Goutweed and Other Flowers by the Don River: June 2020

Every flowering plant has a time when its flowers are at their maximum. On this day, it was Goutweed.

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)

Goutweed is a native of Europe, widely grown as a foliage plant or groundcover and readily escaping forming colonies near homesites, along roadsides, on banks and at the borders of forests.

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)

It is an “aggressive” invader in the upper Great Lakes region, northeastern North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)

Goutweed has a long history as a medicinal herb to treat gout and arthritis, applied in hot wraps externally upon boiling both leaves and roots together.

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)

As I walked about near the Don River, south of Eglinton, there were scores of flowers to be seen. Here are a few of them:

Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)
Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Field Mustard (Brassica rapa)
Field Mustard (Brassica rapa)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)
Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)
Sweet-cicely (Osmorhiza berteroi)
Bitter Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
Yellow Avens (Geum aleppicum)
White Avens (Geum canadense)
Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier)
Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis)
Reed Canary Grass (Phalris arundinacea)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis)
Spindletree (Euonymus europea)
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)
Soft-stem Bulrush
Gray Dogwood (Cornus foemina)
Gray Dogwood (Cornus foemina)
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)
Red Raspberry (Rubus strigosus)
Red-osier (Cornus sericea)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Indian-hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)
Purple-flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
Purple-flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
Queen-Anne’s-lace (Daucus carota)
Brome Grass (Bromus inermis)
Staghorn Sumac male flowers
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Dog-strangling Vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
Buckhorn (Plantago lanceolata)
Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Park scenes:

Archery range

NATURE POETRY

Ah, happy day, refuse to go!
Hang in the heavens forever so!
Forever in midafternoon,
Ah, happy day of happy June!    – Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford (1835–1921)

Miles Hearn

2 thoughts on “Goutweed and Other Flowers by the Don River: June 2020

  1. Lisa Volkov

    I just love these wild flowers! Thank you so much, Miles–for sharing this favorite place and its treasures.

    Reply
  2. Gert Trudel

    Chicory was my favourite in this post. I am amazed that quite a few of the flower petals you have posted in the last week have those ‘ little seesaw ‘ edges!!!

    Reply

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