Friday, August 21

Peculiar Plantlife


Yea, who knew that common hops grows in the Black Hills?! It's the same as the cultivated version used to make beer. Hops grows on a vine and has a light, papery feel. From the hemp family.




I did a post awhile back about this... didn't know what it was at the time but then w/ a friend's help figured it out. It's the seed pod of the showy milkweed. Photo was taken going up to the top of Sheep Mt. in the S. Badlands area.


The curlycup gumweed is growing abundantly this year, like so many other wildflowers/plants of the Black Hills. That white goop is a sticky resin the plant produces. It does have a yellow flower, too. Not your typical aster.

8 comments:

  1. Those hops grow in the hedgerows round my patch too.

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  2. Curlycup gumweed is an interesting plant. Another plant that does not grow in this area. We do have milkweed and this has been a great year for it. It is thriving in my pasture and along the country roadsides.
    Marnie

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  3. My kids always called the plant "gumcups", wonder why the stickiness, it reminds you of the sundews.

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  4. The curlycup gumweed is new to me...a very interesting plant...I wonder what purpose the sticky substance has.

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  5. Very interesting to see the plants and critters in your area Jann!

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  6. the milkweed grows abundantly here in our area,it is great for butterflies.I have never seen the others,it is always cool to look at your blog for the different things you show that I don't see here..

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  7. Interesting group of Mother's creations...that goop gumweed looks pretty interesting!
    I always love helping the milkweed add its seeds to the wind..I guess one never gets rid of that little kid behavior..

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  8. Wanda, the goop from the curlycup gumweed was used by some plains tribes to treat asthma and bronchitis, according to one of my botany books.

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