Seasonal Favorites

I'm not sure where September went? I had a few post ready to write and somehow it is now October. Of course, I gathered quite a bit, but I haven't processed most of it yet. So that said, let's do a little catch-up.

Basic leaf and berry structure of black chokeberry.

1. Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa (information)

One of my favorite landscape plants, Black Chokeberry has been beneficial to both my fall harvest as well as the large aggregation of unequal cellophane bees (information) that live in my yard. They love, LOVE, love this shrub and spend their last two months of life or so covering it and pollinating it. Thanks to these little native pollinators, my yields are fantastic each autumn. Thanks little bees!

Cold infusion, jam, and hot infusion of honey.

This is a plant known for health benefits. Yes, it has "choke" in the name which is mostly due to the astringency many of the berries carry (sometimes you luck out and one is palatable plain). In my mind, they're a perfect companion to elderberries or blackberries. The berries, when cooked, have that same deep berry flavor.

Last year, I mostly made syrups with it. This year, I'm exploring honey and jam. The hot method was fine, but not great. The leftover I decided to make into a jam and fill a tart, but it was too overly sweet. The meringue tart, bought from the grocery store, was sweeter than when I make them myself so that did not help. After taking a few days to dry out some berries, today is day one of a cold infusion. We'll see how it goes.

A local wild patch of riverbank grape.

1. Riverbank Grape, Vitis riparia (information)

I've found two really productive patches of riverbank grape nearby in two different areas. These are wild grapes: tart and seedy. They're fantastic on their own, although the seeds do take up a large section of fruit. I'm hoping to go harvest some soon, either to eat raw or make into a small bottle of jam, but if I miss out? That's okay, too. Sometimes foraging is just enjoying snacks on the trail. Besides, there is always next year. As it is, my Concord grape gave some fruits this year so I'm hopeful that with a little TLC it'll be even more productive next year as well.

Single black walnut with pin oak acorns.

I won't dive into these quite yet, but they're my favorite foraging goods: acorns and black walnut. I'm blessed that my neighbor has planted two black walnuts and two pin oaks right at our fence line (plus a maple). It makes it easy to go forage some each morning before the squirrels take more than they need (they fatten up enough at my feeder). I've been foraging acorns for more than a decade, closer to two now, and always experimenting with them. Each oak tree is different, and each acorn should be respected as such. What qualities I look for in live oak are not the same as in pin oak acorns. As for the black walnuts? It's been a few years, and I haven't foraged them with the same fervor, so I'll need to find my preferred way to open them up.

3. Sassafras, Sassafras albidum (information / pdf)

Another sneak peek into my future plans. An easy to identify tree, sassafras has a very controversial existence. On one hand, it is incredibly important medicine to many Native American tribes, and yet, on the other hand, a study of debatable design resulted in it mostly being banned for commercial consumption. I have theories on why, but it doesn't discourage me. There is some nearby and I'll be seeing what foraging I can do from it in the coming months or more.

Finch perched in common ragweed eating the seeds.

4. Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia (information)

Common ragweed, and ragweed in general, needs special mention here. The hay fever it causes has garnered it so many enemies, and yet, it is an incredibly beneficial and edible plant. A minimum, the seeds are a great source of fat. This is why, when I found it in my yard last year, I left it again for this year. It was smaller last year, and mostly dominated by the chipmunk family in my yard, but this year it is finch and cardinal paradise. So why not leave it for wildlife?

And I say this as someone who is highly allergic to ragweed. On the skin test I had, I reacted worst to ragweed. So no, I won't be foraging it. Unfortunately, my allergist and I agreed that's a bad idea, but I will be letting patches continue to grow in my yard. Ragweed is everywhere so what's a little extra so the wildlife in my yard can bulk up in fall to better survive winter?

A few species of goldenrod and so many pollinators.

5. Goldenrods, Solidago (information)

What else am I highly allergic to? Goldenrods. No the pollen doesn't travel on the wind like ragweed, but yes, you can still be highly allergic to it. If I get within two feet of a plant, breathing and sneezing are not great. Unfortunate but these, too, are wonderful for foraging and common in many tribal medicine concoctions, but my allergies and I agree that, once again, I should avoid it.

