Greg Martin

Do you have much fireblight pressure in that area?  I'm curious if they are resistant as we have heavy fireblight pressure here in my part of Maine.

Jill Dyer wrote:Could be a good candidate for basketry if it's really flexible.  I really like those "knuckles"

Found this online: "Bark is leathery, tough and strong. Twigs are extremely pliable. Native Americans used the twigs and bark for a number of purposes including making bow strings, baskets, fishing line and rope."

Thank you all!  I will keep an eye out for when they open a bit more, but looking through pictures, I'm pretty sure you guys nailed it.

Thank you guys!  I ran out after reading some of the descriptions and I'm pretty sure that it is Dirca palustris, Eastern Leatherwood.  I ran out to check how flexible the branches are and they are crazy flexible!  No doubt that I could tie them into a knot without breaking them!  Appreciate the help in getting me to know more of my flora neighbors.

Not an edible for people, but very pretty and I read that the fruit feeds robins and orioles and the nectar feeds the Mourning Cloak butterfly, so I'll keep an eye out for those guys.  Much appreciated.

I found this small forest shrub just behind a forest garden on one of my lawn edges.  Help!  I really want to know what it is.  It's about 2' tall, has hanging twin yellow flowers, and the stems have "knuckles" (what is those features actually called?) along them where I assume growth stopped for a season and then restarted?  I assume these are wild here.  I know that I did not plant them.  Any ideas?

Years ago, I bought a potted ostrich fern and planted it in a shady forest edge 15' in from my lawn edge.  This spring (late April and holding into May) I noticed that the ostrich fern is surrounded by this lovely little (a bit taller than 2") blue flower.  Anyone have any suggestions?  I have not seen this anywhere else around my property and so am assuming it must have come along as a wonderful little hitchhiker with that fiddlehead.

Or maybe a screw?

A man went to the doctor's office with a terrible addiction to chocolate, marshmallows and nuts.

He will recover, but it will be a rocky road.

Correct & correct Ned....nice going!

What has a coat in the winter and pants in the summer?