Fire Pink

Silene virginica is one of those striking plants that just has to be noticed in shady forests in late spring. I saw it again today and tried to improve on the many pictures I already have of this showy plant. I posted a few pictures a week ago but I believe these are better.

Fire Pink

Silene virginica puts on a brilliant show in forests just as the spring ephemerals begin to fade. Photographed near the Salamonie River at Kokiwanee Nature Preserve, Wabash County, Indiana. This is one of many excellent natural areas that have been saved by the Acres Land Trust of northeast Indiana.

A Few Slide Show Rejects

Our annual botany slide show will be held next weekend; it really snuck up on me this year. This year, my slide show will highlight the trip that Justin, Brad, Doug, and I took to the Ozarks and Ouachitas in April 2010. As I did last year, I wanted to post a few of the reject photos that didn't make my slide show.

This is Silene virginica, a plant in the family Caryophyllaceae that is found throughout the eastern half of the United States. We found this plant in a dry, rocky woodland at Spurgeon Hollow preserve in Missouri.

Collinsia violacea is known from seven states in the southcentral portion of the country. We saw this member of the Scrophulariaceae at Middle Fork Barrens in Arkansas.

This interesting little mint (Lamiaceae) is Scutellaria parvula var. australis, known from much of the southeastern United States. We first saw this species at Dry Lost Creek Preserve, and later at Camp Road Shale Barrens, both in Arkansas.

My Final Flush of Pink

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month winds to a close, here are a few more pink plants to honor those who have suffered from this horrible disease.

Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink)

Silene acaulis var. subacaulescens (Moss Campion)

Eupatoriadelphus maculatus var. maculatus (Spotted Joe Pye Weed)

Polygonum pensylvanicum (Pinkweed)

Spiraea tomentosa (Steeplebush)

Silene regia

Chris, from the Miami County Park District in Ohio, wanted in on the "pink out" going on at Get Your Botany On! and submitted this photograph of a pink Silene regia (royal catchfly). I've got to say that I've never seen anything like it.


This photograph was taken in a prairie remnant in Union County, Ohio.

Thanks for submitting your photo, Chris!