Tag: black and white

Grindelia in Winter

For some reason I think this plant is called grindelia, which is a rather thorny plant with yellow flowers.  It is also a bit sticky when green and in bloom.  In the winter the leaves dry and it becomes a bit more thorny.  In many ways it is well-suited for a dryish clime.  The resinous qualities of the leaves help preserve moisture, thorny qualities deter making it a lunch.  It has a pleasant scent and you can smell it when you walk by or through it.  The fields where I walk host its growth along with various grasses and flowers, all of which become a drab shade of brown as the dry season progresses.

Christmas Berry (Toyon)

Toyon is a bush that grows in Southern California, and has bright red berries in the winter months – hence the name “Christmas Berry”. It’s a beautiful plant with dark, glossy leaves, and reminiscent, too, of holly. Perfect for the winter season!

This is an incredibly over-processed image from a badly under exposed photo. However, I did manage to retrieve the berries, which was the whole point!