Mid-Summer Sampler of Wildflowers

With the return of some much-needed rainfall this month, I found these blooming beauties during my ongoing wildflower inventory along the Mohawk Hudson Bike-Hike Trail in the City of Cohoes and Town of Colonie.

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Unfortunately, this showy wildflower is an invasive species. Read more.

Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)
Read more about this plant from one of my What Wildflowers Begins Blooming This Week? posts.

Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense)
Read more about this native species.

Cut-leaved Teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus)
Unfortunately, this unique wildflower is an invasive species. Read more.

Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)
Read more about this plant from one of my What Wildflowers Begins Blooming This Week? posts.

Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Read more about this native species.

Nodding Smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia)
Read more about this native species.

Eyebane (Euphorbia nutans)
Read more about this native species.

Thin-leaved Coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba var. triloba)
Read more about this native species.

Carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)
Read more about this naturalized species (non-native, not invasive).

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
Read more about this naturalized species (non-native, not invasive).
WARNING: All parts of this plant contain an alkaloid that is entirely toxic and potentially fatal to humans. The active toxic constituents of the plant are atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine. It has been abused worldwide for hundreds of years because of its hallucinogenic properties.

Pilewort (Erechtites hieraciifolius)
Read more about this native species.

One-seeded Bur Cucumber (Sicyos angulatus)
Read more about this native species.

Hope you find time soon to take a relaxing stroll along either of these trails or your own local favorite to view these and other blooming wildflowers.

Happy trails!