northeast-flora-and-fauna

Here's an invasive wildflower you can see in a lot of places, a Purple Crownvetch . I've discussed this wildflower before , so I'll just add a few more factoids: Like other legumes, they indirectly help restore nitrogen to the soil. That's due to a symbiotic relationship the plant has established with rhizobia , a bacteria that requires a host plant and converts nitrogen in the air into ammonia in the soil. It's slow to establish itself, but once it does its deep weeds, nitrogen fixing , and aggressive behavior make it very difficult to get rid of. It's unclear that any wildlife will eat it, though Differential Grasshoppers and a few others are suspected of giving it a try from time to time. One native wildflower suggested as an alternative, the Wood Vetch , is considered so flammable that it's recommended to keep it away from homes. (There might not be a great native alternative.) The "vetch" part of the name comes from a Latin word (vincire) me...

Here's a Purple Crownvetch I came across in late spring. The funky-looking light purple flowers and the pinnated leaves may get your attention, but these guys are considered fierce invaders. Native to Eurasian/Africa, these guys have tough, abundant, and deep roots that make them good at erosion control (which is why they were introduced to North America). Unfortunately they readily go beyond their erosion control mission, and can crowd out more beneficial native plants. If you talk to different herbivorous animals, they'll definitely give you different stories about this legume . Horses will warn you not to eat it since it's poisonous, but ruminants like cows and deer will tell you that it's a tasty source of protein and other nutrients. (Since us humans aren't ruminants, you probably shouldn't be grazing on this yourself.) June 11, 2021 at Washington Valley Park Photo 136371817, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)