Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408230013
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PATRICIA HELD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Several late summer and autumn flowers are characterized by such colors. Intertwined with the bright colors of the goldenrods, they provide a sight beyond compare. Over the next few weeks watch for these flowers as they appear in the fields and waste places in our area:
Thistle - known for exceptionally spiny leaves and stems, thistle flowers look like lavender shaving brushes with their bristled blossoms set in spiny cups. These are plants to enjoy at a distance.
The Scottish motto, ``Touch me who dares,'' originates from an old tale about the thistle plant. A carpet of thistle was laid on the beaches of Scotland to fend off an attack by the Vikings.
Two common varieties include the giant-sized bull thistle and the smaller Canada thistle. While they are quite pretty, they will take over a field in no time and are truly a bane to farmers.
After thistles finish blossoming and dry, the seeds that are attached to tufts of a white feathery material float about in the air, sending seeds every which way the wind may blow.
Teasel - another prickly plant in bloom right now is the teasel. Its appearance reminds me of an egg covered with spines. Its stems and leaves are prickly as well, and the leaves are sometimes fused around the stem. The flowers develop midway on the ``egg'', just like a belt. These flowers then develop, spreading upward and downward. Once the blooms are finished, the dried heads can be used in floral arrangements.
Asters - varieties of asters bloom from the spring till long after the first frost. There are over one hundred varieties in North America, and all but a handful are blue or purple. Asters have a tightly packed compound flower head and, along with the daisies, are members of the composite family. It can be difficult to differentiate between the many varieties, and it often requires experience and great patience to identify a particular variety.
Unlike many plants that were carried here by settlers, asters are true natives. The colonists discovered meadows and fields carpeted with these lovely blossoms. Despite the number of hybrid asters, nothing can quite compare to a field of wild asters in bloom. It is no wonder why the early settlers were somewhat in awe of them.
Joe-Pye Weed - towering high above most other plants, Joe-Pye weed is a difficult plant not to notice along the roadsides. Its flower head is large and is composed of small raspberry colored trumpet-like blossoms clustered together. It was named after Joe-Pye, a New England Indian who used the plant to cure cases of fever.
Ironweed - The deep-colored blossoms of ironweed can be found in many overgrown areas and woodlines. Their blossoms are a sure sign that summer is over. Ironweed is named for its tough stem which is difficult to break. At first glance its blossoms look like asters. But after a closer look, the flowers are not at all ray-like, but instead are tubular in shape.
In contrast to many of the spring flowers that quietly poke up on the deep woods, these late summer and autumn blossoms appear in profusion out in the open. Their lavender, blue and purple colors add a truly royal air to the scene and help make our autumn such a colorful time of the year.
Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to: Patricia Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.
\ Patricia Held is a Bedford County free-lance writer and author specializing in natural history.
by CNB