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Author Topic: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)  (Read 26289 times)

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #40 on: July 27, 2007, 04:04:28 pm »
Your 'unknown ornamantal" is monarda, or bee balm. My Honeybees are never on it. The bumbles are all over it, as are hummingbirds. Can be invasive in some varities and can be used in teas. Many colors available. Some people call it bergamot. Smells nice when you rub the leaves.
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Offline Bennettoid

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #41 on: July 27, 2007, 04:07:34 pm »
Last one looks like Rose of Sharon?

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #42 on: July 27, 2007, 04:19:09 pm »
2nd one has leaves like mint family, but never saw purple mint flowers, only white before. Bees love mint. Agree w/ rose of sharon. Another plant i have never seen bees on in my yard.
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Offline TwT

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #43 on: July 27, 2007, 09:00:30 pm »
I have whats called a sweet mint or its also a pepper mint plant, it has purple flowers , here is one like mine below

« Last Edit: July 29, 2007, 02:05:39 am by TwT »
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #44 on: July 28, 2007, 11:23:26 am »
Dane, what you have going on at your place is more than I could ever want to believe, it has astounded me.  The second picture that you posted has a very similar look to what I grow called Phacelia Tanacetifolia.  They are not the same plant, but the stamens and colour of the flowers look identical.  The bees go nuts on them. 

I loved your pictures, and gazed at them with astonishment, and the story that goes along with them is cool too.  You have probably the biggest honey flow in the world on your property  :).  You are a lucky dude, yeah!!!  Good for you and your bees.  If the beekeepers even had a portion of what you've got going on there, the world would be a really happy place for the bees  :)

Keep bringing on the pictures.  Love to see them.

Ted, that is really pretty that mint flower that you posted.  I have spearmint gone wild.  I haven't had a chance to check its growth yet, and it has gone to the dark side.  BUT....yep, my flowers all over it look similar to your mint plant flowers.

The lemonbalm is going to bloom this year.  I planted it last year and it did not flower, this year all the plants are covered in buds that are going to burst into bloom any day now.

I have taken pics of alot of the bee plants out the back, just haven't had the time to post some pics, but I will be doing so one day soon.  Have a wonderful day, best life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: flower IDs
« Reply #45 on: July 28, 2007, 12:48:38 pm »
Thanks for the kind replies and flower IDs.  :)

konasdad ~> you're correct on the monarda/bergamon/bee-balm.  One of my neighbors whom I asked had mentioned that (but I forgot).  I really love bergamot tea.  :lol:
The "rose of sharon" is probably correct too, though these flowers don't have the large, central stamen and single-plane petal structure I see on most of the Hibiscus syriacus (e.g. ~> ), the  "blushing bride" cultivar looks quite similar.

Cindi ~> Yes, the flower color and structure of Phacelia Tanacetifolia looks very similar indeed.  I'm going to collect some leaves and flowers and see if they smell minty later today.

& thanks!  I do feel truly blessed and lucky to have such an ideal location.  That being said, the extensive landscaping and fact that EVERYTHING GROWS here makes for a lot of work!  Yesterday I spent a few hours pulling vines that had become entwined with roses and blackberries and even launched up into some trees from their arbors in a neglected part of my yard.  Gah - turn your back for a moment here and you'll get overgrown!  :-P

Cheers,
Dane

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #46 on: July 28, 2007, 11:44:54 pm »
I've got a load of that sweet mint Ted mentioned.  The bees love it, it seems to bloom forever around here.  It is invasive though, Started with a few plants from natural disimination 10 years ago and have it all over nearly a 1/2 acre.   
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Offline Dane Bramage

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"purple mint"
« Reply #47 on: July 29, 2007, 01:59:33 am »
I think I've an ID on that "purple mint":
<img src="http://i14.tinypic.com/6gsjlm0_th" border="0"><img src="http://i13.tinypic.com/4m36smb_th" border="0"><img src="http://i11.tinypic.com/5zenrma_th" border="0">

& mint is the correct family.  I think it's some sort of lavender (no idea which species).  At least the flowers smell unmistakably of lavender (the leaves are kind of minty).

