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Wildflowers
Notable native plants of the Northwest Pioneers Greenway
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Common name: Pink flowered onion Scientific name: allium stellatum Description: Pink flowers in cluster at end of slender stem. Leaves slender and circular. Entire plant has onion smell. Habitat and distribution: Native Prairie / rare. Flowering Season: June-August Location on NPG: Between Springfield and Douglas Ave. on Raleigh side of trail. |
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Common name: Whorled milkweed Scientific name: Asclepias verticillata Description: Greenish white flowers in cluster of 10-20 at apex of plant. Leaves narrow and whorled. Short plant less then 60cm tall. A host plant for the monarch butterfly. Habitat and distribution: Native prairie / uncommon Flowering season: June-August Location on NPG: Distributed in high quality areas. |
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Common name: Crowfoot violet Scientific name: Viola pedatifida Description: Flowers are violet blue and 2cm across. Leaves are finely divided and resemble a bird's foot. Plant is small and easily overlooked. Habitat and distribution: Wet prairie / uncommon Flowering season: June Location on NPG: Concentrated around Douglas Ave. on Raleigh side of trail. |
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Common name: Purple prairie-clover Scientific name: Dalea purpurea Description: Purple flowers in densely packed spike. Leaves small and alternate on stalk. Branched plant between 15cm and 60cm in height. Habitat and distribution: Native prairie / uncommon Flowering season: June - August Location on NPG: Between Springfield and Douglas Ave. on Raleigh side of trail. |
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Common name: Blue-eyed grass Scientific name: Sisyrinchium montanum Description: Flowers are bright blue (0.6cm across) and star shaped. Leaves are linear and grass like. Plant hard to spot unless in flower. Habitat and distribution: Wet grasslands / common Flowering season: June Location on NPG: Abundant in diverse areas of the NPG. |
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Common name: Golden alexander Scientific name: Zizia aurea Description: Flowers are small and bright yellow and occur in cluster. Leaves are shiny, finely toothed and three-lobed. Habitat and distribution: Moist meadows and prairie / uncommon Flowering season: June - July Location on NPG: Between Springfield and Douglas Ave. on Raleigh side of trail. |
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Common name: Spiked lobelia Scientific name: Lobelia spicata Description: Light blue flowers (1cm across) on vertical stem. Leaves small and linear. Plant is short (10-30cm). Habitat and distribution: Native prairie / rare. Flowering season: July Location on NPG: Between Springfield and Douglas Ave. on Raleigh side of trail. |
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Common name: Wild rose (Prickly rose) Scientific name: Rosa acicularis Description: Deciduous shrub 0.3-1.5m tall, stout reddish colored stems densely covered in small weak bristles. Leaves are compound; 3-9 double-toothed oblong leaflets. Flowers; Pink with 5 petals. Fruit; Fleshy scarlet "hips". Habitat and distribution: Open forest & prairie / common Flowering season: May-July Location on NPG: Widespread in no-mow sections of the greenway. |
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Common name: Spreading Dogbane (Indian hemp) Scientific name: Apocynum cannabinum Description: Perennial, 20-100cm tall, with branched red stems and milky sap. The leaves are opposite, short stalked with an oblong to egg shape. Flowers; bell-shaped, pink, and in clusters at stem tips. Fruit; Long, narrow, cylindrical pods in pairs bearing many seeds each with a long cottony tuft hair. Habitat and distribution: Prairie Flowering season: July Location on NPG: Beside the trail in the northeast corner of the Springfield Rd. and Raleigh St. intersection. |
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Common name: Showy milkweed Scientific name: Asclepias speciosa Description: A sparingly branched perennial 45-90cm tall. The leaves are broad and blue-green in color. Flowers; umbels of rose-coloured and star-like. Sappy white sap in leaves and stem. Habitat and distribution: Prairie, meadows, open areas / Common Flowering season: Early summer Location on NPG: A few plants in the no-mow sections between Kimberly Ave. and Springfield Rd. |
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Common name: Giant Hyssop Scientific name: Agastache foeniculum Description: Bushy upright plant grows 90-100cm tall and forms 10cm purple flower spikes atop square stems with opposite leaves. Edible anise scented leaves can also be used to make tea. Habitat and distribution: Native Prairie / uncommon Flowering season: June - August Location on NPG: Abundant in restored areas along the Greenway. |
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Common name: Wild Bergamot, or Bee Balm Scientific name: Monarda fistulosa Description: Grows 60-90cm tall with masses of beautiful, large 5cm flowers surrounded with pink tubular florets. This edible plant with citrus scentred leaves spreads to form attractive clumps. Habitat and distribution: Native Prairie / common Flowering season: July Location on NPG: Abundant in restored areas along the Greenway. |