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Content tagged with "Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants"

Common Gerardia (Slender Gerardia; Slender False Foxglove)

Agalinis tenuifolia (formerly Gerardia tenuifolia)
Common gerardia is a small, showy wildflower identified by its slender, opposite leaves and thin, wiry, branching stems. The small, funnel-shaped blossoms are pink or purple, with an upper lip that arches over the 4 hairy stamens. More

Common Jimsonweed (Thorn Apple)

Datura stramonium
Pretty but poisonous, jimsonweed has white goblet-shaped flowers that open around midnight. This native of tropical America was introduced nearly throughout the United States and thrives in disturbed soils. More

Common Ladies’ Tresses

Spiranthes cernua
Of the seven species of ladies' tresses in Missouri, this is the most common. The flowers are arranged in a spiral pattern on the upright flowering stem. Each small flower is a little white orchid. More

Common Milkweed

Image of common milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
A common flower statewide, found in a variety of habitats, common milkweed is famous as a food plant for monarch butterflies. It is also notable for its curious seedpods bearing seeds that fly on silky parachutes. More

Common Reed

Phragmites australis australis
Common reed is both native and exotic, but it’s the exotic subspecies that has become an invasive problem. Taking over wetlands with its dense stands, it changes the plant and animal communities and even the way the water flows. More

Common Sunflower

Image of common sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Whether you see the wild form or any of the many cultivated varieties, this “poster child” of the sunflower (or daisy) family cultivates its own pleasant impression. It is also the state flower of our neighbor to the west, Kansas. More

Common Teasel

common teasel
Dipsacus fullonum
“Infestation” is the term for what teasels are doing in Missouri. Learn to identify them, and help to control the weedy spread of these tough, prickly invaders. More

Common Violet

Image of common violet
Viola sororia
There are nearly 20 species of violets in Missouri. This one, which can be violet, white or white-and-violet, is found statewide in a variety of habitats. Note its heart-shaped or rounded, scalloped leaves, and (usually) the presence of hairs on stems and/or foliage. More

Common Water Hemlock (Spotted Cowbane)

Cicuta maculata
Full grown, it looks something like a gigantic Queen Anne's lace or a parsnip, but this common, widespread member of the carrot family is the most toxic plant in North America. All parts are deadly. A piece of root the size of a walnut can kill a cow-sized animal. More

Compass Plant

Image of compass plant
Silphium laciniatum
This common yellow sunflower grows to 8 feet tall and has foot-long, deeply cleft leaves at its base. Because its leaves turn so that the surfaces face east and west (to take full advantage of the sun's rays), this species is called “compass plant.” More
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MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.
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