100 Species Challenge, Part 2

I am just having fun photographing flora around my home and town. I've been collecting these photos for a few weeks. So here is another installment of my 100 Species Challenge. For other examples of this challenge you can do a Google search to find lots of other bloggers with great stories about the flora they are presenting. Enjoy and happy Labor Day weekend! All is well here! ~Heather XOXOX

Species #11: Hibiscus
















Species #12: Sumac Tree--We planted this in our yard a few years ago. It reminds me of Mimosa trees I grew up around in S.E. Texas. Sumac trees are often found growing in the wild along the roadsides. They have neat red colored cones flowers that are their seeds. Birds eat these seeds in the winter when food is scarce. We had out first bird nest in this tree over the summer. That was quite awesome to see. We planted this tree to shade the boys' sand box. And it this year we finally got shade. It was as tall as the shoot to the right when we planted it. It looked dead the first year and we didn't know if it would survive the transplant from our neighbor's yard.




















Species #13: the relentless Mulberry tree. These trees grow fast and anywhere! I wouldn't mind, but on the fence line is not a good place. We keep trying to kill it.
















Species #14: Weeping Willow. This tree is by a pond near our home.
















Species #15: Black Eyed Susans--These beauties are very hardy and love the sun! We planted some in our yard a few years ago and they started spouting up all over our yard the next few years.




















Species #16: Crab Apple Tree--I love these trees because in the spring they have a lovely pink flower. Many people in Iowa plant them. Our neighborhood association planted them along our main road. It is a welcomed site in spring after a long Iowa winter!
















Species #17: Clematis Vine--I wish I had taken this photo last month when this vine was covered with beautiful purple flowers. We used to have a vine like this on our back porch. Another vine took over and killed it. There are hundreds of Clematis varieties. I had never seen or noticed this vine until I moved to Iowa.

















Species #18: Red Geranium--Cliff bought me this and I potted it into this garage sale find clay pot. It did have lots of pretty red flowers. It is starting to sprout lots more now that I have been remembering to water it again.

















Species #19: Hostas--These did have purple flowers at the tips of these green sticks a few days before I took this photo. But summer is about over here and these are in the sun and they like shade. They still do quite well. I planted them by our mailbox about 5 years ago when they were really little. They grow and spread wherever the dirt is decent and empty. I transplanted them from a nearby tree base.


















Species #20: Rhubarb--This is in a neighbor's yard. We have several neighbors with Rhubarb. The base is like celery, but a reddish color, and very sour. People use Rhubarb to make ale, pies, sweet bars, and other yummies. I love taking a piece out of the ground and munching it.















Species #21: Maple Tree--The tree on the right is in our yard. The other Maples are in our neighbor's yard.



















This is a Maple tree we planted in our back yard in 2005. It grew about a foot this year. The first few years it was almost dormant. Now it is over 6' tall. We planted it in honor of Camden's birth in 2004. He was born in our home. No, we didn't plant the tree with the placenta. We ate it! Just kidding. We are not that primal.