I did something very silly. Last weekend, I went birding and forgot my binoculars. At first, I beat myself up about it, figuring I wouldn’t enjoy the outing at all. In the end, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I stopped micro-focusing on one bird, I realized there were lots of birds! I could spot them faster than everyone else. I could probably even see them better, too, because it takes a bit to be able to find them through the binocs. I know I struggle.

It wasn’t just about the birds, either. As I was looking for birds, I noticed all the trees and how many different kinds there were, and that they all seemed to merge together to make a giant wall of green. I could look down at the creek and see the rainbow of wildflowers, the iridescent green mayflies, black and white dragonflies, and various butterflies flitting about.
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I often focus on identifying individual species, but I realized I also need to stop and soak in all the nature around me. I highly recommend taking some time and enjoying all that nature has to offer. 

Penstemon Sp.
 
Flowers in the Penstemon genus are some of the few I can identify right away. They usually have tall flower stalks with long, tubular flowers which are often busy with pollinators. I have been lucky enough to find native Penstemon everywhere I have lived, but that is because it is the largest genus of plants native to North America at more than 280 species!

I learned they are also called beardtongues due to a hairy, tongue-like structure called a staminode, which sticks out of the plant. It is a non-reproductive part of the flower’s anatomy that scientists believe helps direct pollinators to the nectar and, subsequently, the areas containing pollen and pollen receptors.  

Penstemon have literally hundreds of common names, and that is just counting the native species. Cultivated Penstemon are very popular with gardeners. They come in almost any color imaginable and will attract butterflies, bees (honey and bumble), hummingbirds, and any number of other pollinators.

One of the most common garden species is the Foxglove (Penstemon digitalis). As their scientific name suggests, this plant is where we get the heart medication digitalis. In larger doses, it also makes an effective poison, although I do not recommend testing this out! There are numerous historical instances, and it was used as a murder weapon by Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.

I love these flowers. Even the native plants in the wild come in some of the most spectacular colors! My favorites, however, are always the ones with bumble butts sticking out of them. 

Asclepias viridis
 
I had the good fortune to participate in a wildflower walk hosted by the Friends of Konza Prairie. I saw loads of beautiful flowers, but one stood out – the Spider Milkweed. It looked like something from another planet! The flowers were green, but they had a purple five-pointed star center. They are too cool!

Spider Milkweed possesses the same quality as other milkweeds where the sap is toxic. It is also a host plant for Monarch Butterflies. It is a true prairie plant, found in the Great Plains, no further north than Nebraska, and south to Texas and Florida. It is not a super showy plant, you almost need to look for it, but that’s what I think makes it so special.
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The Spider Milkweed is only one more example of all the magic nature has to offer if you look!

Trillium sp.

This week’s Wishlist Wednesday species is the Trillium plant. I feel like I am always seeing them in my flower guides, but not in the wild. I am drawn to their simplicity and symmetry. I was surprised to learn there are 38 species of Trillium found in the United States!

All Trilliums are in the lily family and grow from rhizomes. The species I am most used to seeing in my guidebook is the Western White Trillium (Trillium ovatum). These simple white flowers with three petals placed perfectly over their three leaves are most commonly found in coniferous and mixed forests. This Trillium species is considered a pedicillate Trillium, meaning the flower is raised above the leaves on a pedestal.

In Kansas, we have the Ozark Green Trillium (Trillium veriedescens), which is a sessile Trillium, so the flower looks like it is coming out from the leaves. The other species is the Toadshade Trillum (Trillium sessile), which is an awesome name. This species is also a sessile Trillium.  
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I’m keeping my eyes peeled for these simple, yet stunning flowers and will keep you posted!

Calochortus species

I apologize for the hiatus. I’ve been getting settled into my new life in Kansas. Expect to see more Kansas species posts in future! But for today, we travel to California to look at one of the most beautiful flowers in the world – the Mariposa Lily.
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To me Mariposa Lilies are the flowers you would make a tea cup out of or one that fairies would nap in. They are aptly described as goblet-shaped. Mariposa Lilies are bulbs, so they return year after year and are most likely to sprout after a fire. They begin sprouting in March and die off at the beginning of the dry season, which is usually May-June. They all have three petals and come in a variety of colors.
 
