Foxglove: Digitalis purpurea

From the first time I saw one, the complex coloration and bell-shaped flowers of the foxglove attracted me, and I knew I wanted some in my garden. They are one of the first plants I planted last year, and this June they are blooming extravagantly. They are happy where I’ve planted them, growing in partial shade. A local nursery explained that foxglove is a biennial that acts like a perennial, flowering in its second year and then self-sowing. Fortunately, the plant produces up to two million seeds during its lifetime. I have a cream one and a mauve one, and I didn’t know that the cream will revert to purple during the reseeding cycle. The heart medication digitalis is made from its leaves, and you can murder someone with an overdose, in the best tradition of Agatha Christie’s stories. The plant is also poisonous to animals, but I didn’t know that bees love it, along with other insects, and hummingbirds. The flower’s inside is florescent, and this florescence, which can be seen under a black light, guides bees like a “landing strip.” Fairies figure prominently in legends surrounding the foxglove, no surprise given its magical appearance and native woodland habitat. A Modern Floral says that people once believed the dappling on the flower were fingerprints left by fairies, leading to the name folksglove. My favorite story is that bad fairies gave the blossoms to foxes to muffle their footsteps as they hunted. 

Elaeagnus angustifolia: The Case For, The Case Against

Until this year, I had not noticed the honeysuckle-like fragrance of the Russian olive trees (Elaeagnus angustifolia). And, with their gray-green leaves, they provide a pleasing contrast to the darker leaves of the cottonwoods that also line the rivers. I have a friend who, not without reason, claims that they provide food for animals and fix nitrogen in the soil.

But, the smell of the flowers becomes cloying, the fruits are unpalatable to the human tongue (or at least they were to me when I tasted them), and, most importantly, in Colorado where I live, the tree is a non-native invasive species that rapidly crowds out native species. A report by Columbia University claims that in Colorado, Russian olive trees have replaced hundreds of thousands of acres of willow and cottonwood woodlands. The state categorizes the Russian olive as a noxious weed slated for eradication, containment, or suppression.

But, what about my friend’s claims? Although it’s true they provide food for birds, this is the case only for some species, and trees appear to reduce “avifaunal diversity.” Cavity-nesting birds and woodpeckers, for example, do not use the Russian olive tree, and so its spread destroys the richness or variety of birds present in a location.

What about its nitrogen-fixing abilities? According to various Web sites, this quality interferes with “nutrient cycling” by attracting other species that prefer high nitrogen soils and outcompete native species that survive on less fixed nitrogen.

Finally, Russian olive trees are almost impossible to control. They do not attract insects, grow from suckers (making pruning ineffective), and resist fire. They thrive on a variety of water, temperature, and soil conditions.

My friend’s knowledge is true as far as it goes, but taken within the context of the riparian areas of the western United States the case against the Russian olive tree is watertight.

Cats and Birds

I originally wanted to write a screed about cats and urban wildlife and about owners allowing domesticated cats to act feral, but I’ve had a hard time untangling my thoughts.

A neighborhood cat has been successfully stalking my feeder and has killed one or more birds, forcing me to remove the feeder until I can ensure their safety. Last Friday, I was in the front yard weeding when I heard the metallic clink of the feeder as it swung wildly. I assumed a squirrel had tried to find yet another way to knock seed loose when I saw a bolt of orange and white streaking down the sidewalk. Almost immediately, my neighbor Al looked over my fence and said, “You know, why don’t you just take the feeder down?” He had seen the cat leap up and catch a bird in mid-air, in what he called a “wild kingdom moment.” Earlier, the same cat had jumped Al’s fence and killed a pretty blue bird foraging for worms. I took the feeder down.

Keeping cats inside is the only solution guaranteed to protect birds. But, when your neighbor won’t co-operate, what can you do? The Audubon Society offers ideas, and rates each one’s practicality: they include creating cover with brush piles and vegetation; squirting cats with water; humane traps; ultrasound deterrents; and communicating with your neighbors. Some of these are more practical than others. A British birding site has creative suggestions, including greasing the pole on which you hang the feeder, planting brambles under it, and planting cat-repelling plants such as Coleus canina. A friend has seen squirrel baffles used as deterrents. Now I just have to figure out which combination will foil this cat that is the scourge of our local wildlife. 

Rabies

My friends Jerry and Alison had an unfortunate incident with their cat, Beverly, which led them to an animal emergency hospital last Friday night. As you can see in the picture above, poor Bev is now a cone head. While waiting at the veterinarian’s office, Alison and Jerry read through brochures on rabies in the area, and the vet who saw Bev encouraged them to get a rabies shot for her and their other cat, Martin, even though they are indoor cats. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cats are far more likely to have rabies than are dogs, and most people are exposed to the disease through domestic animals rather than wild ones.

But cats get rabies through wild mammals, and rabid skunks, raccoons, and even foxes are increasing in the area where I live. I recently saw a sign warning that a rabid skunk had been found in the natural area where I was walking. If you’ve been following my blog, you know I’m a worrier, so I immediately wondered what I would do if I saw an aggressive animal and, nightmare of nightmares, it chased me, frothy mouth and all. Could I deter it by yelling and waving my arms, or should I run pell-mell the opposite direction? But, I’m not going to outrun a fox unless it’s in the final stages of rabies. So, I came home and did some research. All of the credible sources said to stay away from wild animals. Obviously, right?

But, not all rabid animals act violent. Although there is a “furious” stage, in which they are agitated and snap and drool, most are in a “dumb” state, in which they appear tame and approachable, demonstrating little fear of human beings. With my misconceptions about rabies, I know I would be tempted to help an animal that crept up, little knowing it might have the illness.

The Humane Society of the United States has, in my opinion, the most useful and concise information about rabies and what to do if you suspect an animal is rabid or if you or your pet has been exposed to the disease. If you or your pet are bitten, scrub the wound with soap and water, get to the doctor or veterinarian as soon as possible, and report information about the animal that bit you. In the end, only three human fatalities a year can be attributed to rabies.