Pink Powder Puffs

Some see the Mimosa tree as an exotic tropical while others see it as an invading weed. Whatever your opinion is, you must concede it has beautiful delicate pink powder puff blooms. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

A Beneficial Weed

- Is there such thing as a beneficial weed? Well think of the dandelion. According to Wikipedia it has a wide range of uses, and is even a good companion plant for gardening. Its taproot will bring up nutrients for shallower-rooting plants, and add minerals and nitrogen to soil. It is also known to attract pollinating insects and release ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen not to mention they are just great to photograph. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro, back lighting provided by the sun.

A Dandy Dandelion

- A dandy dandelion in black and white. Canon 40D, 1/640 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400 100mm macro.

Dandelion

From 2010 Blog

- The dandelion is often treated as a scourge of the finely manicured lawn that has become a symbol of suburban America. The plant has been used beneficially for thousands of years and was introduced to the Americas by early colonists. But today it mostly gets treated to a dose of herbicides. The flower matures into this spherical clock containing many single-seeded fruits each attached to a pappus of fine hairs, which enable its wind-aided dispersal. Canon 7D, 1/800 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.