An
alien (or exotic species)
Can be easily seen while driving
More information
May-July
Common Name: Fleabane
Latin Name: Erigeron
spp.
Family: Compositae
Fleabane is the size of an aster, with more petals,
with the coloration of a daisy. They usually bloom before the asters and have much
smaller flowers than daisies. Flowers of some species run toward the pink and
lavendar colors, like asters. The center of the flowers are yellow, like daisies.
May-Oct
Common Name: Ox-eye Daisy
Latin Name: Chrysanthemum
leucanthemum
Family: Compositae
Daisies may be one of the best known flowers in
Michigan. However, few of us would probably guess that it is an exotic from Europe.
The showy flowers of white and yellow are easily recognized. The plants
stand 1-3 feet tall and often occur in colonies.
June-Sept
Common Name: Queen-Anne's
Lace
Latin Name: Daucus carota
Family: Umbelliferae
Queen-Anne's Lace is another very common roadside
flower across Michigan but is an exotic from Europe. Many tiny flowers make up the
flower head, which is shaped like an umbrella. Often, in the middle of the flower
head, there is a single purple flower. The plant may grow to be over three feet
tall. The leaves are very lacy.
April-June
Common Name: Strawberry
Latin Name: Fragaria virginiana
Family: Rosaceae
Wild strawberry is a small, white-petaled flower
that often goes unnoticed. The plant rarely grows more that six inches tall.
Individuals frequently have runners that might go over three feet. The bright red,
but quite small, strawberries ripen in July. They are very tasty.
Occasionally, confused flowers may bloom as late as September.
July-Sept
Common Name: Sweet Clover
Latin Name: Melilotus alba
Family: Leguminosae
Sweet clover spikes are tall and lanky, usually
growing in fairly thick colonies along our roadsides. The plant often reaches
heights of over five feet tall. The flower spikes might be as long as 7 or 8 inches.
The small leaves are in three-parts and are clover-looking.
August-Sept
Common Name:
White Clover
Latin Name:
Trifolium repens
Family: Leguminosae
Like most Michigan
clovers, white clover is an exotic from Europe and has long been used as a
forage crop in agriculture. This is the species that might most often
be seen in lawns. It is a short plant, usually just a few inches tall.
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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