Plants

Two white Button Bush flowers and one that has lost its blooms.
Button Bush, Mineral Wells State Park, Mineral Wells, TX, September 5, 2021
Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Tamron 150-600 Lens, 256 mm, ISO-3200, f/7.1, 1/400 sec.

I was out shooting birds at Mineral Wells State Park and noticed this Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) near where I was shooting. It reminded me of the news images of the Covid-19 virus, so I took some pictures. It is actually a very interesting flower.

A twisted, dead tree along the trail.
Twisted tree, Cedar Hill State Park, Cedar Hill, TX, March 6, 2022
Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 150 mm; ISO-2500; f/5.6; 1/1000 sec.

We saw this dead, twisted tree near an overlook vista along the trail. I did not have a shorter lens with me, so this is the best shot I could get. I still like the features of the part of the tree that I could fit in the frame.

Coreopsis flowers blooming a bright yellow in our pollinator garden.
Coreopsis Flowers, Vista West, Fort Worth, TX, April 17, 2022
Canon EOS R5 Tamron 150-600 mm lens and 2x Teleconverter; 1200 mm; ISO-4000; f/13; 1/4000 sec.

I was shooting hummingbirds in the back yard and thought these flowers in our pollinator garden would make a nice picture. These flowers were the first to bloom this year and has many buds ready to pop.

Red Mulungu flowers in bloom.
Mulungu, San Diego, CA, April 22, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/11; 1/1000 sec.

I was shooting birds near my hotel while at a conference in San Diego and noticed these vivid red flowers in some trees. After doing some research, I found out it is a decorative non-native tree called Mulungu (Erythrina mulungu). My preference is for native species in landscaping if possible. However, this tree was beautiful.

The next three plants were ones I saw while out on a bird count. I thought they were pretty so I added them to the Plants page.

Purple and pink Desert-willow flowers on the plant.
Desert-willow, Action Nature Center, Acton, TX, June 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-6400; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
Deep purple Texas Bluebell flowers among some other native wildflowers.
Texas Bluebell, Acton Nature Center, Action, TX, June 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/10; 1/250 sec.
Red Texas Plume flowers going up the top part of the tall, spindly-looking plant.
Texas Plume, Acton Nature Center, Action, TX, June 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-12,800; f/11; 1/1000 sec.
The flower cluster called Mountain Pinks in a dry pond.
Mountain Pinks, Centaurium beyrichii Acton Nature Center, Acton, TX, June 20, 2021
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/10; 1/160 sec.
Close-up of an American White Water-lily flower.
American White Water-lily, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-400; f/10; 1/2000 sec.
Soapweed Yucca post flowering with a dark brown stalk and open what appears to be seed pods.
Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca), Black Mesa Nature Preserve, Kenton, Ok, October 20, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-320; f/8; 1/800 sec.
Tree Cholla showing its typical jumbled branches full of sharp, pointy things.
Tree Cholla (Cylindropuntia imbricata), Black Mesa Nature Preserve, Kenton, Ok, October 20, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-250; f/8; 1/800 sec.
Winterfat with the flowers in full bloom forming a puffy white stalk.
Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), Black Mesa Nature Preserve, Kenton, Ok, October 20, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-320; f/9; 1/800 sec.

Here are a few plants we saw in the Koko Crater Botanical Garden on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Yellow Candelabra Aloe flower that has multiple independent points.
Candelabra Aloe, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HI, January 29, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-4000; f/11; 1/500 sec.
Yellowish flower of the Eastern Cape Blue Cycad that almost looks like a pineapple surrounded by the stems and leaves of the plant.
Eastern Cape Blue Cycad, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, Honolulu, HI, January 29, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-12,800; f/8; 1/500 sec.
Upright Prairie Coneflower surrounded by a lot of plants with spikes.
Upright Prairie Coneflower, Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary, Cibolo, TX May 11, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/11; 1/320 sec.
A cluster of small, purple Heliotrope flowers are blooming with a second cluster getting ready to bloom.
Heliotropium arborescens, San Joaquin Marsh, Irvine, CA, June 18, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/10; 1/320sec.
Black Willow closeup showing the massive amount of cotton that it releases.
Black Willow (Salix gooddingii), San Joaquin Marsh, Irvine, CA, June 19, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-2000; f/8; 1/800 sec.
California Tree Poppy in full bloom, white with a yellow center.
California Tree Poppy (Romneya coulteri), San Joaquin Marsh, Irvine, CA, June 19, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-2500; f/11; 1/320 sec.
Purpletop Vervain flower cluster.
Purpletop Vervain (Verbena bonariensis), San Joaquin Marsh, Irvine, CA, June 20, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Canary Island Sage in its full purple-crimson coloration.
Canary Island Sage, Llanos de la Pez, Gran Canaria, Canarias, Spain, July 31, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-640 ; f/8; 1/1000 sec.
Clustered Carline Thistle in full yellow bloom. The leaves are showing their thorns.
Clustered Carline Thistle, Llanos de la Pez, Jardin Botanico Viera y Clavijo, Gran Canaria, Canarias, Spain, July 31, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-1250; f/9; 1/1000 sec.
Ironweed flowers after their peak and starting to fade from their purple color.
Ironweed, Llanos de la Pez, Gran Canaria, Canarias, Spain, July 31, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-400; f/9; 1/1000 sec.
Pincushion Flower in full bloom with a pale purple to white color.
Pincushion Flower, Llanos de la Pez, Gran Canaria, Canarias, Spain, July 31, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-320; f/8; 1/1000 sec.
Pyrenen Broom plant blooming yellow.
Pyrenen Broom, Llanos de la Pez, Gran Canaria, Canarias, Spain, July 31, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-400; f/8; 1/1000 sec.
Canary Aeonium, Tenerife, Spain, August 2, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 454 mm; ISO-6400; f/8; 1/800 sec. -0.3 exposure bias
Carlina salicifolia, Tenerife, Spain, August 2, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/11; 1/800 sec. -0.3 exposure bias
Unidentified, Tenerife, Spain, August 2, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-3200; f/10; 1/800 sec. -0.3 exposure bias
American Beautyberry is a cluster of small purple spheres on the green stems.
American Beautyberry, Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX, September 2, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-32,000; f/10; 1/4000 sec. -1 exposure bias.
Colorful Sourwood tree among other tree types.
Sourwood Tree, Blue Ridge Parkway, Waynesboro, VA October 27, 2003
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420mm; ISO-5000; f/8; 1/800 sec.
A plant called Old Man's Beard that looks like dandelion seeds ready to be blown away, except it is in a bush.
Old Man’s Beard, Blue Ridge Parkway, Waynesboro, VA October 27, 2003
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1250; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Cattail starting to break apart and disperse the seeds.
Cattail, Constitution Park, Waynesboro, VA October 26, 2003
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700mm; ISO-2000; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Wild Teasel in all of its spikey glory. There are thorns everywhere on this plant.
Wild Teasel, Constitution Park, Waynesboro, VA October 26, 2003
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700mm; ISO-640; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Red-colored Staghorn Sumac flower.
Staghorn Sumac, Parker River NWR, Plum Island, MA, January 11, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 420 mm; ISO-3200; f/8; 1/800 sec.
Kniphoia rooperi flower near a fence line.
Kniphoia rooperi, Yanacocha, Ecuador, June 22, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-2500; f/11; 1/1000 sec.