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Enjoy more than 100 different varieties of wildflowers native to Western Nebraska. Platte River Basin Environments, Inc. (PRBE) conservation land is a paradise for exploring native wildflowers. The purples, blues, reds, whites, and yellows will have you marveling at nature’s beauty. Many find the contrasting colors present the perfect opportunity to photographers of all skill levels. Take a look below at the wild flowers you can expect to see on your next nature walk!
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Blazing Star, Dotted Button-Snakeroot, Starwort
General: Native Perennial; A late comer to the area, appears in August and can extend into October. Found mainly in grasslands and roadsides. Flowers grow up and down the top half of the stem with the flowers densely clustered about the stem. Deep taproot evident like with many of the native species allowing it to be drought resistant.
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
A.K.A.: Wild Honeysuckle, Butterfly Weed
General: Native Perennial; One of a number of primroses inhabiting the area. Usually tall reaching about one foot in height with pinkish to scarlet flowers found on a spike. Flowers have a nice fragrance.
Family: Rose Family
General: Native Shrub; Very pretty flower residing on a bush. This native produces a pleasant odor which cultivated varieties of the rose seem to be losing. Has thorns on lower stems so be careful.
Neat Stuff: Fruits are called rose hips and are a valuable winter food for wildlife. Wild roses hybridize so easily that there are about 100 species simply called wild roses.
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
A.K.A.: Hoary Peavine, Wild or Sweet Pea
General: Native Perennial; Early flowering plant can be found along edge of Center front lawn. Common state wide, plant does not grow much more than six inches in height. Flowers are pink to violet in color.
Neat Stuff: Toxic to grazing animals. A disease named Lathyrism occurs if large amounts of the plant is eaten. Paralysis of limbs is a common symptom of the disorder.
Family: Figwort Family, Scrophulariaceae
General: Inhabits variety of dry to moist locations, usually in sandy soils. Narrow leaves lacking toothed margins help distinguish this flower from the close relative, the Crested Beardtongue.
Neat Stuff: A close relative of this flower is the Blowout Penstemon or Hayden’s Penstemon found in the Sandhills region of the state. It is currently listed as an endangered species. There are 250 species of Penstemons in North America.
Family: Vervain Family
A.K.A.: Hoary Vervain, Hoary Verbena
Photos Taken: 7/1 at Wildcat Hills and Buffalo Creek
General: Native Perennial; Flowers from June to August and easily found along the Center trails. In some locations you can find large patches of this plant. Reaches heights of three feet or more with multiple erect stiff stems. A terminal spike contains the flowers. The flowers of the spike mature from the bottom to the top. Has a deep root system allowing it to resist drought conditions.
Neat Stuff: Grazers avoid this plant because of bitter tasting juices. A relative found in the east has been used for a variety of purposes including treatments for stomach aches and hardened arteries.
Family: Sunflower family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Pale Purple Coneflower
General: Used frequently in gardens and, like a number of others in the area, introduced by the roads department for revegetation after road work is complete. Plains Indians used the plant for a number of medicinal purposes including as a salve for wounds, tooth ache relief and even for mumps. The root seems to have been the most useful part of the plant for the medicinal uses.
Family: Milkweed Family, Asclepiadaceae
General: Native Perennial; Occurs primarily along roadsides and moist places, explaining why you are more likely to find it at Buffalo Creek than the Center. Tall plant with large clusters of flowers, probably the most common milkweed in the plains. Produces large pods of seeds that have an umbrella like structure allowing the seeds to be dispersed by the wind.
Neat Stuff: Early settlers collected the feathery seeds to stuff pillows and mattresses. The seeds acting in very similar fashion to down.
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
A.K.A.: Indian Breadroot, Prairie Apple or Potato
General: Native Perennial; A treat to find at the center, not because it is any prettier than most but because it is becoming less frequent in the western part of the state. A definite no-no to pick. Plant has a deep tap root of up to five inches. Short plant small purple flowers in a cluster at the top. Our current pics don’t show the color well. Leaves similar to many in having small hairs covering surface.
Neat Stuff: After the seeds ripen this plant acts somewhat like a “tumble weed” in that the plant breaks off at the ground and then blows in the wind, thus spreading its seeds. Roots were a food staple for many Plains Indians.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Rush or Prairie Pink, Rush Skeleton Plant
General: Native Perennial; Flowers in June, found along Center trails but is rather inconspicuous. Attracted to sunny, disturbed sites. Stems resemble many of the grasses that grow in the same areas. Identification made easy if the flower is present although there are not many at any one time.
Neat Stuff: Later in the summer you will be able to observe numerous bulbs on the lower stems. These bulbs and called galls and are created as a response by the plant to egg deposits from a wasp. Eggs are laid in the stem and as the larva develop the gall is created. We also found that hardened sap of this plant was used as chewing gum by Plains Indians, the sap turns blue upon chewing.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Prairie Thistle
General: Native Perennial; Found in disturbed sites around the center and along roadsides. Like other thistles can also be found in overgrazed areas in the Panhandle. Unlike several of the other thistles of the area, Flodman’s Thistle is a native. It acts as a pioneer plant helping to recolonize disturbed grasslands. It does not compete well with native grasses. Bees are important pollinators.
Family: Mallow Family, Malvaceae
A.K.A.: Cowboy’s Delight, Moss Rose
General: Native Perennial; Very pretty, orange, low lying flower frequently found along paths to the north and west of the Center. flowers from May to August making it one of the longer lived flowers of the area.
