Populus tremuloides

Populus tremuloides

Quaking Aspen

Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America. The species is referred to Quaking Aspen, Trembling Aspen, and Quakies, names deriving from its leaves which flutter in the breeze. The tree-like plant has tall trunks, up to 25 metres, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden to yellow, rarely red, in Autumn. The species rarely flowers, often propagating through its roots to form large groves.

It propagates itself primarily through root sprouts, and extensive clonal colonies are common. Each colony is its own clone, and all trees in the clone have identical characteristics and share a single root structure. A clone may turn color earlier or later in the fall than its neighbouring aspen clones. Fall colors are usually bright tones of yellow; in some areas, red blushes may be occasionally seen. As all trees in a given clonal colony are considered part of the same organism, one clonal colony is considered the heaviest and oldest living organism at six million kilograms and approximately 80,000 years old.

Chionochloa rubra

Chionochloa rubra

Red Tussock

This grass, endemic to New Zealand, is often found in great drifts in lowland and low-alpine areas in the volcanic mountains. Common on the mineral belts of the South Island and on poorly drained peaty valley floors or rolling slopes mostly below the tree line. Not especially showy in flower, but attractive for the strong red-copper foliage. It can grow to be 3-4' tall.

Fenestraria rhopalophylla

Fenestraria rhopalophylla

Baby toes or Window plant

 

 

Fenestraria is a monotypic genus of succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae. The species is also called babies toes or window plant. On each leaf there is transparent window-like area at the top, it is for these window-like structures that the genus is named (Latin: fenestra). In the wild, the plant grows mostly buried by sand. The transparent tips are often above the sand and allow light into the leaves for photosynthesis. F. rhopalophylla is native to Namibia and Namaqualand in southern Africa. The plants are generally found growing in sandy or calciferous soils under low < 100 mm rainfall.

 

 

Ratibida columnifera

Ratibida columnifera

Mexican Hat, Yellow Coneflower

These upright perennials (1-3') bloom in the summer at elevations between 5,000 to 8,5000 feet on plains and in openings in pine forests. The Yellow Coneflower has a purplish central cone and reflexed yellow petals whitele the Mexican Hat has drooping brick-red ray petalss and red disks. They prefer full sun and require little maintenance. They were often used bu Native Americans as a snakebite remedy and to reduce fevers.