iowa's summer and fall wildflowers -- iowa's plants

Iowa Naturalist Association Publications Extension and Outreach

1-1994

Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers -- Iowa's Plants Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers -- Iowa's Plants

Iowa Association of Naturalists

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Iowa's Summer andFall Wildflowers


Iowa's Plants

1Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers

The Iowa Association of Naturalists (IAN) is a nonprofitorganization of people interested in promoting the development ofskills and education within the art of interpreting the natural andcultural environment. IAN was founded in 1978 and may be contactedby writing the Conservation Education Center, RR 1, Box 53, GuthrieCenter, IA 50115.


Iowa's Plants Booklet SeriesPlants are a beautiful and important part of nature in Iowa. To assist educators in

teaching their students about the common plants of Iowa, the Iowa Association of Naturalistshas created a series of booklets which offer a basic understandable overview of Iowa's plants,their ecology, and their benefits and dangers to people. The seven books in this seriesinclude:

Iowa's Spring Wildflowers (IAN-301)Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers (IAN-302)Benefits and Dangers of Iowa Plants (IAN-303)Iowa's Trees (IAN-304)Seeds, Nuts, and Fruits of Iowa Plants (IAN-305)Iowa's Mushrooms and Nonflowering Plants (IAN-306)Iowa's Shrubs and Vines (IAN-307)

For ordering information about these and other IAN publications, please see the backcover of this booklet.

Editorial BoardText: Dan CohenIllustrations: Mark MüllerLayout and Design: MJC Associates, Ankeny, IowaPublished by: Iowa Association of Naturalists

Resource EnhancementAnd Protection

Education Board

Review CommitteeCele Burnett, Environmental Education Coordinator, Story County Conservation Board

Dan Cohen, Naturalist, Buchanan County Conservation BoardJean Eells, Environmental Education Coordinator, Hamilton County Conservation Board

Judy Levings, State 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Iowa State UniversityStacey Snyder Newbrough, Freelance Naturalist and Librarian, Pocahontas, Iowa

Jim Pease, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Iowa State UniversityDiane Pixler, Naturalist, Marshall County Conservation Board

The Iowa Plants booklet series ispublished by the Iowa Association ofNaturalists with grants from the REAPConservation Education Board and theIowa Conservation Education Council(ICEC), 1994.

2 Iowa Association of Naturalists

Flowers are a beautiful part of the life cycle ofseed-producing plants. The colors of wildflowersattract birds and insects, and through this attrac-tion, plants are pollinated and seeds are dispersed.People are also attracted to wildflowers. We seek thenatural beauty of wildflowers to brighten our sum-

mer days.Flowers may be arranged on plants in

many different ways. Some plants have asingle flower atop the plant stem. Otherplants may have clusters of flowers. On

plants like Queen Anne’s lace, many smallflowers form an umbrella-

shaped umbel.Blazingstars have

an elongated cluster offlowers known as araceme. And theflowers of purple prairieclover are arranged asa spike at the end ofeach flower stalk.Sometimes what ap-pears to be a singleflower is actually a“composite” of manysmall flowers, calledflorets.

Iowa's

Summer

and Fall

WildflowersLooking at a

Wildflower

umbel

Queen Anne's Lace

Purple PrairieClover

spike

raceme

Blazingstar


AntherFilament

Petal

Sepal

Stigma

Style

Ovary

Pistil

Stamen

A flower is composed of many parts, eachplaying a role in the process of producing seeds.The actual reproductive parts of the flower arethe pistils, which contain the ovaries, and thepollen-producing anthers at the tip of eachstamen. Pollination occurs when pollen iscarried to a pistil. If pollination is successful,one or more seeds begin to develop within thepistil. Some flowers, such as Michigan lilies,have large stamens, anthers, and pistils thatcan be useful in identifying the plant. In otherflowers, pistils and stamens are hardly notice-able.

For most flowers, the most colorful and no-ticeable parts are the petals. These showy

structures surround the reproductive partsand are often useful in attracting pollinat-ing animals such as birds and insects.

