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Late
Summer
Wildflowers
Fireweed
Epilobium angustifolium
Fireweed is a three to six feet tall perennial with vivid
pink flowers. The seedpods form below the flowers. Fireweed is a consistent
source of nectar, which makes it appreciated by beekeepers. Fireweed grows
well on disturbed sites such as burned-over areas. That may be an origin of
its name.
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Goldenrod
Solidago spp.
Goldenrod, a native roadside plant, can grow one to six feet tall. This plant
with many different species spreads by underground rhizomes. You may notice swollen
lumps on the stem of goldenrod. These are called galls and are home to different
types of parasitic insects. Insects lay their eggs inside the stem and the plant
tries to heal itself by forming a growth around the eggs. Many people blame hay
fever on goldenrod. However, ragweed, which blooms at the same time as goldenrod,
is the real culprit. Ragweed is pollinated by the wind whereas only insects pollinate
goldenrod.
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Joe-pye Weed
Equpaorium maculatum
Joe-pye weed is a tall flower that blooms in August through September.
This 2-7 foot tall plant grows in wet thickets and meadows. The
pink-purple flowers form a dome shape. The leaves are whorled
on the purple stem allowing sunlight to reach every layer of
leaves. Joe-pye weed was used for different medicinal purposes.
It was used for sore joints, burns, as a love medicine, and to "strengthen" children.
Today, however, there is no known medicinal value.
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Stiff Aster
Aster linariifolius
This type of aster is characterized by its numerous, rigid, needle-like
leaves. Its flower heads are in small clusters or solitary. Rays
are blue-violet and grow 6-10 inches tall. They prefer dry rocky
soil. Asters bloom late in the summer, but ensure their
survival by producing a chemical that makes it difficult for
other plants to grow.
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Mullein
Verbascum thapsus
The mullein is one of the easiest wildflowers to identify because
of its soft, flannel-like leaves and height of more than six
feet. It has yellow flowers noticeable because of their orange
stamens. Mullein is found on roadsides and blooms June through
November. Mullein is also known as beggar’s blanket, flannel
plant, Aaron’s rod, velvet plant, and witch’s candle.
The variety of common names suggests how much and in how many
different ways it has been used: in everything from torches,
dye, rouge, insulation, pain reliever, even a charm against demons.
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 Touch-Me-Not
Impatiens capensis
Touch-me-nots can grow to be five feet tall. They mainly inhabit
lowland streamside woods. They have bluish green leaves with
small yellow to red-orange flowers. They are called touch-me-nots
because the seedpods split open and scatter the seeds when the
pod is dried. Another common name for the touch-me-not is jewelweed,
because the flowers hang down like a jewel on a necklace. It
also has been used to sooth poison ivy, athlete’s foot
and other skin problems.
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Pearly Everlasting
Anaphalis margaritaceae
Pearly everlasting is a perennial herb of the aster family.
It can grow to be eight to thirty-six inches tall. This flower
grows in meadows, dry fields, open woods, and thickets. It
is native to North America and has been introduced to Europe.
Pearly everlasting was used as an influenza medicine. It
was mixed with yellow cedar pitch to make a poultice and
the flowers were used to stuff mattresses and pillows. Since
the flowers are shaped like eyeballs, it was thought at one
time to be useful for treating problems of the eyes.
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Purple Loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
Purple loosestrife is a nonnative, invasive species that can
dominate wetlands. It has a square stem and pink-purple flowers
with six petals. Purple loosestrife is often confused with fireweed,
which differs with its round stem and four petals. Purple Loosestrife
threatens native vegetation because it crowds out the native
wetland plants. This decreases biodiversity and affects wildlife
usage. The best way to get rid of purple loosestrife is by hand
pulling. There are several beetles that are effective in controlling
purple loosestrife.
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Tansy
Tanacentum vulgare
Tansy has bright yellow flowers that look like a daisy without the white petals.
Its fragrant, fernlike leaves grow two to three feet tall. It can be found blooming
late summer on roadsides. The harsh tansy tea has been used since medieval times
and the leaves and juice have been used for a variety of ailment cures.
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Vervain
Verbena hastata
Vervain's branching spikes of small, 5-petaled, blue-violet flowers
bloom only a few at a time. It blooms from July through
September. It is common in thickets and roadsides. This plant
has several medicinal uses, and is still listed in modern herbals.
The root was considered more important and was used historically
as a female tonic, for colds, coughs and stomach cramps.
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Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Also called bee-balm, it is in the mint family. It is popular
in flower gardens as it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
This plant has been used by Native Americans as a tea for colic,
colds, stomach aches, fevers, and for many other ailments. Physicians
once used it as a tea to expel worms and gas.
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Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Yarrow flowers form a white cluster attached to one stem.
Yarrow can live in dry, impoverished soil and survive with
little maintenance. It blooms from May to November. Not native,
it has become quite common and naturalized in roadsides and
fields. Yarrow is good for floral arrangements, both fresh
and dry. The best-known medicinal use of yarrow was to stop
the flow of blood from a wound. Chemicals in the plant are
effective at clotting blood. This trait has given yarrow
several common names including nosebleed, bloodwort, and
soldier’s woundwort.
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