This common and poisonous little member of the tomato family grows in vacant lots, at the edge of the sidewalk, and anywhere else it can gain a foothold. Up close, the little white flowers with bright yellow centers are cheerful and pretty.
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Common Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
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Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus)
Bugleweed is common at the edges of ponds, often dangling over the water. Here we see it framed by the clouds reflected in a pond in the Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville.
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Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Spearmint is especially common in urban yards and vacant lots, where it often escapes from cultivation. The prison isn’t built that can hold spearmint, which can be very invasive once you have it. But it’s such a useful herb that its sloppy manners are easy to forgive.
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White Clover (Trifolium repens)
You see it everywhere, but do you ever stop to look at it close up? This is your chance. Take a moment to contemplate the beauty of white clover in an ordinary lawn.
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Northern White Violet (Viola pallens)
Our most common violets are the violet-colored ones, but these white ones are often found in open woodlands. These grew in a woodland that was also liberally dotted with common blue violets and a scattering of yellow violets.