Geranium maculatum; Geraniaceae (geranium family)

Podophyllum peltatum;  Berberidaceae (barberry family)

Arisaema triphyllum; Araceae (arum family)

Houstonia caerulea; Rubiaceae (madder family)

These just make me smile.  I love how they grow right out of rocks and poor soils.  I love how dainty they are.  Damn hard to photograph, though, as the slightest breeze gets them going.

To gardeners, a weed is a plant growing where it isn’t wanted.  Chickweed is certainly a weed to anyone who tends lawn or garden, but what is it to the wildflower enthusiast?  Depends on which chickweed you mean. There are two alien invasive chickweeds, common chickweed (Stellaria media) and mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium fontanun).

But there are two native chickweeds that are a joy to see on the trail.  Here’s field chickweed (Cerastium arvense)

and here’s star chickweed (Stellaria pubera)   Chickweeds are in the Caryophyllaceae (pinks family).