Wildflowers of
Thornhill
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Spring |
 |
Spring
Beauty |
|
Flower Color: |
white
or pink |
|
Flower Size: |
1/2-3/4 " wide; 5 petals |
|
Blooms: |
April,
May |
|
This early bloomer has two narrow, parallel veined leaves.
Starchy underground tubers were often cooked like potatoes
by the Indians and are a favorite food of chipmunks,
squirrels, and mice. Purslane Family. |
| |
 |
Dutchman's
Breeches |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
3/4-1"
wide |
| Blooms
: |
April,
early May |
| These unusual flowers resemble pantaloons hung out to dry!
Squirrel corn, a related species, can be identified by its rounder bloom and small
yellow tuber at its stem base. Fumitory Family |
| |
 |
False
Rue Anemone 'windFlower' |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
1/2-3/4" wide; 5 sepals |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| The white parts are sepals, or modified leaves. Look for
fragile stems and three-parted leaves. It may be confused with rue anemone, which
has 6-8 sepals. Buttercup Family. |
| |
 |
Cut-Leaved
Toothwort |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
1/2-1" wide; 4 petals |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| The name comes from toothlike scales on the rootstock.
The root, was once used as a horseradish substitute. A related species, purple cress
is also common. Purple cress leaves are heart-shaped or rounded. Mustard
family |
| |
 |
Sweet
Cicely |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
Very
small, in umbels |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| The roots have a licorice-like odor. Settlers candied
these and made a tea from the leaves to cure coughs. Delaware Indians crushed the
leaves to enhance the flavor of fishing worms! The young leaves resemble the leaves
of poison hemlock. Parsley Family. |
| |
 |
MayApple |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
1 1/2-2" wide; 6-9 petals |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| Look for umbrella-like leaves in April. The fruit is
edible in early fall and was used by the pioneers as a lemon substitute. All other
parts of the plant are poisonous. Barberry Family. |
| |
 |
Toadshade
Trillium |
| Flower
Color: |
purple |
| Flower
Size: |
1"
tall, 3 petals |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| Trillium comes from the Latin word
tres, meaning three.
The leaves of this common flower can be boiled or eaten in salads. Lily Family. |
| |
 |
Large-Flowered
Trillium |
| Flower
Color: |
white,
fading to pink |
| Flower
Size: |
1 1/2-3" wide; 3 petals |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| This showy flower was called birthroot; a tea made from it
supposedly reduced the pain of childbirth. Lily Family. |
| |
 |
Wild
Ginger |
| Flower
Color: |
purplish-brown |
| Flower
Size: |
1
" wide, 3 lobes |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| The downy, heart-shaped leaves can be seen through the summer
and well into fall. The flower is usually hidden in the leaf litter at ground level.
The gingery tasting root was used to make candy and cough syrup.
Birthwort
Family. |
| |
 |
Wild
Geranium |
| Flower
Color: |
lavender |
| Flower
Size: |
1-1/2" wide; 5 petals |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| Geranium is the Greek term for crane and refers to the long
slender fruit. This plant was used as a mouthwash, and a sore throat and gum
treatment. The powdered root in a poultice served as a blood coagulant. Geranium
Family. |
| |
 |
Common
Blue Phlox |
| Flower
Color: |
lavender
fading to white |
| Flower
Size: |
1-1/2" wide; 5 petals |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| The petals are fused at their bases to form a corolla tube.
look for narrow, opposite leaves. This flower was given to women as a symbol
of love and devotion! Phlox Family. |
| |
 |
Common
Blue Violet |
| Flower
Color: |
purple |
| Flower
Size: |
1-1/2" wide; 5 petals |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| There are many kinds of violets. They are said to
contain three times as much Vitamin C by weight as an orange! The flowers can be
eaten raw, put in jelly,or candied. White violets and smooth yellow violets are also
common. Violet Family. |
| |
 |
Jack
in the Pulpit |
| Flower
Color: |
greenish-white |
| Flower
Size: |
irregular; 1-4" tall |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| Minute, berry-like flowers at "Jack's" base are
pollinated by flies attracted by a rotten-meet smell. the root contains calcium
oxalate crystals that cause extreme pain for anyone who eats it raw. Potawatomi
Indians ate the root-- after slicing it and cooking it for three days and nights! Arum
Family. |
| |
 |
False
Solomon's Seal |
| Flower
Color: |
yellowish-white |
| Flower
Size: |
small;
2-4" long cluster |
| Blooms
: |
May |
| The ripe berries of this plant were once brewed into a tea to
cure sore throats. The small flowers are found in a terminal cluster or raceme.
Solomon's seal, a similar but less common plant, has flowers in the leaf axils.
Lily Family. |
| |
 |
Trout
Lily |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow
or white |
| Flower
Size: |
3/4-1 1/2" long |
| Blooms
: |
April,
May |
| The mottled, elliptical leaves of this plant are visible
before and long after the flowers are gone. The petals are reflexed and may be
yellow or white. Lily Family. |
|
Summer |
 |
Daisy
Fleabane |
| Flower
Color: |
white
rays, yellow disk |
| Flower
Size: |
1/2-3/4" wide |
| Blooms
: |
May,
August |
| This plant was a "bane" to insects and fleas.