Behind the petals a flower usually hasnonshowy sepals. Sometimes petals and

sepals are difficult to distinguish and are collec-tively called tepals. Sunflowers and othermembers of the plant family known as compos-ites have long ray flowers that appear to bepetals. Each ray flower, however, is attached toa pistil and is therefore considered to be anindividual flower.

"Composite,"or florets

Coneflower


Plants have adapted several strategies for spread-ing their pollen to other plants and their seeds tonew places. Pollen may be carried by the wind orthrough the intestines and on the hair and beaks ofanimals. Wind-spread pollen of ragweed and manygrasses often causes discomfort for allergy sufferers.The pollen of goldenrod and asters sticks to thebodies of insects as they move from flower to flower.

Seeds may be carried by wind or water, on the furor in the mouths of animals, or through animalbodies. Some plants, such as jewelweed, have spe-cial structures that fling the seeds away from theparent plant.

Summer and fall flowers are often found in grassyareas where an abundance of wind and many insectsand birds act as pollinators and seed spreaders.Showy plants such as coneflowers, clovers, andgoldenrod attract nectar-feeding insects such asbutterflies, bees, and moths. Less colorful flowerssuch as ragweed and most grasses spread theirpollen by wind.

There is a close relationship between many in-sects and the beauty of fall wildflowers. In somecases, wildflowers depend on a specific insect orgroup of insects for their pollination. Only largeinsects, such as bumblebees, are able to pollinate

bottled gentians. Butterfly milkweed canonly be pollinated by butterflies andother large insects. Evening prim-rose opens its flowers to pollinationin evenings and is, therefore, mostlydependent on moths that fly atdusk. The anatomy of a flower mayallow only certain insects to reachthe flower parts and effect pollina-tion. For many plant species theirsurvival depends on the survival oftheir insect pollinator.

Similarly, many insects dependon the availability of specific wild-flowers. One famous example is therelationship between milkweed andmonarch butterflies. The monarchcaterpillars feed only on the milk-weed plant. Adult monarchs mayfeed on other wildflower nectar, butthe butterflies must return to milk-weed plants to lay their eggs.

Pollen and Seed Strategy

ButterflyMilkweed

Flowers and Insects


Flowers that bloom in late summer and fall havesome tough obstacles to overcome. In late summer,woodlands have thick canopies and undergrowththat block sunlight from reaching the low placeswhere flowers are most often found. Although wood-lands are home to numerous spring wildflowers,summer and fall wildflowers are not so common.These later-blooming flowers are most typically foundalong woodland edges and open woodland areaswhere there is less shade.

Most summer and fall wildflowers are found ingrassy areas such as roadsides, pastures, and prai-ries. These are places exposed to direct sunlight andwind, and plants have adapted to these conditions.Many prairie plants have thin leaves and thick stemsthat reduce the surface area exposed to the dryingeffects of wind and sun. They are also deeply rooted,reaching as far as ten feet into the soil for moisture.

Adaptations for Fall Blooming


Among our native prairie grasses that flower andbegin producing seeds in the summer and fall are bigbluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass,sideoats grama, and tall dropseed. These grasses areoften called “warm-season” grasses because theyreach their peak during the warmer days of midsum-mer. Historically, these grasses dominated thelandscape of Iowa. However, many cool-seasongrasses have been brought to our state since thetime of European settlement. These “introduced”

grasses have, in many cases, cometo dominate the landscape. Ex-amples of non-native, but nowcommon, cool-season grasses

that may displace our nativewarm-seasongrasses are bromegrass, meadowfoxtail, reedcanarygrass,and Kentuckybluegrass.

Warm-season Grasses

Big Bluestem

Indiangrass

Switchgrass


Although most late-blooming flowers are found inopen grassy areas, some beautiful woodland flowerscan be found in summer and fall months. Most ofthese flowers bloom in woodland openings and alongwaterways or ponds. Look for wild rose, Jerusalemartichoke, cup plant, and asters such as daisy flea-bane along woodland edges. Jewelweed, hemlocks,and blue lobelia grow along woodland waters. A fewflowers, such as white snakeroot and bittersweet,may grow among the shadows of summer woodlands.

