It’s no secret that I need new knees.
I wasn’t sure how bad the operation was going to be, so I let my wife get a new knee first. After watching her results of the first three weeks, and all the rehab, I have decided to limp forever.
Being the wonderful, gentle husband that I am, I have been driving her places just to get her out of the house — and in search of food. On one of these jaunts, I noticed a lot of violet blue wildflowers growing in fields and along the road. I thought they might be phlox, but phlox doesn’t bloom this early. I mentioned to my dear wife that I would have to ask botanist Paul Skuta what they were.
She said “They’re Sweet Williams.”
It’s a wonder I didn’t have the big one right there on Route 224. ”Carol the Cook” knowing an answer to a plant question — that I didn’t — almost caused me to roll the car.
It just so happens that this year, I have the same plant growing by the stream that flows through my yard. I began comparing that flower with photos of Sweet William. They didn’t look the same.
I contacted Paul Skuta and just as I suspected, they aren’t Sweet Williams.
Because of her delicate condition, I did not gloat, nor did I do my usual finger-pointing tribal dance, chanting that she was wrong. I’ll just let her gently read about it in the paper.
The plant now blooming in shades of blue, pink or white is the wildflower Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis). It’s in the mustard family, Brassicacea, and is related to the cabbage, broccoli and radish. I like Dames better than I like her relatives.
If you are into aromas and are an evening Dames Rocket sniffer, you will notice the sweet scent increases more then than sniffing it in the morning. No, you don’t get on a high from this.
Everyone in this family has a flower that has four petals and resembles a cross. If you look closely at Dames Rocket, you will notice a stalk with stems alternating off it. On these stems are the four petal flowers, alternately spaced on the stem.
If you observe the tall phlox, it has five petal flowers. The Sweet Williams also have 5 petals but with serrated edges. In the wild, they are mostly red with a white base, again proving my wife was wrong.
Dames Rocket is what you might call an attractive weed. It is a short-lived perennial. The first year only, the rosette leaves appear. The second year the 2- to 3-foot plant grows with plenty of blooms. It is very prolific at producing seeds in a long sac called a siliques. Birds eat these seeds, but not enough to control this weed.
If I lived in Connecticut, I would be breaking the law by having this flower in my yard. It is banned from Colorado, Connecticut and Massachusetts because it can take over native plants. It is originally from the Mediterranean region and was brought over by the early settlers.
I don’t have any good sources on how the plant got its name. We didn’t have rockets back then, and the song “There is Nothing Like a Dame” hadn’t been written yet. You do have my permission to sing it when you spot these wildflowers.
I guess I will have to get new knees someday, but I want to wait until my bikini wearing era is over. I’ll just put if off until they can replace it without pain, therapy or leaving a scar.
Make your space a green space.
Columns
Related Photos
Discussion
GREENSPACE: Dames look nice, smell sweet
- Columns
-
-
John K. Manna: Data shows importance of Philadelphia for Democrats
In the view of some political pundits, Pennsylvania is considered a swing state in the upcoming presidential election.
Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. The Democratic candidate has carried the commonwealth the last five times, including 2000 and 2004 when Republican George W. Bush was elected. -
Mitchel Olszak: Another medical truth falls by the wayside
Everybody knows that if you want to lower your risk of a heart attack, it’s important to raise your HDL level. The term refers to high-density lipoprotein, also known as “good” cholesterol. It’s the opposite of low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” cholesterol that blocks coronary arteries and causes heart attacks.
-
Dave Ramsey: It’s my food and my roof!
“Dave Says" is a weekly column featuring financial advice from nationally syndicated radio host Dave Ramsey. His column is filled with timely, relevant questions and answers taken from actual letters and calls on Ramsey's radio program, “The Dave Ramsey Show.”
-
Mitchel Olszak: Politics of marriage makes lots of money
Excitement raged across the political spectrum last week when President Obama came out in support of gay marriage. I yawned. The news didn’t strike me as particularly dramatic.
-
Mitchel Olszak: GOP dispute is matter for the party, not the law
John Altman is someone I would describe as a good citizen. You may not always agree with him, but he is involved and active in the community in a variety of ways. A frequent candidate for New Castle City Council, Altman has never won elected office, but he keeps trying.
-
John K. Manna: County residents classify themselves in assorted ways
Here’s a fun fact about some Lawrence County residents. It’s a fact that I bet only a handful — a small hand at that — are aware of. And the fact is that 2,141 county residents have no affiliation.
-
Dave Ramsey: Short term or greater good?
“Dave Says" is a weekly column featuring financial advice from nationally syndicated radio host Dave Ramsey. His column is filled with timely, relevant questions and answers taken from actual letters and calls on Ramsey's radio program, “The Dave Ramsey Show.”
-
Mitchel Olszak: Lavish spending reflects badly on government
Boy, those federal employees sure now how to live it up. At least that’s the impression. Recent revelations about a 2010 conference conducted by the General Services Administration have made it a symbol for government excess and arrogance. The conference cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and included such expenses as magicians and commemorative medals.
-
Dave Ramsey: Frustration along the way?
“Dave Says" is a weekly column featuring financial advice from nationally syndicated radio host Dave Ramsey. His column is filled with timely, relevant questions and answers taken from actual letters and calls on Ramsey's radio program, “The Dave Ramsey Show.”
-
Lawrence Corvi: Marcellus Shale — a lot more good than bad
Lawrence and Mercer county business leaders recently learned more about how Marcellus Shale development is impacting our area. Most of the news seemed to be good, but those in attendance were reminded it’s still early in the game for one of the biggest stori
- More Columns Headlines
-
