Evolutionary Oddities

Ferns first appear in fossil records as early as 360 million years ago. They still seem ancient and mysterious when their leaves slowly unfurl each spring.

Ostrich Fern

So what accounts for this plant species success over time? 

It is perfectly adapted to a range of growing conditions for one. 

Alaskan Fern

Ferns can be found both in the tropics and in much colder climes. One might even say that ferns have evolved perfectly.

Donna of Garden Walk, Garden Talk has started a regular Word for Wednesday linking party which is an "exploration of words through pictures, where a word relates to the story in photos." This week's word is "Evolution" or "Evolve".

I thought that I might do something a bit unexpected with my interpretation of this week's word and expand on the notion of adaption, with a view to unique plant attributes that have contributed to each plant's successful evolutionary journey. In this post I will also look at plants that seem like through backs to some primeval forest; unusual plants that you might not necessarily expect to see growing in a northern garden.

One of the way plants succeed is to develop elaborate defence systems. 

Take this Cardoon plant, which I found growing in Brain Folmer's 5 acre garden near Walkerton, Ontario. Cardoon is a lesser known relative of the artichoke and is considered a delicacy in Mediterranean cuisine. Apparently, the flower stalks taste like artichokes, with a trace of licorice.

Everything about the plant's stalk says, "Don't mess with me!"

The plants seeds are well protected with a series of barbs that also seem to say, "Just you try and 

eat me and you'll be sorry!" 

Yellow Knapweed

Here is another unusual thistle-like flower that I found growing in the Lucy Maud Montgomery Garden in Norval, Ontario. What do you think? Is it pretty of just plain weird?

Scene from the classic movie E.T. The Extra Terrestrial by Steven Spielberg, June 1982


My next oddity was found in Hamilton, Ontario's Royal Botanical Gardens.

E.T. phone home?

I looked everywhere in the flowerbed to find the plant's identification to no avail. Any ideas 

as to what this is? It is kinda bizarre looking don't you think?

Here is an unusual looking flower from my own garden. This is a Pasque flower or Pulsatilla. I am no botanist, but the plant's spring blooms, which are covered with a soft, feathery down, seem to make the plant look less appetizing (and perhaps also protects this native of mountain foothills and prairie meadow from cold spring winds. Think of it as a plant with a warm coat.) 

The plant's seed heads are the it's most unusual feature. They look rather like an 

octopus, don't you think?

 The flower buds of the herb Borage

Hairy things always are always a bit off-putting, but really they are a plant's way of protecting itself.

This is Bronze Fennel, which I found growing in a large pot at Humber Nurseries. Its soft, feathery foliage was a multitude of colors.

Now, let's take a plunge underwater and look around a coral reef.

The plant life and coral are amazingly diverse here in the warm waters of the world's oceans.

Now, let's come back up out of the water and onto dry land. Now, tell me if this hen and chick flower seem like a through back to its underwater cousins? 

I look at these tiny, star-shaped flowers and think of a coral reef.

Here is a surprise for you! A cactus growing in a Canadian garden! Colin Gosden, President of the Creditvalley Horticultural Society has a couple of varieties of cactus growing in his Mississauga, Ontario garden. They overwinter in the garden. Go figure!

I show this plant here because it has a similar shape to the hens and chicks (coincidence?). Cactus are yet another example of plants that looks after their own interests very well.

Meet Angelica archangelica 'Gigas'. The flower is housed in a small "cocoon" with a leaf shaped tongue.

On the right you can see the flower bud lifting up out of the leafy casing. On the left, you can see the empty cocoon, after the flower has risen.

And here is the deep burgundy flower.

Though I found this Angelica archangelica 'Gigas' growing here at Humber Nurseries, it is actually a native to Japan, Korea and China. It is a big plant reaching 4 to 5 feet in height and 2.5 feet in width. It is hardy to zone 5 and prefers moist, well-drained soil.

I don't want to go away without showing you that not all the exotic plants here in a northern garden are strange looking. Here is a tropical bloom that I have seen in a number of local gardens:

Hibiscus 'Plum Crazy' has diner plate sized flowers and is hardy to some parts of
southern Ontario (zone 4).

Isn't nature just amazing?

To see other interesting interpretations of the word "Evolution" of "Evolve", hop on over to GardenWalk, Garden Talk by clicking the link.