Chicory: Eat, Drink, Admire

It is estimated that only about 10 % of the flowering plants in the world are blue. Chicory, a fascinating example of the 10 %, is now in bloom.

Chicory is sometimes called “blue dandelion,” or “blue daisy,” or “wild bachelor’s button,” or one of various other names. The ones I see in Eliza Howell Park are typically the shade of blue in the above picture, but some blooms, especially as they appear in bright sunshine, are a different shade.

A plant native to Europe and now naturalized in North America, chicory is valued for a variety of reasons. The roots, roasted and ground, have long been used as a coffee additive and, mostly in times of coffee shortage, as a coffee substitute (chicory does not contain caffeine).

The leaves are eaten as a green (“wild endive”). They are perhaps a little bitter, but if one has never tasted a chicory leaf, I suggest a test bite during the next  observation of the plant. 

There are other uses of the chicory plant as well, but it is the bloom that attracts me most, just to observe and admire.

Each stem produces several flowers, but an individual bloom opens for one day only. The flower opens up in the morning (the next picture was taken at 7:30 a.m.) and begins to close in the afternoon.

I don’t know if it is because of the relative rareness of the blue color, but there is something about the chicory flower that seems to call for a close-up look.

During my walks, I often stop to check to see whether – and which – pollinators are coming during the limited visiting hours.

Chicory blooms from late June through the rest of the summer. For me, that likely means many more stops and many more looks.

 

Nature Discovery Day Is July 13

On Saturday, July 13,  there is a great opportunity for visitors to the park to become more familiar with the wildflowers, butterflies, birds, mammals, trees — and more – of Eliza Howell Park: 9:00 – noon. Free and open to everyone.

There will be exhibits, activities, and options of guided walks designed to point out some of the natural wealth of this Detroit park. The park entrance is on Fenkell east of Telegraph. The event also includes an opportunity to learn more about the U-M wildlife motion-activated camera project (which includes Eliza Howell Park).

Among the highlights of mid-July are the meadow/prairie wildflowers. Among those catching my attention recently are these.

Clockwise from top left: Foxglove Beardtongue, Black-eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed

The event is organized by Eliza Howell Park Partnership (EHPP), a coalition of persons with different organizational affiliations and a common interest in highlighting Eliza Howell as a place for observing and enjoying nature in an urban environment.

Guides will be present to assist in identifying the varieties of flowers, as well as the specific species of butterflies they attract. These are among the common butterflies at this time of the year.

Clockwise from top left: Monarch, Common Ringlet, Red Admiral, Pearl Crescent.

While I am often unable to get a picture of a butterfly I see, it is never difficult to find flowers waiting to be photographed.

Clockwise from top left: Staghorn Sumac, Chicory, Wild Bergamot, St John’s Wort.

Eliza Howell is the kind of nature park it is, in significant part, because the Rouge River runs through it. For those who wish to take it on Saturday, a short walk to the footbridge provides a good view of the shaded river.

Back in the field, one flower not to be missed is Wild Bergamot, a mint family flower, sometimes called beebalm, that has only recently begun its summer blooming season. It is a magnet for a variety of insects. In this picture, the visitor is a Hummingbird Moth.

Many mammals are more active at night than during the day. The cameras used in the UM wildlife camera project have located and identified some of the mammals of the night, as will be reported on July 13.

Two that I have recently seen during the day are White-tailed Deer and Groundhog.

I thank EHPP for providing this opportunity to witness and enjoy the natural wealth of the park.