Late-blooming Woodland

Wildflowers


A variety of flowers from many plant familiesbloom in the summer and fall months. However,most late-blooming wildflowers are members of onlya handful of plant families. The showiest and mostabundant family of fall and summer flowers is thecomposite family. Other plant families, including thelegumes and parsley family, are also numerous andbloom during the summer and fall months.

For a more detailed description of Iowa's summerand fall wildflowers, consult a field guide.

Flowers in the family Compositae, also calledcomposites, are most represented during the sum-mer and fall months. Included in this family areshowy daisylike flowers such as sunflowers, asters,and coneflowers. Dandelions, thistles, and golden-rod are also members of this family of plants. Thecomposites have several unique characteristics.Each flower head actually includes two differenttypes of flowers called florets. Many tiny floretsgathered together in the center of the flower headmake up the disc. On a black-eyed Susan, the darkcenter of the flower head is actually a cluster of smalldisc florets. The long yellow petal-like flowers thatsurround the disc are actually ray flowers. Each of

the florets of a composite has the ability to pro-duce a seed. The white fluffy ball of seeds thatsurrounds a dandelion is produced by indi-vidual disc and ray florets. The vast number ofseeds produced by sunflowers, asters, andthistles make them important to seed-eatingbirds such as goldfinches. The following is abrief description of the more common compos-ite wildflowers found blooming in Iowa duringthe summer and fall months.

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckiaserotina) are a common sign of summer in the

grasslands. The “black eye” refers to the darkdisc flowers in the center of the flower head.

Yellow ray flowers, about an inch long, surroundthe disc flowers. The stem is rough and hairy withthick hairy alternate leaves. The plant blooms fromJune through September in grasslands and openwoodlands.

Iowa's Summer andFall Wildflowers

Black-eyedSusan

The Composite Family

Disc

Disc FlowersRay Flowers

Florets


Yellow coneflowers (Ratibida pinnata), with theirdark disc flowers and surrounding yellow ray flowers,somewhat resemble black-eyed Susans. Coneflow-ers, however, have drooping ray flowers which arelonger and thinner than those of black-eyedSusans. The plant is sometimes called gray-headedconeflower because the disc flowers are gray untilthe florets open and change the color of the disc tobrown. The stem is slender and hairy with slendercompound leaves. Yellow coneflowers bloom fromJune to September in dry grassland areas.

Purple coneflowers(Echinacea purpurea) areeasy to identify. The plantmay grow to a height ofmore than four feet.Each flower head maybe more than threeinches wide. Thecenter disc flowers arebigger than those ofother coneflowers.The purple rayflowers are alsolarger, sometimesgrowing to threeinches. The stemand leaves arerough and hairy.The plant bloomsfrom June throughOctober.

Smooth asters (Aster laevis) are a common“daisy” of grasslands and woodland edges. Thedisc flowers of asters are yellow or orange tubular

florets surrounded by a double set of ray flowers.The blue or purple rays are thin and form a flowerhead less than an inch in diameter. Below the flowerhead is a circle of green bracts. The plant grows to aheight of one to three feet and blooms from July untilfrost.

YellowConeflower

PurpleConeflower

Smooth Asters


Tall thistles (Cirsium altissimum) are arosy, purple color with a typical thistle appear-ance. They are members of the compositefamily and have a mass of tubular florets that

make up the flower head. Below the flower is acup-shaped series of bracts with bristled points.

The branched stem is typically three to seven feettall. The leaves grow alternately along the stemand are whitish underneath. Tall thistles bloomin August and September in grasslands.

Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) has manytiny golden flowers. The composite flowers of thisprairie plant give the flower head a fluffy appear-ance. Plants may grow to a height of more thanthree feet. The leaves and stems have gray hairs.Lower leaves form a basal rosette, while the stemleaves grow alternately. Goldenrods bloom in drygrasslands from August to October at the sametime that ragweed is producing pollen. Manypeople believe they are allergic to the showy golden-

rods when it is actually the drab rag-weeds that are responsible for

their discomfort.

