![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTuj6Q45Pjt-husokn87VP6U8hz0YIx_pbJ3IN3VZJf1BtFKE8I5HFekF1VeehlgaXwn61hYvUbDpiRaBNyRXY6xO6sS8KpfVOrX0YL40SVQCqenCV1n_29_zhaoL4w9cQdVGhqTTm1dh/w400-h266/1.jpg) |
This week I made my yearly September trip to the New Jersey pine barrens to look for rare and beautiful pine barrens gentians. Found them.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZpQgWkfqQf_h9kPCfiAlE93aHbGYq2NVXBRtS-NcAKmLA5Nt1aqruL6S7IHZd0JlPMyCFT4u-65KogMVCvJ4ocOSt6xmgr3jwEIeJTyzijP5YfMY88PSLPy3hIO0-_hqcwr2dPPhhJMT/w400-h266/2.jpg) |
The buds remind me of Tiffany vases.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhd9LqJgQCgr1zOUJl0KRxNirS-lPkjmjmpeXGrPz1DqmppcxyAfZnNWN0gL-GN8YnRNFZnTr8v9pn-4E4ymKnJOBZuFI4-eZ32JmDiWlPvpWrUJ0MIuXQr38lpDMFqaXNOuol6DEfEXX/w400-h266/3.jpg) |
Click to enlarge.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWX-gx88O7JJ7W7lV3GxztYM2dx7mN-vJ-SmUve5ARG_C8Y0zvHISh8nGbUIUrBmjELwo7Cr3ucS_rzgzyknT-Nu4XIgttaPfjPLAxggN-UXRDCj6mOa6RWWA75xMPnXpPmpK2mWYbaCu/w400-h266/4.jpg) |
There's a caterpillar on this one. I think it's a yellow-striped armyworm. It was not eating and seemed to be trying to get down. Here's hoping it dislikes gentians and goes off and finds itself a tasty invasive plant.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWD_vij_FRj7UHH_4jGLxHnEjiGgJ5Svf5wbc6SpvZtwx7q5uv-tdJTR0rK9dXvQhrlfCw352ByK9wWIGMXdlgl8RR5utel5aepdbmta-l6-3xjteHzAdPV13uTmvUPOnR_R_x4tOePM3/w400-h266/5.jpg) |
Pine barrens gentians bloom from September through mid-October in New Jersey, depending on local conditions. One more reason to take a long walk in the pinelands.
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