There are five identified species in the Santa Monica Mountains.

• Catalina Mariposa Lily (Calochortus catalinae) – From my experience, these are the most common Mariposa Lilies, at least judging by the number of photos I have on them. They are white with hints of pink or blue and are not hairy.
• Plummers Mariposa Lily (Calochortus plummerae) – This Lily reminds me a bit of the Sarlacc from Star Wars because the interior is so hairy. It is yellow with pink edges and obviously quite hairy. 
• Yellow Mariposa Lily (Calochortus clavatus) - This Lily is super eye-catching. It stands out like a beacon in a field. As you would expect, it's notable characteristic is that it is yellow.
• Splendid Mariposa Lily (Calochortus splendens) – I'm fairly certain I have not seen one of these because I had come across a purple Mariposa Lily, I would have remembered! They are lilac with hairs near the base of the flower.
• Butterfly Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus) – The name of this Lily cracks me up because "Mariposa" means butterfly in Spanish, so this is the Butterfly Butterfly Lily. I'm not sure why they didn't name it the Venus Mariposa Lily like the scientific name. I don't believe I have had the privilege of seeing one of these either. They are white with pink spot on each petal.

I hope you all have the opportunity to hunt out some of these flowers. They are worth the effort!

​Taraxacum officinale
 
I realize most people think of Dandelions as “lawn weeds,” but as a child, it was the only flower I was allowed to pick. I loved seeing their bright yellow faces pop up and even better were the seed puffs you could blow (if Mom didn’t catch you and put a stop to it). My neighbor had a sign in her yard that said, “Weeds are just an unwanted flower” which made me instantly think of the Dandelions I loved so much, but seemed to be the bane of my mother’s existence.

Yes, it is true that they are a non-native plant that, due to its highly successful reproductive strategy, has spread across most of the world. The thing is these plants were intentionally brought to North America by European settlers for food and medicine. Every part of a Dandelion is edible and a highly nutritious source of vitamins A, C and K and well as iron. Their roots make a caffeine-free coffee-substitute and the flowers can be turned into jellies and teas, while the leaves are excellent greens for salads. Dandelions are known to help improve kidney function and promote overall health.

Lately, there has been a lot written about how Dandelions benefit wildlife, citing that they are one of the first plants to provide food for pollinators in the spring. Their leaves are also a food source for moth and butterfly larvae and they attract beneficial insects like ladybugs. The deep roots of the plant, which often thwart the weeder, also break up the soil and increase nutrients.

There are native species of Dandelion in North America, too, although they may not contain all the same properties as the intrusive original. These include the Horned or Alpine Dandelion (Taraxacum caratophorum) and the Harp Dandelion (Taraxacum lyratum). It might be worth checking with your local native plant society to see if these grow in your area.
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To me, though, the greatest value of the Dandelion is that it is magic. Ask any child. When you make a wish and blow the seed puff and watch them all float off in the wind like a flutter of faeries, you can truly see the wonder of nature. I worry that as we turn into adults, the world, specifically the natural world, loses its magic, but does it have to? Let yourself go and blow a seed puff again and see if your wish comes true, but maybe not in your neighbor’s garden.

​Toxicodendron radicans
 
Today’s Wishlist Wednesday species is probably a bit unexpected. I would really like to see (but not touch) Poison Ivy. The reason is that I have never seen it. I don’t know what it looks like, and I’m worried that someday I will unknowingly encounter it and suffer the consequences.  

I thought maybe I had never lived somewhere where Poison Ivy doesn’t, but that isn’t true. It lives in Arizona and then from South Dakota south and east. There is also a second species, Western Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii), which lives in every state but California and the Deep South. So why haven’t I seen it? Or have I and not known it?

