Plant Life

Plant Life at Lake Clear

At Lake Clear, you will find a large variety of plants, wild flowers, weeds, shrubs, and trees. Some of them are highlighted below.

For information about plants in the broader region, visit the Pembroke Area Field Naturalist Club website.

Rocky Mountain Woodsia (Woodsia scopulina), June 8, 2002

It is very unusual to find this type of fern in Renfrew County. It can be seen on Green Island at Lake Clear. This specimen has likely resided at Lake Clear for over 6,000 years and is probably our rarest plant. How rare? (Click on this link)
For other rare plants at Lake Clear, scroll down (marsh bedstraw, uplands white aster, false nettle, and northern willow herb).

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodsia_scopulina

Heritage Forest

Located between Wieland Shore and Mulberry Lane, and extending from the lake up to the Opeongo Rd, is a piece of forest that in the late 90's was reserved in the forest management planning process as old growth. It was recognized as not having been cut for over one hundred years. A wide variety of tree and plant species grow in this forested area. The forest is surrounded by private land and only accessible via water. Map at http://tinyurl.com/825c5xs
More information: Lake Clear Old Growth Forest

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus Carota)

Queen Anne’s lace is much more than a pretty face. With humans, it has a long, long history as a decorative, medicinal, and food plant. While animals don’t care much for Queen Anne’s lace (for example, Queen Anne’s lace is supposedly poisonous to rabbits), the birds eat the seeds, and small songbirds use the waving flowers as a song perch. Queen Anne’s lace also attracts and nurtures many beneficial insects.

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota
http://ontariowildflowers.com/mondaygarden/article.php?id=169

Water Lilies

Fragrant White Water Lily

Flower: White, showy, fragrant, 7-20 cm wide; many petals; 4 green sepals; floats on water surface; open from mid-morning to early afternoon; throughout summer. See following photo.

Leaves: Floating, 7-30 cm wide, rounded with narrow "V-shaped" spilt.

Other: Stalk is rounded with 4 air passages used to pump oxygen to roots.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_lilies

Yellow Pond Lily;
also known as Bullhead lily.

Aquatic perennial herb.

Flower: Yellow; glossy; 4-6 cm wide, floating on or raised above the water; 6 showy yellow, petal-like sepals and many small yellow petals; yellow antlers; throughout summer.

Leaves: Floating, veined, heart-shaped with rounded lobes; 10-25 cm long; floating when mature.

Habitat: Lakes, ponds, shallow and slow-moving rivers.

Of Interest: The stalks of Yellow Pond Lily are attached to an underground stem with roots called a rhizome. Rhizomes are buried in the mud below the water surface. The rhizomes grow quickly to form large colonies.

For More Information:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuphar_lutea

Cattails (Typha)

Cattails (Typha) are wetland plants with a unique flowering spike, flat blade like leaves that reach heights from 1-3 m. They are one of the most common plants in large marshes and on the edge of ponds.

Under the right conditions, cattails can grow and spread vigorously. The pollinated flowers develop into fluffy seed heads, blowing across a pond in autumn breezes. Just as commonly, cattails spread through their root system. The thick, white roots, called rhizomes, grow underground near the edge of ponds and in shallow swales. As long as the water is not too deep, the cattails feast off the open sunshine and abundant water, storing a large amount of food in the root system. In fact, cattails at the edge of pond can grow faster than fertilized corn in a field! The dense foliage and debris from old growth makes it very difficult for competing plant species to grow.

Cattails prefer shallow, flooded conditions and easily get established along a pond shoreline or in waters one to 1.5 feet or less in depth. When unimpeded however, the cattail beds will expand and can extend their hefty rhizomes well out into pond surface, actually floating above much deeper waters. Cattails need to have “wet feet” during most of the growing season.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha

Common Daisy

Widespread and common

Habitat: Found in all types of mown, trampled or grazed grassland, it thrives best in areas that become fairly wet for part of the year. The daisy is known chiefly as a weed of lawns, pasture and roadsides, but it also occurs on riverbanks, dunes, and lake edges.

The daisy is a perennial plant, and flowers for much of the summer. The upturned flower heads look like single flowers, actually consist of a number of small, tightly packed individual flowers or 'florets'; this arrangement is a type of inflorescence known as a 'capitulum' . The capitula open at dawn, are visited by many small insects, and are also used by children to make daisy chains. The plant was described by Chaucer as the 'day’s eye.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_daisy

Canada Hawkweed

Family: Aster (Asteraceae)

Native perennial

Flower: Yellow; 1.5 - 2.5 cm; flower is like dandelion, but smaller; July-October

Leaves: Numerous toothed leaves on stem (see following image); somewhat clasping; no basal rosette at flower time; alternate

Stem: Erect, branching

Height: 0.5 - 1.5 m

Habitat: Common in vacant lots, sides of roads and railroad tracks, and edges of fields. Canada Hawkweed prefers to grow in a sunny location and it tolerates drought.

Of Interest: The Canada Hawkweed is native to the Americas. The Canada Hawkweed has the property that it can reproduce and form a seed without requiring fertilization by pollen. This property is called "apomixis".

