Keep posting, SCG! I love looking at your beautiful pictures!

The mourning cloak is gorgeous! MCs use many different plants, but willows are always at the top of the list. Still, willows get eaten by SO many things, unless you actually see caterpillars on it, they're probably not the ones who ate the leaves. According to everything I've read and heard, they lay their eggs in huge numbers, like 200 on one plant!

I rarely ever see them here, but I did see one late last winter. Unfortunately, it didn't stay and lay any eggs.

I see the asters are already blooming up your way - they don't bloom until October or November here.

Sherry

Are you hoping the plant is a milkweed of some sort? I'm no expert, and I'd want to break a leaf and see what oozes out, and see the entire plant, but I see no reason it shouldn't be a milkweed plant. The stem seems a little bit narrow, and the leaves a bit fine textured, but that's compared to common milkweed, which is huge and coarse. Let's see what others think.

BTW, I've never seen a Mourning Cloak, either.

Martha

I thought that was some type willow in the picture.

Is it, SCG?

Sherry

That mourning cloak is gorgeous. Another one I"ve never seen in person!

That is indeed a willow. Most milkweeds have opposite leaves.

Pictured is fireweed, an aster, and a wild grass.

Well I thank you all. That BF took me on an over 2 hour hike for pictures to only land 5' in front of my truck where it happily let me repeatedly release the shutter....uggghh.

misssherry yeah lots of asters right now, funny how I don't see much action on them. I am collecting seed for my roadside ditch :-). With all luck it will be full of fireweed, asters, milkweed and thistles.

I, again, bow to Larry. It is exactly what I was hoping, fireweed. But I couldn't remember the name to google it.

Night all...have a great sleep

SCG

Gorgeous photo, as usual,SCG. And it is a beautiful butterfly. We used to see them walking in the woods in Connecticut, but here in New Jersey I don't think there is enough woodland to walk through! Reviewing their lifecycle, it seems that around here we should see them flying in spring and fall. Someone please correct me if I am wrongâ¦

The Fireweed looks beautiful, when I checked it out on the USDA website. I had never heard of it before. It appears to be a plant of the northern reaches of North America, so I have never encountered it. Your ditch should be beautiful next year!

SCG,

The first time I became aware of this lovely native plant was years ago while living in Alaska. Just yesterday, my friend, Herb, sent me this photo of blooming Fireweed near Homer, Alaska. I'm posting it here for folks who are new to this striking plant. Isn't it lovely in bloom? I'm envious of you being able to grow it at your home. :-)

Mary

Fireweed

{{gwi:532083}}

Mary thanks for posting that stunning photo!

If anyone would like seed please ask. I have harvested quite a bit and there is lots still on the plants.

I also have globe thistle seeds.

SCG

When fireweed blooms in Alaska, it is said by the locals that summer is near an end. One of the first plants to emerge in areas disturbed by fire.

A short alpine variety can be showy also. Similar to thistles in that seed is dispersed on bits of floating fluff.

Is Fireweed the same as what we call Ironweed in WI.?

No. Fireweed is Chamerion angustifolium. N.Y. ironweed is Vernonia noveboracensis. HTH.
Liz

Beautiful photo, Mary. Makes me long to be in Wyoming or Idaho, or even Alaska. Except they've had an unusual summer there. Warm and high humidity. Makes things grow, though!