Roadside Flower Patrol

I took a walk yesterday morning and found out first hand what a difference a few days can make! Lots of bloomin’ wildflowers have suddenly made their debut for the season, including the Prairie Phlox decked out in their various color tones---whitish to pale pink to lavender to fuchsia.

The name phlox comes from the Greek word for “flame”. Their habitat is in dryish, rocky or sandy prairies and open oak savannas---and roadsides---throughout the tallgrass prairie region. The Meskwaki made a tea of the leaves and used it as a wash to treat eczema. The root was used as part of a love potion……so says Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie by Sylvan Runkel and Dean Roosa. Phlox varieties for home gardens have been adapted from these native species.

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Next we have Golden Alexanders, also called Golden Meadow Parsnip. Early settlers thought this plant would cure syphilis, so says the above-mentioned book and Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers by Doug Ladd and Frank Oberle. The Meskwaki used the root to reduce fever and ground the flower parts into a snuff used to treat “illness in the head”.

I stumbled upon this nest which appears to be is use by two different birds. Is that possible? Or else a nest hijacking has occurred. I think the bluish eggs belong to Redwing Blackbirds, but the brownish one must belong to someone else. There was a Bobolink hanging around on the fence nearby, but I don’t know what their eggs look like. [Update: The brownish egg may have been left there by a Cowbird, as that is their habit.....read about them here.]

I don’t know what this next one is yet, but am working on it. If you recognize it, please let me know what it is.

This is some type of Mustard or Cress, I think.....

Wild Strawberry is next. What is that pencil shaped plant behind it? I’ve seen those all my life, but am not sure of the name. As kids, we called it “snake-grass” and we played with it, pulling apart the sections and putting them back together again. [Update: It is Horsetail..........a living fossil, so they say....]

Not sure what this grass is that appears to be shedding seeds already:

On the way back, I decided to get down to ground level to catch the dandelions from a different angle, and wouldn’t you know, my daughter and her friends came driving along and saw me. What a weirdo they must think I am. Can you spot Betsy, too? She almost blends right in with the fluffy white seed heads.

You may have been bored to death by this post, but I had a great time with it……taking the photos and looking up the flowers in the reference books. As I wandered out there along the roadside, searching for wildflowers, it felt as if I had finally returned home again after a long absence.

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We don't usually do anything special over the Memorial Day weeked......just the usual farm stuff, lawnmowing, etc. My son will get home from Des Moines tomorrow.......he ran in the shuttle hurdle relay at the state track meet on Thursday. (I did not attend.) The boys ran their best time of the year, but did not make the finals. That's ok.....they were excited simply to get the chance to run in Drake Stadium.

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Have a fun and safe Memorial Day holiday! Then summer will be off and running......

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