Saturday, July 19, 2008

What IS That?

I really lucked out on this week's 'What IS That?' theme for PhotoHunt. It just so happened that I had made a post with almost that exact title only a few days before I started participating in PhotoHunt. Since at that time no one took a guess on what my photo was of I decided I would wait for this week's theme to post the photo again and then provide the answer.

It's not too hard to guess what it likely is in general, but if you are like I was you probably don't know its specific name.
Now play fair and guess (at least to yourself) before you click Read More to open the rest of the post and find out what it actually is.

I'm sure many of you guessed it was some kind of plant or the flower of a plant. If you did you are correct. This is the flower of the buttonbush plant. Buttonbush is an aquatic shrub that is natural through most of the eastern USA and all the way across the south. It is hardy and grows as far north as Nova Scotia. The plant typically grows around ponds, lakes, and streams or where the soil remains moist year-around. There are 3 or 4 of the shrubs along the pond.




The bush itself is not all that pretty, but it's flower gives it a special charm all its own.





The pincushion look of the flower is unique and the honey-like fragrance makes it a favorite of butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. In fact the plant is sometimes known as the Honeyball.

Most of our buttonbushes happen to be shaded by trees along the banks so they produce a limited number of flowers. Still, they are very interesting to watch as the flowers progress through their growth cycle from small bumpy green balls to white before they then develop the white pincushion appearance. As they continue to mature their colors evolve with portions becoming a brown or orange and even almost red in some cases. Evidently there are several varieties of the bush as the placement of the balls varies among several bushes we have.

The bush provides a wide variety of benefits within its environment. Ducks and other water fowl love the seed of the bush. Many birds find its dense foliage a safe haven and a suitable nesting site. It is a fast growing shrub and its roots provide a good erosion control tool.

Buttonbush plants are good for a naturalized setting in soggy soils, quick growing, and can be pruned ruthlessly if required. We also have another bush away from the pond that has grown much larger and produces a great number of the flowers, but I think I''ll save that one for a later post.


Weekly Theme - 'What IS That?

52 comments:

  1. LOL, my guess was off. I guessed some kind of sea creature.

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  2. i know it's a plant but i am not very good with plants' names. i dont even have a green thumb.

    thanks for sharing this. it is interesting.

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  3. We have a bunch of those in the arboretum here at the University, so I recognized them right away. I've taken lots of pictures of them, but I never knew their names. Thanks for all of the information!

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  4. thought it was a plant but certainly didn't know what kind...great photos

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  5. Great post and wonderful shots. I guessed it was the flower of a plant but couldn't think of the name of the plant. I enjoyed this a lot. Happy weekend.

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  6. I didn't know that name... but I love the silhouette shot!

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  7. I too thought it was a sea creature! Silly me. Great photo!

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  8. Dunno, but sure looks like it could be used as a Christmas tree ornament! Thanks for stopping by...

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  9. My guess was close... you're right, I didn't know the specifics... I've never seen those before but they are awesome cool!

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  10. At first I thought it was one of those thingys that falls off a sweetgum tree, then I was thinking a seed pod, then it reminded me of something we would draw with that game Spirograph we had as kids.

    Wonderful photos!

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  11. My guess was good: a plant or something like that. The name I didn't know. It sounds as if I should plant it in our garden to attract the butterflies we hardly see this summer.

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  12. Hey Tammy - Always good to see you visit

    Hi bingskee - Liked your camera pic - How soon people forget what was once cutting edge technology

    Welcome sallyacious - Looks like I'm going to have to check at the arboreteum on your blog - liked the tree photo

    Sandy - LOL - How did you teach him to yo-yo? And those insulators - a flash from the past - cool

    And Carver - You are quite the photo storyteller - great post on the theme

    Thank all of you for dropping by and commenting.

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  13. Hey there tnchick - Sorry to hear about your run-in with the wooly bully but at least you got a post out of it, lol

    Ladykli - Those were some pretty neat sculptures

    Hi june - Never would have guessed that creature you had posted, lol

    And you jc - lol - I'm still hearing the Twilight Zone theme song when I think about your theme post

    Annie - Loved the dragon though it did bring back memories, lol - And I'm familiar with sweetgum balls - we have quite a few around here

    Hey Carin - Remember they do best in very moist or even wet soil and need lots of sun to bloom. And your 'bug house' post was interesting.

