Blue Ridge Conservation encourages people of all ages to enjoy nature and building conservation habits at any age.
Red Deadnettle, or red henbit. Its Latin name is Lamium purpureum.
It's native to Europe and Asia but you are likely to find this plant anywhere the soil has been disturbed. Even though it is in the nettle family it's leaves don't sting. You can find these flowers from March to October. Lots of different species feed on this humble weed - Red mason bees, bumblebees as well as the caterpillars of the garden tiger, white ermine and angle shade moths. This plant plays an important role as a dependable food source for pollinators very early in the spring when other sources of food are in short supply.
The leaves are edible in salads and some people even add it to their healthy green smoothies!
This is Sinapis Arvensis, a Brassicaceae, a member of the mustard family.
It is an annual that grows 1-3 feet tall. It is non-native. Small bees and flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Small white butterflies, the Cabbage White ( Pieris Rapae) and the Checkered White (Pieris protodice) also visit for nectar. The caterpillars of these butterflies will eat the leaves. Rabbits will eat the leaves if they are not too peppery. And, people can eat this too!
You can eat the new small leaves in a salad. It gets stronger to taste as the plant grows. When it makes seeds and they dry out you can make your own mustard. Grind them up and mix with vinegar and salt. Give it a try!
The Leonard Perry at The University of Vermont created the crossword puzzle. A downloadable worksheet is available when clicking on the picture above.
Enjoy the fun and interactive activity provided by Bumble Bee Watch. Go on a nature hunt for bees, take a picture, upload the photo, and the experts will verify your submission!
