Happy Mystery Monday! Wow, you know it is April when these spring ephemerals start emerging! What are they?
Last week, we asked you about small bluets (Houstonia pusilla)! There are seven species of bluets in Maryland, two of which have been observed at Adkins Arboretum. According to the Maryland Biodiversity Project, small bluets can be differentiated from azure bluets (Houstonia caerulea) by their small size and reddish purple tint at the base of each petal. Azure bluets have yellow at the base of each petal. Small bluets may look delicate, but they can be found in some stressful and open places including along our entrance drive (and sometimes in between the pavement!). They tend to prefer slightly acidic soils and thrive in areas where the grass may be sparse and open. The flowers contain four lobes and may range in color from purple to a light blue. Fun fact: did you know that bluets are in the same plant family (Rubiaceae) as the coffee plant?
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysteryplant #whatsinbloom #marylandbiodiversityproject #springephemerals #carolinecounty
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.
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