flowers

Devil’s Paintbrush /  by Todd Henson

A devil’s paintbrush

During a trip to New Hampshire my eyes were almost constantly drawn to these beautiful and bright patches of orange and yellow along the sides of so many roads. When we stopped to get a better look my father said it was a flower they call devil’s paintbrush up in that area and it was considered a weed. And yet I found it beautiful.

A devil’s paintbrush bouquet, view 1

Devil’s paintbrush is also known as orange hawkweed, more formally referred to as Pilosella aurantiaca and Hieracium aurantiacum. It is native to alpine regions of central and southern Europe and was introduced at some point long ago to North America. It’s classified as a noxious weed in some non-native regions in the United States and yet is protected in some of its native regions.

A devil’s paintbrush bouquet, view 2

A devil’s paintbrush bouquet, view 3

Do you enjoy these posts?

Sign up to receive periodic emails with updates and thoughts. Don’t worry, I won’t spam you. And please consider purchasing artwork or products from my online store, and using my affiliate links in the sidebar to the right when shopping online.

I appreciate your support!

Variations on a Theme: Wild Geranium - Spring 2025 /  by Todd Henson

While out photographing trilliums in spring my eye was also drawn to the many wild geranium blooms. I chose one particular subject that included both bud and bloom and got to work experimenting with different variations. In the end I had two versions I liked.

For the first variation I went for horizontal framing and chose a bolder, darker, more vibrant portrayal. This image is a 2-photo focus stack for a slight bit of added depth of field, though it doesn’t really add much.

Variation 1: Bolder, darker, more vibrant

For the second variation I went for square framing and chose a softer, lighter and brighter portrayal.

Variation 2: Softer, lighter, brighter

Which, if either, do you prefer? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Do you enjoy these posts?

Sign up to receive periodic emails with updates and thoughts. Don’t worry, I won’t spam you. And please consider purchasing artwork or products from my online store, and using my affiliate links in the sidebar to the right when shopping online.

I appreciate your support!

Is Spiderwort in Virginia “Virginia Spiderwort”? /  by Todd Henson

Spiderwort after the rain

Far too infrequently I stumble upon some spiderwort growing and blooming in the wild. I’ve always loved the flowers, the rich and vibrant violet-blue petals, the bright yellow anthers, the busy filaments that cluster between anther and petal and resemble blue webbing. Their color seems to stand out even in the shade, and this is a plant that can grow in both sun and shade.

Though spiderwort flowers only last a day or two they keep producing buds throughout the blooming season

In this case, though, the plants were in the yard of some friends who live in the mountains surrounded by absolutely beautiful forested creek-side scenery. And closer to the house are flowers and plants like this. To walk outside everyday during the blooming season and see a bouquet of these spiderworts? Fantastic!

A single spiderwort flower amongst many buds

As for the question in the title of this post, there are at least a couple different species of spiderwort native to Virginia (Tradescantia subaspera and Tradescantia virginiana), and I am not always the most skilled at narrowing down identification to a specific species. But I’ll answer the question of whether spiderwort in Virginia is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) as: quite possibly, and perhaps even likely. I believe that’s the case with these flowers, though I’m not 100% certain. If you know more please comment below and let me know. And I hope you’ve enjoyed viewing these lovely flowers.

Spiderwort blues

Do you enjoy these posts?

Sign up to receive periodic emails with updates and thoughts. Don’t worry, I won’t spam you. And please consider purchasing artwork or products from my online store, and using my affiliate links in the sidebar to the right when shopping online.

I appreciate your support!