So why do I have a giant patch of three species in my yard? Why did I add a second patch of a different variety elsewhere in my yard? You know why: wildlife. It doesn't matter how many other native flowers I have planted or let take over, none of them are anywhere near as popular as my goldenrods. As long as I hold my breath when I go take a look and watch all the species of insects buzzing about, I'm happy to let it hang around for the few weeks it is in bloom.

An Uncommon Common Herb

 

The leaves and berries of a female Northern bayberry.

1. Northern Bayberry, Morella pensylvanica (information)

If you've heard about bayberry candles, yes, this is the plant from which they gather the wax. It takes a LOT of berries, though, to get that wax so no, I have not yet attempted it. The lovely thing about bayberry, besides being easy to grow, is that the leaves are also edible. While not at all related to the Mediterranean bay laurel most use for cooking, it does have a similar flavor profile, but a bit more subtle. 

It's also worth noting that this is a dioecious plant meaning the males do not make berries, but the female plants do. Even though I only have one in my yard, a female I specifically picked out as I saw berries on her, she's getting pollinated somewhere. Given these are common, unassuming plants used for landscaping around here, especially around parking lots? Well, may the wind keep blessing her so maybe soon I can try getting some wax.

Local red wine, methley plums, and bayberry leaves.

My first experiments with bayberry weren't too extreme or original. Again, you can use it much like any bay leaf in any situation. The young leaves are tender, the old ones a bit more fibrous, and it is semi-evergreen, but I didn't bother with it in winter. I used it in a soup or two, and more recently, in some basic marinara sauce. For that, I went with the younger leaves so I didn't need to fish them out after as they retained a pleasant texture. Much like with bay laurel, I couldn't tell it was there, but I could tell when it wasn't there. It imparts that same, very subtle flavor at the cost of a few extra leaves.

Plums in red wine over a gentle simmer.

But recently, I came across Forage, Harvest, Feast which put my mind in simpler terms for how to consider bayberry: it's a fresh herb not unlike basil. In other words, those young leaves? Make more use of them. Bay laurel, which I also grow, has tough leaves. It can never perform beyond a flavoring agent, but the tender leaves of bayberry? There's potential there.

One recipe in particular I wanted to try was wine poached beach plums. Unfortunately, my beach plum wasn't fruitful this year, but I had some leftover methley plums from my local U-Pick farm. It only felt fitting to use a local red wine as well. A handful of leaves, left to simmer, and it was a very nice dish! As the author suggested, I kept the leftover syrup, boiled it down to a better consistency, and have used it to mix into some tart iced teas and seltzer mixes.

An attempt at sunflower bayberry pesto.

With the mindset now of being able to consume the young leaves, and knowing the flavor is subtle, my next experiment was to make a pesto. My bayberry needed a trim so the timing was good. Unfortunately, that many leaves together absolutely has a very strong flavor. Ironically, I cut the flavor a bit by adding some basil leaves. Given I was experimenting, I also went non-traditional, but cheap, with sunflower seeds rather than expensive pine nuts. Overall not bad, but not sure I'd make it again.

In the future, this could certainly be good in salad dressings or a light topping, maybe alongside cilantro for tacos, or something of that regard. It could be good as a syrup, maybe with a gin or another strong spirit (as someone who rarely drinks, though, I'm unsure). Or perhaps as a syrup with a lemon seltzer or something to brighten it up. Again, it is a herb, but its taste becomes much more pungent and strong in mass amounts, and unpleasant, unlike basil, which is fair. Bayberry is its own herb, its own flavor, its own contribution - and it should be treated as such.

Eating Local

Sweet grass syrup and blueberry sauce.

Long ago, in elementary school, I tried to make bread from foraged grass. I took the feathery tops, smashed them on a rock, mixed it with water and a little dirt, and let it cook in the hot Texas sun. It was much more interesting than whatever sports game was going on nearby for whichever sibling.

No, it did not make bread, but it is my earliest memory of wanting to know what grows around me. While serious foraging didn't start until my college years, I've wanted to know all the plants and wildlife of the land I was living on. This is where, in my opinion, the foraging community still needs work because truly, who will we learn from better than the tribes and nations who lived here for eons?

Bison meatballs with blueberry sauce.

So when it comes to foraging recipes, my first stop is usually one (or many) of the cookbooks I've collected of Native American recipes. I think one reason for my delay to truly get into foraging is the information was so limited. During those years, I had to rely on some gems like Delena Tull for a smattering of ideas of turning foragables into something unique. Thankfully, since then, we've had voices like Sean Sherman breakthrough and open the way for many more.

