Almost-Spring Plant Walk Pt. 1 @ Wingfield Pines

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FIRST PLANT WALK OF THE SEASON!!!

And just so you know, there are tons of plants already visible and poking their little heads and bodies out of the ground to say hello again :-) (and it is February when I'm writing this)

Come on out and get a jump on identifying the highly-toxic Conium maculatum, or Poison Hemlock, of which there is already wide swaths of, starting to grow.

This plant is deadly if eaten even in small amounts, but it looks an awful lot like some of its edible family members (carrot, parsley, dill, fennel, etc). It is a good plant to learn asap so you can make the healthy judgment not to forage near it when looking for food.

First year Dipsacus fullonum (Teasel, I will always call it Dipsacus sylvestris, because that is what it was named when I learned about it...) is still hanging around, too. She likes to hold on for dear life during the winter, and puts off her second-year growth like a true champion, coming Spring/Summer. This plant is currently being used and researched for Lyme disease, and we can discuss that further during the walk!

We'll likely see the baby Artemis vulgaris (Mugwort) just starting to peek out too (I've already seen some babies!)

Overall, this is a fabulous time to come on out, even if it's cold, and learn what the plants are looking like in their very first stages of growth!

Asking a sliding-scale donation of $5-10, but if this is not in your budget, please come on out anyway! I won't bite! Nor will I make an embarrassing scene. I simply appreciate your attendance and interest in the plants.

Parking for Wingfield Pines can get tricky. Not many spaces. I will be standing around looking for attendees so that I might help to get everyone situated. Flag me down if you're coming for the class, otherwise I'll likely assume you're just going for a walk or jog. Overflow parking is across the street by the Rec Center, but it is up a really fun hill, for anyone who loves hills :-) Sometimes we can fit a couple cars right along Mayview Rd. At least I've seen people do that.

Anywho! Hope to see you there! 8-)