May 3, 2013
Shattered glass makes a little pool in a field of Crown Vetch, Curly Dock, and many other species on Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia. We’re firmly in the second-most exciting time of the year for urban weeds: proper spring. It is the time of year when you’re expected to place bets on which areas will thrive, which will burn out too quickly, which will get greedy and result in mowing, and which plants will successfully reclaim spaces for the long haul. This particular lot, while looking great at the moment, is in danger of getting too greedy early on in the season. All of the stalks of Curly Dock are almost chest-high and it’s the beginning of May. I fear their highly visible spot next to an Irish bar on Frankford Avenue will result in a mow in a few weeks, sadly. As a footnote, the most exciting time of year for urban weeds is very late summer, where you can see the progress made during the growing season, and admire the most aggressive of plants at their prime, just before things hunker down for fall.

Shattered glass makes a little pool in a field of Crown Vetch, Curly Dock, and many other species on Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia.

We’re firmly in the second-most exciting time of the year for urban weeds: proper spring. It is the time of year when you’re expected to place bets on which areas will thrive, which will burn out too quickly, which will get greedy and result in mowing, and which plants will successfully reclaim spaces for the long haul.

This particular lot, while looking great at the moment, is in danger of getting too greedy early on in the season. All of the stalks of Curly Dock are almost chest-high and it’s the beginning of May. I fear their highly visible spot next to an Irish bar on Frankford Avenue will result in a mow in a few weeks, sadly.

As a footnote, the most exciting time of year for urban weeds is very late summer, where you can see the progress made during the growing season, and admire the most aggressive of plants at their prime, just before things hunker down for fall.

5:51pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vk8p6UO
(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: philly philadelphia weeds overgrown fishtown crown vetch grass field spring curly dock 
March 27, 2013
Frequent collaborators Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) & Veronica are seen popping up in an abandoned lot as spring begins on North Marshall Street in Philadelphia.

Frequent collaborators Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) & Veronica are seen popping up in an abandoned lot as spring begins on North Marshall Street in Philadelphia.

5:27pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vhGYoat
(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: spring philly weeds abandoned lot philadelphia blooms flowers 
March 21, 2013
Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) pushing through a concrete sidewalk on the first day of Spring (yesterday), in Philadelphia. It’s snowing today, but the street weeds have started to make a stealthy appearance.

Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) pushing through a concrete sidewalk on the first day of Spring (yesterday), in Philadelphia. It’s snowing today, but the street weeds have started to make a stealthy appearance.

10:16am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vgme9Ws
(Notes: 3)
  
Filed under: philly weeds philadelphia common groundsel senecio vulgaris sidewalk spring 
June 3, 2012
Crown Vetch (Securigera varia) beautifying a sidewalk in an industrial section of Philadelphia. While looking fragile and delicate, Crown Vetch is quite tough and aggressive, and can thrive in waste areas and roadsides.

Crown Vetch (Securigera varia) beautifying a sidewalk in an industrial section of Philadelphia. While looking fragile and delicate, Crown Vetch is quite tough and aggressive, and can thrive in waste areas and roadsides.

2:23pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vMh3yIx
Filed under: weeds philadelphia philly sidewalk crown vetch bloom spring 
May 4, 2012
Wildflowers brightening up an overgrown area near the stretch of I-95 that buzzes by Northern Liberties in Philadelphia. (haven’t been able to identify them yet)

Wildflowers brightening up an overgrown area near the stretch of I-95 that buzzes by Northern Liberties in Philadelphia. (haven’t been able to identify them yet)

10:48am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vKs9mYV
(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: abandoned bloom overgrown spring weeds wildflowers philly 
April 24, 2012
Non-native & invasive mature Princess Trees are in full bloom currently in Philadelphia. I may have mentioned it before, but just early colonization of an empty urban space isn’t always enough. There’s a threshold that has to be reached before the weeds can relax, and be considered assimilated; no longer seen as an eyesore. Several of the specific weeds previously seen on Urban Flora have since been removed (Common Mullein on Spring Garden, Curly Dock on 2nd Street, for example), having outlived their welcome — possibly not picking the most discreet space, or daring to grow a little too quickly in early spring. This Princess Tree (of the Paulownia genus) has surpassed the time of risking destruction. Especially during the brief blooming period in April, chopping down a tree this large would draw negative attention - it has made it in Philly.

Non-native & invasive mature Princess Trees are in full bloom currently in Philadelphia.

I may have mentioned it before, but just early colonization of an empty urban space isn’t always enough. There’s a threshold that has to be reached before the weeds can relax, and be considered assimilated; no longer seen as an eyesore. Several of the specific weeds previously seen on Urban Flora have since been removed (Common Mullein on Spring Garden, Curly Dock on 2nd Street, for example), having outlived their welcome — possibly not picking the most discreet space, or daring to grow a little too quickly in early spring.

This Princess Tree (of the Paulownia genus) has surpassed the time of risking destruction. Especially during the brief blooming period in April, chopping down a tree this large would draw negative attention - it has made it in Philly.

11:01pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vKH8-zh
(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: princess tree philly spring bloom weeds 
April 9, 2012
Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) growing along an old iron roof structure, a few stories up in Philadelphia.

Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) growing along an old iron roof structure, a few stories up in Philadelphia.

7:55am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vJMEq68
Filed under: wisteria bloom spring philly 
March 16, 2012
The first dandelion I’ve seen of the season in Philadelphia. In an overgrown, trash-filled patch of grass in front of a vacant building in Spring Garden.

The first dandelion I’ve seen of the season in Philadelphia. In an overgrown, trash-filled patch of grass in front of a vacant building in Spring Garden.

6:22pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vI5JYPE
Filed under: weeds dandelion philly philadelphia spring 
March 9, 2012
Spring in full bloom, beside a discarded tire in an abandoned lot at the edge of Fishtown, Philadelphia. Update: The lower blue flowers are likely Veronica, and the taller, purple flowers are likely Henbit (which makes sense, as its a member of the mint family, and you can see the leaves look very similar to mint’s). Thanks for the ID for those!

Spring in full bloom, beside a discarded tire in an abandoned lot at the edge of Fishtown, Philadelphia.

Update: The lower blue flowers are likely Veronica, and the taller, purple flowers are likely Henbit (which makes sense, as its a member of the mint family, and you can see the leaves look very similar to mint’s).

Thanks for the ID for those!

9:30am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vHicFNf
Filed under: fishtown philly spring tire weeds wildflowers henbit veronica 
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