    Thanks to all of you for visiting and comments - I really appreciate it

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  14. very nice!! my guess a dandelion was not correct. like yr. blog will poke around more later.

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  15. Looks like a balding chimney sweeps brush.

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  16. Like rdl I was thinking dandelion, but my excuse is that we don't have those in our country:) Great post!

    Thanks for visiting mine earlier.

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  17. That is a fascinating plant - new to me, at first I thought it was a hairbrush!

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  18. Great picture! Your blog is really interesting! :)

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  19. Hi rdl - Good guess - (Actually there are dandelions in the July 3 post) - Glad to hear your theme post was an old pic, lol

    Aileni - Welcome - Good guess - Never would have thought of that - And cool old car in your theme post

    Hello a - I forgot that this is primarily a North American plant - Loved your take on the theme - Not many had a sentimental take

    Hi starnitesky - Never thought of that either - Cool perspective on your theme post - Had me guessing

    Hello leslie - I'm still wondering how they get all those cars up there in your theme post, lol


    Thanks to all of you for visiting and for the kind comments - Hope to see you again

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  20. I figured it was some kind of plant or flower.But had no idea what kind. Very cool picture! Sneaky!

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  21. I have no idea what this picture is... but it is very cool for the theme today!

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  22. Oh my gosh..a blog about a pond. I thought I was the only one who liked to muck around the neighborhood pond. Would you like a few more snapping turtles? A blog right up my alley..

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  23. I really had no idea what it was before I read the post.
    Great photo.

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  24. Hello Sue - Me? Sneaky? NEVER, lol - I remember those pics of the kids - Now that was sneaky to get them to pose in front of the bush full of bees, lol

    Hey there sammawow - I saw that beetle in your post - up to 1/4 - that rates pretty high in my books, lol

    Well Hello michelle - Nice theme photo's and I bookmarked your blog for a later visit - Looks like we have a lot in common, lol. Perhaps you noticed my comment about the snapping turtles in the lists in the sidebar?

    yenjai - Welcome - That stylized chicken representation on your post was cool

    Thanks to all of you for the visits and the kind words - Hope you visit again soon

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  25. It's not a question of playing fair -- my knowledge of botany doesn't extend far enough to know what the name of the plant is! Did guess that it was a shadow of a plant though... just wondered whether it might be that of a dandelion's! ;b

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  26. That is a very cool plant. I love the silhouette of it. That really made me think, what is that?

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  27. :P I never would have guessed that, I was thinking a pin cushion or something! LOL

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  28. i've guessed its some sort of a flower but i didn't know the name of this. Thanks for sharing!!!

    Love the pics!!!!

    Pearl - happy weekend and do drop by if you have the time ;)

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  29. Wonderful! I thought it might be some kind of lichen fruit, but the reality is so much prettier. I don't know this plant at all - looks lovely!

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  30. I so love that first photo. I am thinking of a flower too but couldn't get a name to it. Hehhe.

    BTW you took beautiful photos around the garden.

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  31. I thought it was a flower but had no idea what kind! That is a great picture and I liked reading all of the information about it. Great take on the theme!

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  32. Hi Baker....I guessed a plant but not that particular one. In fact I am not familiar with that. What a lovely wildlife plant....seems to useful to a lot of creatures.....

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  33. Hello ytsl - Don't worry - I had no idea what they were either until someone told me the name and I could look them up - Cool pics on your theme post - Looked like the crabs were trying to make a get away, lol

    Hey there BenSpark - Looks like everyone wants a Cruzin Cooler, lol - Maybe you can get a commission

    Hawksdomain - Welcome - I'm surprised no one mentioned pincushion before - It was my first thought when I first saw the download of the photo - I've been laughing imagining the 'buzz' among the neighbors on that street in your theme post.

    hey pato n pearl - How are the ducks? Hope they weren't fightened by the giant dancing girl or the planets on a collision course in your theme post.

