Field Guide

Most people recognize sunflowers when they see them, with their bright yellow ray flowers and rather flattened center of dark disk flowers. There are 16 species of Helianthus in Missouri.

Cobaea beardtongue, or purple beardtongue, is probably Missouri’s showiest species of penstemon. Native to Missouri's southern Ozarks, it is grown statewide for its beauty, and because pollinators like it. It may be purple or white.

Common chickweed, native to Europe, has been introduced nearly worldwide and is a familiar garden weed in Missouri. It forms spreading mats on the ground and has small flowers with 5 petals, each deeply lobed making it look like 10.

Ground ivy, or creeping Charlie, is a creeping, nonwoody plant that often forms loose mats. A native of Eurasia, this member of the mint family has been introduced nearly throughout the United States. It is considered a lawn and garden weed.

Sweet autumn virgin’s bower, also called autumn clematis, is a nonnative, invasive perennial vine that spreads aggressively and climbs rapidly over any support. In late summer, it produces dense clusters of white, sweet-smelling flowers, which mature into fuzzy seed masses.

Late boneset, or late-flowering thoroughwort, is a native perennial wildflower with clusters of white, fuzzy-looking flowers. It’s one of nine similar-looking species of thoroughworts in Missouri.

Nine white-flowering species of thoroughworts, or bonesets, have been recorded for Missouri. They have rounded flower clusters that look rather fuzzy, because each little composite flowerhead lacks petal-like ray florets.

Common periwinkle is a low-growing, mat-forming, purple-flowering perennial that is woody at the base. Native to Eurasia, it is often grown as a groundcover. It has proven invasive in much of the eastern United States and frequently escapes from cultivation. Planting it is not recommended.