On my way to do some errands yesterday, I stopped to take photos of wildflowers that have sprung up in an ugly dirt field nearby. I find it amazing that wildflowers will grow in the most inhospitable spots, but almost never in your own tended garden.Daucus carota - Queen Anne's Lace It was a surprise to me to discover that this common wildflower is a part of the carrot family.
Can you see the surrounding bare dirt spots? That black line is builder's plastic that was put down to keep dirt from washing onto the road when it rains.
When they are beginning to open, these delicate flowers look like snowflakes to me.
I love the rolled-up bird's nest look as they have right before they begin to unfold.Hippocrates prescribed a teaspoon of the crushed seeds of this wildflower as a contraceptive. Research has shown that wild carrot impedes the implantation process and offers some confirmation of the plant's effectiveness as a birth control. But, I wouldn't run out and test that on myself because the plant closely resembles hemlock, which is highly poisonous.
Passiflora incarnata - Purple passionflower This is the Tennessee state wildflower. Legend is that the Cherokee Indians called this flower Ocoee, which is where the Ocoee River got it's name.Close by, growing in the same barren soil, was this pretty passionflower. One of the websites I used to identify this flower said that it likes clay soil and tolerates full sun and heat...which is just what it found in this spot.
Coreopsis tinctoria - common name, golden tickseed The fact that it's part of the aster family is about all the info I could find on this little beauty.
Notice that this flower is growing out of the pavement next to the edge of the road. Why, oh why don't they pop up in my garden like this?
I love Queen Anne's Lace too.. in all seasons - even winter when its bare bones act like cups to hold freshly fallen snow. It a beautiful wild growth. I was surprised too when first heard it was related to the carrot. It was demonstrated to me at the time. My brother in law pulled one out by the root and gave me the root to sniff... exactly like carrot. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteI love Queen Anne's Lace...so pretty! A rolled up bird's nest...what a great way to describe that...I'll think of you every time I see one now. :)
ReplyDeletei've found a field full of queen ann's too - i love it. just goes to show you that you can find beauty everywhere, eh?
ReplyDeleteI would be tempted to take a shovel there and give them a new home. That passionflower is a beauty. The only place I have seen it is painted on my china. They are even more beautiful in person no doubt.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice indeed if wildflowers such as these would grow in our gardens rather than weeds!
ReplyDeleteIf you look closely at queen anne's lace, you will always find one tiny red flower in all the midst of the white, a reminder of Anne Boleyn, imprisoned, waiting to be beheaded, working on her lace, blinded by tears, and pricking her finger, leaving a tiny dot of blood in the midst of the white lace.
ReplyDeleteThe Passionflower is so pretty and combined with the Queen Ann's Lace and Tick seed, it would make a beautiful bouquet!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post about the most beautiful bloom that is.;)
ReplyDeleteIf I one day have a large piece of land, I will only grow wild flowers.,)
xoxo
I absolutely adore wildflowers! I've been enjoying all of the Queen Anne's Lace that's blooming everywhere, although I think my true favorite is the black-eyed Susan. So charming with that velvet brown center!
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me:) I blogged today about the wildflowers I found on our recent camping trip!
ReplyDeletehttp://myblessedlife-lora.blogspot.com/2010/06/summers-wildflowers.html