Neat Stuff: Reportedly, Dakota medicine men created a paste from this plant and coated their hands with it to make them immune to scalding water thus being able to take hot meal out of a kettle. One has to wonder why, I found no answers. Some members of this genus are eaten by mule deer. Cotton and hollyhocks are related species.
Family: Spiderwort Family, Commelinaceae
General: Native Perennial; Flowers from May to June, found in disturbed areas along Center trails. Easily spotted because of its purple flower that rises nearly a foot from the ground. In most cases the top of the plant may contain several flowers in various stages. Leaves extend from the base and are narrow and long.
Neat Stuff: Flowers close in the heat of the day. Transplants into gardens fairly easily. Stems contain a juice that can be drawn into slender threads that resemble spiders silk.
Family: Bean Family
A.K.A.: Field Bindweed, Creeping Jenny
General: Native Perennial; Another favorite found in the Nebraska Panhandle. A bit hard to find at the Center, found more frequently in grassy areas to the north and east at Buffalo Creek and also along many roads in the Panhandle. Plants can grow up to a foot, the plants in the photo were about eight inches in height. Leafs contain 6-9 leaflets with hairs on the underside. Color usually violet but does vary.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
General: Native perennial, yet another member of the sunflower family. As you will, or may have already discovered, not all members of the sunflower family look like sunflowers on the surface. Flowers from June to August and usually inhabits moister areas of the Center region (for instance like Buffalo Creek to the east). Can grow to four feet and is one of three species found in Nebraska. The genus name for this flower is Lactuca, a reference to the milky substance that is contained within its stems.
Family: Morning Glory Family, Convolvulaceae
A.K.A.: Man-root, Man of the Earth, Bush Moon Flower
General: Native Perennial; Bushes of this plant are evident well before flowering occurs. There are numerous plants along the trails leading to the west from the rear of the Center. Like many inhabitants of the area, are attracted to dry, sandy or gravelly soils and disturbed sites.
Neat Stuff: Plains Indians reportedly used the root for food. The Pawnee used the root for smoke treatments to relieve nervousness and bad dreams. One of its most prominent features that you won’t observe is its tap root that can be over 18 inches in diameter at the top and up to four feet long!
Family: Caper Family, Capparaceae
A.K.A.: Spider Flower, Indian Pink, Stink Flower, Pink Cleome
General: Native Annual; Another favorite occurring later in the summer from Late July into August and September. Also commonly seen along roadsides. Attracted to disturbed sites, it colonizes well under less than ideal circumstances.
Neat Stuff: The flowers produce large quantities of nectar, attracting the bees that give the plant its common name. Some Indians are said to have used boiled leaves as greens or treatments for stomach problems. Early Spanish settlers reportedly ground the seeds as a substitute for flour.
Family: Mint Family, Lamiaceae
A.K.A.: Horsemint, Beebalm, Oswego Tea
General: Native Perennial; Really neat flower found later in the summer from July to August. The pictures were taken at Cedar Canyon to the west but there is a fairly large patch growing toward the end of the long trail. It resides back in the shadows, in the cooler areas of the Wildcats. Tall, reaching 2-3 feet in height locally. Flowers located at the end of the stalk.
Neat Stuff: Leaves are known to provide relief of abdominal pains when made into a tea. Other uses include treatments for pimples, and seasoning for food having a flavor similar to oregano.
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
A.K.A.: Thimbleweed, Red Tassel Flower, Violet Prairie Clover
General: Native Perennial; Although more common in the east we have found this one locally. The pictures were taken at the base of Stage hill on the north side along HWY 71. Found later in the summer from July to August but it was nearly September before we noticed it.
Neat Stuff: Great forage for livestock and native grazers alike, however, does not respond well to grazing pressures. Like its white cousin was also used to make tea and dried stems used for brooms.
Family: Verbenaceae, the Vervain family
General: This little flower is hard to see simply because it is very small. The plant itself can be fairly large and grow close to the ground spreading over a large area but the flowers are so small they are easy to miss. This species can be found virtually everywhere in North America in roadside ditches and disturbed areas. Here at the Center they can be found in the areas next to the roads. Related to the much taller and much more visible Wooly Verbena found in abundance here at the Center.
Family: Cactus Family, Cactaceae
A.K.A.: Ball, Purple, Nipple and Cushion Cactus
General: Native Perennial; Without a doubt the top of our favorite list. A challenge to find both due to its small three inch stature and its extremely short flowering period. In the Wildcat area the flowering time is around three days so if you visit the center on Saturday the flower of the pincushion may come and go before next Saturday! We were very fortunate to stumble across this one. This cactus is not common in the east.
Family: Bellflower Family, Campanulaceae
A.K.A.: Blue Cardinal Flower, Great or Big Lobelia
General: Native Perennial; Another August bloomer, however, not one you are likely to see at the Center due to its preference for moist habitats. This plant is becoming more frequent in the western part of the state. Tall, reaching two feet or more in height. Flowers located on the top of the stem, five petals split two and three.
Neat Stuff: Species name is siphilitica. Name refers to a substance found in the plant that has been used as a treatment for syphilis. Contains a substance called lobiline which is toxic. Many alkaloids isolated from the plant are closely related to nicotine.
