Wildflowers

The goal is to get better at identifying wildflowers. So I’m starting to use my bird routine on flowers: photograph, go home, and identify. Yesterday, KT and Peanut and I went for a drive around the Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, south of LaBelle, off Hwy 29. I was hoping for an afternoon shower, but it was clear and hot with plenty of flying insects. (Maybe insect IDs will be next.)

By far, the most plentiful, showiest blooms were the swamp rose-mallows.

The swamp rose-mallow flowers close by by mid-day.

Hibiscus moscheutos, swamp rose-mallow, later in the evening.

Pluchea odorata, saltmarsh fleabane

Two sandhill cranes in a wet field dotted with saltmarsh fleabane.