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Hawkweed

Flat-Topped White Aster

Native perennial; also called Flat-top Aster, Parasol Aster, Tall Flat-topped White Aster

Family: Aster (Asteraceae)

Flower: White ray flowers surrounding yellow disk flowers; flat-topped cluster; few rayed (2-15) flowers; each flower 1-2 cm wide; yellow disk turns purplish or gray with age; the grayish flower heads persist late into fall; August - September

Stem: Rigid, upright carrying the flower cluster

Leaves: Lanced-shaped, toothless, rough-margined; up to 15 cm long

Height: 0.5 - 2 m

Habitat: Moist thickets, meadows, swamp edges, and roadsides

Of Interest: Prefers moist areas; one of the earliest asters to bloom. The flower cluster is usually flat-topped, but occasionally the plant has a dome-shaped flower cluster.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Aster

Birdsfoot Trefoil

This wildflower was originally named by early settlers to Canada who named it 'trefoil' because of its three leaves and 'birdfoot' for obvious reasons.
A member of the Pea family, Birdsfoot is found in waste places, roadsides and lawns.
Birdsfoot is an alien plant having been transported to Canada by early settlers.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdsfoot_trefoil

White Sweet Clover

Flower: Tiny white flowers are popular with bees, slender, tapering clusters; individual flowers are 6 mm long; clusters up to 20 cm long; June - October.

Leaves: 3-part leaves are clover-like, fragrant; toothed, lanceolate; up to 2.5 cm long

Stem: Smooth, branched

Height: Up to 3 m

Habitat: A common plant of waste places, old fields, and roadsides

Other: Alien; deep tap root. White sweet clover was introduced to North America from Europe as a forage crop for cattle. It is also valued by beekeepers as a source of nectar for their bees. The names Melilotus, and melilot, are derived from the Greek word for honey.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_sweet_clover

Yellow Evening Primrose

Biennial native to North America; also known as evening primrose.

Family: Evening-primrose (Onagraceae)

Flower: Yellow, 4 petals; 2-4 cm wide; 4 are fused when the flower is in bud, but split and bend backwards when the flower opens; all along stems; lemon-scented; June to September

Stem: Branched, reddish, hairy

Leaves: Leafy, hairy; low rosette of leaves produced the 1st year and a flower stalk produced the 2nd year; the first-year leaves have red tinges along midrib and a white mid-vein on the flat, basal rosettes; 6-20 cm long when mature and in pairs, rough, hairy, pointed; 2nd year are alternate, oblong to lance-shaped, 2-12 cm long; leaves reduce in size upwards

Height: 2 m

Habitat: Roadsides, edges of sandy fields, farmyards, and meadows and tolerates dry, sandy and gravelly soil and full sun

Of Interest: This is a plant that likes the night life. The flowers open at dusk and close by noon the following day. It is pollinated by moths that are active only at night. In the first year, Evening Primrose produces a basal rosette of leaves. In the second year, it produces the flowering stalk. It has a deep taproot that enables the plant to survive periods of drought. Oils extracted from the flowers are used in skin lotions.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calylophus_serrulatus

Viper's Bugloss

Viper's bugloss, also known as blueweed, blue devil, blue thistle, snake flower, viper's-grass

Flower: Blue (rarely white); funnel-shaped; 2 cm across; 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamens; short, curled flower branches with 1 flower at a time; flowers occur near the top of the stem; long red stamens; June to autumn

Leaves: Feather-veined, alternate, narrow- to lance-shaped, 1-15 cm long, covered by stiff hairs; 1st year plants produce a rosette of long, narrow, bristly leaves

Stem: Hairy, bristly; reddish colour; several stems rise from single taproot

Height: Up to 90 cm

Of Interest: Biennial reproduces by seed; deep tap root. Introduced from Africa. Folklore states that Viper's Bugloss was a remedy for snake bites. The name Bugloss is of Greek origin and signifies an Ox's Tongue, and was applied to the plant because of its roughness and shape of the leaves.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viper%27s_Bugloss

Dandelion

One of the first flowers of spring, the lowly dandelion is the bane of every gardener and the scourge of every lawn. And yet this flower is both hardy and voracious in staking its territory. It adapts to all terrains, soil conditions and weather. It has jagged-lobed leaves, a hollow milky stem and white seedballs which disperse their parachute seeds by wind.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandelion

Burdock

Common burdock, also known as lesser burdock, wild rhubarb, clothbur, beggar's buttons or gypsy's rhubarb

Flower: Purple flowers on tips of prickly ball of bracts; flower heads are 1 to 3 cm across, composed of purple disc florets surrounded by several rows of overlapping hooked bracts or burs in axil of upper leaves; flower heads occur in clusters at the upper part of the plant

Leaves: 1st year plant produces a basal rosette of leaves up to 1 m; basal leaves are up to 50 cm long and 40 cm wide, white woolly beneath; stem leaves are alternate and reduced in size upwards, are ovate to oblong; reddish stalks, woolly beneath

Stem: Hairy, dull-green; flowering stems appear the second year; thick, hollow, and grooved, tinged with pink

Height: Up to 2 m

Habitat: Old fields, edges of pastures, roadsides, fence lines, river banks

Of Interest: Biennial. The botanical name for burdock is Arctium. That name is derived from the Greek word for bear, a reference to the plant's rough burrs.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burdock

Deptford Pink

Family: Dianthus

The Deptford pink is an upright plant, not unlike its garden relative Sweet-William in appearance. The flowers are stalkless and a rosy-red colour, about one centimetre in diameter. The leaf rosette at the base of the plant is green, a feature that distinguishes it from some other members of the pink family, which have grey-green leaves.

The plant was given its English name by the 17th century herbalist Thomas Johnson in a celebrated case of mistaken identity. In fact, what Johnson found and described in 1633 was probably maiden pink Dianthus deltoides. As the first name given to a plant is generally the one botanists stick to, the East End of London is 'famous' for a species that has not grown there in historical times, and possibly not at all.

