Flora Pittsburghensis

Author: Father Pitt

  • Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

    Copnoclinium coelestinum

    Formerly classified in the genus Eupatorium, which was separated into several genera after some genetic research. These dusty blue flowers are distinctive: nothing else quite like them grows around here. They have the tassely flowers of a Joe-Pye-Weed, but the powder-blue color identifies them right away. They resemble a tall version of the garden Ageratum.

    Mistflower
    Photographed August 9 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

    Mistflower begins blooming in the middle to late summer, and can still be found blooming into fall. These plants were blooming in Bird Park in Mount Lebanon.

    Conoclinium coelestinum
    Conoclinium coelestinum
    Photographed September 27 with a Kodak EasyShare Z981.

  • Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria)

    Verbascum blattaria

    The white form of Moth Mullein is the usual one around here, though the yellow form is more common in most of the range. This plant was growing along the Montour Trail in Moon Township. The close view above shows us the the “filaments all bearded with violet wool” that Asa Gray mentions in his description of the species. For that description and more, see the Verbascum blattaria reference page.

    Moth Mullein
    Photographed September 24 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

  • Snow-on-the-Mountain (Euphorbia marginata)

    Euphorbia marginata
    Photographed September 24 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

    Like its close relative the Poinsettia, this is a plant that makes most of its impression with brightly patterned upper leaves rather than spectacular flowers. These plants were growing on a streetside bank in Beechview.

    Snow-on-the-Mountain
    Photographed September 20 with a Kodak EasyShare Z981.

    For a description of the species, see the Euphorbia marginata reference page.

    Euphorbia marginata
    Snow-on-the-Mountain
    Euphorbia marginata

  • Tall Thoroughwort (Eupatorium altissimum)

    Eupatorium altissimum

    These dusty white thoroughworts are a Midwestern species that began to invade our area in the middle 1900s. They are now ubiquitous, but mostly along the railroads and highways by which they invaded.

    Tall Thoroughwort

    For a description of the species, see the Eupatorium altissimum reference page.

    Eupatorium altissimum
    Tall Thoroughwort
    Photographed September 24 with a Canon PowerShot SX150 IS.

  • Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare)

    Clinopodium vulgare

    More pictures of this pretty little mint growing along the Montour Trail in Moon Township. For a description of the species, see the Clinopodium vulgare reference page.

    Satureja vulgaris
    Wild Basil
    Clinopodium vulgare
    Clinopodium vulgare
    Wild Basil
    Photographed September 24 with a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.