early evening and over night), but I will start today. They re-broadcast a lot of the matches (especially the French players' matches) during the day. Sometimes I record overnight so I can see the live feed and have the ability to fast-forward through the boring bits, like excessive commentary and commercials.

6 comments:

  1. Your purple plant is Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria, very common. Apparently it is an invasive alien in the US. It is found everywhere in France and has a swathe of French names: Herbe aux coliques, Lysimaque rouge, Lythrum salicaire, Salicaire commune, Salicaire officinale.

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  2. I was afraid it was loosestrife. The first time I saw it as a roadside plant in New York state I admired it, but quite quickly it spread along the streams in NY and PA and beyond. It's such a curse I can't even appreciate it for its looks anymore.

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  3. It's funny how plants in the right place are kept under control but, when they are taken out of their native habitat, can become a real problem. I've never heard of loosestrife being a pest in the UK.

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  4. We have gooseneck loosestrife, which has a fun-looking bent over gooseneck-looking flower :) It does spread a good bit on its own, though.

    Walt, I've been displaying (on my big screen inclass) photos of your profiteroles from a blog a couple of years ago, and my classes are all full of wonder and amazement that you made them yourself :)

    Judy

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  5. Susan is right, that plant is called a "Loosestrife" plant. It grows like a weed in very moist locations like the edge of a pond or lake. It could take over. Very pretty though.

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  6. susan, thanks! I had no idea, of course. :)

    carolyn, I don't remember it from New York. Is it relatively new there?

    morningaj, so true.

    judy, that's cool! They're not hard to make at all.

    ron, and you have it Delaware?

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