Blazingstars (Liatrispycnostachya) are showy prairieplants. Nearly a third of the one- tothree-foot tall plant consists of apurplish flower head arranged as a

long spike. Flowering begins at thetop of each spike and moves downward.

Individual flower heads have a mass oftubular florets. The lower part of the stem has manyslender closely alternate leaves. Blazingstars bloomfrom July until frost.

Tall Thistle

Blazingstar

Stiff Goldenrod


Legumes are members of the bean family(Leguminosae) which includes clovers, vetches, andpeas. Also included in this family are indigos, alfalfa,and lead plant.

Legumes have unique flowers. The sepals areunited as a tube and are separate from the other

flower parts. The five petals are typically notalike and vary as to the number of petals above

and below the pistil and stamens. The leavesare compound and arranged alternatelyalong the stem. Legumes are easily identi-fied by their flat or rounded pods thatcontain the plant’s seeds. Some legumes,such as soybeans, alfalfa, and clovers, are

grown agriculturally. In addition to theirvalue as crops, pasture, or hay, these

plants may fix nitrogen in the soil,adding nutrients that can be used byfuture plantings. The following is abrief description of some wild-growinglegumes that are common in Iowaduring the summer and fall months.

Purple prairie clover(Petalostemum purpureum),unlike other legumes, hasone large petal and foursmaller ones. The smallpurple flowers are clusteredtogether around a cylindri-cal flower spike. The flow-ers begin blooming at thebottom of the cylinder andblooming progresses up-ward during the summermonths. Purple prairieclover plants grow inpatches and are typicallyone to two feet tall. Theleaves are slender anddivided into three to fiveleaflets.

The Legume Family

Purple Prairie Clover


Partridge Pea

Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) hasa typical pealike appearance. Leaves are dividedinto many leaflets. The plant is sometimes calledsensitive pea because when touched the leavesmay curl inward. The bright yellow flowers haveten unequal stamens, four of which have yellow

anthers while the other six have purple an-thers. The plant produces a flat pod ap-

proximately two inches long, which con-tains the small brown seeds. Partridgepea blooms in dry or sandy soil fromJuly through September.

Lead plant (Amorpha canescens) grows insandy soils, often in the sameplaces as partridge pea. It is ashrubby plant with long leavesdivided into many leaflets.Hairs on the stems and leavesgive the plant a whitishleadlike appearance. Thetiny purple flowers grow asspikes on the upper two toseven inches of the stem.The flowers bloom fromMay to August. A singleseed is contained ineach of many silverypurple pods.

Lead Plant


The Parsley Family The parsley family (Umbellifereae) includes pars-nips, hemlocks, Queen Anne’s lace, and rattlesnakemaster. The hemlocks are poisonous and may evenbe deadly if swallowed. But other members of the

parsley family, including carrots anddomestic parsnips, are palatable.The flowers in this family are arrangedas flat, domed, or balled umbels. Mostare white, although golden Alexander,parsnip, and yellow pimpernel areyellow. The following is a brief descrip-tion of a few of the more common mem-bers of the parsley family found bloom-ing in Iowa during the summer and fallmonths.

Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) is found in wetopen areas throughout Iowa. It is a tall stout plantthat sometimes grows to seven feet. The tiny flowersare white and clustered tightly together in a rounded

umbel. Each flower head is composed ofseveral umbels, and each plant has severalflower heads. Flowers bloom from Junethrough August. The leaves have long

petioles and are divided into three orfewer lance-shaped leaflets.All parts of the plant are

poisonous, especially theseeds. However, water hem-

lock is less toxic than poisonhemlock, and poisoning is not

always fatal.

Queen Anne’s lace (Daucuscarota) blooms in roadsides and prai-

ries from May through October. Al-though not native to Iowa, it is now verycommon. It is sometimes called wildcarrot. The white umbels form flat lacyflower heads that may be more thanthree inches wide. Old flower heads curlupward to form a nestlike cup. Theleaves are thin and finely divided, similarto those of carrots. Look for QueenAnne’s lace along roadsides, pastures,and other disturbed areas.

