Plants of the Week Sept 22-28
Prickly Pear (Opuntia littoralis) and Sowthistle Chickory (Cichorium intybus)
Prickly Pear Image from: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Opuntia#mediaviewer/ File:Opuntia_littoralis_var_vaseyi_4.jp
Post by Brigid Quinn
Species: Prickly Pear (Opuntia littoralis)
One of my favorite plants is the Prickly Pear Cactus or also known as Opuntia from the cactus family, Cactacea, which grows in deserts in the Southwest region. Coming from desert terrain I would say its always nice to see a prickly pear cactus because of the flowers that bloom out of it in yellow, red, or purple, and add a pop of color to the dry brown desert landscape. Prickly pear cactus is also one of my favorite plants because of the nectar it produces, which can be added to just about any food or drink and adds great flavor as well has a bright vibrant pinkish color.
Sowthistle Chickory (Picture found at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/insanely-cool-conversation-piece-plants-for-your-garden#2spjzgv)
Post by Natacha Danon
Species: Sowthistle Chickory (Cichorium intybus)
This wild plant grows on roadsides and meadows in Britain, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe, and has been naturalized in North America and Australia. The flower petals are cultivated for use in salads and the roots are baked and ground for use as a coffee substitute. The chicory also has a long history of use in herbal medicine as a tonic for the liver and digestive tract.