SUMMER WILDFLOWER GUIDE

Sound like a Naturalist while correctly identifying these native summer wildflowers!

JEWELWEED

SPOTTED JEWELWEED; Impatiens capensis PALE JEWELWEED; Impatiens pallida

BLOOMING PERIOD: May – October

HABITAT: Moist woods and along creek beds

DESCRIPTION: The two common species of Jewelweed you will see in Lorain County Metro Parks are the Pale Jewelweed (yellow) and Common or Spotted Touch-Me-Not (yellow, orange, and red) seen together in this photo. This plant’s leaves and the juice from the stem can be used to treat poison ivy, poison oak, and other plantinduced rashes. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies pollinate the flowers. Its method of seed dispersal is unique. Often referred to as “touch-me-nots,” when you touch the plant’s swollen fruit, they pop like fireworks. Multiple seeds proceed to “explode” into the air, sometimes up to 4 feet away from the plant!

CARDINAL FLOWER; Lobelia cardinalis

BLOOMING PERIOD: July – September

HABITAT: Along stream sides, marsh areas, and woodland clearings

DESCRIPTION: This dazzling, bright red, native perennial is a beautiful sight to see! The common name alludes to the bright red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Cardinal flower grows anywhere from 1–6 feet tall, and its flowers are tubular, making it difficult for insects to navigate. However, it is a magnet for hummingbirds who feed on the nectar, which helps pollinate the plant. Lobelias produce a secondary compound known as “lobeline,” which deters herbivores from eating them.

PURPLE CONEFLOWER; Echinacea purpurea

BLOOMING PERIOD: July – September

HABITAT: Tall grass prairies and open wooded areas

DESCRIPTION: Purple coneflower is a good example of a native prairie plant found in Ohio during the summer. It is easy to grow and has a long taproot that breaks up clay soil and stores water. It can only be found wild in North America. The genius Echinacea comes from the Greek ‘echinos,” meaning hedgehog, referencing the spiky, round seed head, which resembles a hedgehog. This plant is perfect for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and other insects. Insect presence on the flower will also draw hummingbirds that feed on them. In the fall, the seed-heads provide food for songbirds like goldfinches.

COMMON MILKWEED;

Asclepias syriaca

BLOOMING PERIOD: June – August

HABITAT: Meadows, fencerows, roadsides, railways, fields, and other open habitats

DESCRIPTION: A robust perennial, common milkweed can be found in every county in Ohio. If cut or crushed, the stems and leaves exude a white milky sap, a common characteristic of species in the Milkweed family, hence the name. It can be distinguished from other milkweed species by its pinkish-purple, ball-shaped flower clusters, and large teardrop-shaped seed pods covered in warty bumps. In the fall, after the seed pod matures, they split open, releasing numerous tufted seeds. Milkweed is vital to the Monarch butterfly because the plant hosts its eggs and caterpillars. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the plant, and as a result, the toxic milky substance is absorbed, making them and the adult Monarchs distasteful to predators.