The fruits from flowers are beginning to ripen, pigment, sweeten, and fall or be taken by birds, and other animals including humans.
Take notice of the fruit’s purpose in a plant’s life cycle. This is part of the plant’s population tactic to produce and spread seeds to begin future generations.
Pigments attract. Sweetness and energy are included to entice a courier. Seeds are embedded in berries so they are spread by being spit out, or in the cases animals, allow seed to go through unscathed and discarded as waste material. Produced in profusion, fruits, and seeds inside, help make sure there are enough to meet all demands. Some will be eaten, others will grow into brambles, vines, trees, and herbs.
Mulberries have ripened. Wayne Smith, in Lafayette County, said the ones he’s seen are a bit small and even shriveled.
“One small, lone tree I noticed, loaded with black, ripe berries, showed up bare in a day. Birds, no doubt. The same often occurs with many June berry (serviceberry) trees and shrubs. These fruits are likely gone by now.”
Elderberries are just now blooming. Wait until September. Mayapples are forming fruits on two-leafed plants and may be of curiosity but check possible warnings before digging in.
Black raspberries, and a blonde variety, are ripening and appear numerous and relatively large. The red raspberries have been picked for a week, but generally in gardens and not commonly found in abundance in most wild areas.
Uses are endless from toppings, canning, freezing, pies, turnovers, wine, and fine in many situations to eat hand to mouth.
Blackberries will follow raspberries by a month, are larger and some say the pits in the fruitlets are larger, too. Judge that by trying them afield.
Mosquitoes, but not bears and snakes, maybe a turkey or two, generally accompany those who pick berries. In addition to insect repellents, turkey hunting facemasks sprayed with repellent are useful. Icy Hot seems to be a favorite of some pickers. It generally works on gnats, too.
Watch the deer and flies attracted to them and consider lucky.
While many berries are picked legally in state parks and wildlife areas, making a business of that venture may not be legal. Who would want to sell rather than eat or gift such a prize morsel anyway?
Mike Burns, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources field warden in Iowa County, said that the frequent rains during May and June helped the berry “crops” and also the golden oyster mushrooms, which were found by the basketful.
“Just be careful to take things like berries and mushrooms, but digging plants to start them at home is illegal. Simply check at park offices or use the DNR information line for more answers, if necessary,” he said.
Don Martin, at Martin’s in Monroe, said mosquitoes and gnats have been heavy. Many anglers are still fishing but reporting muddy streams and high water in places.
Raccoons are one of the most reported baby wild animals that seem to be orphaned.
“I’ve had reports of bobcat kittens, fawns and others, too, and most situations have resolved themselves,” Burns said.
The landscape is constantly changing going deep into summer and noting the approach of autumn. Edibles are becoming numerous. Some plant growths may look strange. All of these changes have a place and interest. Some might be useful. Most alert curious minds to find out why.
There are two sets of acorns on red oaks and one set on white oaks. Will any develop after the spongy moth caterpillars ate the trees’ leaves? Some oaks, and others, are already growing new leaves. Will that help?
There are two, even three, sets of seed cones on white pine and only seed cones on half the red cedars. Crush one of this tree’s “blue berries” and smell the gin.
Plant diseases attract interest, too. Rust fungi, the name being enough to identify most, are numerous after frequent rains.
Garden plants, some least expected, are flowering. Potato blooms may develop into fruit. Some do, but discard these “green tomatoes.” Corn will flower, too; tassels and ears, which define corn kernels as fruits.
Walnut and shagbark hickory fruits are forming along with hazelnuts. Fall mushrooms are growing but underground for now. Turkey poults are beginning to talk back to their mother hens.
— Jerry Davis is an Argyle native and a freelance writer who lives in Barneveld. He can be reached at
sivadjam@mhtc.net or at
608-924-1112.
