Is it early for 2008 or late for 2007? I think the answer is fairly clear: the new stem growth for 2008 hasn't even started yet, so it has to be late for 2007. But what is it trying to do? The pollinating insects are all dead (and won't be back until April/May), so it can't reproduce (and it would be unlikely that there would be another specimen close enough to pollinate anyway). It must be worthwhile, or the plant wouldn't be expending all this energy on making flowerheads. Maybe it's a mechanism whereby it is preparing for all-year round insects as we warm up. What do you think?Other late-flowering species:
Bush Vetch
Smooth HawkbitAnd just to finish off, a couple of shots of Winter Heliotrope, which only flowers during December and January around here:
9 comments:
Well, something is pollinating the hogweed round here (Yorks) since the fruits appear to develop - no idea if they're viable seeds of course.
Hogweed is not native so maybe it has different cues on flowering,
or maybe its head is just turned!
Hogweed - Heracleum sphondylium - is native..it's Giant Hogweed - H. mantegazzianum - that's naturalised/introduced. This common mistake is one of the reasons why harmless Hogweed is regularly chopped at ground level. Angelica too, for that matter.
The HDRA say that Hogweed is 'self-compatible' so it can manage without insects apparently.
I must go and get some photos of a large colony of Winter Heliotrope which grows in a shaded lane in the village!
'Self-compatible', eh. Handy, and very flexible.
I generally find W. Heliotrope on damp bends in the road in very similar places to Butterbur.
Stuart
"HDRA" ???
HDRA : Henry Doubleday Reseach Association
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/
There has been Hogweed flowering round here (Co.Cork) since the summer, and I've just seen several clumps of Round-leaved Water-crowfoot in flower. Far as I remember that started flowering in January last year too.
oops, sorry about that Hogweed comment.
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