Cabbage-palm

New Zealand Cabbage Palm (Cordyline australis)

Lately, birds have been swarming over our two New Zealand Cabbage-palms (Cordyline australis), stripping them of their multitudinous berries. The picture on the right shows of those trees this past April, with last year's flower spikes still hanging, dead and stripped of berries. You can clearly see how they got their common name; they do look a bit palm-like. However, they're not related to palms, or to cabbages. They're actually members of the asparagus family. The genus Cordyline is widespread in the southern hemisphere, but the species itself is native only to New Zealand. It's a popular introduction in the UK, often planted in cities and coastal areas, according to the Royal Horticultural Society's website. They can grow to about 20m (65') in height, though I don't think those in the UK get anywhere near that big. Ours are 4.5m (15') and 6m (20'), so still have some potential growing to do.

We hadn't anticipated their wildlife value when we first moved in. Mike thought that they — like much of the rest of the garden — had been planted for their ornamental appeal alone. But the flowers attract hordes of insects in the spring, and the berries are clearly favourites with our local birds and passing migrants. Check out the pictures below of some of the species we've spotted enjoying them. Sorry that some of the pictures are so dark; our weather here has been decidedly gloomy this autumn!

Flowering spike, in late May

A pair of migrant Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla)

One of our local European Robins (Erithacus rubecula)

A typically gymnastic Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Spots

Violet Bramble Rust (Phragmidium violaceum)

Now that many of the leaves have fallen from bushes, trees and vines around the garden, the ones that are left are more obvious — particularly when they're sporting some striking colours. And the eye-catching purplish spots that decorate some of the leaves on our bramble bushes are certainly showing well now. These are signs of Violet Bramble Rust (Phragmidium violaceum), a fairly common and widespread fungus in the UK. It attacks the leaves, sapping the plant of some of its vigour, but generally without actually killing it. That said, the fungus has been "weaponised" as a biological agent to control introduced European blackberry plants in places where they've become invasive. (Unfortunately, in some of those areas, the fungus has also attacked native blackberry relatives.) In the UK, it's most readily seen from late summer through autumn. If it manages to knock back some of the ubiquitous bramble seedlings in our garden, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing!

Mozzie

Banded Mosquito (Culiseta annulata)

Somehow, I never expect mosquitoes at this time of year. And yet, here's one I found yesterday, resting on a leaf near our little "rubbish bin lid" pond at the foot of the garden. It's a Banded Mosquito (Culiseta annulata), so named for its very stripey legs and abdomen. Those spotted wings are also distinctive. And it's huge, for a mosquito, measuring about a centimetre (i.e. nealy half an inch) from face to tip of wings. This makes it Britain's largest mosquito. The long proboscis (sticking straight out the front) and slender palps (the two angled things sticking out next to the proboscis) identify it as a female. A male's palps would be extravagently feathery. This one is missing half of her legs; she should have six, like all insects. Banded Mosquitoes are mainly nocturnal, resting during the day. They overwinter as adults, hibernating somewhere protected. As with all mosquitoes, only the female sucks blood. She'll feed on a variety of hosts, including (unfortunately) humans. Males feed on nectar, pollinating flowers in the process. 

According to our Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe, Banded Mosquitoes occur in many habitats, though always close to water. Females lay their eggs in a wide variety of watery sites; these can range from fresh to brackish, and can be clean or polluted, shaded or sunlit. Larvae and adults are all present year-round. The government's Public Health website says they're common and widespread throughout the UK, though ours is only the fifth record for Norfolk in the national database.

Starry

Springy Turf-moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus)

Now that winter is well and truly on its way, things are slowing down considerably in the garden. But some things are now coming into their own — including the mosses, which are really enjoying our recent rains. One of the garden's most common species is Springy Turf-moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus), which has spread throughout most of the lawn, particularly where the grass is short. The moss's long stems (sometimes as long as 15-20 cm; 4-6 inches), yellow-green colour and sharply splayed leaves are distinctive. From above, it has quite a "star-like" appearance. It has red stems too, but these are often almost completely hidden by the broad leaves (broad for a moss, anyway). It thrives in unimproved and semi-improved grasslands, and is ubiquitous across the UK. It's widespread in Eurasia and North America (where it's known as Square Goose Neck Moss) too, and has been accidentally introduced into parts of the southern hemisphere. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that it makes a wonderfully soft cushion for those of us who spend time sprawled out flat on the lawn!