I looked up the description. I had heard the rhyme “leaves of three, leave it be” which is also used for Poison Oak, which I have no issues identifying. In Poison Ivy, the stalk of the middle leaf is longer than the other two, the leaves are pointed, they have hard white berry clusters, and vibrant fall color. However, the leaves can be glossy or dull, the leaf edges can be smooth or toothed, and it can be a vine or a shrub. This does not help me! With this description, almost any three-leafed plant could be Poison Ivy.
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Poison Ivy, like Poison Oak and Sumac are members of the cashew family and contain urushiol, a chemical which can cause a weepy rash. I (knock wood) have been very fortunate and have never had a Poison Oak rash. This is actually amazing, considering I have been hiking and camping in Poison Oak country since I was a kid. I don’t want to break my streak by accidentally brushing against Poison Ivy. If you have any suggestions on a good way to identify Poison Ivy, please put them in the comments!

Update: May 17, 2025
I finally saw Poison Ivy! No one could believe I had never seen it before. Someone had described the leaflets as being mitten-shaped and they totally are. It was everywhere! It was on the ground and climbing up trees. Now I finally know what it looks like!
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Eschscholzia californica

Have you ever seen a field of flowers so bright, you couldn't look directly at them? This happened to me at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve several years ago. It's past peak viewing there for this year, but worth a visit in future if you are anywhere nearby.

So, why am I mentioning Poppies if it past their prime? Because they are starting to sprout in Colorado Springs! I have loved California Poppies since I was a child. Their bright, shiny orange flowers are always so cheery. The California Poppy was named the California State Flower in 1903 due to its golden color, but it actually grows in 30 of the 50 US States.

California Poppies bloomed all over our yard in Southern California. I liked when the flowers were just about to bloom because I would pull off their hats and watch the petals unfold. Their "hats" were actually its calyptra or bud cover which protect the petals until the flower is ready to bloom. I'd also help explode the seeds later in the season. They are fantastic self-seeders and once, established, should return year after year.

I can't wait to see the bright orange flowers again this year. Unfortunately, Kansas is not one of the state where they grow, but that doesn't mean I am not going to try!

Primula clevelandii

Apart from my friends and family, the thing I miss most about California is the wildflowers in the spring. The first one I remember learning was the Shooting Star because it looks just like its name suggests. I was participating in a National Park Service-led hike of the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains. Ten feet from the trailhead of the third leg of our hike, there they were in all their glory! They were not the most impressive specimens I have seen, but they were the most memorable.
 
Shooting Stars normally pop up in early March, but according to my most trusted California wildflower source, they are only just now blooming to the delayed rains.

They definitely grow in the Santa Monica Mountains, in some places in crazy numbers, but you can also find them throughout California and northern Baja Mexico in Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral, Oak Woodlands, and Grasslands. I won’t reveal specifically where they are because I don’t want them all getting crushed by some influencer who needs a photo of herself lying in the flowers. (This happens A LOT!)
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There are other species of Shooting Stars throughout the country. They all look similar and are in the primrose family. They come in a variety of shades of pinks and purples and are just such a fun flower to find. Happy hunting!

Rhus integrifolia vs. Rhus ovata

I love when Facebook pops up what I was doing on this date in previous years, especially when I’m having a rather crummy day and the reminder is something I did that was super fun. Sometimes, however, it reminds me of cool plants and animals I have encountered. Today’s reminder was a photo of a Lemonade Berry plant, or is it a Sugar Bush? After all these years, I still struggle to tell them apart.

Both plants are California shrubs with fuzzy red berries and both are members of the sumac family (yes, the poisonous plant), but then mangoes and cashews are also in that family.

I was always told you can tell them apart by where they are. If you can see the ocean from the location of the plant, it is Lemonade Berry. If you can’t, it is Sugar Bush. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Some plant differences I have found online are Lemonade Berry has thick, flat green leaves that are usually serrated, and Sugar Bush has glossy, dark, folded leaves that are pointed. They still both look very similar to me.

Native tribes used the berries of both plants to make lemonade or a sweet drink and they also have some medicinal qualities.
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So, if you find yourself in the Santa Monica Mountains or other areas where these plants grow, see if you can tell them apart. And if you have a handy trick for differentiating them, please let me know!