Gifts from birds 2: Black bindweed (wild buckwheat)

Black bindweed aka wild buckwheat (Photo by bodhilens)

I finally identified one of the mystery plants growing around the bird feeder in our yard: black bindweed (aka wild buckwheat). Now it totally makes sense to me that this plant looks like a tiny version of morning glory without big flowers (They belong to the same family), and that the seeds just look like those of commercial buckwheat. It's this plant's second year growing on this spot, and this spring I led it to climb the feeder while containing it within a 30cm radius of the feeder. It's not gorgeous but pretty in its own way. I've read birds love the seeds, but I've never seen birds picking them from the plant. I guess they prefer commercial safflower seeds in the feeder hanging above the plant. When I picked some seeds and put them out on a plate, a few doves were eating them, though. When more seeds get mature, I'll see if my cockatiel likes to eat them.

Speaking of safflower seeds in the feeder, birds scatter a lot of them around the feeder, and some of them do sprout. I let a few sprouts grow this spring. I had to scrape a lot of aphids off when they were young, but they eventually bloomed and produced seeds. Safflower is called "benibana" (red flower) in Japanese because the flower can be processed as a natural red dye for food and cosmetics. Also, safflower flower tea/infusion is believed to promote "women's health." So I'm considering letting more sprouts grow next spring and making use of not only seeds but also flowers. It's so difficult (and painful) to harvest flowers and seeds because they are covered with thorns, though.

Safflower (Photo by bodhilens)

Gifts from birds: Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot)

Queen Anne's lace (Photo by bodhilens)

I'm tickled whenever I find a new wild flower growing in our yard and enjoy learning about it. I've so far identified spiderwort, European black nightshade, common yellow woodsorrel (aka lemon clover), and Queen Anne's lace (aka wild carrot). Many people call them weeds, but I see them as gifts from birds. Actually, spiderwort is sometimes sold at a store, so I guess some people consider it precious as I do. A few black nightshades popped up in our sunflower bed last summer. Their fruits did taste like very sweet tomatoes. (Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family.) I sowed the seeds in the ground, but I haven't seen them coming out yet. Did you know that a common yellow woodsorrel's floriography is "shining heart," and that it has been used as the design of family seals in Japan because its strong breeding capability symbolizes a long-lasting family line? (This link is in Japanese.) Just amazing how some people paid attention and gave meaning to such a small plant. This summer Queen Anne's lace stands out in our yard for its size and beauty. Queen Anne's lace is also considered as a companion plant for tomatoes because it attracts beneficial insects. That's perfect in our yard because I'm growing a lot of tomatoes. Another pretty wild flower is growing around our bird feeder for the second year. Its seedlings are just like those of morning glories, but this plant has tiny white flowers. If anyone knows what this plant is called, please let me know.

A mystery plant (Photo by bodhilens)