#dipsacus

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 4 March 2026

Cornus alba 'Sibirica' (Siberian dogwood) provides a thicket of slender red stems whilst Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea' (golden-twig dogwood) produces greenish-yellow stems which are brightest in winter. Both these Cornus cultivars benefit from hard pruning as they regrow vigorously producing colourful new stems for a winter display. Prune just before bud burst in the early spring. The dark seed-heads are from the biennial Dipsacus fullonum (teasel).

Ap. Rhod. Argon. 2, 648-57:

Thus he spake, and straightway they ceased from such words and gave unwearying labour to the oar; and quickly they passed by the swiftly flowing river Rhebas and the peak of Colone, and soon thereafter the black headland, and near it the mouth of the river Phyllis, where aforetime Dipsaeus received in his home the son of Athamas, when with his ram he was flying from the city of Orchomenus; and Dipsacus was the son of a meadow- nymph, nor was insolence his delight, but contented by his father's stream he dwelt with his mother, pasturing his flocks by the shore.

When I read this yesterday, I was deeply pleased. Honestly, it didn't make much sense to me that he would make the journey in one go, not because it's not possible (in mythology, anything is possible), but because I thought a lot about his feelings. Just getting to Colchis? And what happens in between? How does he feel after the ram speaks to him? Little things, little things…

This excerpt sounds like a pit stop for crying. Phrixus's destiny was to reach Colchis and thus fulfil all subsequent events, but the time it takes him is something I've thought about a lot, and this is a wonderful source of hcs😀.

This guy needs to rest, a shoulder to cry on and a fruit juice before continuing his journey. It's too much in such a short time. Think about it, they're going to sacrifice you to save your people from famine, possibly your sister too (I prefer the version where Hele isn't sacrificed with Phrixus, but hey, it's not out of the question). Then a freaking flying ram that is golden (LOL) appears out of nowhere, saves you, you take your sister away at impossible speeds, you head east and suddenly your sister falls off the flying sheep and you don't see her anymore. Dipsacus would find him there lying on the ground crying 100%.

Honestly, I think it's very appropriate to stop at a place where a man and his mother live bucolically as shepherds (if Apollonius invented this, I mean: well done, Apollonius, sometimes you do things right and it has to be said), besides, I think they're really cute🥹🥹😭😭

Lulworth, England

Sunset flower with thorns Dipsacus

In Praise of Vagabond Plants – A Book Review

A weed is a highly successful plant that shares a close relationship with humans. In many instances, weeds are seen as nuisance plants, interfering with the goals and intentions we have for a piece of land. In natural areas, they are blamed for, among other things, threatening the existence of the native flora, despite the fact that human activity and disturbance brought them there in the first…