Surprising finds in Zone 7

Aug 15^th had started off a sunny day with no wind but that only lasted until early afternoon, snipping short the patrol. Regardless, some neat finds were made.

My grand-daughters Benna and Kay, ages 9 and 10 respectively, came with me and were determined to see whatever I saw, know the names of the plants I pointed out, and then investigate further if possible. They did just that. Inspiring.

Each one had their own inflatable paddle board and, after about few minutes of their attention on how to handle their paddles, we took off. Once their eyes quickly began to understand how to look past the surface of the water and see the different plants below their excitement grew. Floating hearts were scattered everywhere but under a very withering one Benna spied an oddity on its stem and so she pulled it up. (See the photo below.) I had never seen anything like it but then I realize I had not looked as closely at what might be under those leaves before as Benna had now. Using a brief description I asked AI what it might be and it suggested that I had a “Little Floating Heart” or Nymphoides cordata, a native NE aquatic plant. The website, Go Botany confirmed that name. It turns out both our Patrol’s Native Aquatic Plants guide and Amy Smagula’s Plant guide simply call it a “Floating Heart.”

The five deep red, banana-like fingers, looking like a bunch of bananas, are the tuberous roots of that plant and they grow below the floating leaf. It is reported that the root clusters start out green and then turn a deep reddish-purple as they age, matching the undersides of the mature leaves. The roots store nutrients and act as weights. Once the leaf breaks off, the heavy root cluster sinks to the lake bottom and grows into a new plant.

Next, we ventured into Dean’s Cove and deep inside grid #196 along the shoreline there was a great viewing of water lilies. But as we lingered, Kay noticed that there was something dark carpeting the lake floor. She asked if we were looking at Filamentous algae and as I followed her gaze, I realized that it was something different. Lo and behold we found that it was Aquatic moss. The girls were excited that they had just seen that same plant earlier when I had pointed it out in grid #204. 

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