Category: Flowers

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/20/11 Observation Time: 3:25 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Rough-fruited cinquefoil Scientific Name: Potentilla recta Comments: Native to Europe and Asia. Introduced and naturalized in North America. Found along roads and in disturbed sites. Thrives in full sun and tolerates dry conditions. Flowers from June to August. More Information: MinnesotaSeasons.com

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/6/11 Observation Time: 2:20 p.m. Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Wild Indigo Scientific Name: Baptisia australis Comments: It is a perennial  upright bushy plant with attractive foliage. Blossoms in mid-summer are bright yellow. Seed heads turn a deep indigo color providing winter interest. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/5/11 Observation Time: 3:20 p.m. Observation Location: Kendall Estate, Moose Hill Street Common Name: Wild geranium Scientific Name: Geranium maculatum Comments: Geranium maculatum, the wild geranium, spotted geranium, or wood geranium, is a perennial plant native to woodlands of eastern North America, from southern Manitoba and southwestern Quebec south to Alabama and Georgia and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota. More […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/11 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land near Billings Street Common Name: Maple-leaf Viburnum Scientific Name: Viburnum acerifolium Comments: Maple-leaf viburnum has long been cultivated for its attractive summer flowers and foliage; then the autumn leaves turn rose-purple and contrast with the mature dark fruits. The plants will thrive in moist soils and a range of light conditions but they are a […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/11 Observation Time: 2:40 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Billings Street Common Name: Canada Mayflower Scientific Name: Maianthemum canadense Comments: Carpets the ground in many wooded areas of Sharon. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/11 Observation Time: 2:20 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land near Billings Street Common Name: Golden Ragwort Scientific Name: Senecio aureus Comments: Golden Ragwort is a biannual plant with a yellow flower that grows upto a height of 2 feet and belongs to Asteraceae family (i.e. asters). More Information: HealthBenefitsTimes.com or Illinois Wildflowers

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/11 Observation Time: 1:05 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer field parking lot Common Name: Star of Bethlehem Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum Comments: The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/11 Observation Time: 4:05 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Blue Toadflax Scientific Name: Nuttallanthus canadensis More Information: Conn. Botanical Society  

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/11 Observation Time: 3:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Blue Flag Iris Scientific Name: Iris versicolor More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/14/11 Observation Time: 2:05 p.m. Observation Location: Town conservation land near Beaver Brook Common Name: Starflower Scientific Name: Trientalis borealis Comments: This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in May. Please do not dig up native wildflowers. They typically do not survive transplantation. More Information: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/12/11 Observation Time: 8:35 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer field parking lot Common Name: Wild mustard Scientific Name: Barbarea vulgaris Aiton Comments: Also called yellow rocket, or early winter cress, introduced from Eurasia. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/3/10 Observation Time: 9:10 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Yellow Toadflax (a.k.a. Common Toadflax) Scientific Name: Linaria vulgaris Comments: Also known as butter and eggs plant or wild snapdragon, this invasive perennial weed from Eurasia thrives in poor soil where there is little competition from larger plants. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/11/10 Observation Time: 9:45 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Common Mullein Scientific Name: Verbascum thapsus Comments: Mullein is widely used for herbal remedies, with well-established emollient and astringent properties. Mullein remedies are especially recommended for coughs and related problems, but also used in topical applications against a variety of skin problems. The plant has also been used to […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/10 Observation Time: 7:05 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer fields Common Name: Chicory Scientific Name: Cichorium intybus Comments: A perennial herb with blue, lavender, or occasionally white flowers, chicory grows as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where it has become naturalized. Common chicory is also known as […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/27/10 Observation Time: 8:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road-soccer parking area Common Name: Spotted knapweed Scientific Name: Centaurea maculosa Comments: Knapweed is a pioneer species found in recently disturbed sites or openings. Once it has been established at a disturbed site, it continues to spread into the surrounding habitat. This species outcompetes natives through at least three methods: A tap […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/10 Observation Time: 12:10 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road soccer field parking lot Common Name: Red clover Scientific Name: Trifolium pratense Comments: It is widely grown as a fodder crop, valued for its nitrogen fixation, which increases soil fertility. For these reasons, it is used as a green manure crop. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/10 Observation Time: 4:10 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Iris (harlequin blueflag) Scientific Name: Iris versicolor Comments: The species has been implicated in several poisoning cases of humans and animals who consumed the rhizomes, which have been found to contain a glycoside, iridin. The sap can cause dermatitis in susceptible individuals. More Information: The Flower […]

Observer: Peter Higgins Observation Date: 10/17/08 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (Trustees of Reservations) Common Name: Milkweed Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca Comments: Milkweed is an important food source for butterflies, moths and other insect species. It has been decimated by the application of glyphosate herbicide (a.k.a. Roundup) on vast fields of corn and soybeans that have been genetically modified to tolerate […]

Observer: Peter Higgins Observation Date: 06/08/08 Observation Time: 6:55 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Blue Flag Iris Scientific Name: Iris versicolor Comments: This beautiful group of wild blue flag iris was growing in the field near the boardwalk. More Information: LakeForest.edu