During our rainy season all plants from big trees to the smallest of weeds compete each other for the sun and water. It is survival of the fittest at its best. Even the understory of trees are full of greens, shrubs and vines. But most of these are commonly called weeds, or plants not normally useful for people or animals. They are volunteers and have the capacity to grow and complete their life cycle in the shortest available favorable conditions.
These plants also produce a lot of seeds naturally endowed with mechanisms to be transported to long distances by many carriers, like humans, animals, insects, winds and water. And one thing humans detest about them is their capacity of being invasive or colonizer. But in my case, I love many of them because they are favorite of butterflies, either as host plants for caterpillars or nectar plants for the adults. They abound around our vicinity in the province, and I now compete with the butterflies in getting close to these weeds.
This is almost only one foot in height, and those flowers are tiny! I love these different stages of blooms.
Mimosa diplotricha bloom, about 1.5 cm in diameter
those white flowers at the bottom are already the seeds ready for dispersal, the white parts are propagules to spread them by air
Centrosema pubescens - a leguminous vine
a petal of this is about half a centimeter in width, it is a monocot weed
This is a bushy vine producing those off-whitish flowers. The plant grows wildly and very difficult to control, even the roots left on the soil will still grow. Only adult insects love this, nothing seems to eat the leaves.
(i wonder why the images don't appear well above)
Beautiful photography! So often, I think many weeds I find in the garden are a lovely as those blooms intentionally planted. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteThese flowers are too beautiful to be called 'weeds', but I suppose it's not the look that classifies what's weed and what's not!
ReplyDeleteThe Centrosema is such an unusual shape, I like it.
ReplyDeleteWeeds or not...they are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI think your weeds are wonderful. They make such interesting photos because they have unpredictable form. Pretty images Andrea..
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking photos of these beauties! It is always surprising how in some places plants are considered weeds and in others they are prized plants. Yours are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures! I like your weeds very much. Happy Bloom Day.
ReplyDeletethey are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWeeds or not, I still think they're very pretty.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that your photographs bring out the beauty of the weeds which are normally ignored and under-appreciated.
ReplyDeletedefinitely! i have photos of some of these, too.:p
ReplyDeletethe one in the first photo grows side by side with a gumamela in a pot. my mother calls it agas-moro--tama ba yon?:p
beautiful photos!
Trumpet Vine
I let the weeds grow in my gardens this year - too infirm and lazy to address them - and throughout the season, they produced the most interesting of seeds and blossoms....All plants were weeds before cultivation, right? and 'invasive'? My day lilies are 'invasive', as are the grasses I purchased! Wonderful flower/weed pix....
ReplyDeleteI commented the other day to someone, that if you love the plant, then it is not a weed at all.
ReplyDeleteCute little flowers.
Your art of capturing the beauty of these flowers is amazing...you really have the artistic eye and I adore these blooms...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these beauties that we can so easily overlook.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, I love your GBBD post about weeds, many gardeners battle furiously to get ride of them, but we need them, we just have to learn how make them work for us. It''s about a sustainable world, great job your are doing with this blog!
ReplyDeleteYes they do! Pretty photos.
ReplyDeleteYellow Buttercup
Beautiful captures!
ReplyDeleteCalendula Officinalis
All the blooms have a beauty of their own, although we call them weeds. Your photos are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, What a fun idea, featuring weeds. It is nice for gardeners to know what they are whether they want to save them or get rid of them. Carolyn
ReplyDeleteI think the first capture is my favourite, although it is a close call...
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about loving weeds! This week, I have been capturing milkweed, which is one of the most hated weeds around!
Those are some beautiful weeds!
ReplyDeleteLate visit from Today's Flower.
Water Lilies
You have a delightful outlook on weeds and can almost convince me to love them too-almost:) I do have to admire anything that can grow and complete its life cycle so quickly and so adaptably. You have some beautiful ones!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! So many beautiful flowers you've shared with us today. Thank you so much and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see your wild flowers for Bloom Day. I especially love the Mimosa. -Jean
ReplyDelete