Family: Poppy Family, Papavaraceae
A.K.A.: Bluestem Prickly Poppy, Thistle Poppy, Cardo Santo, Mexican Poppy, Chicalote
General: Native Annual; More common to disturbed areas such as roadsides than the Center area. If you do run across one of these, DO NOT TOUCH! It isn’t called prickly for nothing. Animals avoid this one due to the spines and bad tasting juices.
Neat Stuff: Yellow juices used straight for warts, preserved juices diluted with 3 or 4 parts water can be used for heat rash and hives. Whole plant can be boiled into a strong tea and used for bathing sunburned and abraded areas for relief of pain.
Family: Figwort Family, Scrophulariaceae
A.K.A.: White Penstamon
General: Native Perennial; One of a number of members of the Penstemon genus found in Nebraska. Although some of the other species give me trouble this one is easy, it’s white. This is one of 15 found on the plains, there are nearly 250 in North America. This species is found early in the season along the trails of the Center.
Neat Stuff: Known to be made into a salve to dress a wide variety of skin irritations as well as the anus and lips. Chewed roots have been used to sooth aching teeth.
Family: Agave Family, Agavaceae
A.K.A.: Small Soapweed, Amole, Adam’s Needle, Soapwell, Spanish Bayonet, Beargrass, Spanish Dagger, Joshua Tree
General: Native Perennial; Large, obvious plant with sharp leaves that the casual hiker might encounter with a yelp if not careful! Participates in a very specialized relationship with a small nocturnal white moth. The moth is the only insect which pollinates the yucca, in return the yucca serves as a depository for the moths eggs which develop into larva that feed on developing seeds. The relationship is so specialized that neither the moth nor the yucca can survive without the other.
Neat Stuff: Crushed roots produce a lather when agitated in water, Native American Indians used it as a shampoo; cord and twine made from leaf fibers; once considered a potential source of phytosterols, a family of plant substances used in the manufacture of steroidal hormones.
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae), Genus: Cryptantha
A.K.A.: Butte Candle, Bradbury Cryptantha
General: One of approximately six species in the western end of the state. They are distinguished from each other by its height, fullness, flowers and the density of the hairs on the leaves. The stiff hairs covering the stems and leaves give the plant a grayish appearance. Typically grows in dry soils and places like buttes, rock outcroppings, bluffs and eroded banks.
Neat Stuff: An herb, however, grazing animals avoid it because of the spiny hairs. It is a native biennial or short lived perennial. Blooms from June to July.
Family: Pink Family, Caryophyllaceae
General: Native Perennial; our photos do not do the plant justice. Common to the Panhandle, usually found in dry, rocky, gravelly soils and rock outcrops. Short plant usually with a greater diameter than height. Growth represents a “tuft” common to many rock dwelling plants.
Neat Stuff: Well adapted to dry conditions, adaptations include narrow leaves to reduce water loss and hard seed coats to prolong viability while waiting for favorable germination conditions.
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
A.K.A.: Tufted Evening Primrose, gumbo lily, rock rose.
General: Native Perennial; Worth looking for but is elusive at the Center. The photographed specimens were found just to the rear of the Center itself, usually found later in the summer. One of many primrose species found in the area, most of the others are yellow. The primroses are among our favorites. Classification of the white varieties is very tough. Resembles very closely the White-stemmed or Nuttall’s Evening Primrose
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
General: Native Perennial; Another early flowering species in the Center area. Easily found along trails, although not tall, this white flower stands out well. This is one of the first asters to flower and is usually done before many of the other asters begin.
Neat Stuff: Grows from a deep tap root allowing it to persist in very dry places.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
General: Native Biennial/ Short Lived Perennial; This one, like the sandwort and white phlox, is found in rocky soils and rock outcrops, common to Panhandle region. This is a very short plant growing in “tufts” or clumps with numerous flowers. Unfortunately our specimens were photographed after a hail storm and we never found a better plant. Keep an eye out for this one.
Family: Polemonium Family, Polemoniaceae
A.K.A.: Plains Phlox, Moss or Creeping Phlox
General: Native Perennial; Resembles to some extent the sandwort, upon closer examination the flower structure will be an obvious difference. Flowers somewhat earlier in the season and is common to Western Nebraska. Grows in “tufts” like the sandwort.
Family: Lily Family, Liliaceae
A.K.A.: Star of Bethlehem, Sand Lily, Star Lily
General: Native Perennial; Most definately one of our favorites. Flowers in the late spring, the benefactor of the proverbial April showers, one clear indicator that spring is here. Low lying plant with from one to a dozen flowers. Growth cycle generally done by mid June.
Neat Stuff: Unlike other lilies which grow from bulbs, the Mountain Lily grows from several finger like roots that share food and water.
Family: Lily Family, Liliaceae
Photos Taken: 5/20 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; Occurs mainly in the Panhandle. Early flowering, found easily along the trails of the Center, especially the trail leading north from the rear of the Center. Plant grows from a bulb and reaches 10 to 15 inches.
Neat Stuff: All parts of the plant are poisonous to both man and livestock (although pigs seem to be immune). It has been estimated, however, that a human would need to eat nearly six pounds of the plant to be lethal. There are other species in the west, not all poisonous.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Rocky Mountain Cudweed, Cats Paw, Life Everlasting
Photos Taken: 6/7, 6/8 at Wildcat Hills and Buffalo Creek
General: Native Perennial; Very short flower, difficult to find because of its stature, however, if found will be found in clumps. These plants are dioecious meaning that male and female parts are found on seperate flowers with the females more conspicuous.
