The Cranberry Glades

I presented this botanical area as a subject of one of our earliuer blogs A neat aspect of this area is that it is always in a state of change. Since our last visit, this mighty tree near the boardwalk entrance has toppled exposing its shallow root system.

The boardwalk takes the visitor through two of the glade areas. The cranberries were abundant. In this glade we find two plants that are really cool. The Forest service has transplanted from Big Glade the bog rosemary and the insectivorous pitcher plant.

The bog rosemary found in the Cranberry Glades is the southern-most colony of this plant. It is a plant found in the northern bog regions. Cranberry Glades is considered an island of north muskeg in the south. The pitcher plants were in full bloom as seen below. The pitcher plant's conical lower leaves trap rainwater, and are lined with downward-pointing hairs to discourage trapped insects from escaping. Digestive juices at the bottom of the 'pitcher' help the plant consume its prey



Sam has a great life! No walking the boardwalk for this kid. He is given is own private tour on the back of a most wonderful guide.

Not only was the insectivorous pitcher plant in bloom, but also was the other obvious insect eating plant, the sundew. Sundews use glandular tentacle stalks, coated with a sticky material that both attracts and adheres to insects, to supplement their diet on the nitrogen-poor soil.

I think the blossoms of the meadow rue are outstanding. The flower buds develop on the top of the tall meadow rue. The leaves of the meadow rue were smoked as a tobacco; and the smoke, if blown in the ear, was considered to be a cure for deafness . Hippocrates wrote that rue was a "soothing herb."

At the end of the trail! Grandma, Sarah, and Sam pose in front of the "anteater" tree. Twas a neat walk.

It was a grand Saturday. Back in Seebert we fixed chicken and then headed to bed. Tomorrow we are going to Cass to ride up the mountain on a Shay locomotive.