Field Guide

Scaly blazing star is one of several Missouri native species of blazing stars, or gayfeathers. It is scattered nearly statewide. Identify it by its long-pointed flowerhead bracts that spread or curl sharply away.

Five species of ironweeds live in Missouri. Starting in the middle of summer, they bear showy clusters of magenta or purple flowerheads at the branching tops of upright stalks.

Curlytop ironweed is one of Missouri’s five species of ironweeds. It’s easy to identify because of its tapering, curling, threadlike involucral bracts. Also, it is usually a smooth, hairless plant.

Prairie, or smooth ironweed is one of Missouri’s five species of ironweeds. Mostly limited to northwestern Missouri, it’s a smooth or hairless plant. Verify your identification by noting characteristics of its flowerhead bracts.

Tall ironweed is one of Missouri’s five species of ironweeds. Most common in southeast Missouri but scattered statewide, it can grow up to 10 feet tall. To verify an ID, note leaf and flowerhead characters.

Joe-Pye weeds have rounded clusters of pink or purplish flowers and leaves arranged in whorls on the stem. They are typically tall, robust plants growing in lowlands along streams. Missouri has three species.

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.

Blue sage is easily identified by its wandlike clusters of sky-blue, two-lipped wildflowers. It blooms July–September in prairies, roadsides, and other open habitats.

Not the showiest of wildflowers, American bugleweed will catch your eye with its interesting geometry. The narrow, toothed leaves are opposite on the stalks and occur at right angles to the pair below.