Happy Mystery Monday! Today also marks one year (tomorrow) of Mystery Mondays! Thank you to all who have followed us so far! We’ll celebrate with this colorful critter – do you know what it is?

Last week, we asked you about Baptisia australis, or false indigo. Baptisia australis is a hardy herbaceous perennial that blooms in May and June. It produces these large seed pods, which when mature will be brown and split open revealing many seeds. Baptisia can tolerate full sun to part shade in dry to moist soil. It is a great showy plant that attracts butterflies.

Happy Mystery Monday! What seed pod did we find in the parking lot gardens?

Last week, we asked you about the long-jawed orb weaver spider! They often stretch out their front legs when in a resting position. Most spiders in this family will make a horizontal orb, usually over water, to catch their prey.

Happy Mystery Monday! Do you know what kind of spider we found in the nursery?

Last week, we asked you about Yucca filamentosa, commonly known (and appropriately named) as Adam’s needle. This native evergreen perennial is in the same family as Asparagus! It does well in dry, poor soil and full sun and produces a 6 foot tall flower spike in June.

This native herbaceous perennial is about to bloom in the #parkinglotalive gardens. What is it?

Last week, we asked you about a cultivar of columbine, Aquilegia ‘Pink Lanterns’. The ‘Pink Lanterns’ have a similar habit to the straight species, but have pink blooms rather than the traditional red. Columbine will readily self seed and is a great option for sun or part shade. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and is nice to look at too!

Happy Mystery Monday! This week, we have an up close look of a beautiful native herbaceous perennial growing in Emily’s Play Garden! Bonus points for the cultivar name.

Last week, we asked about the Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina! These turtles can have a variety of yellow to orange and black to brown patterning. The male box turtles will have red eyes, while the females usually have brown eyes. Eastern box turtles tend to prefer deciduous or mixed forests. They are slow moving and slow to mature, but can be long lived if they can stay clear of cars and machinery.

Happy Mystery Monday! This week, we saw a lot of these critters out and about. What is it?

Last week, we asked you about the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. This native milkweed is often found along meadow edges. It grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and has mauve colored blooms in July! The common milkweed is one of several native species that are essential host plants for the monarch caterpillars and important nectar sources for lots of pollinators!

Happy Mystery Monday! Do you know your ferns? This fern has a unique fan shaped frond with a black stripe.

Last week, we highlighted the syrphid fly, also known as a hover or flower fly. There are over 6,000 species of syrphid flies worldwide, 900 of which are in North America! They are important pollinators and are sometimes confused with bees. To tell the difference, just look at their wings. Flies have one pair of wings and bees have two pairs.

Happy Mystery Monday! What insect did we find on this Erigeron ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’ flower?

Last week, we highlighted the unique flowers of the sweet gum tree! Liquidambar styraciflua is a fast growing native tree with beautiful burgundy fall foliage. Known for its spiky seed balls, sweet gum is a great food source for wildlife and is the host plant for the luna moth! It also tolerates clay soils and can grow near black walnuts, despite the juglone compound.

Happy Mystery Monday! This week, we’ve had lots of plants blooming and this tree has some interesting flowers! What is it?

Last week, we asked you about the silver-haired bat! Silver-haired bats are commonly found in forested areas and form maternity colonies in tree cavities and hollows. They eat a variety of insects including midges, moths, mosquitoes, crane flies, and crickets. These bats are easily identified by the silvery hair along its head and back.