Pictured above: Herb Robert, a wild edible that has green leaves in shady places, and red ones when it grows in sunny spots.
Once you are a bit familiar with the basics of botany, you'll discover there *is* indeed a thing like plant language. And that a lot of people are missing it.
In nature, it's all about survival.
Plant species that grow on forest fround, under the trees, usually form leaves before the tree buds open, and disappear under the ground, storing their energy in bulbs, as soon as the trees have leaves. Like ramsons. Other plants, that grow in shady places, grow big leaves in order to have a bigger surface able to do photosynthesis. On the other hand, plants that grow in sunny spots will make small leaves in order to prevent sunburn or dehydration through evaporation. Think about rosemary, that grows in the sun, in sandy soil. Some plants like in such exteme climates that they may even make their leaves into needles, like cacti, and make their stem multi-surfaced and green to do the photosynthesis.
Some plants have flowers that mimic insects, to attrack insects who think they found a mate. And so pollonation happens. Orchids have a splendid talent for this stategy. Others have flowers with patterns that are invisible to the human eye, but that work like a map for bees. Some flowers, like evening primrose, lighten up at night to get the attention of night butterflies for pollination.
Plants like dandelion or maple trees play with the wind to spread their seeds. Burdock and cleavers have velcro-like seeds that will stick to to fur or clothes and travel miles away. Greater celandine attaches a sweet candy on their seeds, so that ants take the candy with them, eat it and throw away the seed - pretty much like we do with apples.
They are all very different and diverse. But just by using your senses, plants already tell you a lot. They tell you how much water they need, how they like their soil, how much sunlight they love, who they like as company.
And knowing plant language may prove to be helpful in situations you'd never think of. We've been looking for a new place to live or quite a while, and on a few occasions I've heard brokers say "You can ignore the moist in the walls, it's a temporary situation, there's no stuctural problem; this is actually very dry land". One look in the yard, with willow and alder trees, and meadowsweet, told us a whole other story.
This is also the first thing I advise people to do when they move and have a new yard: the first year, just observe what grows there spontanuously. The land will speak to you through the plants. They will tell you how the soil is, rich or poor, clay or sand or anything else. You'll discover the sunny spots, the spots that only get sun in the morning or evening, and the shady spots. The plants will tell you which animals live there, how much rain has fallen recently, and how windy the place is.
Just watch closely!
Once you are a bit familiar with the basics of botany, you'll discover there *is* indeed a thing like plant language. And that a lot of people are missing it.
In nature, it's all about survival.
Plant species that grow on forest fround, under the trees, usually form leaves before the tree buds open, and disappear under the ground, storing their energy in bulbs, as soon as the trees have leaves. Like ramsons. Other plants, that grow in shady places, grow big leaves in order to have a bigger surface able to do photosynthesis. On the other hand, plants that grow in sunny spots will make small leaves in order to prevent sunburn or dehydration through evaporation. Think about rosemary, that grows in the sun, in sandy soil. Some plants like in such exteme climates that they may even make their leaves into needles, like cacti, and make their stem multi-surfaced and green to do the photosynthesis.
Some plants have flowers that mimic insects, to attrack insects who think they found a mate. And so pollonation happens. Orchids have a splendid talent for this stategy. Others have flowers with patterns that are invisible to the human eye, but that work like a map for bees. Some flowers, like evening primrose, lighten up at night to get the attention of night butterflies for pollination.
Plants like dandelion or maple trees play with the wind to spread their seeds. Burdock and cleavers have velcro-like seeds that will stick to to fur or clothes and travel miles away. Greater celandine attaches a sweet candy on their seeds, so that ants take the candy with them, eat it and throw away the seed - pretty much like we do with apples.
They are all very different and diverse. But just by using your senses, plants already tell you a lot. They tell you how much water they need, how they like their soil, how much sunlight they love, who they like as company.
And knowing plant language may prove to be helpful in situations you'd never think of. We've been looking for a new place to live or quite a while, and on a few occasions I've heard brokers say "You can ignore the moist in the walls, it's a temporary situation, there's no stuctural problem; this is actually very dry land". One look in the yard, with willow and alder trees, and meadowsweet, told us a whole other story.
This is also the first thing I advise people to do when they move and have a new yard: the first year, just observe what grows there spontanuously. The land will speak to you through the plants. They will tell you how the soil is, rich or poor, clay or sand or anything else. You'll discover the sunny spots, the spots that only get sun in the morning or evening, and the shady spots. The plants will tell you which animals live there, how much rain has fallen recently, and how windy the place is.
Just watch closely!
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