Transcript
Page 1: wildflower scavenger hunt... · Scavenger hunt Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field pansies are an important early spring nectar sour ce for bees

Vetch is a member of the pea family. Flowers turn into pea-like pods at

quality. Bees and other pollinators .

Chickens love to eat henbit, thus its interesting name. It resembles dead nettle,

differences.

Dead nettle is in the mint family, and is

apparent resemblance to stinging nettle, minus the sting. Important spring pollen source for bees.

Colors can range from white to blue to violet and often create a carpet of blooms wherever the grow.

WILDFLOWER Scavenger hunt

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field pansies are an important early spring nectar source for bees.

feed on the foliage.

vicia saliva

VetchCommon Vetch

Peas

viola bicolor

Field PansyWild PansyJohnny Jump

Up

houstonia pusilla

Star Violet Small Bluet Least Bluet

lamium purpureum

Purple Dead Nettle

Dead Nettle

lamium amplexicaule

HenbitHenbit Dead

Nettle

Spring has arrived, and Arkansas is awash in the scent and color of beautiful wildflowers! Their role, however, is much larger than merely being pleasing to the eye; they provide crucial habitat for pollinators (including honey bees), beneficial insects, and wildlife. They also played an important role in the day to day lives of Native Americans and early settlers in Arkansas. Some plants and flowers had medicinal properties, some were used as food. They could be made into dyes for clothing. Knowing how to identify plants and their properties was essential to survival in the wild frontier.

Can YOU spot and identify some of these common spring wildflowers? Some will be easy to find, some a bit harder, just keep your eyes open for bright spots of color!

Page 2: wildflower scavenger hunt... · Scavenger hunt Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field Notes: Field pansies are an important early spring nectar sour ce for bees

The clover-like leaves on this plant are said to sleep by folding themselves up at night and opening in the morning. Native Americans and early settlers used sorrel in medicines, salves, food, and even laundry. Crushed leaves were used for stain removal in linens.

trifolium repens

White CloverDutch Clover

oxalis stricta

Common Yellow Oxalis

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

Field Notes:

DandelionBlowball

Often considered a pesky weed, Native Americans and early settlers relied on the dandelion for medicinal remedies and as a food source. Folklore holds that if one makes a wish before blowing a dandelion puff, the wish will come true.

cover and both livestock and wildlife enjoy

also had many medicinal and culinary uses,

four leaf clover brought one good luck.

stellaria media

Common ChickweedChickenwort

Sailors used chickweed vinegar to prevent scurvy when fresh citrus was unavailable. It was also believed to predict the weather.

Describe and draw it here, then visit for help

amazed at all your discoveries!

Why do these plants have so many names? GREAT QUESTION!

common names. era dna ,yrtnuoc dna noiger yb yrav seman nommoC