Pachydiplax longipennis: Blue Dasher Dragonfly

The Blue Dasher [Pachydiplax longipennis] is a dragonfly of the skimmer family. It is common and widely distributed in the United States.

Mature males develop a bluish-white pruinescence on the back of the abdomen and, in western individuals, on the thorax. They display this pruinescence to other males as a threat while defending territories at the edge of the water.

Although the species name longipennis means “long wings”, the wings are not particularly long. Females do, however, have a short abdomen that makes the wings look longer in comparison.

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Hypoxis rookery: Star Grass

^ Hypoxis rookery

Hypoxis is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Hypoxidaceae. The genus has an “almost cosmopolitan” distribution, occurring in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Common names for the genus include star-grass, star lily, yellow stars, African potato, and African stars.

These plants are perennial herbs with corms or rhizomes. Some have tubers. The flowers are borne on a short, stemlike scape in a raceme or umbel arrangement, or sometimes singly. The flower has six yellow tepals which may be hairy, especially on the undersides.

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Plestiodon fasciatus: American five-lined skink

The [American] five-lined skink [Plestiodon fasciatus] is a species of lizard endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native species of lizards in Canada.

Other common names include blue-tailed skink [juveniles] and red-headed skink [adults]. It is technically appropriate to call it the American five-lined skink to distinguish it from the African skink Trachylepis quinquetaeniata [five-lined mabuya] or the eastern red-headed skink to distinguish it from its western relative Plestiodon skiltonianus [western skink].

The American five-lined skink is small to medium-sized, growing to about 12.5 to 21.5 centimetres [4.9 to 8.5 in] total length. Young five-lined skinks are dark brown to black with five distinctive white to yellowish stripes running along the body and a bright blue tail. The blue color fades to light blue with age, and the stripes also may slowly disappear. The dark brown color fades, too, and older individuals are often uniformly brownish.

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Rose hip: Fruit of the rose plant

^ Rosa foliolosa: Leafy Rose

The rose hip, also known as rose haw or rose hep, is the fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in spring or early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn.

Rose hips are used for tisanes, jam, jelly, syrup, soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade. They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, if care is used to avoid the hairs inside the fruit.

Rose hips are particularly high in vitamin C content, one of the richest plant sources available.

Rose hips are used to help prevent colds and influenza.

Rose hips contain plenty of lycopene, an important and strong antioxidant that prevents oxidation of low density lipoprotein [LDL] as well as of many cellular membranes.

Rose hips also contain some vitamin A and B, essential fatty acids, and antioxidant flavonoids.

Photos: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Papilio polyxenes: Black Swallowtail Butterfly

The [eastern] black swallowtail [Papilio polyxenes], also called the American swallowtail or parsnip swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma.

The black swallowtail has a wingspan of 8 to 11 cm [3.1 to 4.3 in]. The upper surface of the wings is mostly black. On the inner edge of the hindwing is a black spot centered in larger orange spot. A male of this species has a yellow band near edge of wings; a female has row of yellow spots. The hindwing of the female has an iridescent blue band.

Photos: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Rosa ‘Radrazz’ KNOCK OUT: Shrub Rose

Rosaceae [the rose family] is a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera.

Common Name: shrub rose. ~ Flowers: Showy Flowers, Fragrant Flowers. ~ Leaves: Good Fall Color. ~ Wildlife: Attracts Butterflies.

KNOCK OUT is a compact shrub rose that typically grows to 3-4’ tall and as wide. It is best noted for its ability to bloom in as little as 3 hours per day of direct sun with excellent disease resistance. Features single, lightly fragrant blooms to 3.5” diameter. Flowers are followed by orange-red hips. Foliage is dark purplish-green in summer, turning purple to burgundy in fall.

Photos: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Wikipedia

‘Gartendirektor Otto Linne’ rose: Pink Rose

Rosaceae [the rose family] is a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera.

Deep pink Shrub. ~ Registration name: Gartendirektor Otto Linne ~ Bred by Peter Lambert, Germany, 1934.

Lambertiana, Polyantha, Shrub.  Carmine-pink, white center, darker edges.  Mild fragrance.  Full [26-40 petals], cluster-flowered, in large clusters bloom form. Armed with thorns / prickles, bushy, upright.  Glossy, leathery foliage. Plant height of 4′ to 5′ [120 to 150 cm], width of 3′ [90 cm].

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Sources: www.helpmefind.com, Wikipedia

Rosa polyantha ‘Katharina Zeimet’: White Rose

Rosaceae [the rose family] is a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera.

Katharina Zeimet was raised by Peter Lambert of Germany [1901], who crossed Marie Pavi with another Polyantha.

Use: Border, Container; Color: White; Form: Double; Fragrance: Slight Sweet, Apple; Bloom Size: Small [1-2 in]

Katharina Zeimet is a compact polyantha with neat, round, white flowers. These are borne in great profusion, nearly obscuring the leaves and stems. It is a vigorous plant, and not prone to disease.

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Sources: The Antique Rose Emporium, Rose File, Wikipedia

Thorybes pylades: Northern Cloudywing skipper

The wingspan of the Thorybes_pylades is between 32 and 47 mm long. Both male and female have completely dark brown wings except for the small triangular clear spots.

The northern cloudywing is seen from Nova Scotia west across Canada, south into California and across the rest of the United States. Its habitat consist of open boreal woodlands and forest edges.

Photo: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Source: Wikipedia

Kalimeris mongolica: Ghengis Khan aster

Kalimeris mongolica belong to family Asteraceae; Synonym: Asteromea mongolica; Common Names: Oriental boltonia, Ghengis Khan aster; Native to: Mongolia

Bloom Description: panicles of purple tinged, white flower heads, with yellow centers; Plant Perks: Attracts Butterflies

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Kalimeris [False Aster]

Kalimeris [or the Kalimeris Asters] is a small genus with eight species from the sunflower family [Asteraceae].

It was first described in 1825 by the French botanist Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini (1781-1832).

This genus occurs mainly in eastern Asia [China, Korea and Japan], but is also naturalised on Hawaii.

They can grow to a height of 1-1.5 m. The foliage is herbaceous. The blue-green leaves vary per species and are smooth textured. They can be long and narrow, round with large teeth or lobed. The flower heads are solitary or in leafy flat-topped inflorescences. The disc florets are yellow, the ray florets are white, pink or purple.

Photos: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA  [20130913]

Sources: thegardengeeks, Wikipedia