Winter Plant ID Quiz

Sunny and 50 degrees yesterday. Yet a month of winter remains…and lots of snow on the landscape.  Mushy, but still a lot of it!

So, I chose to collect the following photos and challenge you to a quiz…to identify plants in their winter appearance.  On St. Patrick’s Day (or thereabouts), I’ll post the answers.  In the meantime, take a peak at these photos/questions and enjoy a winter walk over the next few weeks to collect your responses.  Then, either provide them as a “reply/comment” to this post or feel free to send me an email with your answers.  Have fun!

#1:  This introduced plant has clusters of tiny white flowers and is often found in dry fields; it is also referred to as “wild carrot.” #2:  The prickly heads of this introduced plant are noted for easily catching on clothing and are said to be the inspiration for Velcro.  It has pink-to-purple colored flowers.

• Sidebar:  The seeds inside those prickly heads apparently serve as a food source…
• Sidebar #2:  …for a critter leaving this track…
• Sidebar #3:  Said critter is a…
  

  Wild Turkey (click on image, look to right of pile in center of image)

#3:  This introduced plant has clusters of tiny yellow flowers and is often found along the edges of roadways.  Never, ever touch this plant since it causes photo-dermatitis! #4:  This native plant has a fuzzy main stem and is covered with many tiny individual yellow flowers, each of which creates a tiny dandelion-like seed head. #5:  This introduced plant has violet or purplish flowers and is considered a common weed.  Nevertheless, it has medicinal value in treating inflammation and also used as an ointment. #6:  This native plant has a white flower, but derives a part of its name from the shape/appearance of its seedpod. #7:  This introduced plant is often tall; it has yellow flowers and its leaves are velvety soft. #8:  This highly-invasive introduced plant has many purple flowers and a square stem. #9: This introduced plant has numerous tiny white or yellow flowers along each of its branches, depending upon the particular species.  Beginning in late summer, this plant often has a vanilla aroma that is easily detected when walking amongst many of these plants, which are commonly found along roadsides. #10:  This introduced plant has numerous white flowers forming clusters; its leaves are steeped for use as an aromatic tea. #11:  This native plant is typically found in marshes.  Considered a culturally significant plant, some of its parts offer a variety of uses:  food (tuber from which to make flour; pollen as protein supplement to flour; shoots and unopened flower spike as a vegetable) or weaving materials to make mats and baskets. #12:  This native plant is also considered culturally significant because Native American tribes used parts of this plant for food, fiber or medicines.  When blooming, this plant is a critical source of nectar for the Monarch Butterfly.  Coming in a variety of colors (depending upon the particular species of this plant), all blooms are very fragrant. #13:  This native plant has pink-to-purplish flowers; its seeds are an important food to American goldfinches. #14:  This native plant has numerous small flowers (very light blue) and towers over nearly all other non-woody plants due to its overall height. #15:  This native vine has white flowers; it is found in moist thickets. #16:  This native plant has numerous flowers each with many petals in a variety of colors, but most often white or purplish.  This plant does not bloom until very late in the summer and most will continue to bloom until the first frost. #17:  This introduced plant is often tall, has numerous large yellow flowers and its leaves (both sides) feel very rough to the touch. Good luck!