Offline tillie

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #48 on: July 29, 2007, 10:22:17 am »
The stem of mint and members of the mint family is square - does yours have a square stem?

Linda T in ATlanta

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #49 on: July 29, 2007, 11:30:13 am »
Hi Linda,

"Square stems"?  Hmmm, not that I noticed.  Does lavender have square stems? 
Quote
"The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of about 25-30 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae,...".
 
Are you certain that all members of the mint family have square stems?  (with "210 genera and some 3,500 species" seems a lot of variety).
Quote
"The stems are frequently square in cross section, but this is not found in all members of the family, and is sometimes found in other plant families."

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #50 on: July 29, 2007, 12:18:28 pm »
Hi Linda,

"Square stems"?  Hmmm, not that I noticed.  Does lavender have square stems?

Yes, Lavender has square stems.
Quote
"The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of about 25-30 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae,...".
 
Quote
Are you certain that all members of the mint family have square stems?  (with "210 genera and some 3,500 species" seems a lot of variety).


Yes, all members of the mint family have square stems.

Quote
"The stems are frequently square in cross section, but this is not found in all members of the family, and is sometimes found in other plant families."

I have yet to find a member of the mint branch of the family Lamiaceae that doesn't have square stems.

As for your plant being a lavender, it's not, there are no lavenders that have that type of leaf.  A lavender scented mint, there does seem to be one, as shown here in the perennial section, but I have no idea what the variety name would be.

Offline Dane Bramage

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Mentha piperita cv. lavender mint?
« Reply #51 on: July 29, 2007, 04:12:05 pm »
Hi Ann,

Thank you!  I think we have a winner with the lavender mint!  I found a similar looking mint here "Mentha x piperita 'Citrata'" (w/lavender flowers)



& the description (visual, no scent detailed) of this one fits.

Whew!  What a mystery.  :roll:

Regarding all mints being square stemmed, I'll have to take a closer look at this one to see if it is an exception.  Maybe Wiki is lying to us! (oh the horror!!, lol!).  You wrote "I have yet to find a member of the mint branch of the family Lamiaceae that doesn't have square stems.".  Is not Lamiaceae the mint family?  (not trying to pick nits, just trying to learn).

Thanks again!

Offline Mountaineerfan

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #52 on: July 29, 2007, 06:41:59 pm »
Afternoon, Dane! 
I had some of that red honey/nectar before.  I actually had several cells full, and finally determined the cause:  A hummingbird feeder!! 

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Mentha piperita cv. lavender mint?
« Reply #53 on: July 29, 2007, 09:44:05 pm »

Regarding all mints being square stemmed, I'll have to take a closer look at this one to see if it is an exception.  Maybe Wiki is lying to us! (oh the horror!!, lol!).  You wrote "I have yet to find a member of the mint branch of the family Lamiaceae that doesn't have square stems.".  Is not Lamiaceae the mint family?  (not trying to pick nits, just trying to learn).

Thanks again!
Well, Salvias are in the Lamiaceae, so are (as you discovered) Lavenders - that's what I meant.  Not all Lamiaceae members are known by the common name 'mint'.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #54 on: July 30, 2007, 03:24:56 am »
Possibly, catmint, catnip, one in the same?  I grew catnip last year, but I think the flowers were white.  Wonderful day, great life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #55 on: July 30, 2007, 09:06:25 am »
Possibly, catmint, catnip, one in the same?  I grew catnip last year, but I think the flowers were white.  Wonderful day, great life.  Cindi
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the species catnip, it does have white flowers, mine's blooming right now.  Those seedheads will be removed tout suite, or I'll have catnip everywhere!

Catmint (Nepeta x faassen is one, Nepeta siberica is taller, there are others) is in the same family but has blue flowers and, I think, is much showier.  Cats will go for it, but not as voraciously as they will true catnip.

If it wasn't raining cats and dogs out there (as the scroll across the bottom of my weather station says  :lol: ) I'd take pictures of them, maybe later....