Water Hemlock

Queen Anne'sLace


Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is aprairie relict, indicating that an area still has its

historic prairie features. Several flower heads,each on its own stem, grow at the top of the

plant. Flower heads are spherical umbelswith many flowers and small whitishbracts. The bracts give the flower heads

a rough, prickly feel and appearance. Thelance-shaped leaves have bristlelike teeth and

form a basal rosette. Similar leaves may befound on upper parts of the stem. The plant

blooms from June through September.

In addition to members of the composite, legume,and parsley families, there are many other groups ofplants that blossom in the summer and fall months.

Wild roses, horsemints, catnip, and self-heal arefound in open woodlands and grass-lands. In damp areas, jewelweed, lilies,and gentians display their beauty. Andtall plants like milkweed, evening prim-rose, and mullein are easily seen inroad ditches, pastures, and other openareas. The following is a brief descrip-tion of some more common wildflowers,from various plant families, that bloomin Iowa during the summer and fallmonths.

Wild rose (Rosa carolina) is the stateflower of Iowa. It grows as a woody shrub inopen woodlands, woodland edges, and prai-ries. The flowers are pink-purple with yellowstamens and may be two inches wide, bloom-

ing from June through September. The leavesare oval, sharply toothed, and divided into five to

seven leaflets. Thorns are more conspicuous onlarger, woodier stems. Rose fruits, called hips, re-main on the plant through winter and provide asource of vitamin C.

RattlesnakeMaster

Other Prairie Wildflowers

Wild Rose


Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) is a common,although not native, grassland flower that is oftenfound growing in roadsides. The leaves are at thebase of the plant. Small purple flowers are ar-ranged as a spike on the top four to eight inches ofeach stalk. Like purple prairie clover, bloomingbegins at the bottom of the spike and proceedsupwards during the summer months. The plantmay grow to a height of three feet.

Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) isthe most colorful member of the milkweed family.Bright orange flowers are clumped together at thetop of the plant. The plant is specifically designedto be pollinated by larger insects. Pollen is con-tained in a heavy sticky structure called a pol-linium. Only larger insects can pull the pollinium,

and themselves, fromthe flowers. Smallerinsects, which are tooweak to free them-selves from the pol-linium, are often founddead on the flowers.Unlike other membersof the milkweed family,no “milky” sap isfound in the plantstem. Rough pointedleaves grow alternatelyalong the plant stem.Butterfly milkweedgrows from one tothree feet high andblooms from Julythrough September.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a tall plant witha long clublike spike of yellow flowers atop a thickstiff stem. The flowers bloom from June throughSeptember. Mullein is a non-native plant which isnow common in disturbed areas and along road-sides where it may grow to a height of six feet. Theleaves are soft and velvety and may be very large.Leaves of mullein are reported to have been used bypioneer women to rub their cheeks to a blush color.

ButterflyMilkweed

Mullein

HoaryVervain


Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) bloomsin sandy or gravelly grassland areas. It is alarge bushy plant that grows to a height of threeto six feet. The flowers are bright yellow, ap-

proximately two inches wide, with four petals andeight stamens. The coarse leaves have no petioles

and grow alternately along the stem. Evening prim-rose blooms from July through September. In fallmore than 50 capsules, which contain the seeds,may be clustered at the top of each plant.

Jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) is a late-bloomingplant of damp woodlands and woodland edges and is

especially common along waterways. It isa tall plant with a thick, watery, trans-

lucent green stem, sometimesgrowing as tall as five feet. The

flowers are funnel-shaped.They are colored yellow-orange with reddishbrown spots. A slenderflower stalk is at-tached at the centertop point of theflower. The ovalleaves are morethan three incheslong and growalternately on theplant stems. Theliquid of the plantstem helps allevi-ate the itchingcaused by stingingnettles and otherplant allergies.

EveningPrimrose

Jewelweed


A summer drive along a prairie roadside remindsus of the natural beauty of wildflowers. Over manygenerations, people have borrowed the secrets ofnature to commercially breed flowers for humanenjoyment. Our flower gardens are full of plantsderived from wildflowers that have been bred fortheir beauty. But it is important to remember where

this beauty originated. The summer and fall beautyof blazingstars, lilies, roses, and other wildflowers isthe historic resource used to produce commercialplants. The beauty still exists and blooms freely andannually in Iowa’s natural areas.

