Burrs

This is the time of year where you begin to bring the woods in the house with you - in the form of burrs.

The two most common types of burrs around here are agrimony [probably Agrimonia striata] and tick trefoil [Desmodium gangeticum].  The flowers are lovely, blooming in the late summer and fall.



Tick trefoil.   The pink flowers are tiny.

Tiny!














They grow on stalks like tiny pea flowers.   You can just see the new seed forming at the bottom of this pic.

Those burrs stick to everything.

Here are the burrs.   They're cute, until they get on you and you can't get them off!

















Agrimony looks a lot like a low blooming goldenrod.

Blow up this pic for an up-close view of the flower.    It's pretty!   But those burrs are awful. 

Here are the burrs.   They get everywhere.   If you miss some and they go through the wash, they'll end up in your towels.

This is where the idea for velcro came from.