Stem height: 30 - 60 c

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deptford_pink

Canada Thistle

Also known as creeping thistle, field thistle, cursed thistle, corn thistle, small-flowered thistle, green thistle; perennial

Spreads by rhizome that is deep and exists below the zone of cultivation

Flower: Pale lilac, lavender blue to purple and occasionally white (see following photo); composed of disk florets on pointed bracts; fragrant, 0.5-2 cm; July - September

Leaves: Alternate, oblong, 5-15 cm long; curved, wavy surface, with prickly teeth, underside often covered with soft, woolly hairs; dark green

Stem: branched, smooth, leafy and hollow, become hairy with age

Height: 1-1.5 m

Of Interest: Despite its name, the Canada Thistle is not native to Canada. It was introduced from Europe. The Latin name arvense means "field" or "arable field" - places where the Canada Thistle loves to grow. Canada Thistle has male and female flowers on different plants. Therefore, the flowers are pollinated by wind and insects. One plant can produce more than 650 seeds! Canada Thistle is a noxious weed in many areas.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_thistle

Butter and Eggs (Toadflax)

Also called 'Butter and Eggs' and 'Wild Snapdragon'. This creeping rooted perennial grows to half a metre tall. The stalkless leaves are narrow and pointed at both ends while the bright yellow "snapdragon-like" flowers have an orange spot on the lower lip.
Originally, this plant is native to Asia but European gardeners brought the plant back to their homes for garden cultivation. Those same Europeans brought the flower to North America by design or accident where it quickly established itself in both gardens and in the wild.
Toadflax is established in all provinces and territories with the exception of Nunavut.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linaria_vulgaris

Chicory

Chicory is a perennial herbaceous plant with a blue or lavender flower. Its leaves are tastiest in the spring and autumn as the summer heat tends to make them taste a little bitter – but they are still edible. Toss them in a salad but before doing so, blanch them. They can be mixed with other greens to minimize their strong flavor. The mature green leaves can be used as a cooked vegetable.

Distinguishing Features: Chicory is a branching, scraggly-looking plant. It often stands out alone in gravel areas or open weedy fields and the flowers only open on a sunny day.

Flowers: The flowers are 2 to 4 cm. wide and are usually a bright, light blue. There are two rows of involucral bracts - the inner are longer and erect, the outer are shorter and spreading. Chicory flowers from July until October.

Leaves: At the base leaves resemble dandelion leaves then alternately spaced and much smaller as they get higher up on the stem.

Height: When full grown, chicory can reach heights that vary between 90 and 180 cm.

Habitat: Open areas, roadsides, grassy areas near parking lots, and 'weedy' fields all over Ontario and most of Canada and the U.S.

Edible parts: Leaves and root. Although the flower is edible, it is very bitter.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory

White Yarrow

Also known as thousand-leaf, bloodwort, milfoil, fernweed, soldier's woundwort, carpenter's weed, nosebleed; native to North America; perennial, reproducing by seed and by spreading rootstalks

Flower: White, 5-ray petals that surround tiny yellow to light cream-coloured disc florets, each flower head is 3-5 mm across; occur as independent and terminal round or flat-topped clusters; clusters are 6-30 cm across; June to October

Leaves: Alternate, 4-15 cm long; divided 2 to 3 times into numerous narrow feather- or fern-like segments; woolly, bluish green; stem leaves are reduced in size upwards; smells very nice (aromatic)

Stem: smooth to woolly

Height: up to 1 m

Habitat: Meadows, fields, waste areas, roadsides

Of Interest: The plant may have been named after the Greek person Achilles. In Greek mythology it is said to have been used by Achilles to heal his warriors during the battle of Troy - hence the name "Achillea". In Anglo-Saxon times it was used as a charm to ward off evil and illness - and as a treatment for wounds, much as Achilles used it, giving it a common name for the period of 'Soldier's Wound-Wort'. Yarrow has been used to stop bleeding by inserting leaves into the nostrils of wounded soldiers. Druids used Yarrow to predict seasonal weather. In Chinese legends, Yarrow was used to predict the future.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarrow

Milkweed

Common Milkweed
also known as Silkweed, Milkplant, and silk grass, common silkweed, cottonweed, milkweed, wild cotton, Virginia-silk, algodoncillo, silky swallowwort; perennial that reproduces by seed and roots

Flower: Lavender; star-shaped individual flowers; dense clusters located at top of plant; drooping, June to August

Leaves: Opposite, blunt; coated with grayish down on the underside

Stem: Erect, have milky sap

Fruit: rough-textured pod; splits open to release silky sails attached to seeds

Height: 1-2 m

Habitat: Meadows, fields, rocky flat areas, and roadsides

Of Interest: The seed pods look like a large cocoon and seeds are carried on silky fluff. This plant is a favourite of the Monarch butterfly. The plant juices impart a bad taste to the mature butterflies, which makes them undesirable to birds. Candle wick made of the milkweed silk burns cleaner than wick made of cotton. Milkweed contains compounds that are toxic to animals.

