#sevenbark

A few photos from a late afternoon bike ride on the Mon River Trail yesterday. The smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), also known as sevenbark, and purple-flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus) are at peak bloom. These companion shrubs form dense colonies on the steep, shady slopes of the river and keep the area's pollinators busy until the arrival of the summer milkweeds. Among the late spring wildflowers currently in bloom are foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), whorled loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia), and the ever-gorgeous butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), the earliest milkweed to bloom in this area and a harbinger of summer's impending arrival. My favorite fern, the northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum), resplendent in fanning tiers of deep green fronds, also loves the cool, damp slopes along the river.

Hydrangea arborescens / Smooth Hydrangea