Category Archives: Plants

Crown vetch (Securigera varia)

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crown vetch

Crown vetch (Securigera varia), native to Western Asia and Europe, was introduced into North America in 1869. It is now found in every state except Alaska. It has been planted extensively since the 1950s on highway embankments in the upper two thirds of the United States to prevent erosion. The practice is now discouraged because its dense colonies often hide rather then prevent soil erosion. It has been used since the 1970s to revegetate abandoned mining sites. It has been and still is planted in gardens as an ornamental. It readily escapes cultivation. Once established, it takes a combination of methods and several years to eradicate.

When in flower there is no similar species. In its vegetative state it appears similar to species in the Vicia and Lathyrus genera. Securigera is distinguished by the absence of tendrils; a terminal leaflet; an umbrella-like inflorescence; and fruits that break into one-seeded segments at maturity. Crown vetch is the only species of Securigera that is found in Minnesota.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/crown_vetch.html

Blue vervain (Verbena hastata var. hastata)

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blue vervain (Verbena hastata var. hastata)

Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) is common throughout Minnesota, possibly occurring in every county in the state. It blooms from July to September in marshes, meadows, fields, swamps, and roadside ditches. The densely crowded flower spikes bloom from the bottom up and only one to a few complete rotations of the spiral are in bloom at any one time.

Blue vervain is distinguished from hoary vervain by its green (not grayish-green) foliage; long, narrow, noticeably stalked leaves that are inconspicuously short hairy; inflorescence of 5 to many spikes; and distinctly pointed flower spikes. There are two varieties of blue vervain, both of which occur in Minnesota. This variety (var. hastata) is distinguished by the presence of one or two lobes at the base of the larger leaves.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/blue_vervain_(hastata).html

Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

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hoary vervain

There are six vervains (genus Verbena) found in Minnesota. Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) is by far the showiest yet it is considered a weed. It is common in the southern half of Minnesota in prairies, fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas. It is especially common in overgrazed pastures because the taste is bitter and unpalatable to cattle. It spreads easily by seed and with a root system that can extend 12 feet in depth, is very drought tolerant.

Hoary vervain is distinguished by its grayish-green, densely hairy foliage; broad leaves with very short stalks or no stalks at all; an inflorescence of a solitary spike or group of 3 to 5 spikes; and large corolla limbs.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/hoary_vervain.html

North American common reed (Phragmites australis ssp. americanus)

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North American common reed

At 16′ in height, common reed (Phragmites australis) may be the tallest native or naturalized grass in the state. It is common in wet and muddy areas on lake shores, alongside streams, and in marshes, sloughs, and roadside ditches.

There are three subspecies of common reed, two of which are found in Minnesota. One of these, European common reed, is an invasive plant from Europe, Asia, and Africa that threatens our natural wetlands and shores. The other, North American common reed (Phragmites australis ssp. americanus), is native to Minnesota. North American common reed is distinguished by less dense stands that do not crowd out other native plants; lighter colored foliage; shiny, smooth stems; the presence (sometimes) of small black fungal spots on the stem; leaves that fall off in the winter exposing a reddish stem; a less dense inflorescence that will not persist through the winter; and microscopic differences in floret parts.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/North_American_common_reed.html

White vervain (Verbena urticifolia var. urticifolia)

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White vervain (var. urticifolia)

White vervain (Verbena urticifolia var. urticifolia) is common throughout most of Minnesota. It blooms from June to October in areas of partial sun in woodland edges and openings, thickets, power lines, trails, and other disturbed sites.

This plant is difficult to photograph in its entirety. The flower spikes spread widely in all directions and the individual flowers are tiny. The inflorescence tends to get lost against the background and most of it is inevitably out of focus.

There are two varieties of white vervain and both are found in Minnesota. This variety, var. urticifolia, is distinguished by fewer and longer hairs on the underside of the leaf blade; visible appressed hairs on the calyx; and a slightly longer nutlet that is corrugated on the back.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/white_vervain_(urticifolia).html

Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

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Eastern purple coneflower

Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is not native to Minnesota. It is a cultivated plant sold in nurseries. The seeds are often included in wildflower mixes purchased by parks. As a result, this plant can often be found in county and state parks in Minnesota, especially in recently restored prairies and in showcase plantings near visitor centers.

This species is distinguished from narrow-leaved purple coneflower, a native species, by the taller stature; the leaves that are broader, have a rounded base, and have toothed margins; and the larger flower head.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/eastern_purple_coneflower.html

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)

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American bittersweet

Photo by Kirk Nelson

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is a widespread and, in Minnesota, fairly common woody vine. Unlike most vines it does not produce tendrils or aerial roots. It climbs by growing spirally from left to right up a tree or other adjacent vegetation. In the fall the bright orange fruit coverings splits open into three parts and folds back to reveal 3 to 6 bright red, berry-like seed coatings. The fruits remain on the vine through the winter, adding interest to the colorless landscape. They are poisonous to humans but not to birds.

American bittersweet is similar in appearance to the exotic invasive Oriental bittersweet. The best way to identify them is by leaf shape, location and number of flowers, and fruit color. American Bittersweet has leaves that are often twice as long as wide; clusters of 5 to 60 flowers at the ends of branches; and orange fruit capsules. Oriental bittersweet has broader, sometimes almost round leaves; clusters of 2 to 7 flowers in leaf axils; and yellow fruit capsules.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/American_bittersweet.html

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

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white snakeroot

Photo by Kirk Nelson

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima) is a late bloomer, one of the last flowers to be seen in the fall in the woods of Minnesota. At that time of year it is certainly the most conspicuous. The inflorescence is a flat-topped to dome-shaped, up to 3″ in diameter cluster of many white flower heads at the end of the stem. On larger plants they also appear on long stalks from the upper leaf axils.

This plant is poisonous to livestock. It was unusually abundant in southern Minnesota in 2004. A number of horses in the New Ulm area died in the summer of that year, and it is thought that white snakeroot is the cause. If eaten by cows the cow’s milk may also cause “milk sickness” in humans. Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the mother of Abraham Lincoln, is thought to have died of milk sickness in 1818.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/white_snakeroot.html

Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura)

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Blue Ridge carrionflower

Photo by Bill Reynolds

There are seven species of carrionflower (Smilax) found in Minnesota. Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura) is by far the most common and widespread. It is found throughout the state in woodlands, woodland borders and openings, thickets, fencerows, roadsides, and other open areas. The seven species are differentiated by the stem, the tendrils, the length of the leaf stalk, the hairiness of the leaf, and the length of the flower cluster stalk. Blue Ridge carrionflower has a non-woody, easily crushed stem with no thorns or bristles; long, conspicuously curled tendrils in almost every leaf axil; a leaf stalk that is shorter than the leaf blade; hairs on the veins of the lower leaf surface; and a flower cluster stalk that is 1 to 5 times as long as the stalk of the subtending leaf.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/Blue_Ridge_carrionflower.html

Purple-stem beggarticks (Bidens connata)

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purple-stem beggarticks

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Purple-stem beggarticks (Bidens connata) is one of the nine species of Bidens found in Minnesota. These plants are differentiated by the division of leaves, the number of outer bracts below the flower head, the size of the flower head, the presence or absence of ray florets, the color of disk florets, and the number of awns on the seed capsule. Purple-stem beggarticks is often most easily identified by the color of the stem. The stem may be green tinged with purple or mostly or completely purple. The leaves often turn purple or purplish in the fall.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/purple-stem_beggarticks.html