Neat Stuff: The name “Cats Paw” comes from the resemblance of the flower to the pads of a cats foot.
Family: Lily Family, Liliaceae
Photos Taken: 6/8 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; Found in May and June, very plentiful along the trails of the Center, particularly the trail leading to the north from the rear of the Center. Grows to around 10-12 inches tall with flowers found in clumps at the top.
Neat Stuff: Small bulb has a pleasant taste with obvious uses in cooking. Bulbs easily dried and stored for winter use. One medicinal use found cited the juice of the onion for sore throats. There are about 300 species of onions world wide. Serves as a food source for a wide variety of animals.
Family: Lily Family, Liliaceae
A.K.A.: Spikenard, Solomon’s Plume
General: Native Perennial; A bit more difficult to find than most of the flowers in the area. The Solomon’s Seal prefers the cooler more shaded areas along the further reaches of the trail system. May be found in the low canyons or where the sun doesn’t often visit. Common to Ponderosa Pine areas of the west. It is not very big you will have to keep a sharp eye out.
Neat Stuff: Root is an effective expectorant for inflammatory stage of lung infections and sore throats, facilitates softening and upward movement of mucus. Root tea also good for frontal headaches caused by or occurring with indigestion.
Family: Mint Family, Lamiaceae
A.K.A.: Horsemint, Spotted Beebalm, Plains or Lemon Monarda, Lemonmint
Photos Taken: 6/14, 6/20 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Annual; Fairly early riser, found in Western and Central Nebraska, found easily along Center trails growing to heights in excess of one and a half feet.
Neat Stuff: Plant contains thymol, used as an ingredient in antiseptic preparations and as a fungicide. Southwestern Indians use it to season foods also has been used to stimulate menstruation.
Family: Pea Family, Leguminosae
Photos Taken: 7/10, 7/15 at Wildcat Hills
General: One of two common sweet clovers, the other being the yellow sweet clover. Both commonly found together in the center area. Usually tall with flowers on a long spike. The white can be taller than the yellow. Blooms in June and into September. Both varieties are good forage for grazers and sometimes is planted for that purpose.
Neat Stuff: Contains chemical coumarin, which gives the plant its odor and taste. If plant spoils the coumarin decays into a toxic substance that prevents the clotting of blood. Desirable plant for bees. Although we would never advocate picking or cutting these plants you should be here when the sides of the road get mowed, this stuff smells awesome.
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
General: One of the many primroses in Western Nebraska. As mentioned with the Gumbo Evening Primrose it is one of the whites. We are fairly confident of its identification but as we said, the whites are tough. This variety tends to be more solitary and even harder to find at the Center. Can reach up to 12 inches high in contrast to the Gumbo which rarely reaches six inches. It is typically more abundant following above average rainfall and resides abundantly in pastures. If you are driving hear locally, especially to the east and see a white flower in a pasture in the late spring/early summer it is likely the Combleaf.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
Photos Taken: 6/14 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; Common to Western and Central Nebraska. As with most thistle species is typically found in slightly disturbed areas. This one can be found easily by taking the trail west from the rear of the Center. It will be found on the trail itself. Easily distinguished from other thistles due to its white color. It is one of the first thistles to bloom in the area.
Family: Caper Family, Capparaceae
Photos Taken: 8/13, 8/17 at Wildcat Hills
General: Closely related to the Rocky Mountain Bee Plant. Flowers later in the summer from July to September. Found in gravelly soils, as a matter of fact these were photographed just to the east of the center parking lot.
Neat Stuff: Plant possesses a very strong odor from oils released by the hairs of the plant. Produces a fruit found in a pod very obvious in the later parts of August.
Family: Rose Family, Rosaceae
Photos Taken: 7/10 at South Stage Hill (Wildcats)
General: Naturalized Perennial; We were very excited to run across this one because it does not occur frequently in the west. It does appear to be spreading our way as is in evidence by our photos. Plants reportedly reach 1-2 feet tall, however, these plants were found along a roadside area and were much shorter, having been exposed to mowing pressures.
Neat Stuff: This variety of plant has played an important role medicinally. Plant juices act as an astringent which constricts tissues presumably to reduce blood flow. We also found a practice of placing cinquefoil leaves in shoes to prevent blisters. Although a member of the rose family it is much kinder to the touch, lacking thorns.
Family: Stickleaf Family, Loasaceae
A.K.A.: Prairie Lilly, Blazing star, Stickleaf, Sand Lily, Evening Star, Moon Flower
Photos Taken: 8/17 at SB National Monument
General: Native Biennial or Short Lived Perennial, One of two species found in the Panhandle. Flowers from June to September but seems that locally you are more likely to find it in August and September. Pollinated by moths and other night-flying insects. Flowers tend to open in late afternoon, closing in early morning.
Neat Stuff: Name derived from the fact that flowers have 10 or more petals.
Family: Milkweed Family, Asclepiadaceae
Photos Taken: 6/24, 6/29 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; Flowers throughout summer months predominantly June and July, found throughout the state.
Neat Stuff: Milkweeds in general have many medicinal uses. Milkweeds contain the enzyme asclepain used to remove warts and more recently to stimulate milk production.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Heath or Frost Aster
Photos Taken: 8/30, 9/11 at Buffalo Creek
General: Native Perennial; Flowers later in the summer, this one does not appear until August or September. One of our favorites, large amounts are usually evident east of the Center at Buffalo Creek but can be found on Center trails.
