Last Updated May 3, 2024
A collection of photographs of Missouri wildflowers discovered on Rachel’s prairie, a one acre patch of ground with a pond.
Much of what catches the eye of a prairie are the flowers. I often look in wonderment of how the Creation demonstrates this randomness yet intentional process of claiming ground. While all that humans would consider a weed, nature has designed to be just the right thing for the ground. The flowers evolve over time as the soil changes, transformed by the magic of chemistry as plants emerge on harsh ground, releasing chemicals that slowly change, year-to-year, the soil into a richer environment, serving host to a new generation of plants.
Plants also produce fruit. So some of the photos will reflect what to expect in the Fall. What is remarkable, however, is that much of the abundance is too small to see. The minute seeds provide a banquet for birds, no longer needing bird seeders to survive the winter. Mice and voles consume them as well. And a few we can enjoy.
Flowers are posted in the order of their appearance.
Pussy Toes
The first flower to emerge in Spring, aside from the henbits and violets, are pussy toes. While henbits and violets prefer richer soil, pussy toes prefer acid soils. I typically see them on surfaces that generally grow nothing. This part of the county is generally marginal if not bad soil. Coal deposits are quite shallow and the top soil is thin.
These little flowers are often overlooked. Being white and small, they generally do not stand out. But what got my attention was the abundant presence of bees and butterflies. They love them.
In some places the pussy toes congregate, forming what I would call a pussy toe forest.
Sorrels
Another acid soil lover are wood sorrels. I have found sorrels of various hues in both Missouri and Georgia. The Missouri Wildflowers refers to both a violet sorrel, of which is pictured here. But I have found them to be anywhere from white to deep pink in hue. My theory is that it must have something to do with the ground chemistry.
In morning and evening, the flowers appear half-open. They close fully for the night. Their lovely presence is just for a short period of time.
The plant is actually edible. Growing up, we referred to wood sorrel as “sourgrass.” It is quite tasty. Wikipedia also notes that some of the wood sorrels produce edible tubers. Something to double-check.
Autumn Olive
Autumn Olive is one of my favorite “invasives.” It is amazing how this introduced shrub has multiplied. No doubt, it is a lot of work on the part of landowners to try to control the thing. But for my corner of the Earth, I have found it not only manageable, but useful.
The flower is one of the first to appear in the Spring, about the same time as the dogwood and the haw. It is scarcely noticeable because it is a tad greenish in color and can blend well with the leaves.
One thing I discovered about autumn olive was that it does not provide a hospitable environment for cattails. Cattails can be a major problem for small farm ponds. But one thing cattails do not is shade. Shrubs and trees that encroach the shore line tend to be free of cattails. I realized this when I cleared out two large autumn olive shrubs from along the pond, only to discover a shoreline free of the pesty cattails. So I decided to encourage the growth of autumn olive.
Another major benefit is the fruit. While naturalist are skeptical of the nutritional value of the fruit, birds do love it. It was several years ago that I read that the fruit was useless, but I observed considerable bird activity in the fall. Coupled with the propagation of the shrub from birds depositing their seeds everywhere, it was clear that birds liked the fruit.
Further research indicated that the fruit was edible for humans. So I harvested a batch last fall. Granted, the fruit is largely pit, but smashing the flesh in a colander produced this red pulp. Adding sugar and the skins of green apples, I produced one of the most amazing jams. A lot of work for a jar of the stuff, but well worth it. I extended the use of the jam by blending it with various pie fillings.
Beards Tongue
This innocent looking thing is part of the digitalis family, so it can be poisonous. Would not recommend chewing on it. It is the first “tall” plant to appear on the prairie.
May Apple
The May Apple covers the forests surrounding Rachel’s Prairie and is one of the more interesting plants. While the plant can grow in groups of dozens, if not hundreds of plants, few will produce a flower, and of that group, fewer will produce the actual “apple.” Is it edible? Some say it is, but my personal experience was not all that favorable.
Golden Rod
Golden Rod is a pervasive wildflower. It often comes up as one of the top causes of allergies, but it is also confused with its cousin the ragweed. Golden rod is actually quite useful. It is one of those nitrogen-fixing plants that are so vitally needed to enrich the soil. Pollinators love it. I should know, because as a kid our beehive would be worse than useless as the honey became tainted with the sulpheric quality of golden rod. Yet it would be this storehouse of honey that would enable the hive to thrive during the winter months.
The plant goes to seed in late Fall. In fact, it may be one of the last plants to continue blooming in the prairie.
Resources
Missouri Wildflowers, by Edgar Denison, 5th Edition, Missouri Department of Conservation, 2001
Field Guide, Missouri Department of Conservation.
© Copyright 2024 to Eric Niewoehner