Flowers of the Midwest regions, part 1

Everywhere I go I take pictures of flowers. Just like in California, most of the pretty roadside blooms are exotic and mostly invasive plants. Although I recently completed a course in plant family recognition, most the flowering plants native to the mid west region possess very different characteristics then most California native. Most the area where we survey, and where I have taken these pictures, is wildlife refuges, wetlands, hunting areas, reservoir, ponds, drainage and flood control areas, state and national forests, and city park lakes. The winters are cold, with snow and ice, and the summers are wet and humid.

Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus). This plant can grow completely submerged or emergent along the side of waterways. This european introduction has now naturalized across most the US and Canada.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Related to Endive, this European asteraceae is all over the midwest, blooming July - September.

*Invasive* Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) This heavy invasive is on our 'List' and when possibly we have to remove any that we see. Wind dispersed seeds can survive on land or in the water and can reproduce rapidly. Although purple and pretty, it can crowd out native aquatic plants that are valuable to waterfowl.

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) This plant has a special relationship with butterflies throughout a range from Nova Scotia down to Florida. This plant can be found along lake shores to highway shoulders. Named after the Greek God of medicine, Asklepios, it can be used to treat a variety of ailments.

White Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) This flower native to the north midwest region has typical water 'lily pads' that float on the surface of the water creating a peaceful and poetic feel. These are found in most ponds and lakes without a great deal of activity and they bloom from June through August.

This is the bloom of the Yellow water Lily (Nuphar lutea) a floating emergent also found in ponds and lakes with limited activities in most the midwest regions. The yellow flower is smaller then a white water lily, and can emerge from the water on a stalk up to a foot. Insects like to hide in the petal pockets and unsuspectingly fertilize the neighboring flowers as they migrate from bloom to bloom.