The smoke from a burning plant supposedly drove away the insect pests. Composite
Family. |
| |
 |
Yarrow
'milfoil' |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
tiny,
4-6 rays/flower |
| Blooms
: |
June-August |
| The flower head is usually 2-3 inches wide. The
fragrant, finely dissected leaves appear in spring. The leaves were used to stop small
cuts from bleeding and to make a tea to cure colds. Composite Family. |
| |
 |
Oxeye
Daisy |
| Flower
Color: |
white
rays, yellow disk |
| Flower
Size: |
1-2" wide, 15-30 rays |
| Blooms
: |
June,
July |
| Look for lobed alternate leaves. Our garden
chrysanthemums were developed from these. Composite Family. |
| |
 |
Queen
Anne's Lace 'wild carrot' |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
head
is 2-4" wide |
| Blooms
: |
June-August |
| This plant has a whitish taproot and is the ancestor of our
domestic carrot. Parsley Family. |
| |
 |
Wood
Sorrel |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow |
| Flower
Size: |
1/4-1/2" wide, 5 petals |
| Blooms
: |
June-September |
| The clover-like leaves of this plant taste like lemon sour
balls or sweet tarts! Wood Sorrel Family. |
| |
 |
Evening
Primrose |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow |
| Flower
Size: |
1-2"
wide, 4 petals |
| Blooms
: |
June-august |
| This late afternoon/evening bloomer is pollinated by moths.
Ev. Primrose Family. |
| |
 |
Mullein |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow |
| Flower
Size: |
3/4-1" wide, 5 petals |
| Blooms
: |
June-August |
| The most striking features of this plant are it's height
(2-8ft.) and large, velvety leaves. Romans used the long flower stalk for making
torches. It was used to treat asthma, colds, and bronchitis. Figwort
Family. |
| |
 |
Black
Eyed Susan |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow
rays, brown disks |
| Flower
Size: |
2-4"
wide, 10-20 rays |
| Blooms
: |
July-August |
| The bristly hairs on the stem and leaves help to reduce
evaporation of water on hot days. The cone shaped, brown center is distinctive.
Composite Family. |
| |
 |
Jewel
Weed 'Touch me not' |
| Flower Color: |
orange or
yellow |
| Flower Size: |
1" long |
| Blooms : |
June, July |
| The egg-shaped leaves and fused petals are distinctive.
The sap supposedly stops the itch of poison ivy. the seed pods explode when
touched. Touch-me-not Family. |
| |
 |
Teasel |
| Flower Color: |
lavender |
| Flower Size: |
head is
2-3" long |
| Blooms : |
July, August |
| The small flowers are mixed among bristly spines. The
entire plant may be 2-6 feet tall. Teasel Family. |
| |
 |
Bergamot |
| Flower Color: |
lavender |
| Flower Size: |
1-2" wide |
| Blooms : |
July, August |
| Look for opposite leaves and a crown-like flower. The
fragrant leaves are used for tea. Mint Family |
| |
 |
Chicory
'ragged sailors' |
| Flower Color: |
blue, purple |
| Flower Size: |
1-1 1/2 "
wide |
| Blooms : |
June-September |
| This plant's taproot is used as a caffeine-free coffee
substitute. It is commonly seen along roadsides and in other disturbed areas. Composite
Family. |
|
Autumn
|
 |
New
England Aster |
| Flower
Color: |
purple rays, yellow disks |
| Flower
Size: |
1-2" wide, 40-50 rays |
| Blooms
: |
September, October |
| Aster is the Greek term for star. This is the showiest
aster that blooms here, but certainly not the only one. Most of the have smaller
flowers that are either white or pale purple. They are sometimes called frost asters
because they bloom late into the fall. They can be identified by differing leaf
shapes and flower arrangements. Composite Family. |
| |
 |
Ironweed |
| Flower
Color: |
purple |
| Flower
Size: |
1/2-3/4" wide |
| Blooms
: |
August, September |
| This alternate-leaved plant is poisonous to horses and cattle.
It grows 3-7 feet tall. Composite Family. |
| |
 |
GoldenRod |
| Flower
Color: |
yellow |
| Flower
Size: |
small; variable |
| Blooms
: |
September, October |
| The many species of goldenrod can usually be identified by
habitat, leaf shape/arrangement, and flower placement. Goldenrod are not the
allergy-villains everyone thinks. Ragweed pollen is the real culprit! Composite
Family. |
| |
 |
White
Snakeroot |
| Flower
Color: |
white |
| Flower
Size: |
1/2" wide |
| Blooms
: |
August, September |
| This woodland flower contains trematol, which causes mild
sickness. The pioneers' cattle ate it and people who drank their contaminated milk
usually died. Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, was a victim. Composite
Family. |
This checklist was
derived from "Common Wildflowers of the Upper Wabash Reservoirs"
published by the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources and available at the
Salamonie
Lake Interpretive Center. Contact naturalist Marvin McNew (HC 1989).
Unless otherwise indicated, all images on this page were
obtained from
ClipArt.com © 2003.
Permission to reproduce these images must be obtained from
www.clipart.com.
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