wildflower 2009

8/10/2019 Wildflower 2009

1/6

Discover Nebraskas

Roadside Flowersand Grasses


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3/6

Grasses

Elymus virginicus Virginia wildryeLegumes

Chamaecrista fasciculata Partridge peaDesmanthus illinoiensis Illinois bundleflowerLespedeza capitata Roundhead lespedeza

Flowers

Aster laevis Smooth blue asterAster novae-angliae New England asterRatibida pinnata Grayhead coneflowerSalvia azuria Pitcher sageSilphium laciniatum Compass plant

Grasses

Calamovilfa longifolia Prairie sandreedElymus virginicus Virginia wildryeNassella viridula Green needlegrass

Legumes


Flowers

Aster laevis Smooth blue asterAster novae-angliae New England asterErysimum asperum Western wallflowerRatibida pinnata Grayhead coneflower

Grasses

Andropogon hallii Sand bluestemCalamovilfa longifolia Prairie sandreedNassella viridula Green needlegrass

Legumes

Desmanthus illinoiensis Illinois bundleflowerLespedeza capitata Roundhead lespedeza

Flowers

Argemone polyanthemos Prickly poppyAster laevis Smooth blue asterAster n ovae-angliae New England asterCallirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallowErysimum aspera Western wallflower

Grasses

Andropogon hallii Sand bluestemCalamovilfa longifolia Prairie sandreedElymus lanceolatus Thickspike wheatgrassElymus virginicus Virginia wildryeNassella viridula Green needlegrass

Legumes

Desmanthus illinoiensis Illinois bundleflowerLespedeza capitata Roundhead lespedeza

Flowers

Argemone polyanthemos Prickly poppyAster laevis Smooth blue asterAster novae-angliae New England asterCallirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallowErysimum asperum Western wallflowerTradescantiaspecies Spiderwort

Grasses

Calamovilfa longifolia Prairie sandreedElymus lanceolatus Thickspike wheatgrass

Elymus virginicus Virginia wildrye

Legumes


Flowers

Aster novae-angliae New England asterCallirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallowSilphium laciniatum Compass plantTradescantia Species Spiderwort

Grasses

Andropogon hallii Sand bluestem

Calamovilfa longifolia Prairie sandreedElymus lanceolatus Thickspike wheatgrassNassella viridula Green needlegrass

Flowers

Argemone polyanthemos Prickly poppyAster laevis Smooth blue asterCallirhoe involucrata Purple poppy mallowErysimum asperum Western wallflowerTradescantiaSpecies Spiderwort

Grasses

Andropogon gerardii Big bluestemBouteloua curtipendula Sideoats gramaBouteloua gracilis Blue gramaBuchloe dactyloides BuffalograssEragrostis trichodes Sand lovegrassElymus canadensis Canada wildryePascopyrum smithii Western wheatgrassPanicum virgatum SwitchgrassSchizachyrium scoparium Little bluestemSorghastrum nutans Indiangrass

Legumes

Amorpha canescens LeadplantDalea purpurea Purple prairie clover

Flowers

Achillea millefolium YarrowAnemone canadensis Canada anemoneCleome serrulata Rocky Mountain bee plantCoreopsis tinctoria Plains coreopsisEchinacea species Purple coneflowers / black SamsonHelianthus maximiliani Maximilian sunflowerLiatris species Blazing starLinum lewisii Blue flaxPenstemon grandiflorus Shell-leaf penstemonPolygonum species SmartweedRatibida columnifera Upright prairie coneflowerRatibida columnifera, red Mexican red hatRosa arkansana Prairie wild roseRudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan

Native Species Used Statewide

Nebraska Department of RoadsLandscape Regions

Roadside vegetation in Nebraska features plants thatare adapted to the states environmental conditions.Conditions such as climate, soils, and topographydiffer from region to region across the state. Rainfallvaries from about 16 inches annually in thenorthwest at Harrison to 34 inches annually in thesouthern part of the state at Falls City.