Monarch butterfly caterpillars feed on the milkweed plant. The caterpillar accumulates the milky poison of the milkweed. Birds and other insects recognize the markings of the caterpillar, associate those markings with the poison or bad taste of the caterpillar, and thus, avoid eating the caterpillar.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed

Goldenrod

Goldenrod is a perennial plant that is well known for its healing properties. This wild edible is a plant that reproduces through its roots, bulbs, stems and by its seed. Goldenrod does not cause seasonal allergies as many tend to believe. No one can be allergic to Goldenrod pollen since it has virtually none and it is pollinated by insects. Only wind-pollinated plants such as Ragweed (which blooms at the same time as Goldenrod) can cause allergic reactions. Currently, there are actually 140 varieties of Goldenrod; therefore it has a unique adeptness in crossbreeding with other plants. All varieties of Goldenrod all are equally nutritious and boast many health benefits. Goldenrod can be used fresh or as a dried herb to make tea (although it is bitter), or as a fluid extract, tincture, or in capsules.

Distinguishing Features: Long wood-like stems with spiky tooth like parts which are widely-spaced, yellow flowers that grow in thick clusters.

Leaves: There can be wide variations in characteristics, but generally, goldenrod leaves are about 10 cm long and 2 cm wide, tapering to a point at the tip and narrowing at the base, with no leaf stem and small teeth around the edges. Three veins run parallel from near the base of the leaf. The underside of the leaf is hairy, especially along the veins and the upper side has a rough texture.

Height: approx. 1 m

Habitat: This yellow plant can be found in moist locations, forests, fields, roadsides, compost piles, cultivated fields, and orchards throughout Canada, the U.S., and across the world.

Edible parts: All parts of the plant above ground can be used. The flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes on salads. Flowers and leaves (fresh or dried) are used to make tea. Leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to soups, stews or casseroles. Leaves can be blanched and frozen for later use in soups, stews, or stir fry throughout the winter or spring.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenrod

Ragweed

Common ragweed; native annual; reproduces by seed; also known as Short ragweed

Family: Aster Composite (Compositae)

Flower: Not showy; small, 2 to 5 mm across; green; inconspicuous but very numerous; both male flower heads and female flower heads can be on the same plant; male flower heads, which produce pollen, form an elongated raceme cluster at ends of branches; female flower heads, which produce seed, occur in axils near the base of each male flower head; August to October

Leaves: Lower leaves are opposite (2 per node); leaves become alternate (1 per node) higher on the plant; compound and finely divided; divisions usually coarsely toothed

Stem: Erect 15 to 150 cm high; branched; hairless or hairy throughout

Height: Up to 150 cm

Habitat: Common in waste areas, edges of roads, walkways, disturbed land

Of Interest: Common ragweed is very common in southern and near north of Ontario, but is rare or absent in northern and northwestern Ontario. The pollen of common ragweed causes allergic reactions (hay fever) in many people in August and September. The name "ragweed" is a reference to the ragged, divided look of its leaves. The scientific epithet "artemisiifolia" refers to its foliage, whose shape resembles the plant "artemisia".

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragweed

Sow Thistle

Common Sow Thistle: also known as corn sow thistle, creeping sow thistle, dindle, field milk thistle, field sow thistle, gutweed, hare’s colewort, hare’s lettuce, hare’s palace, milk thistle, swine thistle, swinies, tree sow thistle; introduced from Europe; perennial

Flower: Yellow; 3-5 cm; ray florets; dark green bracts below flower head; dandelion-like, tuffs of white fluff seeds when mature

Leaves: toothed and prickly-edged

Stem: Few or no hairs on bracts and stem. This distinguishes the Common sow thistle from the Field sow thistle. The stem contains a bitter, milky juice.

Height: Up to 2 m.

Habitat: Roadsides, edges of fields, vacant lots

Other: A flower that is a pig? No, but some legends state that the Perennial sow thistle is a favourite of rabbits, hence the many common folk names referring to hares. It was believed predators can not disturb a rabbit sitting beneath the plant. This is a perennial that reproduces by seed and root. The flower head looks like a dandelion, but the flower stalk is very tall, compared to the dandelion. In Ontario, the Sow Thistle is considered a noxious weed. The Latin word Sonchus means "hollow", and refers to the hollow stems.

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sow_thistle

Buttercup

Early buttercup; native perennial; also known as Thick-root Buttercup

Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae)

Flower: Yellow; single flower; on end of stalks that are up to 20 cm long; erect; 5 petals; about 1 cm across; shiny above and pale below; many stamens; 5 spreading sepals; 2 cm across; May-June

Leaves: Leaves of the basal rosette have a long stalk (up to 15 cm long); mostly basal and deeply lobed; leaf segments rounde

Stem: Leaves and flowering stalks originate from basal cluster.

Height: Up to 25 cm

Habitat: Prefers calcareous soils of prairies, pastures, dry, open woods, calcareous rock outcrops, alvars, and calcareous savanna.

Of Interest: Ranunculus: from Latin rana, "little frog," because many species tend to grow in moist places

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttercup

Red Clover

Introduced from Europe

Flower: Purple-red or magenta, dense globe-shaped flower clusters; tubular, sweet-smelling, up to 2 cm across, May - September

Leaves: Alternate, compound, with 3 leaflets, each 2 - 5 cm long; leaflets display a pale-coloured inverted "V-shaped" pattern on the upper surface

Stem: Green, hairy, with nodes

Height: Up to 50 cm

Habitat: Open fields and grassy waste areas

Of Interest: Only bumble-bees and butterflies have the mouth parts equipped to reach down into the individual flowers to reach the nectar. The word clover comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for club - cloefer. This refers to the three-knotted club that belonged to Hercules. The design for the club suit in a deck of playing cards is taken from the clover leaf.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_clover

