Spearmint

Spearmint at Redding Arboretum

 I have previously written a post about hyssop then found out that it was not hyssop after all. Twice, in fact, as it turned out to be. Hyssop keeps eluding me though I'd like very much to see the plant.

Spearmintp leaves close-up

Spearmint or Mentha spicata has been known since ancient time and for good reasons too. Like lots of other mints it is a very aromatic plant: you don't even have to rub the leaves: the pleasant odour is still present. The flowerheads are elongated clusters of tiny flowers, so tiny indeed that I could not capture them on my camera. The stem is typical square stem with opposite leaves alternating on the stem characteristic of the mint family.Like other mints the stems are covered with fuzz.

Mentha spicata

This mint is very good looking and extremely aromatic and it's a jewel plant for every herb garden. It can be grown from seed or propagated from cuttings or even root divisions.

Spearmint bloom

Notice the wide variety within the genus mentha alone. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) looks very different from wild mint (Mentha arvensis) or water mint (Mentha aquatica). Mint species can be crossed to make hybrids, for example peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is hybrid of  Mentha spicata and Mentha aquatica.

I will keep looking for hyssop (Hyssopus).

Prunella

 Prunella vulgaris bloom

Prunella or self-heal is a low growing plant of the mint familty (Lamiaceae). As the common name implies, it is reputed to cure a whole range of minor diseases. More probably though, the plant was used to treat minor cuts and inflammations thus helping the skin to "heal itself".

Prunella vulgaris in the Redwood forest

Like other typical mints, prunella has a square stem and typical minty flowers with two upper and three lower lips. Prunella's stems are fuzzy. The plant has a pleasant fragrance when the leaves are rubbed. As lots of other aromatic mints, prunella is edible though commonly is not used as food.

Prunella grows in meadows but can be encountered even in forests (clearings) if there is suficient sunlight.

Yellow Parentucellia

 Yellow parentucellia at Arcata marsh

Yellow parentucellia (or yellow bartsia) is not a very common plant. It is most most often encountered in meadows. Though the flowers make it look like a member of figworts (Scrophulariaceae), this plant belongs to broomrape family (Orobanchaceae).

Yellow parentucellia

Parentucellua flowers

Creeping Buttercup

Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) is probably the most ubiquitous plant of the area. It can be found in all kinds of habitat: in the redwood forest, marsh and even in flower beds. It is rather conspicuous plant with deeply lobed dark green leaves and bright yellow flowers.

Creeping buttercup at the Arcata marsh

The plant is poisonous and cows avoid eating it as it does not taste good. Strangely enough though, when it is dried with hay, the toxins disappear.

Creeping buttercup flower

Buttercup belongs to Buttercup family  (Ranunculaceae). 

Iberis

Iberis at Humboldt fort garden

Iberis is a beautiful plant that would decorate any garden. It belongs to mustard family (Brassicaceae). The bloom consists of umbrella of several 4-petals flowers. The common name for these species is candytuft. According to Wikipedia, the name "candytuft" is not related to candy, but derives from Candia, the former name of Iraklion on the island of Crete.

Iberis is not supposed to be edible but has some medicinal propeties. It is chiefly cultivated as a decorative plant. 

Iberis flower close-up

Iberis species come in variety of colors. The most common are purple and white.

White iberis

Iberis in the garden

Evening Primrose

Evening primrose at the curb of the street

 
Evening primrose (Oenothera) is a showy plant that belongs to Evening Primrose family (Onagraceae). The characteristic features of this family are flowers with 4 petals and stigma with X shape at the tip. The plant is edible: young roots can be cooked and young leaves eaten in salad.

Flowers of an Oenothera usually open within about a minute. They are supposed to open in the evening but the plant in the photograph was always open during the day whenever I was passing by.

Evening primrose flower. Notice the cross at the end of the stigma

The leaves grow in a basal rosette then spiral along the stem. 

Evening primrose leaves in a basal rosette

Note: Shortly after the picture was taken, someone had destroyed the plant that had not been doing any harm. The plant was growing at the curb and only added nice colour to the environment. I might add that the plant is rather rare and it's sad to see this unique and rarely seen plant mindlessly destroyed for no apparent reason. 

Pickleweed

Pickleweed at the Arcata marsh

 Pickleweed is a very interesting plant. It can only be seen in a specific habitat: salt marshes. It's botanical name is salicornia, common names include glasswort and samphire though these common names might denote other plants species as well. Glasswort is an apt name because it describes the plant's appearance: it looks like it's made of glass. Pickleweed, as the name suggests, means that the plant is edible and it tastes like pickles. I actually tried tasting it and I can confirm that it does indeed taste like pickles. For that reason it can be used as food and even be seen in restaurants menus under the name of sea beans. It can be eaten raw or cooked.

Pickleweed turns red as the plant matures. Picture taken at Eureka bay.

The plant belongs to the Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae)