Tuesday, October 19, 2021

In Search of the Swamp Sunflower!

 
I've seen these beautiful sunflowers in years past but never had a proper ID! 


Swamp Sunflower

But this year, I kept seeing them mentioned on blogs and websites I visit regularly. 


Sandra Friend did a post about them HERE

Ed Rosack took some amazing photos and a blog post HERE.

And Wally Jones did a wonderful post HERE!


We drove over to the Pruitt Trailhead of Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and took a hike and even saw a few on that trail. And then we drove down the dirt road to another trailhead and hiked Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway trail (Pruitt Trailhead). You can see the other trail from here but it's amazing how different they can be. This trail is always wetter so it's a perfect area for the Swamp Sunflower. 


We were about a week early for one field. It was mostly buds. 


But we walked down farther and came to a beautiful patch of sunflowers.


It was our first 'Fall weather' day....highs only in the 70s and a nice cooler northerly breeze.


So it was perfect! We saw a few other hikers and one man on a horse so that made it interesting too.


Trying to get the perfect pics! I recognize this man! heehee!


We are seeing so many different birds now but I'll save those photos for the weekend. (below the field with more buds than blooms, but we'll go back again soon!)


Has the weather been nice at your house too? Sunflower weather? A special thank you to those who prompted me to go in search of these flowers and to finally have a proper identification! 


I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!

41 comments:

Tom said...

...and you were successful. They look like our Jerusalem Artichokes which grow in wet locations.

Edna B said...

Those swamp sunflowers sure are beautiful. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

Ricki Treleaven said...

They are pretty. If I've seen them before I probably thought they were daisies. Happy you found a few, and I like that they bloom late.

Marcia said...

Weather was perfect last week for the house painting. This week so far it's colder. We sure need no rain so the painter will finish soon. Our autumn is coming to an end soon. Temperatures getting colder here.

Vee said...

Such a beautiful day! Perfect as you say. May there be many more.

Linda said...

Beautiful find in the fields of swamp sunflowers. A chilly start to the day here in my part of Ontario, 5 Celsius.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Cheery flowers, it is nice to know their name. Happy Trails!

Ann said...

They are really pretty. Swamp sunflower doesn't do them justice though.

Olde Dame Holly said...

I never knew their name! They grow in the New Orleans area, too. Or at least they did 40 years ago! Beautiful photos. I think the buds are very pretty, too.

happyone said...

Those swamp sunflowers sure are pretty!

Ed Rosack said...

Judging by your wonderful photos, It looks like you had a great hike!

Thanks for the shoutout!

Terri D said...

I love those flowers! Daisy is my favorite and this lovely yellow sunflower reminds me of daisies! Beautiful! xo

Linda said...

I love your Swamp Sunflowers! Never met a sunflower I didn't absolutely LOVE!!

Barbara said...

The Swamp Sunflowers are very pretty. And profuse! They are cheery and beautiful against our beautiful blue skies this week. LOVING the cooler temps!

Debbie said...

the flowers are so pretty!! isn't it amazing what mother nature can do with any help from us!!

yellow is the perfect color for any flower!!

Jill Harrison said...

oh so lovely to see them on mass like that. A bit like our everlastings - though ours have papery petals, that you can hang and they last forever! Enjoy your week, stay safe.

Veronica Lee said...

Those swamp sunflowers are so pretty! Love them.

Happy Wednesday!

Cloudia said...

Thanks for the introduction!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

A wonderful burst of colour.

MadSnapper said...

the cold front that got you and dipped your temps, did not make it to us. we did get 4 days of waking to 68 and 69 with no humidity, which is peferect for early am dog walking. our highs are still 88 to 89 but still better because of less humidity.. sunflowers are my favorite flower and these are amazing... have not heard this name before.

Lea said...

I love wildflowers, and your photos are beautiful!

BeachGypsy said...

Great hike!!I love
the pretty sunflowers!!

Beside a babbling brook... said...

How pretty!!!!!

Do you have to search for ticks, after being in high grass, like that?

🍁 🎃 🌰 🎃 🍁

Lowcarb team member said...

Lovely photographs of the swamp sunflowers.

Happy Thursday Wishes.

All the best Jan

Linda said...

We’ve had sunflower weather. I don’t want it to end.

Carla from The River said...

Beautiful!
We have a kill frost in the forecast for Friday evening. We have enjoyed an amazing long garden season into late October. For Northwest Wisconsin that is a record. :-) But we did not beat the record. The latest kill frost recorded is October 28.. back in the 1930's. I was cheering on to break the record, if we could just make it to November 1 before a kill frost. But it looks like Friday will be the day for Jack Frost to really give us a big time visit.
Love, Carla

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
The flowers look beautiful, a another great hike and lovely day.
Take care, enjoy the rest of your week!

Jeanie said...

So pretty. I love those sunflowers and every photo. I'm wondering, now, if the small sunflowers that seem to grow wild by the railroad tracks p north are swamp sunflowers. I'll have to look at my photos of their centers! Happy weekend!

Julie's Creative Lifestyle said...

Wow! Diane those sunflowers are just beautiful. I love that field of those flowers. The weather has been beautiful here and in the low 70's. I love when fall weather is not too cold. Thanks for taking us along on your walk with hubby. Have a nice end of the week and weekend.

Emille (Jeshstgermain) said...

It seems this whole year yellow flowers have been blooming on the road side - every time different flowers though, but all yellow. Great to look up an old All Seasons friend (meaning you:):))
Emille (Jesh)

Karin M. said...

Eine sehr schöne Wanderung mit vielen gelben Blumen.
Du hast fantastische Fotos mitgebracht.
Danke für den Besuch meiner Herbstfotos.
LG. Karin M.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

These are a little different than the ones I found in our woods. Ours had yellow pollen in the middle instead of the brown centers. But these that you show we do see often around the ponds here. I love to see them. So much beauty around...thank you for sharing your beauties.

Lorrie said...

Those are some pretty sunflowers you found. It's definitely NOT sunflower weather here - dark and rainy, but not too cold. How fun to snap your husband snapping photos!

Janey and Co. said...

Pretty flower..Yes we have been having much better Fall weather. Here. Cool nights and mild sunny days. You know there is a bush of yellow flowers blooming in our alley. I am going to go investigate. It’s not swampy out there…but maybe they are the same.

Red Rose Alley said...

What a pretty field of swamp sunflowers. They kind of look like yellow daisies. I'm glad they were blooming for you on your hike. I love that
big tree in the distance too. It looks so old and full. The weather sure
looks nice for you to hike that day. : )

Have a peaceful weekend, Diane. A big storm in coming our way. Rain
starting today through Monday.

~Sheri

Jeevan said...

Lovely capture, and if you haven't identified it as the swamp sunflower, I would have thought of it as wild sunflowers. But doesn't it grow that way? I hope the weather wasn't harsh that day. The monsoon is supposed to begin in two days here, but we already had enough rain to fill our reservoirs. Even if it rains normally this season, most of the rainwater would be driving to the sea.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Aren't these flowers just such bursts of sunshine...how appropriate for the Sunshine State. We've had an unusually warm October even with humidity and a number of plants rebloomed, several lilies, the rose bushes and the lavender. It was amazing to see. But cooler now overnight will stop it. Yes, we are getting into fall. Happy travels you two!

Jeannie said...

The sunflowers are beautiful - so cheerful!

I'm thankful we haven't had a frost yet so I've had time to harvest the last of the vegetables. Any day now one will arrive so I'm rushing as fast as I can to finish. At least I got to enjoy your flowers.

Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

Wally Jones said...

Wow, Diane!

What a stunning collection of images! Not only lovely to look upon, but now you've given us a new location to add to our "Sunflower Search" list. Thank you!

We appreciate you mentioning us in your post. That is very kind. And we're happy Ed provided a link to your beautiful blog in his latest post. Now we know where to find a kindred Floridian spirit!

Hope your new week is filled with Joy!

Michelle said...

These are lovely! And photogenic, might I say. Thanks for linking up!

Teresa said...

Se ven preciosas las fotografías. El tiempo por aquí está estupendo con una temperatura de 22 grados. Besos.