Have you ever heard that languages spoken by native people that live in very northern snowy latitudes have many words for ‘snow’? While I’ve read debates and disputes about exactly how many, it is true that people that experience a lot of snow differentiate it. And my kids and I recently found this picture book at the library that explores different Arabic words for ‘love’ as expressed by a Palestinian family that finds themselves refugees. Sometime we can be limited by the language we have to express or describe something (this also goes for helping my 10-year old discern if her stomach butterflies are because she’s nervous or excited or something else). The same goes for plants. I’m trying to remember the name a naturalist coined for those of us that step into a forest or a field and all we see is green. We can’t really describe what we are seeing beyond, “trees, grass, weeds, wildflowers.” (If you are familiar with the phrase I’m trying to remember, let me know!)
Knowing the names for some of the plants you’ll encounter as you enjoy a natural area can help you feel more a part of it. You’ll notice more. I venture to say you might even care more. Sometimes the common names are fun. For example ‘Lady’s Slipper’ is such a perfect and easy to remember name - the flowers really do look like something a fairy would love to slip their foot in! Dandelion actually comes from the French “dents de lion,” meaning ‘lion’s teeth’ because of the jagged edges on the leaves. And sometimes knowing the scientific name can reveal something interesting. For example the scientific name for northern maidenhair fern is Adiantum pedatum. Adiantum comes from Greek meaning “unwetted,” referring to the water-repellent leaves!
This past weekend my family went camping by Fontana Lake. One morning we followed a footpath and made our way down to swim in the lake. Along the edge I saw a tall plant with lots of small leaflets of three droplet-shaped leaves. It was pretty and I know I’ve seen it a lot but I wasn’t sure what it was.
I sketched it to get to know it better and then I looked it up with the Seek app. It was Chinese Bushclover, a (often considered invasive) plant in the legume family that was brought to North Carolina in the late 19th century for livestock as well as erosion control (reference). It wasn’t flowering yet but because I know the specific form that legume flowers take, I should be able to recognize it the next time I see it! (Yes, it’s invasive but that’s a conversation for another day. Today I’m just getting to know it and enjoying its form.)
I wavered on whether I wanted to share my sketch because it’s nothing like the amazing nature journal pages many other artists and naturalists share. But, in my current phase of life, I usually just get a few moments to capture something in a drawing because someone wants my attention. So I focus on what I want to remember - in this case, the arching of the stalk silhouetted in front of the lake, and the leaflet trios. I’m working on illustrations and patterns in my head for now!
What plant do you notice most this time of year? Or better yet, have you identified a new plant recently? I’d love to see some photos in the comments!