WILDFLOWERS: HARBINGERS OF SPRING; TREASURE HUNTING FOR NATIVE BLOSSOMS

Black Mustard

Jonquil

Bloodroot

Wild Sweet William

May Apple

Sheltered in woodlands, meadows or along streams, spring wildflowers are harbingers of good things to come. Dainty blooms are often displayed long before many of nature's other wonders green.

For some, wildflower blooms peaking from beneath brown leaves and grasses hold particular allure.

"Once you get interested, when you identify one, it's like treasure hunting," said Nadine Davis of Cape Girardeau. Davis, certified as a master gardener through the University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener Program, is an avid gardener and wildflower enthusiast.

"My ambition is to someday find a lady-slipper orchid, either the pink or the yellow, growing in its native habitat," Davis said. "I want to walk upon a patch of them; I have not seen them growing in the wild yet."

Nevertheless, Davis and other experts note, there are many wildflowers that are readily found in this region.

While determining just what constitutes a wildflower, like a treasure, can be subjective, Trail of Tears State Park Naturalist Denise Dowling explained: "A wildflower is something that is grown in the wild, without any kind of help from humanity."

The ability to match a name with a flower when found in its native habitat is top on the list of goals for many novice and learned wildflower enthusiasts.

Most wildflowers have a scientific name and a common name. With common names like Dutchman's britches, pussy's toes, jack-in-the-pulpit, dog-tooth violet, toothwort and Indian paintbrush, it's easy to see that the common names are often anything but common. Learning them is part of the fun.

"Common names are a product of history and folklore," explained Dr. Charles Wilson, a Cape Girardeau dentist with a keen interest in wildflowers. Many wildflowers have come by their common names through a sort of anecdotal evolution.

Learning about and enjoying wildflowers is a rewarding hobby easily launched. "It's not an expensive hobby, anybody can do it." Plus, Wilson explained, "You don't have to be a long distance hiker." Wildflowers often can be spotted in lawns, in city-bound patches of trees, along roadways or in parks.

Increasing interest in incorporating wildflowers into landscaping is another reason wildflowers are being seen more and more within city boundaries.

Davis is among those who feature wildflowers in her home landscaping. Reasons for using native plants in landscaping reach beyond aesthetic appeal. "Books and publications are pushing native plants for landscaping because they do conserve water and time and eliminate a lot of use of chemicals," Davis said.

However, obtaining those plants or seeds for landscaping through approved means that protect the future of wildflowers within their native habitat is of primary importance, explained Davis, who has district and state level experience within the Federated Garden Clubs.

Wildflowers on public lands, such as in state parks, cannot be removed for good reason, she explained. "It's like preserving endangered species of animals; it's in the same category," Davis said.

Plus, laws prohibit the digging of plants from alongside federal, state and county roads, explained Doug Newman, a natural history regional biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, based at Cape County Park. "We do have a number of wildflowers that are on our state rare and endangered list," he noted.

"There are plenty of sources now that you don't have to go gathering in the wild," Davis stressed.

While wildflowers are indelibly linked with spring, their beauty extends much longer. "We think about spring wildflowers, but wildflowers begin actually in late February and probably end in late November," Wilson said.

Wilson, who holds an undergraduate degree in biology, often leads or aids in wildflower educational programs sponsored by various organizations throughout the area.

Dowling and Wilson led people interested in learning about wildflowers through two education seminars at Trail of Tears State Park recently.

A second wildflower educational event at the park is set for this weekend. The program, which features an informational gathering and film followed by a walk through the park to look for wildflowers, will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday.