Spectacular Spikes

Coralbean (Erythrina herbacea) sports striking spikes of tubular scarlet flowers throughout the winter and early spring.  Hummingbirds and long-tongued butterflies nectar on its flowers. Flowering seems to be earlier on Orchid Island than on the mainland.  This showy native plant…

Wednesday Weed: Bushy bluestem?

Bushy bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) is a common native bunchgrass of moist or somewhat moist sunny places.  Also known as broom sedge (a definite misnomer) and bushy beardgrass, this somewhat weedy grass often goes unnoticed until late summer when it is…