Field Guide

Most common in the Ozarks, round-leaved groundsel is one of seven Packera species in our state. Its showy, bright yellow, daisylike flowers form flat-topped clusters that arise from sparsely leaved stems.

One of several native plants called dandelions, Carolina false dandelion is an annual with sulphur yellow flowers and puffy seedheads.

Golden aster can cover entire valleys with its bright yellow flowers. It blooms June through October and is scattered mostly south of the Missouri River.

True to its name, common evening primrose is the most common and widespread evening primrose in Missouri. It is most noticeable late in the season, when it reaches its greatest height and the flowers at the top are most visible.

Yellow wood sorrel is both a garden weed and a wild edible. It has a pleasant sour taste, which is why some people call it sourgrass and add it to salads.

Hydrilla is probably the worst submersed aquatic weed in America. It harms aquatic communities in small ponds, lakes, and rivers. It hurts our economy by hindering fishing and other recreational uses in large reservoirs. Learn about it and prevent its spread.

Missouri’s cattails are all tall wetland plants with narrow, upright leaves emerging from a thick base, and a central stalk bearing a brown, sausage-shaped flower spike.

Water lilies are among the most beautiful of all water plants. They have large, round leaves 8–16 inches across, each with a single V-shaped notch.

Spatterdock is a native aquatic plant with deep yellow, saucer-or globe-shaped flowers to 3 inches across. It grows in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving to stagnant portions of streams, rivers, and spring branches.

Water shield is a long-stemmed aquatic plant with floating oval leaves that resemble small water lily leaves, only without a split. The stems and lower leaf surfaces have a thick, jellylike coating.