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ROADWEEDS OF THE UPPER PENINSULA


RED or ORANGE FLOWERS 

    An alien (or exotic species)             Can be easily seen while driving        More information


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May-Aug

Common Name:  Indian Paintbrush
Latin Name: 
Castilleja coccinea
Family: 
Bignoniaceae                     

Indian paintbrush is one of the few truly orange flowers.  Oddly enough, it's not really the flowers that are orange, but the leaf-like bracts below the flowers.  The actual tube-like flowers are not particularly showy.  Most of the leaves are close to the base of the plant, with a 1-2 foot spike supporting the flower.  The plant seems to prefer moist gravelly areas and soils high of limestone origin.  The only other common orange roadside flower is hawkweed. 


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June-Sept

Common Name:  Hawkweed                  
Latin Name: 
Hieracium spp.  
Family: 
Compositae           

A genus of both native and exotic species, the dozen (or more) hawkweed species are difficult to distinguish but as a genus are easy to recognize.  There are few orange flowers, especially along roadsides.   Hawkweeds look like orange dandelions on slender stalks, but there is no milky sap.   The intensity of orange varies, some are even yellow. 


Roadweeds Home Page


This website was constructed by Bill Cook. If you have questions or comments about the information on this page, contact Bill

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