Wildflowers of the Midwest, Part Two!!

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) This pretty, airy relative of the carrot can be found along most roads and within any prairie or quiet field in the Midwest. Although you can cook and eat the taproot, do not get this plant confused with poison hemlock, which can be extremely poisonous.

Tall ironweed (Veronica gigantea) named after the English botanist William Vernon, these flowers can reach heights of up to seven feet. You can find these purple beauties from Florida to Michigan and as far west as Kansas.

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) can be found almost anywhere in the Midwest as long as there is ample sunshine. The bright, yellow ray flowers perk up the green landscapes. This native prairie biennial forms bright three inch heads on tall stalks in their second year. This variety has been used in ornamental gardens throughout the entire Continent.

My boss Erick and his bouquet of pink indian lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera). He looks happy holding this elegant flower, but inside he is sad because this is the national flower of India and Vietnam and should not be anywhere near the lakes of Ohio. Flowers such as this can be nice to look at, but they can be extremely invasive (the lake we found this specimen was completely covered on one side by this one species). The best defense against invasives such as this is not allowing ornamental residential pond plants to be released into natural waterways. There should be more education to the public to prevent the spread of plants like this.

This precious gem, cleverly called Jewelweed, or spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) is one of my favorite little flowers I have seen out here in the Midwest. I found this particular one along a shady gravel road in eastern Ohio. This annual attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, and it's sap has been used to treat symptoms of poison ivy and nettles (in which it is usually found growing alongside).