WILDFLOWER WEDNESDAY & SOME NATURE CLOSEUPS

Gail at Clay and Limestone features Wildflower Wednesday so that Garden Bloggers can post their monthly wildflowers. I'm down to one or two in bloom with these roadside asters winning the prize for longest lasting Fall flower. It's fun to explore a wild garden like the one we have because there are always surprises. After the asters, you can take a peek. Thanks for visiting Tropical Texana where it is a humid 83 degrees when it should be only in the 60s. Whew! Where's the cool weather?

                                               These little roadside asters come up every year as volunteers.

                                                     Aster seeds ready to catch the wind.

                                           Virginia Creeper... a native with nice colors.

                                           Virginia Creeper will hold on for dear life.  Aren't these neato?
                                   Of course, don't let this vine climb up the side of your house!

                                  Some cool fungi that I found while raking leaves.

                                   The last of the Monarchs are making their way to Mexico. 
                                 This one is on Porterweed...not a native, but still blooming!
                                 There was some Aesclepius near by, but it would not pose on the native.
                                    Happy Wildflower Wednesday. :0) David

Wildflower Wednesday on a Weekend ~ Wild Asters finally blooming!

Gail at Clay and Limestone devotes the 3rd Wednesday of each month for a worldwide view of wildflowers. My wonderful wild Asters are finally blooming! They came up on their own a few years back and now have colonized a front flowerbed. The insects love them, especially a small unidentified black wasp. This is shot with a new camera (my wife and I traded) and I'm thrilled to discover it has great  macro zooms.
Visit Gail in my sidebar favorites to see what other wildflowers are  finishing out our Autumn season.

We have at least 12 species of Asters, so it's hard to say. I'm guessing Roadside Aster (A. subulatus) or the Starved Aster (A. lateriflorus)

Click to enlarge

The delicate branching contrasts with the large, speckled foliage of a Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra x 'Milky Way' )

The buds look like tiny watermelons.