Neat Stuff: Plant does very well in drought, extensive root system aids in acquiring water. One of the prairie plants (non grass) that actually increases growth in grazing condition.
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
Photos Taken: 7/8, 7/15 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; More often found in the eastern part of the state, common to prairie areas. Livestock and wild grazers find this plant very tasty. Native from Minnesota to Arizona.
Neat Stuff: Plains Indians such as the Ponca chewed the root for its pleasant taste while the Pawnee reportedly bound the tough stems together to use as a broom. Several tribes used it to brew a tea.
Family: Mint Family, Lamiaceae
A.K.A.: Catmint, Catwort, Field Balm
Photos Taken: 6/29, 7/8 at Roubidoux
General: Naturalized Perennial; Another that you will really have to hunt for in the center area. You are actually more likely to find it in an alley or garden in town. Cats love the minty odor released when the leaves are crushed, no one is sure what the attraction really is, used to scent cat toys.
Neat Stuff: Medicinally, teas made from the leaves have been used to remedy a wide variety of problems from colic to nervous disorders. We also discovered that it has been used as a mild tranquilizer and sedative.
Family: Spurge Family, Euphorbiaceae
A.K.A.: Variegated Spurge, Wolf’s Milk
Photos Taken: 8/25 at Morrill County
General: Native Annual; Found across the state but seems to be more common further east. These pictures were taken east of Scotts Bluff County. Common to roadsides and overgrazed areas.
Neat Stuff: Sometimes cultivated for attractive foliage. Dakota Indians reportedly made a tea from the plant and gave it to mothers experiencing trouble with lactation.
Family: Mallow Family, Malvaceae
General: Small plant growing close to the ground with very small white flower. Inhabits many parts of the United States. Its most notable relative is the Purple Poppy Mallow that can be found in the eastern part of the state. Flowers throughout the summer beginning in June and extending into September. Here at the Center it can usually be found along the roadsides of the preserve.
Candidates Include Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family), Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
Photos Taken: 8/30 at Monument
General: Native Perennial; Late bloomer, flowering in August and into October. Found in sandy soils in the dry prairies. Named due to the resemblance to the true boneset of the Eupaterium genus.
Family: Four-O’ Clock Family, Nyctaginaceae
A.K.A.: Heart’s Delight, Prairie Snowball
Photos Taken: 7/1 at Buffalo Creek
General: Native Perennial; Found in the mid-summer months, but flowers late in the afternoon/evening. Often found on disturbed sites in grassy areas. Another plant that you may not run across on the Center trails. Can be found on roadsides, especially north of Scottsbluff.
Family: Nyctaginaceae, Four-o’ Clock Family
General: Found throughout the western plains, inhabits dry sandy areas. Can also be found in rocky areas. Flower is not distinct and easily missed although the plant can reach upwards of three feet in height. Flowers on any individual plant last only a short time but the plant blooms from June to September. It is thought that the name is derived from the resemblance the flower has to an umbrella. For our money the flower of the Night shade plant looks way better as an umbrella!!
Family: Milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae
General: Asclepias verticillata is the species. This photo is of an early stage in its growth. The plant flowers here at the center from mid July through August. It is actually an infrequent inhabitant in the western regions, being much more common in the east. Leaves are very narrow and as the plant grows the early bundle of blossoms will separate from each other and be widely spaced on the stem. Upon close examination of an individual flower you will easily see the similarities to other milkweeds of the area.
Family: Buckwheat Family, Polygonaceae
A.K.A.: Yellow Dock, Curly Dock, Lengua de Vaca
Photos Taken: 6/16, 7/20 at Wildcat Hills
General: Very common to the area, although you are more likely to see it along the highways rather than the nature center trails. Plant undergoes an extreme color change as the season progresses. The left hand photo a shot in early season, the right hand shot is of the much more conspicuous mature late season plant.
Neat Stuff: Some uses include acting as a laxative, treatments for blood disorders, skin diseases, rheumatism and indigestion. A related species known as sheep sorrel is a summer food for ruffed grouse and Canada geese.
Family: Pea Family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
A.K.A.: Creamy Poison-vetch, racemed locoweed.
General: Found in dry soils, grasslands and disturbed places. The plant reportedly accumulates the element selenium from soils very well. Like its close relative the purple locoweed this plant had a variety of impacts on livestock who generally leave it alone. Symptoms can be as varied as “aimless wandering” to blindness and death.
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
A.K.A.: Amollilo, Sweet Root
Photos Taken: 7/1 at Wildcat Hills
General: Native Perennial; Be sure to check your socks when you leave, our very unscientific research suggests that if you got within 10 feet of this plant you may be carrying a seed pod with you. Tall plant found in several places along the trails.
Neat Stuff: Several uses including root extracts for reducing fevers in children, blood clotting, and inducing menstrual flow. Similar European species yields the ingredients for commercial licorice. Raw roots reportedly taste somewhat like sweet potatoes. Can also be an effective placebo for those who are smokers trying to quit.
General: Mature Plant with recognizable hitch hikers!!!
Family: Bean Family, Fabaceae
A.K.A.: Prairie Golden Pea, Yellow Pea, Prairie Bean, False Lupine
General: Native Perennial; Another early bloomer, very abundant, frequently found in large patches one being very near the center to the north and east along the trail.
