Greater Burdock

Here we are in a plantation of young poplars not far from the Dordogne river.
In the background some coloured spots can be seen, it is blue plastic the owner wrapped around his young tree trunks to protect them against hungry roe deer. You can consider poplar plantations as a kind of nuisance because they destroy wetlands where otherwise many interesting wild plants would grow, that are now replaced by common ruderal plants. Like Burdocks. Here is a Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa) in winter attire. Well, you can't say it is uninteresting.

It is a majestic growth, because of its size of more than a metre high and its elegantly curved bows of dried flower heads.

The dried flower heads carry little hooks, and they are really appropriate to annoy your other children by putting them intheir hair. Nearly every child knows...

Montpellier Maple

In this deciduous forest in a winter fog all trees have lost their leaves, a small Oak excepted. At its right two slender tree trunks touch. Those are Montpellier Maples (Acer monspessulanum). A species that grows on some calcareous hillsides bur not everywhere.

No way to be mistaken, there are not that many trees that make so many small branches. They are mostly opposed and in other seasons carry small trilobed leaves.

In April Montpellier Maple makes small bundles of hanging flowers, and at the same time new leaves open.

No pollen-gatherer can be seen in this picture, but normally they are there, the flowers are very attractive for them.

Later on the flowers develop into winged fruits, called samaras. Here they are, in an autumn rain.

Hoarfrost

Nothing really special, this meadow with a bit of ruderalisation here and there. But some fog and hoarfrost changes everything.

Tor Grass (Brachypodium rupestre) takes the place of other grasses where the soil becomes a bit richer in nutrients.

Last summer's dead stems and leaves show a lot of colour compared to other grasses, and now a tiny white border of hoarfrost adds a little extra.


Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) can grow in any spot where a seeds falls into loose and fertile soil, also in this meadow where wild boar sometimes dig the soil.

Withered flower heads and leaves are still beautiful, even when they are not anymore alive.


The fog lifts and sunshine comes through.

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is not a delicate plant, but you can say today it shows some refinement.

This bramble, a common Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), shows its fiery colours against the light. This will not be for long, if the cold and frosty nights go on it will take a more subdued colour.