All of which to say, when a friend has a million blueberry bushes, and you have more than you can eat raw before they start looking a little sad, you need ideas. 

1. Blueberries, Vaccinium sp. (information)

There are many varieties of blueberries. Of all plants out there, this genus is one of the safest to eat as there is only a single known toxic blueberry: in the cloud forests of South America. There is a story involved here from my old botany professor, of a colleague trapped overnight, consuming some blueberries as, before that moment, it was considered the safest plant to consume. Nature can always surprise us, though, even those who make a living identifying plants. Yes he lived, but the night was supposedly incredibly unpleasant as they waited for rescue.

Sakari Farms and A Feather And A Fork cookbook.

A recipe posted by Crystal Wahpepah long ago has always intrigued me: bison meatballs with blueberry sauce. She recently came out with a cookbook and stated that this recipe is her most requested, and after having made it, I can absolutely see why. My only two changes were to keep the sauce chunky, and to mix in some of the purchased blueberry hot sauce into what I made for a bit of heat.

But the recipe itself is also very intriguing in the ingredients: blue cornmeal, cedar salt, bison, and blueberries. All items that can be found or gathered from the land I live on. Of course, I am not going to be hunting bison, but you can find it for sale here. Bonus for the times? Bison meat doesn't get imported. The smoked cedar salt was tempting to make for myself, but similar to the blue cornmeal, I decide to outsource it and find a place to purchase it that also supported those I want to support.

Navajo Tea, Ch’ilgohwéhí’deí.

No this is not a sponsored post. Again, I write for myself and secondarily for those who want to read along. This is for me to remember down the road, on the chance I forget, of Sakari Farms. The nice thing is, I don't always have to forage for myself. The smoked cedar salt purchase supports a farm with products I want to see more of, and people who have the knowledge of these plants. I can try other plants I may have a harder time of getting such Navajo Tea, a lovely and important plant, which was refreshing and reminiscences of chamomile tea.

All of which to say, this is one of the ways I choose to eat local. These are the cuisines that support local and are good for the environment. I'm certain I'll post future recipes and purchases that help me satisfy the curiosity I have for the place where I live.

So Is It Poisonous?

 

1. Eastern Black Nightshade, Solanum ptycanthum (information)

The word "nightshade" is a loaded term that make most people think poisonous. Some may point out that many of our most common foods are in the nightshade family so not all of them are bad, but those uncultivated ones? Definitely bad, right? Maybe not.

When it comes to the nightshade family, the main concern is an alkaloid known as solanine, hence the genus name of Solanum. Like so many other plant chemicals, good and bad for us, it is primarily produced by the plants as protection from fungi and insects. Sometimes, like capsicum, it backfires and we eat it more, but other times, like solanine, it makes us sick.

From the journal article linked: "Solanine poisoning primarily manifests itself with gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Symptoms typically appear within the first 2-24 hours. If ingested in very high concentrations, symptoms may appear within 30 minutes. These symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, throat irritation, headache, dizziness, and irregular heart rhythms. In more severe cases, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, paralysis, fever, jaundice, dilated pupils, and hypothermia have been reported."

If the case isn't serious? You'll usually recover within 24 hours. But cases are rare, as most our commercial produce is store properly, and in any case, solanine imparts a bitter flavor, like so many other things bad for us, so most people don't eat enough to cause more than some mild GI distress.

All of which brings me to the question: are the ripe berries of Black Nightshade poisonous? Years ago, I read that no, they are not, you can eat them when they are ripe. Much like green potatoes, you shouldn't touch the green berries, but black and ripe? They're fine.

Or maybe they are not. Maybe they're so toxic you'll drop dead from them. It IS a nightshade after all, right? THE poison of poisons.

In reading another essay about them, it seems there's a high possibility of a mistranslation, not unheard of in the New World, and a mix-up of plant identifications. In addition, there are some reported livestock deaths and a human one from the green berries, but what about the ripe ones?

Once upon a time, an old friend told me she worried she'd find me dead one day on the trail. Which is to say, of course I tried it. I've wanted to for years and some popped up in my yard. Curiosity has gotten us so far in civilization so why stop now?

All that said, I do try to be smart about it, much like the linked essay. A nibble one day, a half berry the next day, a full berry two days later, and another full berry there. And you know what? I'm not dead, I didn't have any GI discomfort, and the berries were quite sweet without a single hint of bitterness.