Neat Stuff: Lakota Indians used the plant to create a therapeutic smoke isolated to extremities suffering from rheumatism. It reportedly reduced swelling and pain.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
General: Native Annual; State flower of Kansas, however, can be found from the foothills of the Rockies to the east coast. Flowers late from July to September. Sunflowers pose unique problems for the novice botanist, there are tons of them. This one is known as the common, tall, usually in excess of three feet. This species does not have a white spot in the center of the flower which differentiates it from the Prairie Sunflower.
Neat Stuff: Native Americans hybridized these plants selecting for large seeds perhaps increasing seed size as much as 1000X. Seeds used for food or extracted oils for cooking. This is the wild ancestor of the commercially grown varieties.
Family: Cactus Family, Cactaceae
General: Native Perennial; Most common of the two species in the Panhandle. Spines can do some damage and capable of going through the soles of tennis shoes. Large yellow flowers are hard to miss, appearing from May through June. Flowers have large petals and a large green stigma on the pistil (the centrally located female component). Plant does extremely well in overgrazed pastures and disturbed areas, like all cactuses thrives under dry conditions.
Neat Stuff: Fruit is edible, jams and jellies can be made using the cactus fruits.
Family: Mustard Family, Brassicaceae
A.K.A.: Yellow Phlox, Prairie Rocket
General: Native Biennial or Perennial; Early bloomer and very abundant at the Center. Plant reaches about one foot in height with tons of flowers clustered at the top. Related to a number of plants that are noted for their peppery taste. As a matter of fact, commercial mustard preparations begin with the grinding of seeds produced by various members of this family.
Neat Stuff: This family was formerly called the Cruciferae, a reference to the petals of the flowers being arranged to resemble a cross.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Western or Meadow Salsify
General: Introduced Biennial; It seems that just about everyone recognizes this flower. Blooms from May to August and even into September. Depending on your travels and locale this just might be the flower you see most often during the summer! Very common to roadsides and disturbed sites in general, can be found in town as easily as in its natural habitats.
Neat Stuff: Once mature the fruits are released from the plant much like those of a dandelion except this is much larger. Seeds easily dispersed on the ever-present Nebraska breezes. Roots are edible tasting like parsnips or oysters (I bet you thought it might taste like chicken!).
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
A.K.A.: Tooth Leaved or Cutleaf Evening Primrose
General: Native Perennial; This plant flowers from late May to July. Also very common to the Center trails, you may even see this primrose in close proximity to its cousin the Lavender Leafed Primrose. Grows primarily in dry, gravelly soils. Interesting in that it does not grow up but rather out, therefore, the plant is wide rather than tall with many branches bearing a flower about one inch across. Like many of the natives of the area it is well adapted to dry conditions. Common adaptations include a deep taproot to gather water and narrow leaves to lessen water loss.
Neat Stuff: One unique feature of this primrose in comparison to its cousins in the area is that the flowers will remain open throughout the day.
Family: Pea Family, Leguminosae
General: Cousin of the White Sweet Clover also found at the center. As a matter of fact you are likely to find the two together. Flowers from June to August, usually occurs in large patches. Is a great bee plant and if used by bees for nectar can give a pleasant flavor to the honey. Also commonly occurs in pastures and roadsides.
Family: Borage Family, Boraginaceae
A.K.A.: Gromwell
General: Native Perennial; Very pretty little yellow flower found more frequently east of the Center at Buffalo Creek. Found in grasslands and near woodlands. Plants reach about one foot in height and like so many of our local plants, has flowers growing in clusters at the top.
Neat Stuff: This plant has provided a red dye extracted from the roots of the plant. The genus name Lithospermum is translated to mean “stone seed” indicative of the hard nature of the fruit produced by this flower.
If you recognize it please let us know!!!
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Prairie Ragwort
General: Native Biennial, Short Lived Perennial; Flowers usually from May to June, however we found some as late as August. Can be found at the Center but is not frequent. It seems you have to be lucky on this one. Tall plant with a cluster of flowers at the top of the stem. There may be up to ten flowers per cluster. This species is variable with up to 20 species found in the great plains.
Neat Stuff: We discovered that these plants are capable of producing a toxin that can cause liver damage. A condition called stomach staggers is reported in grazers. Although we are not sure what that is, it does not sound good!
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
General: Native Perennial; One of the earliest of this family to bloom, flowering in April and into Late May. Grows from taproot producing leaves that are long and slender and a flower that resembles. . . you guessed it, a dandelion. This is a larger version of its better known cousin. The flower opens early in the day and closes by late afternoon.
Neat Stuff: One significant difference between this plant and the common dandelion is in the way in which seeds are dispersed. The common uses parachute like apparatus to blow in the wind, the false dandelion seeds have bristles and more often hitch rides on hides or socks.
Family: Violet Family, Violaceae
General: Native Perennial; Many folks are surprised to find a violet that isn’t violet! It’s yellow and is the only yellow grassland violet in the region. This pretty little flower arrives early in the season, popping up in April and into May. Very common to the Nature Center area, easily found along trails. There aren’t many other flowers at this time to compete for your attention.
