Category Archives: Plants

Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

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cockspur hawthorn

Photo by Kirk Nelson

Depending on who you ask, there are 9 (or 10) species of hawthorn in Minnesota, not including 2 (or 3) species that haven’t been seen in the state in the last 50 (or 100) years. Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli) is in neither group, though the USDA shows Minnesota as part of the native range of this species.

Cockspur hawthorn is most similar to dotted hawthorn (Crataegus punctata). It is distinguished by its leaves, which are hairless. In addition, the upper leaf surface is shiny and does not have impressed veins.

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

Plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza)

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plains prickly pear

Plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza) is one of only three cactus species found in Minnesota. It is diminutive, hugs the ground, and has flattened pads. It looks nothing like the other two cacti, brittle prickly pear and ball cactus. It is common on dry, rocky or sandy prairies, dunes, and lakeshores in the southwestern part of the state. Large, showy, bright yellow flowers appear from mid-June to July. They are replaced by fleshy, juicy, red fruits, which mature from mid-July to mid-September. The pads become wrinkled with the approach of winter.

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

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

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eastern hemlock

Photo by Laurie Grimm

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is rare and imperiled in Minnesota. There are only 10 known sites in Minnesota where the tree occurs naturally (not planted). This is a long-lived tree, lasting 500 years or more, but it is very slow growing and it seldom regenerates. The root system is shallow, which makes mature trees vulnerable to windthrow. Young trees are vulnerable to deer predation. Old trees are vulnerable to beavers, which sometimes girdle hemlocks to kill them and make room for more desirable trees. The species is also susceptible to the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Hemlock woolly adelgid commonly causes 70% to 80% mortality, and sometimes 100% mortality, among the hemlocks in forest stands in New England.

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

Wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia)

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wild oats

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia) is native to the eastern half of North America. In Minnesota it blooms in April and May in the edges and openings of moderately moist forests. The leaves are stalkless but do not surround the stem at the base. A solitary, cream-colored flower is produced near the end of the stem but is easy to miss. The flower has three petals and three petal-like sepals (six tepals). It droops downward near the end of the stem and is somewhat concealed by immature, drooping leaves. In late spring the flower is replaced by a greenish to egg- or pyramid-shaped, yellowish-brown, three-celled capsule.

Wild oats is much less common than its close relative, large flowered bellwort. The latter is a taller plant with larger leaves that surround the stem at the base, up to three flowers per plant, and yellow, twisted tepals.

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

Prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)

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prairie blue-eyed grass

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) is misnamed. It is not a grass but a member of the Iris (Iridaceae) family. It is found in full sun in dry to moderately moist upland prairies, meadows, and sometimes woodland openings. It appears as a tuft of 2 to 6 narrow, grass-like leaves and one or more narrow flowering stems. The stems are leafless and conspicuously winged. From May to July a cluster of 1 to 11 flowers appears at the end of the stem. The flowers are pale violet, light blue, or white and have a yellow center.

There are four species of blue-eyed grass found in Minnesota and they can be difficult to tell apart. To identify the species take note of the waxiness of the leaves; the flower color; the number of flower clusters; the color of the bracts below the flower cluster (spathe), strongly tinged, lightly tinged, or not tinged at all; and whether the margins of the outer spathe bract are united at the base.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/prairie_blue-eyed_grass.html

Northern small yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum)

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northern small yellow lady’s slipper

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Northern small yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum), also called lesser yellow lady’s slipper, inhabits wet areas. It is found in the northeastern Minnesota in rich conifer swamps on moss-covered peat. In the lower Minnesota River valley it is found in calcareous fens. In northwestern Minnesota it is found in wet prairies, wet meadows, and wet aspen woodlands. It is also found in hardwood swamps, upland hardwood forests, and roadside ditches. The large showy flowers appear from May 20 to June 30, with peak blooming time June 5 to June 15.

Do not touch. The hairs on the stems and leaves cause dermatitis in some people.

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

Wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

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wild sarsaparilla

Photo by Bill Reynolds

This spring wildflower is found in moist to dry woodlands and thickets throughout Minnesota except for the southwest corner. In early spring it appears as three reddish-green compound leaves held parallel to the ground at the end of a 12″ to 24″ long stalk rising from an underground stem. Each leaf has five leaflets and the plant is easily mistaken for shagbark hickory. Later in the spring it produces usually three globe-shaped flower clusters on stalks that also rise from the underground stem. The flowering stalks are shorter than the leaf stalks and the flower clusters are usually hidden beneath the leaves. At flowering time the leaves are green with no trace of red.

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

Downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

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downy serviceberry

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Downy serviceberry is a tall shrub, sometimes a small tree, found on dry locations in upland woods, open forests, and sometimes swamp edges. It is common in eastern North America west to the St. Croix River valley. Isolated populations are also found in northwestern Minnesota. Flowers appear from late April to late May when the leaves are just starting to unfold.

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

Ground Plum (Astragalus crassicarpus var. crassicarpus)

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ground_plum_03

This low-growing plant is found on dry prairies and bluffs in western and southern Minnesota. The stems can be up to 24″ long but recline on the ground. The plant is rarely more than 6″ tall. In April and May it produces a short, loose cluster of 5 to 25 purple flowers.

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

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

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Pennsylvania sedge

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a very common and widespread sedge in eastern North America. It is found mostly on dry to moderately dry sites, especially those with sandy soils. It belongs to the Acrocystis section of the Carex genus, which are the first sedges to bloom in the spring. In Minnesota the flowers usually appear in April. The fruit matures in April or May and drops soon after.

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