White Clover

White clover; also known as alsike clover, Dutch clover, wild white clover; perennial introduced from Europe and Asia

Flower: White to pinkish white; occur in terminal clusters 15 - 20 mm across; each globe-shaped cluster contains up to 40 individual flowers, up to 10 mm long

Leaves: Alternate, compound, with 3 leaflets, each 2 - 5 cm long; often have an inverted "V" shape on the upper surface

Stem: Green, hairy, with nodes; plant often roots at the nodes; up to 50 cm long

Height: Up to 50 cm

Habitat: Open fields, grassy waste areas, and ditches

Of Interest: Like other members of the legume family, white clover fixes nitrogen from the air into the atmosphere to improve poor soil. The plant has a shallow root system and does not tolerate drought.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_clover

Black Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan, native to North America; also called Brown-eyed Susan, Brown Betty, Ox-eye daisy, poor-land daisy, poor-man's daisy, yellow daisy, and yellow ox-eye daisy; biennial

Flower: Yellow, daisy-like; single blossom; numerous (10-20) long, yellow daisy-like ray flowers; chocolate-coloured, disk flowers in centre; 5-7.5 cm wide; June-October

Leaves: Very bristly-hairy; 5-18 cm long; lanceolate to ovate

Stem: Very bristly-hairy

Height: Up to 1 m

Habitat: Dry fields, road sides

Of Interest: A plant with a black eye? The centre of the Black-eyed Susan flower is not actually black. It is brown and dark purple. The yellow daisy-like flower is easy to recognize with its dark brown centre disk. It is drought tolerant and attracts butterflies and bees. Rudbeckia was named after Rudbeck who was a professor of botany at Upsala in Sweden.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudbeckia_hirta

Bladder Campion

Bladder Campion, also known as cow-bell or white bottle, bubble-poppy, and rattleweed; introduced from Europe

Flower: Branched clusters of 5 - 30 white flowers, 10-20 mm wide, at ends of branches; 5 petals that are notched, 10 stamens, 3 styles; distinctive inflated calyx is bladder-like and 15-20 mm long, with distinctive pinkish veins

Leaves: Opposite, ovate to lance-shaped, 3-8 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, stalkless; may have powdery white film on leaves

Height: Up to 1 m

Habitat: Waste areas such as road sides and fields

Of Interest: An exploding flower? The name "campion" means "growing in fields". Children (and some adults) love to squeeze the flowers to trap air in the bladder or calyx. Then smash the bladder against your hand to create a loud pop as the bladder explodes.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bladder_campion

Blue Vervain

Flower: Blue to purple; branching pencil-like spikes of small, 5-petaled flowers; individual flowers are inconspicuous, but flower spikes are showy; only a few bloom at a time advancing toward the pointed tip; July to September

Leaves: Lower may be 3-lobed; opposite, narrow, toothed

Stem: Grooved, 4-sided

Height: Up to 0.5 m

Habitat: Roadsides, fence lines, low river banks, beaver dams, and lake sides

Of Interest: Verbena is an ancient name for a scared plant. The name vervain is supposed to signify "enchantment".

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_vervain

Spotted Joe-Pye Weed

Flower: Purple to pink; flat-topped clusters 15-20 cm wide; up to 22 flower heads; disc florets, no ray flowers; late summer.

Leaves: Whorls that are lance-shaped, 6-20 cm long, 2-10 cm wide; 1 central main vein, toothed; whorls of 3 to 7; have vanilla-like sent.

Stem: Spotted with purple or solid purple tinge; hollow.

Height: 1-3 m.

Habitat: Streambanks, marshes, lake sides, moist open woods.

Folklore: The common name reportedly comes from an American Indian named Joe Pye who used the plant to cure typhus fever. Also known as gravelroot or Queen of the meadow.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_pye_weed

Devil's Paintbrush

Orange hawkweed; perennial; also known as Devil's Paintbrush, Orange paintbrush, Red daisy, King devil

Flower: Orange flower heads in a compact, flat-topped cluster, each head up to 2.5 cm across; 5-25 flower heads; composed of ray florets; bracts are covered with black bristly hairs; June to September

Leaves: Basal as rosette leaves; club-shaped, 5-15 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide; upper and lower leaf surfaces covered by hairs; smooth leaf margins

Stem: Hairy; 20 - 70 cm tall; covered with black hairs; stem exudes milky juice when broken

Height: Up to 50 cm

Habitat: Vacant lots, fields, roadsides, old dry meadows

Of Interest: At one time, it was believed that the hawkweeds improved peoples' eyesight. Hawks, whose survival depended on good eyesight, are said to have visited the hawkweeds to drink their juice to strengthen their eyesight. Because these plant are hard to remove once established, farmers called them Devil's Paintbrush or Devil's Weed.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilosella_aurantiaca

Mullein

Common Mullein, also known as Torch Flower, torches, velvet dock, big taper, candle-wick, flannel-leaf, Jacob's staff, blanket-leaf, velvet-leaf, devil's-tobacco, and donkey's ears; biennial introduced from Greece

Flower: Yellow, club-like flower head; flower stalk is 20-50 cm long and 3 cm across; flowers have 5 petals, 5 united petals, and no stem; mid-summer to fall

Leaves: 1st-year plants consist of a rosette of large, gray, woolly leaves, 15 - 45 cm long covered with woolly hairs (See following photo). Second year leaves are covered with soft felt-like hairs on both sides; leaves clasp the stem and have wavy margins; alternate along stem, 10-40 cm long, but decrease in size upwards.