Genus: Gaillardia
A.K.A.: Firewheel, Blanket Flower
General: Not a usual inhabitant here in the area. It appears to be introduced during revegetation activity associated with roadwork. One of several species that is plentiful along the roadsides in the state. There is a great story associated with this flower of an old man that wove blankets. Nearing death he wove his greatest work. Upon death the Great Spirit, seeing the beauty of the blanked, decided to recreate the beauty the next spring with this flower growing from the old mans grave. As legend has it the flower is an approximation of the appearance of the old mans final creation.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Prairie or Hairy Golden Aster
General: Native Perennial; Readily found on Center trails and at Buffalo Creek. Usually not very tall but is many branched and spreads to cover larger areas. Long taproots and hairy leaves allow it to cope effectively with the summer conditions representative of Western Nebraska. A bit of a late bloomer, not appearing until July but does flower into August and September. Not frequently found in Eastern Nebraska.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Indian Tea, Rayless Thelesperma
General: Related to another plant by the same name here locally but appears quite different. Most notable is the absence of rays characteristic of the sunflower group. Those are the petals you pull off when playing “He/She love me, loves me not”. It has been reported that certain Native American tribes such as the Pueblo of the Southwest use this plant in a tea.
Family: Nightshade Family, Solanaceae
A.K.A.: Husk or Strawberry Tomato
General: Native Perennial; Photographs taken at Buffalo Creek but your best bet to find this one would be looking at field margins and irrigation ditches. One of two common species in the state. One could easily walk by this plant without giving it a second look due to the flowers being more greenish than bright yellows like many others. In addition the flowers tend to face downward rather than up making them hard to see unless you are really looking for them.
Neat Stuff: Green fruit is poisonous but after maturing toward the fall becomes edible. Its more notable relatives include the tomato, bell pepper.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Bitterweed
Photos Taken: 6/23 on HWY 71, 7/8 at Roubidoux
General: Native Perennial; We did not find many of these in the area but those we did find were located on rocky, dry sites. Might need to do some climbing to find this one. We did find one with a bit easier access along the trail at the top of Scotts Bluff National Monument. You might want to take a quick side excursion.
Neat Stuff: The plant is not actually stemless as its name suggests. The flower resides on a stalk that is leafless, they commonly grow in “tufts” similarly to other species that grow in the rocky areas.
Genus: Ribes
General: Fairly plentiful here at the center. One of two species in the Ribes genus that can be found. The other produces a white flower in contrast to the Golden Currents yellow with the red center. This species lacks spines indicative of the other current known as Gooseberry. It produces berries that are made into jellies and wines. Regional Native American tribes also used the ripened berries in their pemmican. You will likely run across this shrub in urban settings as well due to its popularity as an ornamental shrub.
Family: Mustard Family, Brassicaceae
General: We were unsure of this one for quite a while but it is closely related to the Western Wallflower. Its name is derived from the small fruiting pods easily seen when the plant matures. More common to the main trail out at Buffalo Creek rather than the Center itself. It inhabits dry, sandy, lowlying areas.
Neat Stuff: Animals apparently have no desire to eat this plant, although we found no reference as to why this is. We suspect the peppery taste common to this family makes it rather unappealing.
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
A.K.A.: Hartweg Evening Primrose
General: Native Perennial; Great little flower growing from taproots, found in “tufts” in rocky sites along Center trails. One of a number of primroses in the western part of the state. The flowers are usually pretty large and their yellow color will easily catch your eye.
Family: Fumitory Family, Fumariaceae
General: Short plant, between four inches and one foot, early flowering, perhaps as early as April. Leaves finely divided. More common to the eastern part of the state. Stem thick, flowers appear to be attached in the middle of a petal rather than the base of the flower
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Pain in the Lawn!!!!
General: It is highly doubtful you didn’t know what this wonderful flower was. Dandelion is French for Lion’s tooth. This flower can be found in virtually every temperate region of the world. It is a great opportunist actually taking advantage of the stresses suffered by our lawns, mowing, fertilizing, watering . . . but it does not compete well against thriving wild grass communities. You will find this out at the center only in disturbed areas where mowing and trail grooming occur.
Family: Nightshade Family, Solanaceae
A.K.A.: Beaked or Prickly Nightshade, Prickly Potato, Texas Nettle, Kansas Thistle
General: Native Annual; Fortunately for the hiker, not very abundant at the Center. Much more commonly found along roadsides, field margins, fields and gardens. Fairly short with multiple stems that are fortified with spines. This plant does not stop there. The undersides of leaves also contain spines and the eventual fruit of the flower is covered with spines. The fruit is more commonly called a sticker and has an amazing attraction to socks, shoelaces and pant legs. This of course illustrates its common method of seed dispersal, hitchhiking. When the fruit (sticker) is opened numerous black seeds can be found.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Nippleweed
Photos Taken: South Stage Hill (Wildcats)
General: Native Annual; Reaches a height of about a foot and flowers from June to August. Commonly found in dry gravelly sites, disturbed sites and roadsides. This particular flower was found south of the Nature Center in a dry, disturbed grazing area.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Long-headed or Upright Prairie Coneflower
General: Native Perennial; Easy to see how this one was named. Commonly found along trails and roadsides of Nebraska. The cone is actually a cluster of disk flowers, a characteristic common to the sunflower family. The petals are actually a different kind of flower known as a ray flower. The cone itself resembles a thimble and even to some an immature pinecone.