Given they are the nightshade family, as are tomatoes, I likely should have guessed they'd taste similar, and they do. Small, slightly sweet tomatoes. For all the energy and research we put into trying to cultivate black tomatoes, why are we not putting it into nature's own? Why recreate the wheel?  

From one study I found, the conclusion is practically predictable: the dose makes the poison. Eaten in moderate amounts, the lab rats were fine, and in small amounts, absolutely fine. Higher amounts did seem linked to anemia down the road after a couple weeks, but truly, who is going to have 5-25% of their diet be these berries? But even the higher dose rats didn't experience any distress for weeks.

So I'll keep slowly snacking on them, looking into the research, and experiment with them. I've tossed a few fruits from the random spot this plant sprouted by my driveway into my native garden bed so I hopefully have another harvest next year. I may not be up to making a bruschetta yet as I weed out the bad information on this weed, but my curiosity about these fruits has only intensified.

It's Berry Season!

A variety of raspberries.

Well, technically last month was berry season. I just hadn't gotten around to writing anything up about it. Personally, July is one of my least favorite months. It's hot and humid and I'm ready for it to cool down. That said, on the flip side, it is one of the best foraging months for all the berries you can find.

1. Black Raspberry, Rubus occidentalis (information)

These are prolific growers spread easily by bird droppings. While I do have a patch where I used to harvest, I now finally have my own yard and a berry wall. The black raspberries are native while the golden raspberries are not, unfortunately (but still delicious). There are numerous native berry species in New York alone. My flowering raspberries, while gorgeous in July, haven't been as prolific this year for fruiting. Hopefully I'll have some fruit soon to post about.

A small, wild dwarf raspberry.

2. Red Raspberry, Rubus idaeus (information)

Only a few of these were around to be harvested this year, but the plant still needs to establish itself. Given I do not treat my yard, for some reason the spider mites and other invertebrates have really gone after the raspberry, especially the smaller red raspberry. There are many cultivars of this one as well, but it's the most familiar to most people.

3. Dwarf Red Raspberry, Rubus pubescens (information)

If you can recognize raspberry leaves, you can find other types. I was able to find a small patch of dwarf red raspberries when hiking in New Hampshire, hidden if not for the leaves making me look for fruit. I do regret not taking some seeds home to try to plant in my own yard.

4. Canada Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis (information)

A member of the dogwood family, this short plant goes from beautiful white flowers to clusters of small red berries. They don't have a taste, really, but their texture? Oddly addicting. They're more seed than fruit, but I could see these being used in anything needing a nice crunch to it. These were along numerous of the hiking paths in New Hampshire, but this time, yes, I did get some seeds. Also, yes, I made sure they grew in the area around me naturally, and they do. We'll see if any of them sprout next year.

5. Highbush Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum (information)

While my lowbush blueberry is still trying to decide if it wants to live (it is growing, but not flowering this year), the highbush was prolific with berries. Mind you, it's because it was already flowering and being pollinated when I bought it at the nursey earlier this year, but those berries developed and I was able to harvest them. Just like with raspberries, there are numerous types of blueberries, but more importantly, they have different flowering times which is important for pollination and fruiting. Thankfully, I have a friend with very mature blueberry bushes so I've been living off my small haul and multiple large hauls from foraging in her yard.

Now I did have one fig in July, but I often have a single fig that grows before the others. My hope is to have the rest ripen in August as they're another reason to tolerate summer heat...

Early Summer Salad Garnishes

 

White clover, plantain, yucca, and a single pansy.

Why forage? Everyone has different answers. For me, it's my best connection to nature besides forest bathing. I don't just need nature, but I need nature. Places like NYC or other cities are a day trip at best for me as the lack of green just makes me feel so disconnected. I need to know where I live, the seasons through plants, the health of the environment around me. Foraging is a great way to do that.

I find it easier to keep foraging if I don't overthink it. I don't need a fancy, overcomplicated dish. Sometimes experiments are fun, and sometimes it's a way to try a completely new flavor, but sometimes? A handful of edibles into a salad work just fine. It's added nutrients, may or may not add flavor, but get me outside and back in nature where I belong.

