#golden ragwort

[geopsych]

Golden ragwort and hosta ‘June’ in the garden.

[vandaliatraveler]

I finally got back into the mountains this weekend. My escape consisted of short hikes between successive waves of cold, soaking rain. Salvation nonetheless. Photos are from multiple stops along Rt 219 and its byways, including Garrett State Forest (MD), Cranesville Swamp (WV and MD), and Cathedral State Park (WV). The hawthorns are gorgeous this time of year, not to mention the second wave of spring wildflowers now coming into bloom, including fringed polygala (Polygaloides paucifolia), dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), painted trillium (Trillium undulatum). and golden ragwort (Packera aurea).

[the-diary-of-vivienne]

[faguscarolinensis]

Packera aurea / Golden Ragwort at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[thebotanicalarcade]

Ohio Spring Wildflower Field Guide

[sunnysam-my]

Hazbin Hotel redesign ideas p. 1

Unfortunately I don't really have time to draw rn, but here are some ideas if anyone is looking for inspiration.

THE VEES:

They follow lates trends so they won't stick to the outfits and technologies from the times they died. We even see that Vox changed his screen (head) to more modern, flat TV screen.

Valentino:

He is a moth that realises poison that's basically a date-rape drug. His wings are hidden, looking like a coat, which makes no sense, a cloak, cape or sleeveless coat would look better. He is a pimp who died in 1970s. Val was Hispanic when living. Apparently, he has bad eyesight.

He is supposed to be a moth, but I don't really see it much, and the furr around his neck, that's a part of his body, just looks ridiculous. I would design him after some actual poisonous moth.

Cinnabar moth - The cinnabar is slate-black with two red spots and two pinky-red stripes on the rounded forewings. Its hindwings are pinky-red and bordered with black. The caterpillars feed on poisonous ragwort leaves. The poison from the leaves is stored in the caterpillar's body and remains even when they are an adult. As adult they leak the poison when they need to. Cinnabar moths can be seen flying during the day and night.

Six-spot burnet moth - day-flying moth that flies with a slow, fluttering pattern. It has glossy black, with six red spots on each narrow, but long forewing. They release hydrogen cyanide when attacked.

Personally I would go with Cinnabar moth, but make the spots heart shaped, and leave his inner outfit without the accessories (the suit with the white pants and golden heart belt). I would also leave his general body type but definitely change the neck furr ring, because wtf is that? I would play around with his glasses since he is supposed to have eyesight problems.

[Edit: Actually, I would make him a combo of both moths and make the furr ring his hair, because he is bald without the hat!?!?]

Velvette:

Velv is a fashion designer and critic, she is also an influencer. She keeps the Vees together and their image fresh on the internet. She's a British black woman in her early 30's. Originally her appearance was supposed to be doll-like, but that was changed to 'it-girl' and a 'bad bitch' with a darker aesthetic.

Velvette's outfit is reminiscent of Val's (heart belt, coat with hearts, black stripes on arms) but darker, especially her sleeveless coat that imitates his wings. Since Valentino is already going to be darker (in my idea) and she is a fashion influencer it would make more sense for her to be brighter.

Main thing I would change about her is her skin tone, hair, and Harley Quinn themes left from her old design.

When creating very human like characters it's important to actually get the racial characteristics right. Her ashy skin and "curly" hair just makes it look like they didn't know how to draw a black character. I would give her a different texture, something between 3A and 4B. A hairstyle like heart shaped space buns would be so cool, but even if not, her styl in a poster in the background is already better than the ponytails.

When it comes to her style I would get rid of pom-poms shoes and fingerless gloves. Her outfit for meeting the overlord was pretty okay, but I would change her other outfit. My inspiration would be PidginDoll's design, because he makes fabulous outfits and makeup looks for all bodies, genders and races, but I'll keep the 'goth' (it's not goth, it's just a little bit alt, mostly skulls) theme.

Blue accents like makeup would work great with her brown skin and would reference Vox.

Vox:

I genuinely think he has the best design in the entirety of the show, I would barely change anything. His outfit is similar to Alastor who he is trying to imitate, but he wears a tail suit, which is way more formal and elegant than any other suit, trying to showing he is a better, modern version of Alastor. I've seen some people got rid of his hat and gave him a tail made out a cord for fun, but other than that his design is good. Not too much details and not too little, tells us a lot about the character.