Offline michelleb

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #56 on: July 30, 2007, 05:11:15 pm »
This has been a fun thread to cruise through! I'm not too far from Dane, and am in a more urban area (well, at least three of my colonies are) but it's cool to see how just a few miles can impact honey flow.

Dane, I just now came in from checking out those backyard hives. It's been a few weeks since I've given them any room, but they weren't as packed up as you and I guessed they might be. I added supers to each, though, and noted that I'll have an excellent crop of both comb and extracted honey!

My colonies out in Clackamas County are doing well, but most of them started a bit later, from bare foundation or starter strips. The starter strips get drawn and filled the fastest, but overall, that yard's been a bit slower.

Here in my neighborhood, folks are into "full-contact gardening", so there's always something blooming. My lavender plants and flowering oregano have been covered in bees, as have my mammoth gray stripes.

Interestingly, the honey in these backyard hives is bright, bright yellow. Almost flourescent. Pardon me, but "pee" from somebody who takes too many vitamins comes to mind!  :-P Any idea what that could be? I didn't taste it, so can't go there. Hoping it's not all the Queen Anne's Lace, which I hear is nasty-flavored...

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Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #57 on: July 31, 2007, 03:35:58 pm »
Greetings all!  Another gorgeous day here in the PNW for harvesting honey.  8-)

G'day Mountaineerfan ~> hummingbird feeders eh?  Are you (or one of your neighbors) dyeing the sugar solution red?  I've seen the red flowered and tubed feeders but did not realize people actually dye the feeder syrup (or perhaps it is sold dyed commercially).  That would be disappointing (for me) - I was hoping for a natural red nectar source.  I guess I can take solace in that it was just one single cell (so far).

Ann/reinbeau ~> gotchya on the common name.  I'd personally had not considered lavender, salvia nor any of the other myriad genera of the family Lamiaceae as "mint".  But, I'm no botanist - so please forgive my pedantic clinging to the latin classifications.
Love to see the catnip pics when/if you get the opportunity!

Hi Cindi ~> I've got some catnip just starting to flower here.  Looking white so far.  BTW - did you get your kombucha culture sorted?

Hi Michelle ~> a few miles can impact honey flow indeed eh?  I was corresponding with a few other beek neighbors earlier in the season and was surprised at how late they had to feed, the rate of hive development, etc.,.  Bees having a reported typical range off 2 miles, I think we definitely could say we deal with "nectar micro-climates".
I imagine those "full contact" (lol!) gardeners surely help!  :lol:
Fluorescent yellow honey eh?  Yes, that would be the Vitamin B supplement overdose honey!   :shock:  hahaha!  I have no idea on the source of that one (sorry).  Are you collecting pollen from same hives?  I've found that, although not being definitive, it really helps me with identifying source nectar plants.  I still am collecting the dark purple sweet pollen from the purple loosestrife but am getting a steady increase in light yellow pollen now as well.  Take a taste of that stuff and report back please!!

Cheers,
Dane

Offline Cindi

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #58 on: August 01, 2007, 01:45:35 am »
Dane, nope, no lucky on the mother.  My cousin "lost" hers about a year ago, got busy with life and it wasted away.  I have googled kombucha and there are some pretty interesting sites. 

http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/how-do-i-make-kombucha.asp

I am heading off to see my oldest daughter, about a 4 hour trip away and bringing back our grandsons who went up there for a visit.  When I get back I am going to our local health food store, Roots, and see if they may have kombucha starter or know where I can locally get some.  If not, hey, Dane, I'll check out if these organisms can be imported into Canada and maybe you can brew me a baby and send me up one  ;).  I'd recompensate for any postage (or maybe trade you for some of my honey  :)

Have a wonderful day, best of this life we're livin'.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Mountaineerfan

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Re: Flow ~> *Accelerating* (image intensive thread)
« Reply #59 on: August 01, 2007, 09:48:09 am »
Hey Dane!
Yes, I believe the "hummingbird food" that is sold with the feeders is red.  At least the last batch my wife mixed up came out like that.  Reminded me of kool-aid.  I don't know if the color attracts the birds, or if it just lets you know when the solution is getting low.  Oh well!
Have a great day!