1) White Clover, Trifolium repens (information)

Not native but highly adapted to the point of being assumed native. New York even has its own type as clover is adapted to the point of having three types (large, intermediate, small). It has a sweet, vanilla-like taste to it, again, from coumarin, and so should not be fermented. It is a pleasant texture, though, and highly recommended to eat raw. On one side, honeybees and some native bees love clover, and it is pushed as a lawn alternative. On the other hand, it fixes nitrogen which not all soils actually want or need. Many native ecosystems are naturally nitrogen poor and plants are adapted to it, but clover can alter that. Where I now live is in a nitrogen poor ecosystem. I'm not sure yet what I'll do with all the clover in my lawn, but if I eat it, at least that can hold it at bay until I decide.

2) Yucca, Yucca sp. (information)

Not to be confused with red yucca which does not have edible fruit. Yucca, with creamy white flowers, has numerous species. I wrote about it years ago on this blog as it also has a fascinating relationship with the yucca moth and a history of being used for cordage in World War II. It is also a favorite of mine when I lived in Texas for eating. The flowers of the species down there were thick, with a pleasant texture, and a taste that reminded me strongly of honeysuckle. For such a desert looking plant, it does surprisingly handle cold well. I don't believe it is so much native up here as moved up here as an ornamental. So I was pleasantly surprised when I came across a patch of yucca at an office I often visit. It's a risk of pesticides to forage in such a place, but given there were bugs inside, I assumed it was fine and didn't have but three flowers. This species, which I haven't fully ID'd yet, isn't quite as succulent as my Texas favorites, but it is still a decent flavor, if thinner flower, and full of nostalgia.

3) Blackseed Plantain, Plantago rugelii (information)

A different link for information here to an old blog that I still value all these years later. This is another difference of opinion. Yes, you can eat the young seedheads raw. That said, these weren't pleasant except for one. Perhaps it's this specific species where it's a bit more bitter, or maybe my tolerance is low. I plan to fry these up instead and add it to another "seaweed salad" or something else, maybe. The texture was fun, but I think I'll pass on trying them raw again.

The pansy is a basic pansy. I have some leftover in a pot from when I had some baby bunnies in my garden bed. Yes, I specifically bought the pansy for them to nibble on, and while they did, some survived (to clarify, some pansies survived, and all baby bunnies survived to leave their nest). Pansy are popular for their color but not their flavor. Another thought to consider for when or why to forage: sometimes, it's just because it's pretty. I bet these would be fun to make candied. 

A Return To Foraging

Disclaimer: I've decided to return to this blog to document my experiences with local foraging. While it's something I've done for nearly twenty years, I find myself wanting a digital footprint where it's easy to type up my thoughts and put in the photo I've taken. None of what is written is meant to be guidance for foraging. These are my own experiments and experiences. While I have opinions on good sources and preparation types, and I'll add some education, ultimately these posts are meant for myself.

Sweetgrass, spruce tips, and linden leaf.

1. Sweetgrass, Hierochloe odorata (information)

Shiny, sweet smelling, and aggressive. The smell of sweetgrass is unmistakable once you've had the opportunity to sniff it. It cannot be fermented due to the presence of coumarin which gives it that slight vanilla-like taste. This is present in other sweet foragables like clovers. These coumarin containing plants will convert to dicoumarol, a stronger blood thinner, if given a chance to ferment. Sweetgrass tea, made from dried or semi-fresh sweetgrass, is common in many indigenous cultures. A very comprehensive account of sweetgrass, including its history, can be found here. 

My experiment this time was to make a simple sweetgrass tea. The sweetgrass was dried over a couple days, boiled and left to steep in hot water, cold infused overnight, and then used with an attempt to make a simple syrup; however, it didn't full succeed. This was due, in part, to enjoying the beverage before it was fully reduced to a syrup. Without a doubt, one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Next attempt will be to actually get it down to a syrup, likely with many more strands of grass infused. Sweetgrass syrup in a simple seltzer sounds fantastic. Thankfully, I now have five patches of sweetgrass growing in the yard. A few different native communities also sell sweetgrass tea which is another possible route to get more syrup as I wait for my patches to spread.

2. Various spruce and fir tips

The neighbor has numerous spruce and fir trees as a natural fence and allowed me to forage them. There's a mix of blue spruce, red spruce, Norway spruce, and balsam fir. A current favorite for all things edible for trees is Justin Davies. Ice cream is currently beyond me, but pickling is easy. I made two batches: one of spruce and one of fir. Rather than make my own brine, I simply reused with heating and some extra vinegar a spicy brine from pickles. So far, very interesting and delicious. The texture is unique, and it isn't too spicy given it is a reuse, but easy to do for spring foraging.

