Prairie
sunflower
Helianthus pumilus (Sunflower family)
Native
Seeds were a favorite food of
Native Americans -- a 20% oil
content
Dotted
gayfeather
Liatris punctata (Sunflower family)
Native
Butterflies and bees pollinate this
and deer like to browse it
Prickly lettuce
Lactuca serriola (Sunflower family)
Alien
Small flowers. Frequent weed in
gardens and fields
Prairie
coneflower
Ratibida columnifera (Sunflower family)
Native
North side of entrance off Shields
Native Americans used leaves and
flower heads as tea
Prickly poppy
Argemone polyanthemos (Poppy family)
Native
North edge of parking lot.
Beautiful but very prickly plant.
Showiest thing in bloom now
Purple prairie
clover
Dalea purpurea (Pea family)
Native
These are almost finished
blooming now -- much showier
when in full bloom
Rubber rabbit
brush
Chyrsothamnus nauseosus (Sunflower family)
Native
Attracts butterflies and bees.
Contain small quantities of
non-commercial rubber
Fringed sage
Artemisia frigida (Sunflower family)
Native
Winter forage for deer but may be
toxic to livestock. Culinary sage
is in a different family (Mint
family)
Plains milkweed
Asclepias pumila (Milkweed family)
Native
Look for this hiding under a rabbit
brush close to the trail on the hill