    I really appreciate the visits and your comments - Come back soon

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  34. Welcome dragonstar - Liked that cat pic on your theme post, lol - He look so curious about that TV, lol

    Hello mama meji - glad you got an answer to what that plant was on your theme post

    sammawow- Hello there - I was impressed that you not only still have those funny round things but also a case to carry them in and something to play them on, lol. Nice for the theme

    And cheryl - How's my Lady of the Isles and favorite gardner? Always a pleasure to have you visit.

    Thanks to all of you for visiting and for all the kind comments.

    I can understand why many visitors would not recognize the specific flower/plant. It is native only to North America I think, but I seem to recall in my research that it may have been introduced to a few other places as an erosion control plant in certain areas.

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  35. I love the contrasting colors and I want to come back and visit your blog. Great pictures!

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  36. Hi Baker....Iwas so busy looking at the butterfly, I didn't notice the bees.....why don't you join us every Sunday and do the safari, it is great fun and shows people what it going on in your corner of the world????

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  37. Those are really cool. We don't have them here. I was going to guess those flowers from the bulbs that have big bulbs sometimes the size of a kid's head. We have a small pond and just put some water plants in this year. It is pretty cold here so hopefully they will survive the winter.

    Thanks for visiting.

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  38. it's a sea urchin hanging upsidedown! :D
    btw,thanks for visiting my blog

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  39. Hmm, not sure what it is, but it's a great photo!

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  40. is that a flower of a tree? hmmmm.. just guessing:D

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  41. inland empire girl - hi there - I'm glad to see I was not the only one who was seeing images in your theme photo

    cheryl - those bees got by me too originally

    Hello dawn - never would has guessed what that was just outside your back door, lol

    merrymishaps - Welcome - We are going to have to figure out what those things were on your theme post

    cating - Still wondering what those little red things on your theme post were but great capture

    Hi willa - Does sort of look like some sea urchin doesn't it

    To all of you - thanks for the visit and comments - Hope you clicked on Read More to see what it actually was

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  42. wow! what a great idea!!!. really nice shots. Thanks for dropping by and yest you can have all my share with the seafood. lol..

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  43. what a perfect idea for this week's theme. Please drop by when you have time

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  44. I really had no idea and would not have guessed it was a plant. Very good choice for the theme. Thanks for stopping by mine!

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  45. A fabulous shot! I would have never guessed :)

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  46. elaiplane- WooHoo - I get the seafood, lol- I'll be right over

    lorelee - Glad you were around to help your friend when she needed you

    lynn - So you found out what your pic was - cool - I posted a critter that looks very similar a couple of weeks ago and wasn't sure what it was myself

    sandy c. - OK - We all want to know for sure - Ginger or Mary Ann??

    Thank all of you for visiting and for the kind comments

    Hope to see you again soon

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  47. i guessed correct! :) such love flower. thanks for stopping by.

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  48. That is a really cool bush!!
    Oh, I also replied to your comment on my photohunt photo. :)

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  49. mistyeiz - (cool name BTW) - Good guess and thanks for the visit

    sleepless stitch - Thanks for dropping by - I hope your friend appreciated the brake job, lol

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  50. Great shots! I really like the second one!


    Have a great weekend!
    Amanda

    http://www.amandasweeklyzen.com/2008/07/photohunters-hanging.html

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  51. Yup that is the same plant! Thanks for the info on the name, I never would have guessed that it gave off such amazing colour! Oh and thanks for the comment about the dragonfly shot!

    BTW, you have some amazing shots..what kind of camera are you using?

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  52. ellie - Thanks for stopping by and glad that was the same bush you saw. And thanks for the kind comments.

    About the camera, virtually all the photo's on the blog were taken with a regular point-and-shoot camera about 3-4 years old. It's a Kodak Easyshare DX6340. A nice little camera, but nothing really special compared to some similar models available today except that it does have a 4X zoom.

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Thanks for stopping by to visit our little pond. We would love to see you again real soon.