Keep in mind that, regardless of their beauty, allwild plants serve as members of natural communi-ties and are, therefore, important. Excessively gath-ering plants for their beauty has endangered someplant species. Please look, smell, and enjoy thewildflowers without picking or digging them.

Past and Present Benefitsof Wildflowers

Beautiful Plants


Plants are our main source of medicines. Scien-tists rely on a diversity of plant species to sift throughin their search to find new treatments for disease.For American Indians and early European settlers,hundreds of different wild-growing plants providedthe majority of their food, materials, and medicines.Various wildflowers, including catnip and yarrow,

were used to treat a wide range of illnesses includ-ing fevers, sore throats, colds, and nervousdisorders. In Iowa prairies plants such asgoldenrod, sage, and flowering spurge weresought by American Indians and pioneers totreat maladies such as bee stings, stomachaches, and bronchitis. Along woodlandedges jewelweed, asters, and cup plant had

medicinal uses.Because they are easily identified

in fall and because they often holdtheir fruit through the coldermonths of fall and winter, late-blooming wildflowers some-times played a critical role inproviding winter nutrition forboth people and wildlife. Thetubers of Jerusalem artichokemay be stored and eaten likepotatoes. Wild rose hips mayprovide an essential wintersupply of Vitamin C for bothpeople and wildlife. Seeds from

composites and legumes alsoprovide valuable food for wildlifethroughout the winter.

The common dandelion,although not native to thiscountry, is a good example ofthe usefulness of wild plants tothe educated edible plantsenthusiast. The leaves can beused in salads or for cooked

vegetables. The roots can be ground for “coffee” orcooked as a vegetable. And the blossom can be usedto make dandelion wine or eaten as a fried vegetable.In addition to their food value, dandelions once wereused as vitamin supplements, to increase appetite, asa diuretic, and to relieve some rheumatic disorders.

Remember, caution is required when consideringeating any wild plant. Do not eat any plant you cannotpositively identify as being edible. Carefully researchthe plant or consult an edible plants expert beforeeating!

Medicines and Food

from Nature


Late summer and fall are the peak times forviewing wildflowers along Iowa roadsides. Withnearly all of our prairies destroyed, native prairiewildflowers have found a last refuge in a few pas-tures, pioneer cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, androadsides.

Each year lilies, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans,Queen Anne’s lace, and a host of other wildflowersbloom in our roadsides. In addition to the nativewildflowers commonly found in Iowa roadsides, somenot-so-common flowers may also be encountered.Keep an eye out for rattlesnake master, compassplant, blazingstar, and orchids. These and otherplants thrive only in prairie conditions. In recentyears, some very rare plants have been found grow-ing in Iowa roadsides. Among the more fantastic

Wildflowers of Iowa

Roadsides


finds are two orchids—the small white lady’s slipperand the western prairie fringed orchid. The fact thatsuch rare plants can still be found in roadsides,which through the years have been disturbed,sprayed, and reseeded, is remarkable.

Throughout Iowa, more attention is being given toroadsides managed as prairie. Nearly half of thecounties in Iowa have roadside biologists who worktoward managing roadsides in a way that reducesweeds, stabilizes the slopes, and increases diversityof native grasses and flowers. With an increasedawareness of the value of roadside habitat and thespread of integrated roadside vegetation managementprograms, perhaps more rare flowers will be discov-ered and protected along Iowa roads.

In the summer and fall months, the beauty ofIowa’s wildflowers shifts from the woodlands to thegrasslands and other open areas. Composites,members of the daisy family, dominate the show andare supported by a cast of other plant families, in-cluding the legumes and members of the parsley

family. The flowers bloom through the summermonths and into fall, up until the first frost.

Beauty is a functional and necessary charac-teristic of many wildflowers. The dazzling colorsof the wildflowers provide enjoyment for people,but they are actually meant to dazzle othercreatures. Many of these flowers must attract

certain insects in order to be successfullypollinated.

