\n<\/b>This plant produces many white to pinkish flowers that grow together on a short spike. They\u2019re shaped a bit like the head of a turtle poking up from the water. Fittingly, you\u2019ll find it in damper locations, perhaps adjacent to a pond, where it provides cover for wetland critters like frogs. It\u2019s also the main food plant for the caterpillar of a striking orange-and-black butterfly, the Baltimore checkerspot.<\/p>\n
![\"turtlehead\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/09\/turtlehead.jpg\")
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New England Aster <\/b>(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae<\/em>)\u00a0 Blue-stemmed Goldenrod<\/b> (Solidago caesia<\/em>) American Witch-Hazel<\/b> (Hamamelis virginiana<\/em>) What’s your favorite fall bloom?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most of us associate flowers with the warmth of spring, rather than the crispness of autumn. But naturalists and gardeners know a secret: there are plenty of plants that don\u2019t bloom until late summer and fall.\u00a0Here are four you can look for: White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) This plant produces many white to pinkish flowers that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-II","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16992,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/pollinator-plant-duos\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":0},"title":"Pollinator Plant Duos","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"June 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Within buzzing meadows and grasslands, insects of all shapes and sizes are getting to work. These critters may look like they are aimlessly bouncing from flower to flower, but they are fueling themselves up and pollinating in the process. Pollen sticks to the antenna, bodies, and appendages of an insect,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3837,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/beware-of-backyard-invaders\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":1},"title":"Beware of Backyard Invaders","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"August 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"On quick glance, it may seem that your garden beds are thriving: the plants are\u00a0lush, green, and plentiful. But take a closer look and you may discover that your yard has been overtaken with non-native invasive species. Invasive plants are one of the greatest threats to the nature of Massachusetts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/08\/Japanese-barberry-with-purple-foliage-600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/08\/Japanese-barberry-with-purple-foliage-600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/08\/Japanese-barberry-with-purple-foliage-600.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3376,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/five-early-spring-flowers\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":2},"title":"Five Early Spring Flowers","author":"Rosemary","date":"April 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Nothing banishes the winter blues like the reassuring sight of the spring\u2019s first wildflowers. Many plants bloom while the deciduous trees above them are still bare; they soak up sunlight on the season\u2019s first warm days before trees can shade out the forest floor. Here are five of the earliest\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/03\/springflowers_troutlily_rosemary.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/03\/springflowers_troutlily_rosemary.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/03\/springflowers_troutlily_rosemary.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/03\/springflowers_troutlily_rosemary.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":900,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/autumn-is-the-time-to-plant\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":3},"title":"Autumn Is The Time To Plant","author":"","date":"September 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Most think spring is the perfect time for planting. The nurseries are stocked with colorful plants and everything is in bloom\u2026but that's the problem. Spring turns into summer and before you know it the temperatures are in the mid 80s and it hasn\u2019t rained for weeks. In our recent New\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/09\/ID-10029298-freedigitalphotos.net_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2240,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/attack-of-the-garlic-mustard\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":4},"title":"Attack of the Garlic Mustard","author":"Rosemary","date":"May 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The name of this plant may conjure thoughts of a tasty meal. But for gardeners and native plant lovers, garlic mustard has a bitter flavor: it's an invasive species brought over by the settlers in the 1800s, and it's taking over yards and forest floors. How did garlic mustard (Alliaria\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/05\/garlicmustard.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2526,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/where-to-find-insect-eating-plants\/","url_meta":{"origin":2772,"position":5},"title":"Where to Find Insect-Eating Plants","author":"Rosemary","date":"July 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Carnivorous plants may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these fascinating plants exist. Better yet, you can find them here in Massachusetts. And now's the time to go looking for them: they're\u00a0trapping this summer\u2019s crop of insects and other small invertebrates, and many are blooming. What is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Purple Pitcher Plant","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/07\/pitcherplant.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2772"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2781,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions\/2781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/b>Many species of aster are native to our region. Their colors range from pink to purple (and occasionally white). The name \u201caster\u201d comes from the Greek word for \u201cstar,\u201d referring to the shape of the flower heads, which stand out strikingly against the subdued tones of autumn. New England Aster grows in moist places, such as wet meadows or stream banks, and is an important late-season food source for nectaring insects.<\/p>\n![\"asters\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/09\/asters.jpg\")
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\nRelated to asters, goldenrods bear yellow (and rarely white) blossoms. They have an undeserved reputation for triggering fall allergies\u2014maybe because their big sprays of flowers look like they\u2019re bursting with sneeze-inducing pollen. In fact, goldenrod pollen is too big to spread far through the air. The real cause for late-season sniffles is usually ragweed, a plant that is almost entirely green. \u00a0Blue-stemmed goldenrod has long, slender leaves alongside clusters of yellow flowers.<\/p>\n![\"goldenrod\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/09\/goldenrod.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>As the weather grows colder, you\u2019ll start to notice that a few of the unremarkable-looking shrubs in the forest burst into bloom. The American witch-hazel produces yellow flowers with thin petals. Keep an eye out for the nearby seed cases, which explode open when mature, hurling the seeds 30 feet or more.<\/p>\n![\"witchhazel\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/09\/witchhazel.jpg\")
<\/p>\n