heath aster Archives : Cast Iron Garden

October 20, 2023October 20, 2023

10/17/2023 autumnal

A black and yellow striped bee fly with dark tipped wings is feeding on the tiny flowers of a Heath aster. The flowers have white petals and yellow centers and cover the whole branch profusely. — Heath asters were buzzin‘!

The small fuzzy body of a common eastern bumblebee worker is dwarfed by the long purple covered flower stalk of Liatris mucronata. — Common Eastern bumblebees were all over both the Heath asters and these Liatris mucronata.

I’m holding a branch of Euphorbia steady so we can see the fuzzy rust-colored arctiid caterpillar hiding under a leaf. The sunlight catches the very long hairs that extend beyond its main dense body of bright orange-brown fuzzy hairs. — Wooly bear!

Faded tomato cages hold a series of fruiting pepper plants and blooming marigold plants. — Marigolds doing well around the sweet peppers.

A closer view of the bright orange marigold flowers dotting their pointed leaves. The plants are lush and only partly contained by the faded red tomato cages. — A close up of the same marigolds. They really thrive in the fall.

October 14, 2023October 14, 2023

10/14/2023 heath asters at home

Lush sprays of asters crowded with tiny white flowers — At least some of the heath asters I have in our Norman yard are from Texas home. I’m visiting and they are looking magnificent!

October 12, 2023October 12, 2023

10/12/2023 from home

Three stalls of liatris leaning against other plants and a green plastic pot. They are covered about half in purple flowers. — Liatris punctata var mucronata from home is finally in peak flower! It’s a bit horizontal because it’s near Briar’s favorite laying spot. Oops.

Small white asters on a scraggly-leaves branch — The heath asters aren’t as full as the local wild ones yet but they’ve started. This one hitched along with the liatris from home.