Stem: Second year plants have a tall, erect stem.

Height: Up to 2 m in second year

Habitat: Roadsides, old gravel or sand pits, railroad sides, vacant lots

Of Interest: Mullein is a plant with a fiery history. The Romans soldiers dipped the tall dried stems into fat, set them aflame, and use them as torches. The down from the leaves was used as wicks for candles. American Indians and early settlers lined their shoes with Mullein leaves to insulate against cold. The Common Mullein has a deep tap root and therefore, is able to tolerate drought. It reproduces by seed. The plant requires about 140 growing days.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbascum_thapsus

Trillium

Family: Trillium

Distinctive features: Large white three-petalled flower above a whorl of 3 leaves

Flowers: In spring, white, pinkish - 3 petals w yellow centre

Leaves: Large,ointed, opposite

Height: 20-50 cm (7-19 in)

Habitat: Woodlands

Grows in: Shade

Perennial

Common in Ontario

Of Interest: White Trillium is the provincial flower of Ontario. Contrary to popular belief it is not illegal to pick White Trilliums in Ontario. However, if the leaves as well as the flower are picked, the plant could die as it no longer has any means to produce the energy it needs to take it through the winter into another spring.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_trillium

Earth Loosestrife (Swamp Candles)

Can be found on Green Island

Swamp candles; perennial; also known as Yellow loosestrife, Earth loosestrife; Dry land loosestrife

Family: Primrose (Primulaceae)

Flower: Yellow; tall, narrow inflorescence of small flowers; 2 red spots at the base of each petal; 1-1.5 cm wide; 5 petals; 5 stamens; June - August

Leaves: Opposite; lanceolate; sharp-pointed at both ends; small reddish bulblets often present in axils after flowering

Stem: Erect; bears terminal spike-like cluster of flowers; may reach up to 1 m tall

Height: 30 - 90 cm

Habitat: Along edges of rivers, marshes, lakes, and beaver ponds and in wet meadows

Of Interest: Flowers in the genus Lysimachia have no nectar.

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysimachia_terrestris

Marsh Bedstraw

Rare plant that can be found on Green Island

Northern Bedstraw; perennial; also known as Sweet Woodruff

Flower: White; 3 mm wide; 4-lobed; the 4 petals on the flower are shaped like tiny crosses; in dense terminal clusters; sweet scented; May - August

Leaves: In whorls of 4 (each group encircles the stem); lance-shaped; 2-6 cm long, 2-6 mm wide with 3 veins

Stem: Erect, hairless, straight, unbranched or branched, square

Height: 20-60 cm

Habitat: Rocky or gravel-rich areas along shorelines and clearings

Of Interest: The roots were used to make a red dye. The plants were used to stuff mattresses.

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Marsh-bedstraw

False Nettle

Rare plant that can be found on Green Island.

Family Urticaceae

Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Sw.
small-spike false nettle
Boehmeria: after Georg Rudolf Boehmer (1723-1803) of Saxony
cylindrica: cylindrical
Plant: erect, perennial, 16"-40" tall forb with no stinging hairs

Flower: green, tiny, 4-parted; inflorescence unbranched spikes from the upper leaf axils; blooms Aug.-Sept.

Fruit:oval, dry seed

Leaf:long-stalked, opposite, coarsely toothed

Habitat: wet to moist; woods, shores, marshes

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boehmeria

Sumac

Staghorn Sumac

Flower: Small green flowers in terminal clusters; 20 cm long; pyramidal; June-July

Leaves: Compound with opposite, lance-like, toothed leaflets 5 - 10 cm long

Bark: Branches covered with velvety hairs

Height: up to 9 m tall

Fruit: Berry-like, reddish-brown, covered with bright red hairs

Other: The soft hairs resemble velvet on a deer's antlers. This accounts for the name "Staghorn" sumac.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac

Birch

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_Tree

Oak

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_tree

Maples

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_tree

White Spruce

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spruce

White Pine

For Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_White_Pine

Eastern White Cedar

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_White_Cedar

Vetch

Vicia cracca

Name also: Cow Vetch, Boreal Vetch, Bird Vetch (USA)

Family: Pea Family – Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Growing form: Perennial herb. Rootstock thin. With subterraneous runners.

Height: 20–100 cm (8–40 in.) - Stem limp, climbing, branched, bristly, glabrous–short-haired

Flower: Corolla irregular (zygomorphic), blue–bluish violet, 8–12 mm (0.32–0.48 in.) long, Petals 5; the upstanding the ‘standard’, the lateral two the ‘wings’, the lower two united to form the ‘keel’, overall shape of corolla being butterfly-like. Calyx 5-lobed, lowest lobe same length as calyx-tube. A single carpel. Stamens 10, filaments with fused bases. Inflorescence a long-stalked, dense, 10–30-flowered raceme.

Leaves: Alternate, short-stalked–stalkless, stipulate. Blade pinnate, 6–12-pairs, terminal leaflet modified into a tendril. Leaflets narrowly ovate–linear, with entire margins. Stipules 2-lobed.