3. American Basswood (American Linden), Tilia americana (information) 

I've foraged from American Linden a few times including the seeds, but that's a note for later. Naturally, as one of my favorites for many reasons, I planted one in my yard. After having to take down a broken branch, I decided to do some minor foraging by making a pickled slaw of the leaves. Like with many things foraging, the community have opinions and many dislike the leaves because they are tougher and taste like basic leaf. My belief is they have potential. Not everything foraged needs to taste special. Treat this like a collard green or pickle it to thin it out. I'll wait until my tree gets bigger before I do more with it, but for now, an basic vinegar slaw sets out fine.

Wild yeast starter and milkweed flower cordial.

4. Wild Yeast Starter

I am a huge fan of Pascal Baudar as he seems to actual understand the basics of foraging and science. I'm dabbling with fermenting and brewing, although nothing too crazy as I don't really drink alcohol. That said, a light mead or a wildcraft soda absolutely are eventual goals. The easiest way to get there is to have a wild yeast starter which is very similar to a sourdough starter but without the flour. Pascal names numerous sources of good yeast in his brewing book, but spruce tips and flowers are well-known for yeast. The latter, especially, due to the sugar content in flowers. I hope to keep it alive and well and clear of mold, but if not, I'll just find some more wild yeast to play with and experiment with it. Maybe I'll try to make a wild yeast sourdough?

5. Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca (information)

This one is interesting due to its popularity and some basic misinformation I've discovered. As mentioned above, yes, flowers are a great source of yeast so do expect this to ferment, especially if you add more sugar. When it was just sugar and water, there was no color change, but once you add an acid? A lovely pink happens. Confirmed by letting it sit in just a sugar water for two days where no color change happened. It was almost immediate once I added a splash of citric acid and white vinegar. That alone makes me curious if it's like butterfly pea flowers and if it's just ignored by the foraging community or not talked about often. Anyways, the flavor is described as candy watermelon and floral which I'd agree, but it's also a little bit... off? I'll try some more, but I'm not too impressed so far except for the color. I may dry some flowers and see what happens as a tea.

A "seaweed salad" made with Plantago.

6. Blackseed Plantain, Plantago rugelii (information)

Plantain, or plantago as I usually call it, is a well-known edible herb... and weed. You'll find as much about its benefits as you will about how to get rid of it. Another shoutout to Pascal, but for plantain specifically, he clarifies that edible doesn't always mean palatable. If you want to eat it, you need to find a good way to prepare it. In The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, he has a recipe to boil and blanch plantago just long enough, or short enough I suppose, to make the texture similar to algae or seaweed. Mix it up with a basic sauce such as soy sauce, sesame oil, and some spices? Yeah, I'll eat this again. There's plenty of plantago around for easy access, too. I see one or two looking to seed soon, so I may experiment with the seeds as well.

Hiatus (Busy)

Feast for the Northern Raccoon.

Work has kept me extremely busy the past number of weeks and it might still for the weeks to come. I'm hoping for this hiatus to only last two weeks, but it will be a waiting game (based on work). If it goes as planned, I may have posts again beginning of July!

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus

Contrary to its name, the Black-tailed Jackrabbit is not a rabbit, but a hare, a separate species, and one that can be found throughout a large portion of the western and central portions of the United States and Mexico. Unlike a true rabbit, hares are larger with longer ears, less social tendencies, are born fully developed, and as they often live on open plains, rely more on their speed. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit is no exception, able to reach 48-56 kph (30-35 mph) over zigzag course and able to spring 6 m (20 ft) at a bound.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit found in scrubland habitat.

Their agility can often be seen during breeding season as males and females will leap and chase after each other with the male hoping to catch, and therefore mate, with the female. They will have 3 or 4 litters per year with up to six young who are on their own after their mother stops nursing 3 days later. Black-tailed Jackrabbits are most likely found in desert scrubland, prairies, farmlands, and dunes, and will consume all types of plant matter, especially as the majority of their water comes from what they consume.

