Field Guide

Bottomland forest
FIELD GUIDE A-Z
Learn about the habitat, diet, and life cycle of Missouri's animals, plants, and mushrooms.
What to look for this month
Toothwort plants in bloom, leaf litter in background
Blossom by Blossom the Spring Begins

Toothwort starts blooming in wooded slopes and valleys. The flowers have 4 petals. The leaves are distinctive: sharply toothed and deeply lobed.

Bluebells blooming at Touch the Earth, Moniteau County, in late March 2012
Virginia Bluebells

One of our most stunning early spring wildflowers, Virginia bluebells loves moist soils near water and in upland ravines. It blooms March–June.

Green stinkbug on back, legs folded, playing dead
Green Stink Bugs Playing Possum

Easy to spot on drab, dry leaf litter, green stink bugs are active on warm March days. When disturbed, they play dead like a possum.

Devil's urn closeup showing texture of rim
Devil’s Urns

A spring specialist, devil's urn appears March–May. It grows in clusters on decaying branches of hardwoods where they come in contact with the soil.

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