Fruit: 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in.) long, flattish, glabrous, brown, 1-parted, 4–8-seeded legume

Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, banks, waste ground, shores, forest margins, herbaceous forests

Flowering time: June–August.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufted_Vetch

Highbush Cranberry

Flower: Creamy-white; flat-topped clusters; 10-12 cm across; at ends of branches; each cluster composed of tiny fertile creamy-white flowers surrounded by showier white sterile flowers; June

Leaves: Opposite; three-lobed; maple-like in appearance; edges may be smooth or toothed

Fruit: Bright red berries; turn glossy or translucent after frost; may be present into winter; September

Height: Up to 4 m tall

Habitat: Wet areas, such as sides of rivers and lakes, swamps and bogs

Of Interest: The fruit of the highbush cranberry is commonly observed in mid- to late-winter still hanging on the tree. It is a late winter food source for birds and animals.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viburnum_trilobum

Dogbane (Indian Hemp)

Hemp dogbane; perennial herb; also known as Hemp Dogbane, Prairie Dogbane, Claspingleaf dogbane, Velvet dogbane, Amy-root, and Indian Hemp

Family: Dogbane (Apocynaceae)

Flower: White to greenish-white; up to 0.5 cm long; urn-shaped, 5-lobed, with 5 triangular parts alternate with the stamens; stamens attached at base of tube; fragrant; June - July

Leaves: Opposite; < 5-8 cm blade; lower leaves have stems while the upper leaves may not; leaf blades are ovate or lanceolate; leaves on main stem have stalks, while leaves on branches often do not have stalks

Stem: Ascending to erect; often reddish; branches from the axils; up to 1.5 m tall

Height: Up to 150 cm

Habitat: Open sites and waste areas and along open or wooded streambanks and pond edges

Of Interest: The seed pod is shaped like a smooth, curved green bean. The brownish husk splits open to allow silky seeds to escape. A thick milky juice exudes from any broken portion of the plant, and is considered poisonous. Fibres made from Indian Hemp twine was used to make fishing lines, nets, deer nets, pouches and bags, quilts and clothing, slings for hunting small game, nooses for snaring game birds, hide stretchers, moccasins, clothing, woven bedding for baby cradles, and tump lines.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocynum_cannabinum

Wild Mint

Wild Mint or Water Mint

Flower: Pale lavender; whorls in axils of leaves

Leaves: Ovate, opposite, 2-8 cm long, toothed, often with a purple colour; pairs at right angles to each other. (July - September)

Stem: Square, slightly to densely hairy

Height: 0.2-0.8 m

Other: Alien plant; perennial; prefers the edges of wet areas

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha_arvensis

Fireweed

Also known as Great Willow Herd

Flower: Pink to red; 4 roundish petals, drooping buds, red seed pods point upward; seeds fill the air floating on silky plume of white hairs; June to September

Leaves: Alternate; up to 20 cm long, lance-shaped; short-stemmed; July - September

Stem: Reddish, single, smooth, tall, hairless

Height: 60-180 cm

Habitat: Burned-over areas, fields, meadows, edges of forests

Of Interest: This is one of the first wildflowers to grow back in areas burned by fire, hence its name. The flowers start to open at the bottom of the stem. By the time the upper flowers are in bloom, the lower ones have developed a seed pod and started to go to seed. The seed pods are distinctive, up to 6 cm long, reddish brown, and angle upward. Each seed pod is filled with rows of downy seeds that become airborne when the seed pods dry and split open. Fireweed is the floral emblem of Yukon.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireweed

Pale Smartweed

Swamp smartweed, terrestrial form; also known as Kelp, Longroot Smartweed, Marsh Smartweed, Swamp Knotweed, Devil’s Shoestring, Tanweed, Amphibious Bistort

Flower: Deep pink flowers on slender, elongated, spike-like clusters 4-15 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide; flowers 4 mm long; lack petals; July-September

Leaves: Lanceolate, tapering at both ends; may be covered with minute translucent hairs; up to 35 cm long and ranging from 3 - 10 cm wide; leaf bases rounded, truncate, or tapered; leaf stalks 1-5 cm long

Stem: Erect to spreading stems; lower stems typically root at the nodes

Height: 60-90 cm

Habitat: Edges of ponds, shallow lakes, marshes, and streams, wet fields, areas subject to seasonal flooding, ditches; typically grow in wet to moist soils, but tolerate periods of dryness

Of Interest: Terrestrial and aquatic varieties are reported to intergrade. Some appear to convert from one variety to the other to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longroot_smartweed

Showy Lady Slipper

Native perennial; also known as Queen Lady's Slipper, Pink-and-white Lady's Slipper

Family: Orchid (Orchidaceae)

Flower: White slipper with a pink colour; petals and sepals are waxy white; the two petals spread out like wings; the dorsal sepal arches over, while the two lateral sepals are joined into one and occur behind the flower; the triangular-shaped, white and yellow, sterile stamen occurs over the round entrance of the slipper; 1 to 3 flowers per stem; mid-June - July

Leaves: 3 to 6 in total; up to 16 cm wide and 25 cm long; strongly ribbed; hairs; sheaths the stem

Stem: Leafy

Height: 20 - 80 cm

Habitat: Swampy or moist woods, openings in cedar swamps, and occasionally in open ditches, or moist fen-like shore areas

Of Interest: The scientific name "reginae" is a tribute to its beauty. It is the largest and showiest orchid flower in Canada. Hairs on the plant are irritating and may cause an itchy rash on some people. As a calcicole plant, it does not tolerate acidic soil. This was originally the provincial flower for Prince Edward Island, chosen in 1947, but because it is so rare on the island, pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule) replaced it as PEI's provincial floral emblem. A plant may live for as long as 50 years. Reproduction is largely by chance. The plant can't self-pollinate and has no nectar to attract insects, so they rely on the chance that a random insect pollinates them. When pollinated, a single flower may produce up to 35,000 seeds. If a seed finds its way to the wet habitat, where it may take up to 7 years for their root systems and first leaves to develop.

