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local pond

5K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  qwe123 
#1 ·
So I'm not sure what it technically is (vernal pool, marsh, swamp, pond, etc), but this little gem has been hiding behind my place of work unnoticed by me for over five years:


I'm excited to see what grows here and how it looks as the seasons progress. Haven't found any non-plant life, yet. I've already started taking pictures of plants starting to grow, can anyone identify anything? It's in western MA if anyone cares...














 
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#6 ·
This looks to be a vernal/ephemeral pool. They're very common in New England, and fill up during the spring melt, then slowly evaporate—by July, they're usually gone (or all that's left is mud).

The first closeup photo is Symplocarpus foetidus, skunk cabbage, a wetland aroid. Do not crush its leaves. It reeks.

Photo #4 is Nasturtium officianale, which is an edible invasive. It kind of tastes like radishes. Eat at your own risk, I have no idea what the pollution levels of the area might be.

#5 is very familiar, and somewhere in the back of my head I know what it is, but I probably won't remember until 3am a week or two from now. I'll let you know then LOL.

The last one kind of looks like a crocus plant, but you'd be seeing flowers (or wilted remnants) this time of year if that was the case

Edit: #6 might be a ditch lily, genus Hemerocallis
 
#7 ·
Thanks Amanda! I found out about the one being skunk cabbage, definitely lots of that plant there. Was also informed that the one next to the possible crocus (could it be a fall blooming crocus, or would that not even be growing this time of year?) seems to be garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

The watercress sounds fun, I do plan on some patio ponds this summer...
 
#9 ·
#8 ·
Yeah, that's Allaria. Also edible, though not recommended if you don't like garlic.

Fun recipe: fry up a few slices of bacon, remove from frying pan, wilt Allaria and spinach or other greenery (mixed to taste) in pan with grease. Chop up bacon into bits and add to wilted greens. You can also add some chopped onions if that amuses you. Enjoy. If you want to go for an all-foraged approach to the greens, consider replacing the spinach with violet greens. Theoretically you could just use straight Allaria, but most people I've served it to feel the garlic taste is too strong that way.

The fall-blooming crocus species have much skinnier, needlelike leaves, and AFAIR none of them have that distinct white stripe. Your plant probably isn't even a crocus, really, just a plant that bears a strong resemblance early in the year.
 
#10 ·
It's definitely the Nasturtium, mire. It's all over the place in this part of the U.S. and I'd know it anywhere.

A note on #5: I'm pretty sure this is a wintergreen of some sort, but not the usual type. I do know that it's a fairly evergreen sort of plant... the exact name still escapes me.
 
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