Roadside Sights – Ontario Wildflowers (or are they?)

by Emma Murphy, Grasp Gardener

Rising up in southwestern Ontario, I liked seeing these bluish star flowers in summer season alongside roadsides. Once we stopped to have a look, we had been shocked to see them by some means rising out of straight gravel or different disturbed soil. Ultimately, I came upon they had been Wild Chicory (Cichorium intybus), not native to Ontario. This plant is opportunistic and hardy, however extremely onerous to develop in a house backyard (consider me, I attempted, earlier than I knew higher). The foundation, roasted and floor, is used as a espresso substitute.

It’s attention-grabbing how many individuals assume that the Ontario roadside flowers they see out their automotive home windows are native to our province – in actual fact, many are non-native opportunists from Europe or Asia that colonize rapidly on disturbed websites or ditches and wetlands and outcompete native species, negatively affecting biodiversity and growing habitat loss.

Listed below are a number of the vegetation you could acknowledge out of your travels – none of them are native to Ontario. Are you shocked?

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
This plant grows all over the place, usually in shut proximity to Queen Anne’s Lace (see beneath), and the color mixture of white and blue could be very fairly. Each the leaves and roots of chicory are used for culinary and medicinal functions, and it’s additionally recognized for its use as a espresso substitute. Extra information HERE.

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
From Europe, individuals additionally discuss with this as spring phlox, but it surely’s not our true native spring wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) – because the ditty goes – Dame’s Rocket has 4 petals, whereas our native phlox has 5 petals. Dame’s Rocket additionally has ALTERNATE leaves and phlox has OPPOSITE leaves. It’s a prolific self-seeder and fast-grower and thrives in roadsides, forest edges, and disturbed areas. Extra information HERE and HERE.

Widespread Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Sure, the dandelions we see on the roadside (and in our lawns and gardens) will not be native to Canada. Whereas they present up early and supply some pollen, they undoubtedly don’t assist our native bees. Extra information HERE.

Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)
Launched from Siberia, this gorgeous trying plant spreads aggressively in gardens and pure areas. As many gardeners know, upon getting it, it’s actually onerous to eliminate the lengthy, parsnip-like roots as even small root fragments can regrow. Extra information HERE and a Fb assist group HERE.

Purple, White, and White Candy Clovers (Trifolium repens, T. pratense, and Melilotus albus)
Whereas Ontario has three native clovers – Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea), White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) and Slender Bush-clover (Lespedeza virginica), the white, pink, and candy white clovers you see on the roadsides are more likely to be non-native escapees from agricultural operations. The worst of those is good white clover. All are legumes, in order that they repair nitrogen within the soil. Extra information HERE.

Fowl’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Delivered to North America as a forage crop for animals and a inexperienced manure, this low rising plant with vibrant yellow flowers is now discovered alongside roadsides throughout Ontario. Its identify comes from the seed pods splayed within the form of a fowl’s foot. It’s enticing to bees and converts nitrogen, so it’s usually utilized in soil stabilization or rehabilitation tasks. Extra information HERE.

Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
In a long time previous, this dense, rapidly spreading plant was utilized by freeway division crews to stabilize new highway cuts. Although it seems fairly with its pink flowers, it’s usually grows wildly uncontrolled. Extra information HERE.

Yellow and pink hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca previously Hieracium aurantiacum)
Whereas very vibrant, these are aggressive vegetation that may outcompete native species and type dense mats, lowering biodiversity and forage for wildlife. They’re recognized to unfold by way of seeds, stolons (aboveground stems), and rhizomes (beneath floor stems). Extra information HERE.

Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
This vibrant white daisy resembles the English daisy but it surely not a real daisy, and is smaller than a Shasta daisy. The white petals are, in actual fact, discrete flowers. It’s the identical with the yellow central disc, which is made up of a whole bunch of tiny particular person flowers. It seeds profusely (I converse from expertise) which makes it very onerous to take away out of your backyard. Extra information HERE.

Queen’s Anne Lace/Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)
Native to Europe and Asia, it’s a widespread roadside plant with white flowers and feathery leaves. In the event you crush the leaves of this acquainted, flat-topped flower, which seems like a flurry of tiny snowflakes, and you’ll odor carrot. It’s a secondary Noxious Weed in Canada and seems on invasive lists in some US states. That is the species which developed into our home carrot, Daucus carota subsp. sativus. Extra information HERE.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Non-native mullein is simple to identify with its very distinctive look. About 2-3 ft tall (however will be taller), flowers seem on the highest of the stalk, but it surely’s well-known in natural drugs to be used in coughs and pores and skin irritations. Whereas not usually a priority in cultivated agricultural land, it may be problematic in pastures and roadsides attributable to its potential to colonize disturbed soil. Extra information HERE.