What is it Wednesday: August 12, 2020

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

August 12, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This pretty flower is shrubby St. Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum),
growing near Baker Chapel at Lutherlyn. 

It is related to common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) and has a very similar flower and leaves, but instead of an herbaceous plant with a soft stem, it is a small shrub with woody stems.

Shrubby St. Johnswort is native to North America, while common St. Johnswort and other varieties originated in Europe and have been naturalized here. Additional varieties grow all around the world. Common St. Johnswort is the only variety that is used as a medicinal herb, often in tea as a remedy for mild depression. This is a good reminder to be certain exactly what plant is used for which purposes, and which plant you actually have found, before using a wild plant for food or as medicinal herbs.

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!