Hi (my first post, please forgive me if I make errors): We recently returned from an awesome park and I took lots of shrub and wildflower photos. I identified all but one, and this one has me mystified. It was common throughout the (Ontario, Canada) park, grew like a shrub/ground cover, with small round leaves, with florets that lie unopened on a leaf. Not sure if the floret opens or drops off. Very pretty plant. Photo attached. Thanks for your help. Taya
It looks like something in the honeysuckle family. It resembles a snowberry (Symphoricarpos), but I'd like to know more about whether this park was full of native plants or whether it was an urban park with cultivated plants.
It's a park full of native plants, where there are about 10 trails and a bike trail to teach the public about ecosystems and how they survive. I'd contact the park, but they are hard to reach. Very busy place.
I'm fairly certain it is Symphoricarpos albus, or snowberry, then. My only reservation is that snowberry often has more flowers in each inflorescence.
Thank you Daniel, I think you may be right. I checked some more identification sites and see that the snowberry may have a variety of leaf shapes and growth patterns, including one very similar to the ones I saw. It was quite early in the season, and the plants were still young, so that's perhaps why there are still few flowers on each inflorescence. The park does have a site (http://www.pinerypark.on.ca/lives_pinery.html) that lists all it's flora and fauna, and snowberry is listed. I checked all the other honeysuckles, and none came close, except snowberry. Thanks again. Taya
Have another identification question for you Daniel. Is the name of the bush in the picture Bristly Greenbrier?
No, I don't think so. Looks like a Cornus sericea, or red-osier dogwood. It's a relative of today's Botany Photo of the Day.
Thanks again, Daniel. So it's the same bush as these other two photos, which I had thought was New Jersey Tea.
I have one last plant I'm not sure of and am hoping you can help out. It was a tiny "weed" found in a parking lot. I though it was interesting, but may have it wrongly identified. Thank you so much for your help. You have helped my on-line photo album become more accurate. This is my first try at nature photography, and I think I'll continue! It's fascinating! Taya
Hi Taya, Sure - this is Medicago lupulina or black medick. As you can see from the link, the fruits of this plant colour from green to brown to black with time.