Chihuahuan Raven

Chihuahuan Raven, Corvus cryptoleucus

The Chihuahuan Raven is the size of a crow, but with the shape of a raven, and, as with many birds, vocalization is easiest for distinction. They can be found year round throughout most of Texas, parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and south into Mexico with preference for dry grasslands, arid regions, scrub, and yucca flats. Unlike its Common Raven cousin, the Chihuahuan Raven is more sociable and can often be seen in flocks of up to several hundred during winter. The base of the feathers of the Chihuahuan Raven is also white, unique in North America, but not uncommon in other crows and ravens around the world, and is difficult to see without aid from the wind. Their nest of twigs, often those of thorny mesquite trees, may be reused in subsequent years. The female will lay an average of five eggs and both parents bring food to the hatchlings. Chihuahuan Ravens are omnivorous and will consume anything from insects and grains to carrion and frogs. They can sometimes be found near garbage or landfill, or else sitting on a pole.

Hiatus (Week)

Rio Grande chirping frog, Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides

It's another long, busy week so there will be no new posts this week, but they will resume again next week!

Cloudless Sulfur

Cloudless Sulfur, Phoebis sennae

The Cloudless Sulfur is a common butterfly that can be found throughout the southern half of the United States down as far south as Argentina, but can be found in the West Indies and may reach as far north as southern Ontario. While a permanent resident in the tropical regions, Cloudless Sulfurs do migrate during autumn and spring, going south and north respectively. Unlike Monarchs, Cloudless Sulfurs fly at lower altitudes while migrating. This makes migration easier to observe, especially in autumn when numbers are generally higher, but also make them more vulnerable and likely to be killed crossing roadways. The adults prefer to feed on tubular flowers such as bougainvilla, cardinal flower, hibiscus, lantana, and morning glory, but the host plant for the caterpillars are the Cassia species in the pea family. Cloudless Sulfurs breed in disturbed open areas and many can sometimes be seen drinking from mud puddles.

Spiny Orbweaver

Spiny Orbweaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis

Orbweavers, as mentioned before, are found throughout the world and vary in size and appearance, but they are all associated with the classic orb web and, more often than not, it is the female that is larger and more colorful than the male. One such distinct species found throughout most of North America, including some of the islands, is the Spiny Orbweaver, also known as the crab spider, jewel box spider, and smiley face spider. While the colors may include white, orange, yellow, black, or red, the females, about 5-9 mm (0.2-0.35 in) in length and 10-13 mm (0.4-0.5 in) width, all have six pointed abdominal projections referred to as spines. The males, while also with some color variation, are only about 2-3 mm (0.8-0.12 in) in length and lack spines, but may have posterior small humps.

Female spiny orbweaver in the shade of a grapefruit tree.

The spiny orbweaver can be found in woodland edges, nurseries, and gardens, but are also commonly found in citrus groves. The lifespan for this species is short with males dying approximately six days after successful sperm induction to females, and the females die soon after depositing her egg sac of 100 to 260 eggs. When they hatch, the spiderlings will remain in the carefully constructed egg case for 2 to 5 weeks of age. When they leave, they are considered mature. New webs are constructed each night for structural security, always with tufted silk that some studies suggest could be warning flags for birds so they do not fly into the web and destroy it. As with other orbweavers, the spiny orbweaver waits for pray to land in her web in which she will paralyze it and eat it, if smaller than her, but if it is larger, she will wrap it in silk before carrying it to the center to consume. Although their colorful appearance and spines may have an anti-predator function, spiny orbweavers are harmless to humans and are often considered a beneficial species.

Hooded Oriole

♂ Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus 

The Hooded Oriole is a medium-sized oriole found in the southwestern United States during summer and in western portions of Central America during winter. The bright orange and black of the males gives this bird its common name as the pattern makes it look as though he's wearing a hood. As with many other songbirds, the females and immature males are more drab, an olive yellow with dusky wings for this species. Nests are most often found in palms or large yucca sewn to the underside of a large leaf, but have also been found in moss and mistletoe clumps. They forage on insects, berries, cultivated fruits, and nectar, and are sometimes seen at hummingbird feeders. Although their population is currently stable overall, there is a notable decrease in the Lower Rio Grande population likely due to cowbird nest parasitism.