For More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showy_lady_slipper

Ostrich Fern

Leaves: Clustered, arching; sterile leaves are ostrich-plume-shaped; oblong to lance-shaped, widest near top and narrow towards base; up to 1.5 m long and 12-40 cm wide; widest in upper half; green-coloured; more than 40 pairs of leaflets that are cut into up to 30 or more pairs of oblong lobes with lowest pair clasping stalk

Height: Up to 2 m

Fruiting Structure: Fertile leaves divided once, erect, 20-60 cm tall, green but turning brown with spore clusters on underside of leaflets; margins fold over spore clusters

Habitat: Moist, rich soil in deciduous and mixed forest, along streams and riverbanks

Of Interest: Fiddleheads represent the unfurled fern. Fiddleheads are harvested in the spring before the young fronds start to unfurl. They are cooked like a vegetable.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrich_fern

Water Hemlock

Can be found on Green Island

Water Hemlock; perennial; also known as Spotted Cowbane

Flower: White; florets form umbrella-like clusters; each floret is rounded and consists of many small white flowers; each floret is about 0.5 - 1 cm wide; each umbel is about 5-10 cm wide; the tiny flowers are about 1 mm across and have 5 petals; late June - August

Leaves: Alternate; two to three times compound, lance-shaped, leaflets; sharp-pointed; toothed; veins end at notches between teeth; leaf petioles partially sheath the stems

Stem: Erect; smooth, branching; swollen at base; purple colour, streaked, or mottled with purple; grows from tuberous roots

Height: Up to 1.8 m

Habitat: Wet areas, wet meadows and pastures, ditches, swamps, marshes, along banks of streams

WARNING: THESE PLANTS CONTAIN AN EXTREMELY POISONOUS, YELLOW-COLOURED OIL. A SMALL QUANTITY OF THIS PLANT CAN CAUSE DEATH IF EATEN.

Of Interest: In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates died in 399 BC after drinking a poisonous solution of POISON HEMLOCK. This type of death was considered as a humane method of execution. The bane in COWBANE comes from the Anglo- Saxon word, "bana", meaning "murderer or destroyer."

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hemlock

Upland White Aster

Rare plant that can be found on Green Island

Uplands White Goldenrod; native perennial herb; also known as Upland White Aster, Prairie Goldenrod, Prairie flat-top-goldenrod, Sneezewort aster, Stiff aster

Family: Aster (Compositae or Asteraceae)

Flower: White; flat-topped inforesence; individual flower heads are 1 cm across; 10 to 25 white ray flowers per head; yellow disc centres; July to September

Leaves: Linear-lanceolate; 1 to 3-nerved; smooth edge (entire) or with a few distant teeth on the margins; sessile or very short petioled; lower and basal leaves up to 12 cm long; upper leaves smaller and those on the branches are very small

Stems: Erect

Height: Up to 50 cm

Habitat: Prefers full sun; typical of dry prairies, inland sands, and sandy, gravelly, limy soil

Of Interest: Was historically classified as an aster (Aster ptarmicoides) or Oligoneuron album because of the white rays and showy flowers. It is now considered to be a native prairie wildflower and the name "Solidago asteroides" has been proposed. The scientific name "Solidago" comes the Latin word "solido", meaning "to make whole or heal", presumably a reference to inferred medicinal qualities of the goldenrod plants.

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Aster

Northern Willow Herb

Rare plant that can be found on Green Island

Family: Evening-primrose (Onagraceae)

Flower: Pink or white; 4 petals; petals are 2-3 mm long; flowers sit on a long receptacle that looks like a flower stalk; the flower seeds occur at the end of of a tuft of hairs that are released when the receptacle pod breaks open; 0.5-1.5 cm wide; July-September

Leaves: Alternate,stalkless to short-stalked; simple; lance-shaped; toothed margins; up to 6 cm long

Stem: Flowering erect stems; lots of branches

Height: 30-90 cm

Habitat: Moist deciduous forests, open moist ground, disturbed but moist areas, so long as the area is damp

For Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilobium_ciliatum

Purple Flowering Raspberry

Native perennial shrub

Family: Rose (Rosaceae)

Latin Name: Rubus odoratus is pronounced: ROO-bus oh-dor-AY-tus

Flower: Rose-purple; 3-5 cm in across; 5 petals; several flowers in loose cluster at ends of branches; June - July

Leaves: Alternate; simple, long-stalks; similar in shape to maple leaves; 10-20 cm wide and long; 3-5 lobes; soft hairs on both sides; edges sharply toothed

Stem: Straggling and grows into a thicket

Height: Up to 2 m tall; branched; bristly hairs on stem

Fruit: Flattened, dull red coloured; similar to large raspberries; 1 cm diameter; July - August

Habitat: On edges of forest, in moist open woods, along roadsides, in rocky woods, thickets, and ravines

Interest: Purple-flowering raspberry generally grows in thickets. It is similar to Thimbleberry, except that Thimbleberry has white flowers and Thimbleberry leaves have 3-lobes, rather than the 3-5 typical of purple-flowering raspberry. The fruit of the purple-flowering raspberry are not commonly eaten because they are extremely seedy, though they have a nice flavor. This member of the rose family has no thorns, but its new stems are covered with bristly hairs.

For More Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_odoratus