Neat Stuff: Fruits are very similar to the regular sunflower we are familiar with although these are obviously much smaller. The Oglala Sioux reportedly made teas from the flower.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Missouri Goldenrod
General: There are about 25 species of goldenrods in the great plains, many are very hard to identify. Although we are fairly confident in the identification of this one there is a descent chance we are wrong. The Canada Goldenrod would be another possibility. One of the reasons this is likely the Prairie is due to its early blooming time. This one was blooming in mid July, many of the others will not appear until August or September. The previously Canada Goldenrod is the state flower of Nebraska
Family: Caltrop Family, Zygophyllaceae
A.K.A.: Puncture Weed, Goat Head, Ground Bur-nut, Sand Bur
General: Naturalized Annual; Here we have the scourge of bicycle inner-tubes, shoes, socks, bare feet, dogs paws, you name it. The “Stickers” produced by this plant are quite formidable. Branches radiate away from the central root. You probably have this one in your alley or garden. You can easily find it in disturbed locations in town like alleys, building sites, cracks in sidewalks and driveways. The flower is very small and its low lying mode of life make it inaccessible for your lawn mower. Its structure can be highlighted by finding the central point of the plant and pulling it out of the ground.
Family: Flax Family, Linaceae
A.K.A.: Pale Yellow Flax, (Eastern Variety: Grooved Flax)
General: Native Annual; Although more common in the east it can be found along Center trails. Appears to be very fragile with stems sprouting small yellow flowers that easily lose their petals. Each plant has numerous flowers but not all in bloom at the same time. The other yellow flax in the state is the Grooved Flax.
Neat Stuff: Cyanide compounds in the plant have been reported responsible for livestock poisonings. Cyanide itself interferes with the processes responsible for converting our fuels into energy at the cellular level.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Wild Lettuce, Milk or Horse Thistle, Compass Plant
General: Makes a home in disturbed sites, alleys, abandoned fields and roadsides. Put this together and you have a plant that isn’t too tough to find in fact it is often considered a noxious weed. In addition it reaches heights in excess of three feet, with many branches containing numerous small yellow flowers at various stages of maturity. It is not uncommon to find new blossoms on the same plant containing flowers shedding seeds.
Neat Stuff: Thought to be ancestor of our common garden lettuce. If you have ever let your lettuce grow to its complete height you will easily notice the similarities. Milky juice from the stems has had several used including treatments for heartburn and stimulating appetite.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Curly-cup Gumweed
General: Native Biennial, Short Lived Perennial; Common to dry soils and disturbed sites, common to Center trails. Stem is branched and contains a yellow flower at the top. The leaves of the plant and the flower head produce a “gummy” resin. The small bracts on the flower head give this flower its name because they are curly.
Neat Stuff: Plains Indians used the plant for several purposes including treatments for colic, bronchitis and whooping cough. The resin was used by pioneer children as chewing gum.
Family: Sunflower Family, Asteraceae
A.K.A.: Common Tickseed, Golden or Garden Coreopsis
General: Native Annual; Found more commonly in moist, low lying roadside areas. Can be found in large groups or patches. Frail looking plant with narrow stems with many flowers at the top of each. This particular patch was found in a roadside ditch along HWY 71 just east of the Scotts Bluff National Monument.
Neat Stuff: We found that this plant is cultivated in the east and used as an ornamental flower.
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Genus: Eriogonum
General: Resident of the western part of the state. This picture was taken northwest of the Nature Center on the grounds of Scotts Bluff National Monument. As you can see by the photo it can be found in what can be described as tough places to live, preferring gravelly circumstances, this site being eroded. Other members of this genus are the Umbrella Plant in the Sandhills region and the Cushion Buckwheat, Sulphur Buckwheat and Silver Plant to the west in more mountainous environments.
Family: Parsley Family, Apiaceae
General: Like the Buckwheat of this page the Musineon is also an exclusive resident of the western part of the state and on into the western regions. It also prefers dry gravelly and rocky eroded areas. One can easily see that upon a quick viewing they closely resemble each other. Upon further examination they display a number of differences, most notably their leaves. There are at least two other Parsley species in the panhandle. The Wild Parsley is in fact edible, Native American groups using the dried plant to make flower for baking.
Family: Buttercup Family, Ranunculaceae
General: Not entirely positive of this identification but we have a fair degree of confidence and unfortunately we do not have a great photo. Not prevalent at the Center. We may have gotten lucky to run across this plant. Possibly Sharp Buttercup. The sap of these plants is very caustic creating a burning of the mouth if ingested and can create blisters on sensitive skin. If our identification is accurate it is a close relative to the Columbines found in the mountains to the west and the Larkspurs, one of which resides here in the Wild Cats.
Family: Evening Primrose Family, Onagraceae
A.K.A.: Night Willow-herb, King-Cure All, Rampion, Scurvish
General: Native Biennial; This variety is more common in the east. We found it at Buffalo Creek and along numerous irrigation ditches in the area. The common evening primrose needs moist areas to grow. They are quite tall, often reaching three or more feet in height, not uncommon to find them in the five foot range. Flowers found in clusters at the top of the stem but not all flower at the same time. Likely to open in late afternoon and into the evening, closing by morning. Pollinated by nocturnal insects.
Family: Figwort Family, Scrophulariaceae
A.K.A.: Flannel or Great Mullein, Candlewick
General: Naturalized Biennial; Comes to us from Europe, flowers in July and August and is found on roadsides, disturbed sites and creek beds. It is commonly found at Buffalo Creek to the east along the creek bed. Reaches tall heights sometimes in excess of five feet. Flowers occur in clusters at the top of the main stem, like many others in the area, only a few flowers are evident at any one time.
Neat Stuff: Uses include the fact that Romans used the flower spikes to create torches by dipping them into tallow and them burning them. The flowers have also been used to make yellow hair dye.