White-veined Dutchman's Pipe

White-veined Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia fimbriata

White-veined Dutchman's Pipe is a South American trailing vine that prefers indirect sun to partial shade. It is drought tolerant, evergreen in warmer climates, and blooms from Spring until Autumn. The unique shape of the flowers allows for guaranteed pollination as insects as drawn by the stench into the tube of the flower. In order to escape, the insect must navigate downward pointing hairs which result in a coating of pollen. The growing popularity of White-veined Dutchman's Pipe is its ease of growth and its contribution to the Pipevine Swallowtail population; similar to monarchs, Pipevine Swallowtails feed specifically on Aristolochia spp. for its noxious chemicals which they incorporate into their defense mechanism. The common native species, Woolly Dutchman's Pipe, with thicker leaves better suited to large batches of swallowtail larvae, is not as easily accessibly to home gardeners at this time.

Rio Grande

View of the Rio Grande River

The Rio Grande begins as a clear, spring and snow-fed mountain stream in Rio Grande National Forest at 3650 m (12,000 ft) above sea level and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the fourth longest river system in the United States, the twenty-second longest river in the world, and is estimated to be roughly 3 million years old. It cuts through New Mexico and becomes an international boundary once it reaches the junction of Chihuahua and Texas, at the site of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. The recognition of the Rio Grande as an international boundary comes from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) which ended the Mexican War, but the issue of the exact boundary was not solved until the banco treaty of 1905. It wasn't until the 19th century that the name Rio Grande for the whole river became the standard in the United States; previously, it was known as the Rio del Norte in the upper portions, and in Mexico, it is still usually known as the Rio Bravo. In 1997, the Rio Grande was designated as one of the American Heritage Rivers.

There is a fair amount of history associated with the Rio Grande, but rather than type it all up, I will simply redirect you to one of the cited links above for a good summary (found here).

Whitethorn Acacia

Whitethorn acacia, Acacia constricta

Whitethorn Acacia is a native, multi-trunked tree or shrub found within the desert areas of the southwest that blooms with small, yellow balls of fragrant flowers. It is drought, cold, and heat tolerant tree that can reach 6 m (19.7 ft) in height and live up to 72 years old. Upon a top-kill, such as by fire, whitethorn acacia will sprout from the root crown. It will commonly flower once in spring and once in fall. The short-lived flowers are most often pollinated by honey bees while the seeds are consumed by quail, rats, mice, and occasionally deer. Native Americans would grind the beans into a meal for food, and use the beans, leaves, and roots for digestive, respiratory, and dermal symptoms.

Osprey

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

A raptor that prefers live fish, Osprey are commonly found near shorelines and banks throughout most of North America and South America during different times of the year. They are large with slender bodies and narrow wings. They have a distinct marked kink in their wings creating an M-shape when seen from below.

Distinctive M-shape similarly seen when flying.

With a lifespan of around 20 years, Osprey may travel more than 160,000 migration miles during their journey from the Americas, with breeding grounds in North America and wintering grounds in South America. Unlike other hawks, osprey have a reversible outer toe and barbed pads to held them catch their prey of fish; however, if a Bald Eagle is nearby, it may chase the Osprey and force it to drop its catch. Similar to other raptors, Osprey were seriously endangered until the ban of DDT in which the Osprey has since made a remarkable comeback.


Note: As I said I would earlier, I'll post my decision here. The next post will be for a month hiatus, but as I will hopefully have some new animal and plants to share later, I will continue posting. In the meantime, while I'm on hiatus, I will be resharing some old posts on Google+, and with over 415 posts on this blog, there is no telling which ones I'll choose!

Mexican Olive

Mexican Olive, Cordia boissieri

Sometimes known as Anacahuita, Mexican Olive is a small tree that historically grew no further north than the lower Rio Grande Valley counties. It has successfully been grown as far north as Austin, but the colder winter cause some die-back, and it cannot tolerate a colder climate as the roots will freeze. Mexican olive has large, evergreen dark leaves with constantly blooming showy, white trumpet-shaped flowers with petals resembling crepe paper. In addition to being a great hummingbird plant, butterflies frequent the blooms and birds, deer, and cattle enjoy the fruits and leaves. While the fruit is edible for humans, they are not considered palatable and are not recommended to be consumed in large quantities. Although regular watering is necessary for establishing, Mexican olive is drought tolerant and needs little care after establishing making it a popular choice for highway planting.

Busy (Hiatus)

Another week of no posts due to conflicts. I'm considering simply switching to every other Tuesday and Thursday until something changes (if it does), but for now I am unsure. I'll likely decide next week, and when I do, I'll include it on the post this upcoming Thursday.