Life in the Ditch

(pictures taken over several days)

Elderberry - Sambucus nigra
 
"nigra" is Latin for "black"....the berries being a purplish-black color and a good source of vitamin C. The leaves and roots are poisonous, however.

Technically this is still in our yard, but it's close enough to the ditch to count as "life in the ditch" material. I'm trying to encourage regrowth, after much was mowed off during last year's wildflower bed mercykilling.

Common Evening Primrose - Oenothera villosa.
 
The Navajo mixed this with tobacco and smoked it for good hunting. I'm assuming this refers to buffalo hunts, and not...like, hunting for wildflowers...

Red-spotted Purple butterfly.
 
I actually snapped this in the yard, but I was coming back from my walk, so hey, I say it qualifies. I don't ever recall seeing one of these before....


White-whorled Milkweed - Asclepias verticillata
 
I've seen these for years and never knew it was a type of milkweed. It is said that some Native American tribes used this plant to treat snakebite. It is extremely poisonous to livestock, but since they don't find it tasty, that's not a problem.

Common Male Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
  (not certain if the term "common" refers to the blue damselfly in toto, or just the males :-)

And here I thought I'd stumbled upon some exotic, rare breed....
 

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