The plants you see along the roadside may occurnaturally, may have been intentionally seeded, or mayhave been carried there by wind, wildlife, or apassing vehicle. The Nebraska Department of Roads

Roadside Vegetation in Nebraska(NDOR) has developed a plan to promote the use ofnative plant species that are most likely to thrive in thedifferent regions of the state. Native plants that occur inthese regions within Nebraska are adapted for the specificgrowing conditions.

NDORs roadside seeding mixtures include cool- andwarm-season grasses, legumes, and flowers. Species areselected as a roadside seed mixture according to theNebraska region in which the NDOR project occurs.

Benefits from these customized seed mixtures include:

Increased likelihood of the seeded plants germinatingand becoming established on the roadside

Increased durability and permanence of the plants thatstabilize and beautify roadsides

Active plant growth throughout the growing season

Increased control of soil erosion

Lower maintenance and mowing costs

Planted areas blend with the natural context of theregions

The first 12 to 16 feet off the surfaced roadway is mowedregularly during the growing season. NDOR developsseed mixtures of short-growing grasses for this areaimmediately next to the pavement. Vegetation fartheraway from the roadway is mowed every 3 to 5 years. Seedmixtures for these areas include taller grasses and flowersthat add color and texture to the roadside.

Roadside soils are compacted and nutrient-poor - - adifficult setting in which to start new vegetation. Moistureand temperature conditions can be extreme, as well. Toattain successful re-vegetation after a road construction

project is completed, NDOR crafts seed mixtures usinga majority of native species, and uses commonagronomic practices. This results in improved soilstabilization, reduced maintenance requirements, and avisually-pleasing roadside.

2009


4/6

Blazing Star (3) Blue Flax (5) Blue Vervain (3) Butterfly Milkweed (5)

Nebraska Roadside Plant Identification

Upright Coneflower (5) Western Wallflower (5)

Canada Anemone (3) Compass Plant (5)

Plains Coreopsis (3)

4-Point Evening Primrose (2) Giant Goldenrod (6)State Flower

Grayhead Coneflower (6) Indian Blanket Flower (5) Mexican Red Hat (5) New England Aster (5)

Shell Leaf Penstemon (5)

Pitcher Sage (5) Plains Sunflower (5) Prairie Wild Rose (3)

Prickly Poppy (5)

Pale Purple Coneflower (2)

Purple Poppy Mallow (3) Smartweed (5)

Smooth Blue Aster (6)

Maximilian Sunflower (5)

Wild Bergamot (5)

Rocky Mt. Bee Plant (3)

Flowers

Golden Glow (3)

Black-eyed Susan (5)

Spiderwort (5)


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Big Bluestem (3) Blue Grama (5) Buffalograss (5)

Canada Wildrye (5) Green Needlegrass (10) Indiangrass (3)

Little Bluestem (3)State Grass

Prairie Junegrass (5) Prairie Sandreed (3)

Sand Bluestem (3) Sand Lovegrass (5)

Grasses

Sand Dropseed (6)


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Crown Vetch (1)

Hairy Vetch (1)

Birds Foot Trefoil (4)

Illinois Bundleflower (3) Leadplant (2) Purple Prairie Clover (3)

Roundhead Lespedeza (3)

Partridge Pea (5)

Chickory (5)

Legumes

(1) Photo by Scott Brummond (NDOR)

(2) Photo by Alison Krohn (NDOR)

(3) Photo by Steve Duecker (NDOR)

(4) Photo by Dewaine Knutson (NDOR)

(5) Photo by Carol Wienhold (NDOR)

(Photographer of Cover Photo)

(6) Photo by Mike Haddock

(7) NDOR File Photo

(8) Photo by Sheri Hagwood

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

(9) Photo by R. Soreng, courtesy of

Smithsonian Institution

(10) Photo taken from "Grassland

Plants of South Dakota and the

Northern Great Plains" by James R.

Johnson and Gary E. Larson, used

by permission from South Dakota

State University

Ox Eye Daisy (5)

Non-Native

Dames Rocket (7)

IntermediateWheat Grass (10)

Smooth Brome (6)

White Prairie Clover (2)

wildflower 2009

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