Red-Pink Wildflowers - Click on picture for larger version

	Skunk Cabbage:	Symplocarpus foetidus Arum Family Habitat: Swamps and bogs Size: Flower 2-5” Notes: Blooms early-mid March. Leaves do not open until after the bloom is gone. Leaves may be visible as a small green spike emerging from the ground. Folklore and Facts: The 4-6” tall, cone shaped flower and leaf buds are produced in the fall and spend the winter dormant just above the surface of the ground. As the flower buds begin to swell and open in late winter they produce heat, often enough to melt the surrounding snow. The heat production in the chill of late winter helps speed the development of the plant as well as release chemicals that attract pollinators. The heat itself may also serve as an attractant to insects on cold nights.
	Wild Ginger:	Asarum canadense Birthwort Family Habitat: rich woodlands Size: Ground cover to 6”, flower 1” Notes: Blooms early April. Flowers born along the ground under the leaves. Folklore and Facts: Although not related to the ginger you might buy at the grocery, wild ginger was used by Native Americans to flavor food. It was also thought to treat illnesses brought on by eating rotten meat and other spoiled food. Wild ginger has some anti-microbial attributes that may validate certain of its uses but depending on the source you read it may also cure or cause cancer.
	Long-Bristled Smartweed:	Polygonum pensylvanicum Buckwheat Family Habitat: Moist soils Size: 8-36” Flowers under ¼” Notes: Blooms late September Folklore and Facts: Smartweed hasn’t got a high I.Q. nor does eating it induce intellectual conversation but it is said that the acrid peppery taste is “smarts” on your mouth which is, perhaps, where the name comes from.
	Lenten Rose:	Helleborus orientalis (Non-native) Buttercup Family Habitat: Rich woodlands Size: 16-24” Flowers 3-4” Notes: Blooms late March early April Folklore and Facts: Native to Northern Greece and Northern Turkey.
	Flowering Rush:	Butomus umbellatus (Non-Native) Flowering Rush Family Habitat: Wet fields and shores Size: 1-4’ Flowers ¾ -1” Notes: Blooms Early August. Folklore and Facts: The species name caerulea means “sky blue” in reference to the color of the flowers.
	Prairie Trillium:	Trillium recurvatum Lilly Family Habitat: Rich, moist woodland Size: 6-18” Notes: Blooms mid-late April leaves have distinct stem. Sepals droop below stem. Leave mottled. Folklore and Facts: Trilliums produce a structure called a strophiole on their seeds that attracts ants. After dragging the seed back to the nest the ants dine on the strophiole then discard the seed thus the trillium is able to distribute its seeds. Once the seed is buried it must go through the freeze thaw cycle of winter before it germinates. The first year it will produce a root underground. Year 2 it will produce a single small leaf that will die back after a month or so. In the third year it will produce a single large leaf. This stage may repeat for 1 or more years. After 4 or 5 years the plant will produce the namesake 3 leaf structure. This stage may last an additional 1 or two years. Finally on a beautiful spring day 5-7 years after the ant carried the seed away from the parent plant a flower will form, go to seed and start the entire cycle over again. The long period of time it take for these plants to mature along with over harvesting of wild plants by dishonest plant dealers is a main reason why most of the trilliums in the Eastern United States are becoming rare or endangered.
	Sessil Trillium:	Trillium sessile Lilly Family Habitat: Rich Woods Size: 4-12” Notes: Blooms early-mid April. Superficially similar to prairie trillium but: leaves appear stemless, sepals lay on top of leaves rather than droop below them, leaves sometimes mottled. Also known as Toadshade Trillium. Folklore and Facts: Trilliums produce a structure called a strophiole on their seeds that attracts ants. After dragging the seed back to the nest the ants dine on the strophiole then discard the seed thus the trillium is able to distribute its seeds. Once the seed is buried it must go through the freeze thaw cycle of winter before it germinates. The first year it will produce a root underground. Year 2 it will produce a single small leaf that will die back after a month or so. In the third year it will produce a single large leaf. This stage may repeat for 1 or more years. After 4 or 5 years the plant will produce the namesake 3 leaf structure. This stage may last an additional 1 or two years. Finally on a beautiful spring day 5-7 years after the ant carried the seed away from the parent plant a flower will form, go to seed and start the entire cycle over again. The long period of time it take for these plants to mature along with over harvesting of wild plants by dishonest plant dealers is a main reason why most of the trilliums in the Eastern United States are becoming rare or endangered.