Summer and fall wildflowers maybe viewed throughout Iowa simply byslowly driving, walking, or biking alongthe roads and bike trails. Roadsidewildflowers and native grasses are onthe increase due to the birth of inte-grated roadside vegetation manage-ment programs. For a special look atsummer and fall wildflowers, visit anative prairie remnant or recon-structed prairie area. Bring a friendand share the fun of discoveringIowa wildflowers.

Viewing Iowa's Fall

Wildflowers


“Botany: A Brief Introduction to Plant Biology,” Rost, Barbour, Thornton, Weier, andStocking, 1979.

“A Field Guide To Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America,” RogerTory Peterson and Margaret McKenny, 1968.

Iowa State University Extension publications, contact your county extension office.

“Iowa’s Roadside Wildflowers,” Iowa Department of Transportation.

“Poisonous Plants of the Central United States,” H. A. Stephens, University of Kansas,1980.

“Wild Edibles of Missouri,” Jan Phillips.

“Wild Edible Fruits and Berries,” Marjorie Furlong and Virginia Pill, Naturegraph, 1974.

“Wildflowers of Iowa Woodlands,” Sylvan T. Runkel and Alvin F. Bull, Iowa StateUniversity Press, 1979.

“Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie,” Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean Roosa, Iowa StateUniversity Press, 1989.

“Wildflowers and Weeds,” Booth Courtnay and James Zimmerman, Simon and Schuster,1972.

Useful Resouces


Notes

Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers is one in a series of seven booklets that are part of the Iowa PlantsSeries. The booklets in the series include:

Iowa PlantsIowa's Spring Wildflowers (IAN-301)Iowa's Summer and Fall Wildflowers (IAN-302)Benefits and Dangers of Iowa Plants (IAN-303)Iowa's Trees (IAN-304)Seeds, Nuts, and Fruits of Iowa Plants (IAN-305)Iowa's Mushrooms and Other Nonflowering Plants (IAN-306)Iowa's Shrubs and Vines (IAN-307)

The Iowa Association of Naturalists also has produced five other booklet series that provide readerswith a clear, understandable overview of topics concerning the Iowa environment and conservation. Thebooklets included in each of the other five series are listed below.

Iowa Physical Environment SeriesIowa Weather (IAN-701)Iowa Geology and Fossils (IAN-702)Iowa Soils (IAN-703)

Iowa Wildlife SeriesIowa Mammals (IAN-601)Iowa Winter Birds (IAN-602)Iowa Nesting Birds (IAN-603)Iowa Reptiles and Amphibians (IAN-604)Iowa Fish (IAN-605)Iowa Insects and Other Invertebrates (IAN-606)

Iowa's Natural Resource HeritageChanging Land Use and Values (IAN-501)Famous Iowa Conservationists (IAN-502)Iowa's Environmental Laws (IAN-503)Conservation Careers in Iowa (IAN-504)

Iowa Wildlife and PeopleIowa Wildlife and Management (IAN-401)Keeping Iowa Wildlife Wild (IAN-402)Misconceptions About Iowa Wildlife (IAN-403)State Symbols of Iowa (IAN-404)Iowa Food Webs and Other Interrelationships (IAN-405)Natural Cycles in Iowa (IAN-406)Iowa Biodiversity (IAN-407)Adapting to Iowa (IAN-408)

Iowa's Biological CommunitiesIowa's Biological Communities (IAN-201)Iowa Woodlands (IAN-202)Iowa Prairies (IAN-203)Iowa Wetlands (IAN-204)Iowa Waterways (IAN-205)

Iowa Environmental IssuesIowa Habitat Loss and Disappearing Wildlife (IAN-101)Iowa Air Pollution (IAN-102)Iowa Water Pollution (IAN-103)Iowa Agricultural Practices and the Environment (IAN-104)People, Communities, and Their Iowa Environment (IAN-105)Energy In Iowa (IAN-106)Iowa Waste Management (IAN-107)

These booklets are available to download via PDF on theISU Extension Store:

store.extension.iastate.edu

This publication is printedon recycled paper.

iowa's summer and fall wildflowers -- iowa's plants

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