ROADWEEDS OF THE UPPER PENINSULA

	Purple or Blue Flowers
	Yellow Flowers
	White Flowers
	Green Flowers
	Orange/Red/Pink Flowers
	Grasses
Click on one of the above icons
A list of species included A list of common U.P. wildflowers

This site is designed to help the casual observer identify some of the common wildflowers, weeds, and other plants found along the roads of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.   It is not a technical botanical site nor will every species be included.  Many flowers can be found if you pay attention to what is growing within a few feet of the pavement edge.  Few "ditch"  (wetland) species are included at this time.  That's a project for another day.  If you want a species included, just let me know and I'll see if I can acquire the images.

The flowers are arranged by color.  Each "color" page has a representative "thumbnail" photo of each flower.   If you "click" on the thumbnail, the image will expand.  Click on your back button to return to where you were.  Some species have more photos and more information that you can "link" to.  Just click on the "" icon.

Many roadside plants are aliens, or exotic species.  That means they are not native to the Upper Peninsula.  Exotics are indicated by the "" icon.  Some of the exotics are invasive, which means they can aggressively replace native vegetation.  Such a change in vegetation often means fewer native plants and unfavorable wildlife habitat changes.  Sometimes native endangered species can be put at risk.  Two particularly troublesome species are purple loosestrife and spotted knapweed.  They both have purple flowers.  Most of these roadside plants are tough hombres.  They survive in hostile environments along the roads.   Salt, poor soil, oils & greases, compaction, regular scraping from plows, and the occasional maintenance of road shoulders make for mighty difficult living conditions.  Note that the terms "wildflower", "weed", and "invasive" have specific meanings to botanists.

This site created and maintained by Bill Cook, MSU Extension Forester for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, now retired.  He continues to respond to suggestions, questions, and corrections. Contact him at cookwi@msu.edu.