Flowers of Early June

My blog for this week, on petunias (Petunia), is running way behind. So, how about a post celebrating  early summer flowers? 

Blanket flower, Gaillardia (sunflower family, Asteraceae), below, is native to North America. There are 12 species, but only two are widespread, Gaillardia aristida and Gaillardia pulcella. The first is in the western and northern North America, the second in eastern and southern. Gaillardia xgrandiflora is their hybrid. I've seen them growing in gardens from Oregon to Florida, and if you were out hiking now, you could find wild ones in flower, all across the continent. 

blanket flower, Gaillardia

blue flax, Linum perenne

Blue flax is one of my favorites. Such a lovely color! The flowers open in the morning, close when it gets hot, so can be a surprise if you haven't been out early since their flowers matured. Linum lewisii is blue flax that is native across most of western and northern North America, but the plant pictured is also called blue flax, Linum perenne from Europe. They look very similar but Linum perenne is the more common garden plant (Linum perenne tends to be bigger because it has more stems). I like them both. 

                                               

                                          garden snapdragon, Antirrhinum majus

The garden snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is from southern Europe, forming nice clumps of stalks with thumb-sized flowers. I have always loved the closed flowers. They open when a bee lands on the lower petals--or when a curious human carefully pinches the back of the flower. 

This was a burst of color in my neighbor's garden, lily of the Incas, Alstroemeria, in its own plant family Alstroemeriaceae and, as you might guess, is originally from South America. 

lily of the Incas, Alstroemeria

In the creeks and streams of the north, blue flag iris, probably Iris virginiana (iris family, Iridaceae). North America has several species of native blue irises, this one was seen in Minnesota.

blue flag iris

Annual candytuft, Iberis umbellata, is from Europe. In the cabbage family, Brassicaceae, its flowers are big compared to the flowers of cabbage plants but tiny compared to a rose. The plants grow quickly to flowering in the spring and, planted en mass, will make a bright white carpet about 6" high.. 

annual candytufts, Iberis umbellata

Here is one more, tidy tips, Laylia platyglossa (sunflower family, Asteraceae). Tidy tips grew in my thesis research plots in the Central Valley of California, as annuals of temporary pools. The flowers looked just like this, but were tiny by comparison. Breeders selecting for size, good soil, and plenty of water has created a gorgeous garden flower of this California endemic, here seen in Chicago,

tidy tips Laylia platyglossa

It is a wonderful time for flowers. Go out and notice what is blooming around you.

Comments and corrections welcome. 

Sources: 

I consulted USDA Plants database (https://plants.usda.gov/) and Wikipedia (https://www.wikipedia.org/) to check the details stated above. 

Kathy Keeler

A Wandering Botanist

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