Maybe less stripes, because apparently Viv loves zebras or something. /hj

[speakingofnature]

Golden Ragwort

Early morning observations.

[apatosaurus]

Some flowers for May 1, 2024: Dame’s Rocket, Golden Ragwort, Jetbead, Pink Fleabane

[toadstoolgardens]

Foraging for Goldenrod (Solidago)

Goldenrod or Solidago blooms in late summer/early fall across much of North America. It's beautiful golden flowers reflect the golden sun of late summer. Goldenrod is edible and medicinal and can be used as a natural dye!!

Identifying Goldenrod

Goldenrod is a member of the Asteraceae or sunflower family and likes open sunny areas like meadows, fields, and forest openings. The stems are tall and stiff with tiny golden-yellow flowers in a dense, pyramid-shaped, pluming cluster. It's a prolific perennial and can grow 0.5-2m tall.

The leaves vary slightly depending on the species of goldenrod, but they're long, narrow, and taper to a point. The edges can be smooth or slightly toothed, or slightly hairy on the underside depending on species.

Goldenrod in my area likes to grow alongside New England Aster. They make such a beautiful combination of purple and yellow and can aid in identification. If you see one you just might see the other!

Look-Alikes

Goldenrod can sometimes be mistaken for Senecio species like ragwort (left) and groundsel (right). Some Senecio species contain TOXIC pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage. As always please be 100% certain of your identification before harvesting!! That said, senecio's flowers are generally much larger and much fewer than goldenrod's many tiny flowers. They also tend to bloom earlier in the season than goldenrod.

Harvesting Goldenrod

All of the above-ground parts of goldenrod are edible! Harvest by snipping the top of the stems, leaves, and flower heads with scissors (about the top 1/3rd of the plant). The earlier in the blooming season the better! The later blooms tend to be more bitter and can fluff up like dandelions if you want to dry them.

If you're worried about seasonal allergies you should be safe with goldenrod! Goldenrod is insect pollinated so it doesn't need to release pollen into the air.

Whatever you do DO NOT pull up entire goldenrod plants!!! Goldenrod is a massively important plant for hundreds of pollinators including bees, butterflies, beetles, and wasps. Harvest sustainably, no pulling up by the roots, and only snip the tops you'll use!!

You can use goldenrod fresh or dry it by hanging it upside down for about a week (spread it out for adequate airflow!) or in your kitchen oven by spreading in a single layer on baking sheets and baking 4-5 hours at 170F/76C. Store dried goldenrod in an airtight container.

Goldenrod Uses & Benefits

Goldenrod as an herbal remedy is highly anti-inflammatory, great for the kidneys (prevents and flushes kidney stones, helps relieve minor bladder infections), helpful for minor respiratory issues like seasonal allergies and colds, and helps heal minor wounds and swelling when used externally. It's also edible raw or cooked! The leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in lots of tasty fall recipes like this goldenrod cornbread?!? I need it.

Safety Note: Goldenrod has been traditionally used as medicine and is regarded as very safe. That said, goldenrod taken internally has a diuretic effect. If you have any problems with the urinary system or take a diuretic already, PLEASE ask a medical professional before using. Don't use herbal medicines to treat serious health issues or in fragile populations like babies or the elderly without consulting a doctor. I AM NOT A DOCTOR I JUST LIKE PLANTS.

To use your goldenrod medicinally you can make it into tea, tincture, or infused oil. You can also make a goldenrod salve to apply externally!

Goldenrod Tea:

Add 2tbsp of fresh flowers OR 1tbsp of dried flowers to 8oz hot water.

Cover and steep 15-20 minutes before straining.

This tea can be slightly bitter with a sort of anise/licorice flavor. It's great sweetened with a little honey!

Goldenrod Tincture:

Fill a small jar 1/3 - 3/4 full with chopped fresh goldenrod flowers OR 1/4 - 1/2 full with dried goldenrod flowers.

Fill jar with high-proof (40-60%) alcohol like vodka or brandy.

Cap, label, and store out of direct sunlight at least 4-6 weeks. Strain before using.

Your tincture should be good for a year or more. Take a few drops mixed with a spoonful of honey or water. Can be taken up to 3-5 times daily or as needed.

Goldenrod Infused Oil:

Fill a jar 1/4 - 1/2 full with dried goldenrod flowers.

