#eutrochium

And whispered a promise into the clamoring heath; “Come what may, I will endure”

forbe swale formations are caused by a slight uplifted site in fens instead of a depression which is the counter concept in drier prairies where the same plants would be found. The waterlogged ground is still hydrologically active and saturated, but the lack of cold water flow in this location occurs on both sides of the uplift and the uplifted zone can reach comfortable temps allowing these forbe groups to still take up water easily and thrive. Cold water spring fed fens have many parts/features in them where you can see this occur. Two colder regions are adjacent to this swale and are filled with more boreal species due to this soil hydrology microclimate. At the same time, dry forbe species can have their hydrological uptake stunted which causes some semi xyric species to occur even in wetter locations due to the fact that water is much harder for them to utilize when it’s cold.

Pearl’s fen, Greene co. Ohio

Eutrochium maculatum

Despite the torture of stone-picking the fields since before Sept 4th I at least have gotten to check on the status of the Marsh Queen of wildflowers that shelters in the fields' ditch; Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum.. or E. purpureum??)