Happy Mystery Monday! What native biennial has unique tubular seed capsules and is an important plant for wildlife?
Last week, we asked you about lichens! Lichen are a complex life form composed of fungi (sometimes multiple species) and algae or cyanobacteria that function together in symbiosis! Wow, what an ecological mind bender! There are 299 species of lichen documented on the Delmarva. Lichen grow relatively slowly on substrates (rocks, wood, etc.) and are one of the first organisms to grow in an area. There are three main growth forms of lichen: foliose (leafy-like), fruticose (pendant or cup-like), or crustose (crusty-like). Identifying the growth form can be a helpful first step in the identification process!
#likenthelichen #adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #nativeplant #mysteryplant #mysteryorganism #winterinterest #ecologyiscool #carolinecounty
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.
Last week, we asked you about seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia)! This native plant is found on the wetland edge and has unique, characteristic seed pods that resemble boxes. This perennial is related to evening primrose and has a similar multi-branched habit with yellow flowers. The flowers are short-lived, but attract bees, butterflies, and moths.
#ecologyiscool #mysteryorganism #mutualism #symbioticrelationship #mysterymonday #adkinsarboretum #winterinterest
Last week we asked you about splitbeard broomsedge (Andropogon ternarius)! This showy native warm-season grass grows in poor, sandy soils in full sun. In fall, it produces fluffy and silvery seed heads, which are a food source for songbirds and small mammals. Some animals will also use the grass and seeds as nesting material and cover.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go 
Last week, we asked you about ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)! Ironwood also happens to be our 2023 Native Tree of the Year! At Adkins, you’ll find ironwood in the understory, growing in and around the floodplains. Easily identified by its taut and rippled trunk, ironwood is known for its strong wood and has historically been used for tool handles and the like. Found throughout Maryland, ironwood is the host plant for a variety of butterflies, including the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), and many moths, including the American dagger moth (Acronicta americana) and banded tussock moth (Halysidota tessellaris). In addition to feeding many lepidopterans, ironwood foliage and twigs are tasty fodder for deer and the nutlets are browsed by mammals and birds alike.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go 
A showcase of excellence that dates to 1829, the Philadelphia Flower Show is a top destination and a must-experience horticultural event. On Mon., March 6, join Adkins Arboretum for 
Last week, we asked you about the Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). Also known as scrub pine, this medium-sized tree tends to grow in old fields and poor soils. Here on the Eastern Shore, it tends to grow near loblolly pines and sweet gum trees. One of the easiest ways to identify this tree is to look at the needle bundles. The needles are paired in twos, with each needle slightly twisting. A good way to remember this is that the two needles resemble a “V” — “V” for Virginia. Virginia pine provides good cover for wildlife and often is one of the first trees to naturally regrow in mined or burned areas.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go