Bill Cooper
April showers bring May wildflowers. The month of May could well be the most celebrated month by the wildflowers. The early spring bloomers are beginning to wane and the late spring bloomers have gained a good foot hold on the growing season. As day length increases, the magical forces of a few seconds more light each day transforms otherwise, bland, brown woodscapes into colorful, patchwork quilt-like dioramas.
The shorter days of early sprig brought forth the short day flowers, those with very short stems, because daylight hours were only long enough to coax from the still cool earth the most diminutive of plants. Small they may be, but lacking in beauty they are not.
Throughout history plants and flowers have been appreciated for their food value and medicinal uses, but it is their fragrance and beauty that have been appreciated most. Luke 12:27, in the Bible, spoke of the glory of the lilies of the fields. And flowers have long been a symbol of love, admiration, and sometimes an expression of sorrow. Their smell and beauty are meant to soothe.
Stories, legends, and superstitions surround the wildflowers of the Ozarks. The more common the plant is, the more legends there seem to be about it. Looking into the folklore of Ozark wildflowers is a fascinating study in legend, myth, and human ingenuity. From the elegant lady’s slipper to the common dandelion, from the Queen Anne’s lace to Dutchman’s breeches, from the endangered Jack-in-the-Pulpit to the abundant violets, each is very unique adding a splendid splash of color to the spring woods, and a library of folklore to our Ozark culture.
Every farm boy that ever grew up in the Ozarks, at some time in his childhood, burst through the kitchen door to surprise his mother with a bouquet of freshly picked violets. Somehow, even little boys understand the tenderness of the gesture and the joy the miniscule blue flowers will bring to his mom. Few youngsters probably ever realize the long history of the association of violets and true love. In times gone by, girls would present candied violets to a boy as a symbol of her love for him. While soothing his sweet tooth, she also gave him a rich dose of Vitamin C.
Many of the nicknames for wildflowers came from physical characteristics of the plants. Other names are based on the ancient doctrine of signatures. In 1657, a Swiss physician suggested that some plants have “signatures” to help man know which were useful as herbs and medicines. The signatures were parts of the plants that resembled parts of the human body. What ever the plant part looked like-it could cure ailments of the look alike body part, according to the physician. The leaf of the Hepatica resembles the human liver, so it was theorized that the leaves would cure ailments of the liver.
During the 1600’s, prior to the days of good sanitary conditions, bouquets of sweetly scented flowers were a necessary part of a ladies wardrobe, for obvious reasons. The bouquets became to be called nosegays. By the 1700’s it was a common practice to communicate by sending nosegays, each flower having its own message. The language of the phlox was considered a proposal of love or sweet dreams. The language of the flowers became so elaborate that a dictionary was printed explaining the meaning of the flowers.
Wildflowers in bloom during April and May include: spring beauty, bellwort, bloodroot, wild sweet William, wild ginger, bird’s-foot violet, wake robin, dogtooth violet, Dutchman’s breeches, columbine, toothwort, May apple, yellow lady’s slipper, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and many more. A good field guide to the Ozark wildflowers is Edgar Denison’s “Wildflowers of Missouri”, available from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Ozarks abound with places to look for springtime wildflowers. Travel any gravel road. The disturbed roadsides make fabulous places for many wildflowers to flourish. State parks, US Forest Service lands, and along streams are other spectacular places to look. Search the northern exposures of hillsides. The cooler temperatures of the north slopes cause soil moisture to remain high, which is so important to spring wildflowers.
Taking a wildflower tour is an excellent way to enjoy a spring outing. Planning your own trip is the ultimate, but wildflower tours are offered by the Department of Natural Resources at several selected state parks each spring. Check www.MOstateparks.com to find the wildflower tour nearest you. Most are led by trained naturalists.
I would never suggest that we defoliate the Ozarks of wildflowers, but if you ever charged into your mom’s kitchen with a handful of violets and enjoyed the smiles, hugs and kisses your kindness brought, pick a violet on your own place. Present it to the one you love. Things good be pretty spicy down in the Ozarks this spring!
The shorter days of early sprig brought forth the short day flowers, those with very short stems, because daylight hours were only long enough to coax from the still cool earth the most diminutive of plants. Small they may be, but lacking in beauty they are not.
Throughout history plants and flowers have been appreciated for their food value and medicinal uses, but it is their fragrance and beauty that have been appreciated most. Luke 12:27, in the Bible, spoke of the glory of the lilies of the fields. And flowers have long been a symbol of love, admiration, and sometimes an expression of sorrow. Their smell and beauty are meant to soothe.
Stories, legends, and superstitions surround the wildflowers of the Ozarks. The more common the plant is, the more legends there seem to be about it. Looking into the folklore of Ozark wildflowers is a fascinating study in legend, myth, and human ingenuity. From the elegant lady’s slipper to the common dandelion, from the Queen Anne’s lace to Dutchman’s breeches, from the endangered Jack-in-the-Pulpit to the abundant violets, each is very unique adding a splendid splash of color to the spring woods, and a library of folklore to our Ozark culture.
Every farm boy that ever grew up in the Ozarks, at some time in his childhood, burst through the kitchen door to surprise his mother with a bouquet of freshly picked violets. Somehow, even little boys understand the tenderness of the gesture and the joy the miniscule blue flowers will bring to his mom. Few youngsters probably ever realize the long history of the association of violets and true love. In times gone by, girls would present candied violets to a boy as a symbol of her love for him. While soothing his sweet tooth, she also gave him a rich dose of Vitamin C.
Many of the nicknames for wildflowers came from physical characteristics of the plants. Other names are based on the ancient doctrine of signatures. In 1657, a Swiss physician suggested that some plants have “signatures” to help man know which were useful as herbs and medicines. The signatures were parts of the plants that resembled parts of the human body. What ever the plant part looked like-it could cure ailments of the look alike body part, according to the physician. The leaf of the Hepatica resembles the human liver, so it was theorized that the leaves would cure ailments of the liver.
During the 1600’s, prior to the days of good sanitary conditions, bouquets of sweetly scented flowers were a necessary part of a ladies wardrobe, for obvious reasons. The bouquets became to be called nosegays. By the 1700’s it was a common practice to communicate by sending nosegays, each flower having its own message. The language of the phlox was considered a proposal of love or sweet dreams. The language of the flowers became so elaborate that a dictionary was printed explaining the meaning of the flowers.
Wildflowers in bloom during April and May include: spring beauty, bellwort, bloodroot, wild sweet William, wild ginger, bird’s-foot violet, wake robin, dogtooth violet, Dutchman’s breeches, columbine, toothwort, May apple, yellow lady’s slipper, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and many more. A good field guide to the Ozark wildflowers is Edgar Denison’s “Wildflowers of Missouri”, available from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Ozarks abound with places to look for springtime wildflowers. Travel any gravel road. The disturbed roadsides make fabulous places for many wildflowers to flourish. State parks, US Forest Service lands, and along streams are other spectacular places to look. Search the northern exposures of hillsides. The cooler temperatures of the north slopes cause soil moisture to remain high, which is so important to spring wildflowers.
Taking a wildflower tour is an excellent way to enjoy a spring outing. Planning your own trip is the ultimate, but wildflower tours are offered by the Department of Natural Resources at several selected state parks each spring. Check www.MOstateparks.com to find the wildflower tour nearest you. Most are led by trained naturalists.
I would never suggest that we defoliate the Ozarks of wildflowers, but if you ever charged into your mom’s kitchen with a handful of violets and enjoyed the smiles, hugs and kisses your kindness brought, pick a violet on your own place. Present it to the one you love. Things good be pretty spicy down in the Ozarks this spring!
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