The Observations of John Larkin - September 1996
Wildflowers that bloomed in Folsom June 20 through September 10, 1996:
Bracketed numbers mean months in bloom

• Achillea millefolium, Yarrow - Perennial herb to 2' tall, flat clusters of small white flowers. (3)
  
  
• Apios americana, Hog Peanut - Perennial vine, cluster of pinkish flowers. Seeds and tuberous roots are edible. LSU is experimenting with this plant. (2)  
  
  
• Asclepias lanceolata, Red Milkweed - Herb to 4' tall, wet sites.
   
• Aster adnatus - Perennial herb to 24”.  Terminal – ¾” white flowers.
   
• Bidens aristosa,  Sticktight   - Annual (?) to 4’.   Many branches with 1 ½” single yellow flowers.   Will grow in wet places.   (2)
   
• B. bipinnata - Finely divided leaves and small yellow flowers.
   
• B. pilosa, Shepherd's Needle - Naturalized herb to 4' tall, square stems, single white flowers with 8 petals, yellow discs (centers), long period of bloom. (2)
   
• Centrasema virginianum, Butterfly Pea - Slender twining herbaceous perennial, 3 leaves each petiole (stem), pretty 1 1/2" sweat-pea like bluish flowers. Seed pod very slender, twists after opening. More plentiful than usual. (2)
   
• Cephalanthus occidentalis, Button Bush - Deciduous shrub to about 6', interesting plant on edge of ponds in full sun. Dark green leaves, ball shaped flower clusters that look like pin-cushions. Attracts Monarch Butterflies.
   
• Clematis virginiana, Virgin's Bower - Climbing or trailing vine with 3 leaflets per petiole and many 4 petalled, 1" white flowers.
   
• Coreopsis tinctoria - Annual branched herb to about 5' tall, very thin leaves, attractive 1 1/4" yellow flowers with dark maroon centers. These flowers were very plentiful on both sides of the Bogue Falaya overpass in Covington (ask Amy about them). They have almost disappeared. (2)
   
• Coreopsis tripteris, Tall Coreopsis - Perennial to 6', 11/2" yellow flowers with dark centers (discs), three lengths, per petiole. Grows on edges of woods. (2)
   
• Cratalaria spectabilis, Showy Coreopsis - Annual to 5', 3-8" leaves, 1" yellow flowers with orange center, pea shaped, on tall stalks. All parts of plant are poisonous, particularly the seeds.
  
  
• Daubentonia punica, Red Rattlebox - Deciduous 4-8' shrub with Mimosa-like leaves. Orange/red 1" drooping flowers in clusters. Likes wet feet. (3)
   
• Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower - Perennial to 18", large basal leaves, attractive 2" pinkish/purple petals with dark cone. Same as last year at about this time of year, you can treat yourself to a pleasant sight by driving past or to Dottie Jenkins' garden to see these and her Helianthus tomentosus and Verbena rigida. This is four miles north of the light in Folsom on La. Highway 25.
   
• Elephantopus tomentosus, Elephant's Foot - Perennial to 2', basal leaves to 4" wide, terminal 1/2" blue flowers in three conspicuous bracts. (2)
   
• Eupatorium fistulosum, Joe- pye Weed - Perennial with stems to about 8'. Pinkish/purple flower clusters, leaves to 10" long.
   
• E. perfoliatum, E. rotundifolium and E. rugosum - White clustered flowers are perennial herb from 3 to 6' tall.
   
• Gordonia lasianthus. Loblolly Bay - Small evergreen tree, 3" white single flowers with yellow centers. On the rare list. Native to St. Tammany only. (3)
   
• Habenaria ciliaris, Yellow Fringed Orchid - Perennial from tiny bulb. About l' tall, 1 1/2" orange flowers on 3-5" cluster. Brown calls is spectacular. M.B. Hill. (3)
   
• Helenium amarum, Bitterweed - Central stem branches out to many smaller branches with 3/4" all yellow single flowers. Looks like a little bouquet. Great roadside plant, blooms from May to frost. (4)
   
• Helianthus divaricatus, Sunflower - Perennial herb from long rhizomes, 3-5' tall, leaves opposite on short petioles, rough to the touch. 2" yellow flowers, with darker center.   Blooms in June.
             
• H. Tomentosus, Sunflower - This, in my opinion, is the best of native sunflowers for roadsides and your gardens. Perennial to about 6' tall, 8-10" leaves and numerous 4", 12-13 petalled flowers. Three of us now have nice growths of these really nice plants. Will try to remember to divide them in spring to share with members.
   
• Heterotheca mariana, Golden Aster - Upright branching perennial herb to 6' tall. Numerous 1 1/2" yellow flowers with notched petals. This is the only one of three H's that is blooming at this time.
   
• Hibiscus aculeatus, Pineland Hibiscus - Perennial herb to 3' tall, deeply clefied leaves and foliage are rough to the touch. 3" white flowers with maroon centers. (4)
   
• H. syriacus, Rose-of Sharon - Medium sized deciduous shrub. Flowers 31/2" various shades of rose, purple and white, Naturalized east coast to Florida and Texas.
   
• Lantana montevidensis, Trailing Lantana - Naturalized in southern U.S. Twelve small lavender flowers in 1 1/4" clusters. Blpoms more than half the year.
   
• Liatris squarrosa, L. Squarrulosa and L. pycnostachya, Blazing Star - Perennials to 3-4' tall. Bloom from top to bottom of spike.
   
• Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower - Perennial herb to 4' tall, many 1" scarlet flowers on terminal raceme. Like moist soil and partial shade.
   
• Oenothera biennis, Evening Primrose - Biennial to 6'. One inch yellow flowers in small clusters, plentiful along roadside ditches.
   
• Physotegia virginiana, Obedient Plant - Perennial herb to 3', small lavender/pink flowers in four rows on long spike. Usually blooms March to April but blooming this month.
   
• Passiflora incarnata, Passion Flower - Perennial herb vine, 3" purple and white flowers in very interesting and delicate parts. (3)
   
• Rhexia alifanus, Meadow Beauty - Perennial herb to 2' tall, 1 1/4" lavender/pink flowers fruit urn shaped. Moist locations. (4)
   
• Rudbeckia amplexicaulis, Clasping-leaf Cone-flower; R. hirta, Black-eyed Susan; R. maxima, , Giant cone-flower and R. fulgida, Bracted Cone-flower Have all bloomed from late June to early September.
   
• Solidago, Golden Rods - There are at least four different varieties in bloom now.
   
• Verbena rigida, Stiff Verbena - Low growing purple flower clusters;
   
• V. tenuisecta, Moss Verbena - Similar, but leaves are finely divided.



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