	Cardinal Flower:	Lobelia cardinalis Lobelia Family Habitat: stream banks and moist meadows Size: 2-5’ Flowers 1-1 ½ “ Notes: Blooms late July. Folklore and Facts: The genus name Lobelia comes from the 16 th century Flemish botanist Mathias de L'Obel. Later in his life he served as physician to King James I at which time he anglicized his name to Lobel hence the Latin Lobelia.
	Swamp Rose Mallow:	Hibiscus palustris Mallow Family Habitat: Marshes wetland and wet fields Size: 3-7’ Flowers 4-6” Notes: Early to Mid August Folklore and Facts: There is a white form of swamp rose mallow (see white flowers) often called crimson-eyed rose-mallow. Leaves and roots of this plant have been used to treat gastrointestinal, urinary and lung ailments.
	Swamp Milkweed:	Asclepias incarnate Milkweed Family Habitat: Wet fields Size: 2-6’ flowers very small growing in clusters Notes: Blooms mid July into Summer. Folklore and Facts: Milkweed is perhaps best known, not for its habits or features but for the larvae of monarch butterflies that feed on it. The plant contains glycosides, chemicals that are poisonous to many animals. A variety of insects have developed immunity to the toxin including milkweed bug, milkweed beetle and of course the monarch caterpillar. Many insects that consume milkweed are able to store the toxin in their bodies making them poisonous or distasteful to predators a fact that is advertised by their coloration, generally orange, red or black.
	Common Milkweed:	Asclepias syriaca Milkweed Family Habitat: Open areas, along roads Size: 2-6’ flowers very small growing in clusters Notes: Blooms mid July into summer. Folklore and Facts: Milkweed is perhaps best known, not for its habits or features but for the larvae of monarch butterflies that feed on it. The plant contains glycosides, chemicals that are poisonous to many animals. A variety of insects have developed immunity to the toxin including milkweed bug, milkweed beetle and of course the monarch caterpillar. Many insects that consume milkweed are able to store the toxin in their bodies making them poisonous or distasteful to predators a fact that is advertised by their coloration, generally orange, red or black.
	Wild Bergamot:	Monarda fistulosa Mint Family Habitat: Woodland edges, meadows Size: 2-3’ Flower heads about 2” Notes: Blooms mid July Folklore and Facts: Wild bergamot leaves were brewed as a tea to help settle upset stomachs.
	Alsike Clover:	Trifolium hybridum (Non-Native) Pea Family Habitat: Open areas and waste places Size: 1-2’ Flowers 1” or less Notes: Blooms Early June-Fall. Folklore and Facts: As with many clovers this one was planted as a forage crop and escaped.
	Red Clover:	Trifolum pretense (Non-Native) Pea Family Habitat: Fields, meadows and disturbed areas. Size: 6-24” Notes: Blooms mid June. Folklore and Facts: If you are feeling the need for some good luck hunt a four leaf clover. You can comb through the leaves of white clover in your lawn but you are far more likely to find your quarry by checking over a red clover as they are more likely to produce a leaf with four leaflets.
	Trailing Wild Bean:	Strophostyles helvola Pea Family Habitat: Moist fields and woodland edges. Size: Vine, leaflets 1-2” long. Flowers ½” Notes: Blooms early September Folklore and Facts: The genus name Strophostyles comes from the Greek strophe “turning” and stylos referring to the style which is twisted into the keel petal on the flower.
	Deptford Pink:	Dianthus armeria (Non-Native) Pink Family Habitat: Open areas. Size: 6-15” Flowers ½” Notes: Blooms Early June. Folklore and Facts: Dianthus comes from the Greek dios, divine and anthos, flower. The color pink was probably named after flowers in this family.
	Fire Pink:	Silene virginica Pink Family Habitat: Open woodlands and slopes Size: 12-30” Flowers 1-2” Notes: Blooms early May. Folklore and Facts: Although many of the members of the pink family are shades of red and pink the family name is derived from the notched petals many of the species exhibit (as though someone cut them with pinking shears).
	Prairie Rose:	Rosa setigera Rose Family Habitat: Open woods and fields Size: branches may trail or climb up to 12’ Flowers 2 ½” Notes: Blooms Early June Folklore and Facts: Rose petals and hips have been used for a multitude of edible and medicinal uses.