The Nodding/Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) is my favourite kind of thistle, especially at this stage, when the pinky purple flower has died and the beautiful pattern of the spiny bracts can be seen more clearly. Flower head is 4-6 cm in diameter. Photographed at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area on July 27th, when I called in for a short walk after my afternoon volunteer shift. There were a lot more of these plants this year, so I guess this invasive weed really does spread, lol. In Alberta, this plant is listed as Prohibited Noxious.
www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2011/08/carduus-nutans.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans
Came across this beautiful video of Bald Eagles flying, on YouTube. Superb footage from BBC and KPBS of American and European Eagles. Music by Abba. I did post it a couple of days ago, but after everyone had commented, so thought I'd post it again today.
youtu.be/qdoSy4ROZpg
Have been watching and waiting for the youngest of the two Hornby Island Eagles to fledge, but it looks like young "David" (as he has been named) is going to be waiting just a little longer - today, tomorrow? What a character this young branchling is, lol. It has been eight days since his older sibling fledged.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area nature flora flower flowers thistle Nodding Thistle Musk Thistle Carduus nutans introduced noxious invasive weed Asteraceae flower head macro close-up bokeh beautiful beauty in nature Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1130579 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression bracts spiny bracts UBC Botany Photo of the Day website 4th August 2011 Prohibited #GreatNature
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The dreaded Goat's-beard, a highly invasive, non-native plant that has spread (and keeps spreading, despite attempts to control it) in our natural areas in the city. Too bad, because both the beautiful flower and huge Dandelion-like seedhead are most attractive. Taken on June 18th, in the Boat Launch area of Fish Creek Park.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada Fish Creek Park Boat Launch nature flora flower flowers wildflower invasive weed non-native Goat's-beard
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So beautiful, yet so devastating! This is one of our main invasive weeds, also called Canada Thistle, and it has taken over so many parts of our lovely natural areas. This species is native throughout Europe and northern Asia, and widely introduced elsewhere (including here, unfortunately). The name "Canada Thistle, is misleading, as the plant is not native to this country. Creeping Thistle is the preferred name - and WE don't want to be blamed for something so destructive, when we didn't start the whole thing, lol!! Each spring, it forms extensive clonal colonies from an underground root system that sends up numerous erect stems. Photographed (macro) this particular plant at Clearwater Park, on the west side of the city, off Highway 8, September 4th last year.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_arvense
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada southern Alberta Clearwater Park off Highway 8 west of Calgary nature flora Thistle Creeping Thistle Canada Thistle Cirsium arvense wild wildflower seedhead purple-pink bokeh invasive weed destructive introduced non-native alien square crop macro close-up Panasonic DMC-FZ35 DMC-FZ35 FZ35 Lumix point-and-shoot P1160937 FZ35 annkelliott SuperEco
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It's so unfortunate that this beautiful member of the Pea family (Fabaceae) is considered a weed. It is grown as a crop and has spread to various places. Introduced from Eurasia, it can be found (if you know where to look) growing along roadsides and on waste areas. I think I've only ever seen it in about four or five places, though. It blooms from June to September. The plant was named for the arrangement of the long, narrow seedpods/legumes, which resemble a bird's foot. A handful of us had driven past a colourful roadside display two days ago, and I just had to go back yesterday on my way home from Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, to grab a few (macro) photos.
Tags: Alberta Canada southern Alberta south of 22X 160th St SW near Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area nature flora flower flowers wildflower yellow Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus introduced non-native weed Pea family Fabaceae beauty in nature square crop Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1150895 FZ40 annkelliott beautiful_expression #GreatNature
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I'm surprised that there is any clarity in this photo, as the mass of Oxeye Daisies at the side of the road was blowing in the wind when we saw them, shortly before reaching the Takakkaw Falls, near Field, British Columbia. They are beautiful flowers, but unfortunately they are also an invasive weed. Status in Alberta is Noxious.
"Introduced from Europe in the early 1800’s primarily as a grass seed contaminant, and subsequently spread as an ornamental, Oxeye daisy has become a serious invader of pastures and natural areas throughout North America. It is a perennial herb that reproduces both by seed and shallow rhizomes. Single plants quickly become patches that continually increase in size. Plants flower June-August and its seed germinates throughout the growing season. Oxeye Daisy and the very similarly flowered Scentless Chamomile can be considered conspicuous, as there are no native white flowered daisies in Alberta."
www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-OxeyeDaisy.pdf
Tags: British Columbia on way to Takakkaw Falls nature flora flower flowers Daisy Oxeye Daisy white bokeh wildflower introduced weed invasive beauty in nature macro close-up square crop Panasonic DMC-FZ40 DMC-FZ40 FZ40 Lumix point-and-shoot P1140004 FZ40 annkelliott Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Status in Alberta: Noxious
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