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like to think there is a category called Gothicthings,
that applies to our....er,stuff .
To some extent this is pure fancy, of course.
In another way, it's probably somewhat correct...
V*V
Goth
or Gothic
as a definition, constitutes such things as funereal black dark cemeteries ghostly spooky moody morbid scary creepy eerie eldritch otherworldly arcane non corporeal and other, rather impressive possibly quite pretentious words,
of this same type!
( We also really like to use the word Gothic interchangeably with the word Goth. )
Native to southern parts of Asia, bat flower (Tacca spp.) has shiny, bright green leaves. It blooms on a stem from the center of the plant, with a cluster of purple flowers in the center. Above these flowers are two bracts (leaves that resemble flower petals) that look like bat wings. Numerous threadlike bracteoles hang from the flowers resembling 8-10 inch long whiskers.
These are notoriously hard to grow. My personal anecdote with this plant is that my mom had bought me one, she was a huge gardener also, and she thought it would appeal to me a lot, which it did! it came in a root (rhizomatous) form:
They are notoriously picky. They have to be grown outside, in a certain type of weather.
I placed it in a pot.
It was soon stolen multiple times by squirrels and chewed upon.
We kept placing It back in the pot, trying to cover it.they kept getting into it.
Finally they stole it completely.
As it was quite expensive and unique, I was very disappointed.
(Bastards!)
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Coleus Plectranthus scutellarioidesQueen Anne s LaceDaucus carota
(….And what other plants or flowers, then, could be defined as Goth? Well, I'm glad you asked me that.)
V*V
For one thing, all:
spooky plants Black plants dark plants Creepy plants plants that look scary plants that look like they could eat you,or yoursmall dogplants that look like they came from the Little Botanical Shop of Horrors, et al: constitute the Gothic plants!
Yucca Asparagaceae Mr. Lincoln Rose Rosaceae thorns Mr. Lincoln Rose RosaceaeBlack tulip gesneriana White Datura buds Solanaceae my Ferns pteridophytePurple Datura SolanaceaeWild chive Allium schoenoprasummonarda Monarda didyma
Plants which are black.
Black hollyhock Malvaceae.Potato vine Convolvulaceae.Passionflower Passifloradwarf black mondo grass Ophiopogon planiscapusCrimson Day Lily Hemerocallis,Easter Lily Lilium longiflorumLily of the valley Convallaria majalis Daytura seedpod SolanaceaeBlack petunia Petunioideae
Plans which are spiky.
Potato vine flower Convolvulaceae.Gerainium PelargoniumEggplant flower Solanum melongenaEven more Daytura seedpod SolanaceaeSpineless Hedgehog Erinaceinae 'Black Pearl Ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum
Wild orchid Epipactis helleborine ( from my yard )
Now, the orchids
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Wild orchid
Found in my Northeastern (NY) yard
[Orchids seem like a very Goth plant ,to me,with their sometimes evilish looking little faces.]
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So,
being a gardener,of course l was quite excited, when having moved fairly close to Lake Ontario, with the weather and climate associated with the region, and the lovely Flora, l discovered wild orchids growing on my property. Originally, we were presuming these to be some type ofToad Lily
My cousin, also a landscaper,and far more knowledgeable,made the original diagnosis
(Tricyrtis hirta)
How wrong he was!
After reading a few wildflower books,and looking online, we found the actual plant:
non-native-orchids/Usually non-native, potentially invasive, weeds not only crowd our gardens but, more troubling, compete for space, water, sunlight and other resources in many of our natural areas. A plant's ability to naturalize, establish self-sustaining and spreading populations in a new environment, is often a good indicator of its potential as an invasive weed. Even plants considered threatened or endangered may spread uncontrollably outside their native habitat.
So how do dozens of orchids find themselves listed on the Global Compendium of Weeds? Orchids, after all have spectacular flowers and require specialized habitat, dedicated pollinators, restricted fungal partners and occupy a narrow geographic range. How can an orchid be a weed- essentially an unwanted plant? Scientists are now looking at characteristics of non-native orchids, such as their reproductive strategies, tolerance for disturbance and their ability to expand into new environments -- orchids are the focus of invasive species studies!
Where did these alien orchids come from? Did they slip across the border undetected? A few of these orchids may have done just that. The Lawn Orchid, Zeuxine strateumatica, probably arrived with grass seed imported from China for turf grass. This small orchid is often regarded as a nuisance and has widely naturalized throughout Florida and adjacent areas in the coastal southeast.
But many of the non-native orchids that have naturalized across North America, were originally cultivated in our gardens. Tropical areas, such as Florida and Hawaii, seem especially hospitable to these new comers. Hawaii has just 3 native orchids, including Liparis haiwaiensis, yet more than a dozen non-native orchids have already naturalized and that number is growing as commercial orchid farms spread across the islands.
The orchids that dominate the horticultural trade have spectacular flowers or interesting foliage. Often promoted as easy-to grow, they thrive in a range of conditions. We may grow them for their flowers but turn your back and those dust-like seeds “slip the chains of cultivation and make a successful run for freedom” (Jim Ackerman, University of Puerto Rico).
We hope this month’s gallery will help you identify those non-native orchids that have naturalized, understand a little bit of their ecology and recognize their potential impact on on our native vegetation.Once called the Poor Man’s Lady’s Slipper, this orchid’s native range extends across much of Europe and Asia as well as northern Africa. The stem is covered with fine hairs and the greenish-purple flowers have a curved labellum that may be purple, green or white. This orchid was introduced into North America by garden clubs in the mid-1800s who popularized this orchid not just for its attractive flowers but for its reputed medicinal properties.
