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BEAUTIFUL GOLDENROD

Yes, I did say beautiful.  I have always thought it was, but I also thought it made me have allergies.  Now today I read that it was probably the ragweed and not the beautiful goldenrod.  I also read that it is or has been used for a lot of medicinal purposes.  If interested the University of Maryland has a lot of information on this.Presentation1 goldenrod

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WILD FLOWER SHRUB–AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY

AMERICAN BLUEBERRY
CALLICARPA AMERICANA (The following taken from the WIKIPEDIA) The raw berries, while palatably sweet, are suitable for human consumption only in small amounts, because they are astringent; they are also used in jellies. The roots are used to make herbal tea. As a folk remedy it has been claimed that “fresh, crushed leaves of American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana . . . helped keep biting insects away from animals such as horses and mules.”[2] An isolated plant compound, callicarpenal, has reportedly been proven effective in tests as a mosquito repellent.[3] The berries ripen in September through October and are a favorite among wild bird species including cardinals, mockingbirds, finches, woodpeckers and more. Beautyberry is commonly planted in landscape designs to attract wildlife because of the food source the berries provide and the cover animals get from the shrub itself.
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LARGE CREPE MYRTLES

Struggling to Bloom in Dry Weather

                                                                                                                 Struggling to Bloom in Dry Weather