One of the most common questions I’m asked this time of year is: what are these berries on my tree? In many cases, the answer is Crab Apples (Malus spp.)! On PEI (and probably elsewhere), it’s common to call any wild Apple a Crab Apple. But technically, a Crab Apple tree consistently produces fruit less than five centimetres (two inches) in diameter at maturity. That means most or all of the fruit is that size, every year. A tree sporting Apples in a variety of sizes, or la

Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. My inbox is overflowing with the question “why are so many Maple trees losing their leaves early this year”? In the trees I’ve seen, it’s due to Tar Spot fungus (Rhytisma acerinum). Tar Spot is the common name for several species of fungi in our region. There are a couple of native versions that infect native maples and willows, but the type that’s most prevalent now is

I get lots of questions about where to find certain PEI plants, but three species top the list: Common Elderberry, Serviceberry, and today’s subject: Mugwort (aka Common Wormwood Artemisia vulgaris). Unlike Elderberry and Serviceberry, Mugwort is not native to PEI. It was brought to North America as a culinary and medicinal plant in the 1600s and has been well-established on the Island since at least the mid-1800s. Mugwort is a perennial that spreads primarily by rhizomes

Today’s PEI plant is one that I’ve received many questions about, along with a request to do a post on it. So, meet Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamera)! If these flowers remind you of tomato or potato blossoms, give yourself a gold star. Bittersweet Nightshade is in the same family (and the same genus) as those domestic crops, and is related to other familiar species including eggplant, peppers (both sweet and hot), gogi berries, and tobacco. Bittersweet Nightshade

This week, we’re looking at a couple of edible non-native wildflowers that are in season right now. On Monday, it was Tufted Vetch; today we have Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare). Most people are familiar with Ox-eye Daisy’s distinctive white petals (ray flowers) surrounding the golden-yellow centre (disk flowers). This cheerful-looking plant can be found across the Island, pushing up through cracks in sidewalks, growing among the stone landscaping of highway dividers, l

This week, we’re looking at a couple of edible non-native wildflowers that are in season right now. First up: Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca). Tufted Vetch is a member of the Pea Family (Fabaceae) with clusters of purple flowers at the ends of stalks that arise from the leaf axils. (If you look closely at a flower cluster in person, you’ll see that each tiny blossom resembles a little bird with its beak against the flower stalk). Vetch leaves are like narrow versions of garden

There are some PEI plants that, when I find them, suggest there was once a homestead nearby. Wild Apples and abandoned Lilacs are two examples, but so too is Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale). Comfrey is native to Europe and parts of Asia and was brought to North America as a medicinal and ornamental plant in the 1600s. This plant’s name attests to its long history of medicinal use: Symphytum is from ancient Greek words meaning ‘unite’ and ‘a plant’, while officinale wa

If you’ve been travelling in central PEI lately, you’ve likely noticed a showy roadside tree with dense clusters of white flowers along the topsides of its branches – gardeners may be reminded of a giant version of the popular Bridal Wreath Spirea. This is English Hawthorne (Crataegus monogyna) and it’s having a banner year! PEI has several native species of Hawthornes that hybridize readily, making them notoriously hard to tell apart. However, our non-native English Hawtho

Some PEI plants are inextricably linked with people – not only in how the species arrived here, but also in their ongoing social and cultural value. I can think of no better example than the Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Lilacs are not native to North America but were among the earliest flowers brought by European settlers. Considering the harsh conditions and limited space on ships crossing the North Atlantic in the 17th century – not to mention the utilitarian worldvie

Public awareness of invasive species is high now, but that hasn’t always been the case. In the 1800s, if a foreign plant was edible, medicinal, or pretty, it was brought to North America without much thought. As a result, we are now dealing with dozens of problematic species, including invasive Honeysuckles. Tartarian Honeysuckle (Lonicera tartarica) was introduced to North America from Asia in the 1840s as an ornamental garden shrub. The same traits that make it attractive

I love flowering tree season on PEI. Right now, roadsides and hedgerows are alive with blossoms of Chokecherry, Pin Cherry, Hawthorne, Serviceberry and soon, the showiest of all: wild Apple. Unlike many of our other familiar fruit, Apples are not native to PEI. Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, and wild Cherries have all been here for thousands of years, but Apples were brought by the earliest settlers in the 1700s. Given the limited and unpredictable nature of wild

Birds may not be the first animals that come to mind when you think winter wildlife tracks, but some of our avian neighbours spend more time walking than flying. Two good examples are Ruffed Grouse and Ring-necked Pheasant. When identifying bird tracks, toe arrangement is a helpful place to start. Here we see three long toes pointing forward and one short toe pointing back in what’s called the Game Bird arrangement. Only four PEI bird species sport feet like these, and so r

You may think of summer as peak season for PEI’s wild berries, but a few tasty treats are at their best this time of year. One of my fall favourites is Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (aka Canada Mayflower, Maianthemum canadense). Wild Lily-of-the-Valley is NOT the same as the popular garden plant of the same name. The sweet-smelling European Lily-of-the-Valley ( Convallaria majalis ) contains toxic cardiac glycosides that can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and irregular heart

Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. I recently received this...

Late summer is such a wonderful time on PEI. Warm days and comfortably cool nights, water temperatures perfect for swimming, and an...

Some PEI plants are revered while others are reviled, but today’s plant is both. Meet Common Milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca ). Our Island...

PEI’s midsummer roadsides are lined with colourful wildflowers. White, yellow, gold, pink, purple, and brown are common, but blue stands...

PEI has various species of tall, white-flowered plants growing in our roadside ditches. Many are members of the Carrot Family ( Apiaceae...

Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. Apologies to my fellow...

We often associate Asters with fall, but PEI has members of this family that flower in spring and summer too. Right now, the bright...