Pour an oil (sunflower, sweet almond, or olive are good options) over the flowers until the jar is full.

Infuse one of 3 ways:

Slow Way - cap jar and place in a dark, cool spot like a cabinet for 4-6 weeks. Strain.

Solar Way - instead of capping the jar cover it with a piece of cheesecloth or scrap of old t-shirt. Set your jar in a sunny window for a few days up to a few weeks. The sun's heat infuses your oil faster! Strain.

Speedy Way - don't cap your jar and set it uncovered in a saucepan containing a few inches of water. Heat on low for 2-3 hours, watching it carefully!! Strain.

Goldenrod Salve: if you made infused oil you can easily make it into a salve!

Add 3.5oz (100g) of your infused oil and 0.5oz (14g) beeswax to a small jar.

Place the jar into a saucepan containing a few inches of water. Heat over medium low until the beeswax melts.

Let cool and apply to minor wounds, sores, swelling, aches & pains.

You can also make a gorgeous yellow or green natural fabric dye from goldenrod!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

[carolinawrenn]

Golden ragwort (Packera aurea)

[warrior-names]

Warrior Prefixes: Golden & Gold [Ginger] Cats

Words that aren’t derived from things found in North America or Europe aren’t included.

40+ prefixes under the cut!

A

Amber-

B

Barley-

Bee-

Bumble-

C

Canary-

Celandine-

Chrysanthemum-

Citrus-

D

Daffodil-

Dandelion-

G

Gold-

Golden-

Goldenrod-

Goldfinch-

H

Honey-

Honeysuckle-

L

Leopard-

Lion-

M

Marigold-

N

Nectar-

P

Pollen-

Primrose-

R

Ragwort-

S

Sorrel-

Sun-

Sunflower-

T

Tanager-

Tansy-

Trefoil-

Tulip-

V

Vireo-

W

Warbler-

Wasp-

Wheat-

Y

Yarrow-

Yellow-

[geopsych]

More garden detail featuring variegated Solomon seal, golden ragwort, common violets, kidney leaf buttercup, and a tiny bit of hosta ‘June’.

[vandaliatraveler]

“Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment.”

- Ellis Peters

Photos from a hike this evening in Elizabeth’s Woods at Toms Run Preserve. From top: Azure bluet (Houstonia caerulea); a diminutive spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) hiding in the leaf litter; rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides); blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium); lavender variation of dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne); golden ragwort (Packera aurea); Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum); blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides); and a very shy Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina).

[dansnaturepictures]

27th July 2024: Beautiful views on a fine summer's day, montbretia, a diving Shag, hawksbit, radiant Lulworth Skipper, teasel and one of three Peregrines including two juvenilies that it was breathtaking to watch gliding and swooping beside the cliff at Durlston today. It was smashing to see the golden Lulworth Skippers, a stellar addition to my butterfly year, five years to the day on from when we first ever saw them here I'm so lucky to live near to Dorset and be able to come to the limited area of their range.

I was fascinated by fancy falcons with the Peregrines (also seeing one of the famous Corfe Castle ones as we took in this beautiful landmark on the journey home) and Kestrels seen well including one consuming prey on the wing which was interesting. Other highlights today were my first restharrow and woolly thistle of the year, nightshade, wild carrot, hoary plantain, longstalk crane's-bill, hop trefoil, ragwort, many Marbled Whites, Wall Brown, Dark Green Fritillary, Painted Lady, Peacock, Small Skipper, Common Red Soldier beetle, Dartford Warbler, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit and Goldfinch with chicory on verges and Buzzard enjoyed on journeys.

[aintashes]

@goldshadows' jami put a flower in daryl's hair.

she's quick as she approaches him, insistently pushing daryl's head to face forward so that she can stick a flower in his hair. it's a little golden ragwort that she's picked from a nearby bushel of them, and the stem tickles his skin as it tucks with purpose behind his ear.

daryl can't help the small smile that pulls the corners of his mouth out to the sides. it's a sweet gesture, to be sure. he'll be keeping the pretty yellow flower right where it sits between dark strands of hair.

‘ you get one for yerself, too? ’

[ahedderick]

Photo-Picked some flowers for you on my walk today 💚

Thanks so much! Those top two, Lyre-leaved sage and golden ragwort, will be blooming here along the road sometime in May! They feel like old friends. The pink one is not familiar to me - but lovely just the same.