Missouri Nectar! Trivia Quiz

You may be asking yourself, "Are you sure? This plant causes people to have allergies in the fall!" Or does it? The truth is that goldenrod looks very much like ragweed, which does cause an allergic reaction in some people. It also blooms at about the same time in late summer/early fall.

Also called Solidago, goldenrod is a member of the aster family, and is native to North America, South America, and even Eurasia. It is considered to be a keystone species, which means it has an enormous impact on the environment. Considered both a nectar plant, where butterflies feed, and a host plant where butterflies and moths lay their eggs and the resulting caterpillars eat, it is also an important plant for pollinators like bees and wasps. The leaves of the plant are edible, and used by some to make herbal tea; the entire plant, including its roots, is considered to have important healing properties among some Native Americans.

Coneflowers come in many different colors, but Echinacea purpurea, or the eastern purple coneflower, is very abundant in the Midwest, as well as eastern North America, in both the United States and Canada. The ripened flower heads look like spiny sea urchins to some; birds are especially drawn to them for food in the fall, and spread the seeds in their droppings.

But during the summer months, purple coneflowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. The plant is easy to grow and blooms prolifically all summer into fall in the bright sunshine or some shade, in dry or moist soil, especially if the spent blooms are removed. This practice encourages more growth.

Native Americans used coneflowers for a variety of purposes, including a treatment for snake and insect bites. In addition, the plant, believed to be a good general cure-all, was used to treat colds, coughs, and even toothaches.

Cirsium vulgare is a native plant in parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia, which was introduced into other areas as well. While some thistle is native to Missouri, common thistle, also called the spear thistle or bull thistle, has probably been here since the time of the Revolutionary War, believed to have been mixed with other agricultural seed. Common thistle attracts butterflies because it produces a great deal of nectar. In fact, it is ranked in the top ten of nectar-producing plants in the UK.

The common thistle not only attracts butterflies and bees that collect nectar, but also birds, which enjoy eating its seeds. Unfortunately, however, it is a very invasive plant, and makes pasture land unfit for animal consumption. In Australia, for example, it is considered to be a noxious weed, one that is harmful to the ecosystem where it lives.

Thistle was used by Native Americans to make tea, which believed to promote general good health. They also used the roots to make a paste for the treatment of wounds and boils.

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, also called Michaelmas daisy, mostly produces purple flowers, however, the blooms can also be pink or white. Native to the northeastern United States and the Midwest, as well as southeastern Canada, the New England aster is now found all over the world. It typically prefers to grow in wet, wooded areas.

Monarch butterflies especially love the New England aster as it blooms in later summer/early; they can feed from the plant's nectar as they migrate south. Birds also eat the seeds that the aster develops.

Native Americans used the roots of the plant to ease pain and help with a variety of ailments. A French doctor wrote in the early 1800s that the plant could help alleviate the pain of poison ivy, as well as other skin problems.

Another plant that is considered to be both a host and nectar plant, Asclepias tuberosa is a type of milkweed. Butterflies are attracted to its bright color and its nectar. It is very common to see it in the Midwest, growing along the side of the road in the bright sunshine in thin, rocky soil. Please refrain from digging one to transplant in your garden, as butterfly weed has a very long root system and taproot. Planting its seeds, which are produced in the fall in large numbers in mature plants, will bring better results. Butterfly weed can also be found in nurseries that feature native plants.

Also found in Mexico and some western states, butterfly weed attracts hummingbirds and bees. Its boiled roots have been used to treat respiratory problems and diarrhea. The seed pods can also be be boiled and eaten or spun and made into candle wicks.

Zinnias, from the genus Zinnia elegans, are well-liked in flower gardens because they will bloom all summer long in Missouri. Just be sure that they have enough sunlight, water, and are periodically deadheaded with the flowers that are finished blooming being pruned off the plant.

Native to southwestern United States, but found all over the country today, the brightly colored flowers of zinnias, also called common zinnias or elegant zinnias, attract both butterflies and hummingbirds. It appears that butterflies are attracted the most to flowers that are red, orange, yellow, purple and dark pink - and you will find zinnias in all these colors - so if you only have a small garden space, zinnias will almost single-handedly attract the butterflies you want!

The zinnia was especially sacred to the Native American Navajos. They believed it was a symbol of wisdom, and would even feed the flowers to children with the hope of making them more wise.

The flower known as Helianthus is the gift that keeps on giving. In addition to producing nectar for butterflies and bees, sunflower seeds are eaten by birds and humans, and the oil pressed from the seeds is used to make cooking oil.

Native to North America, and cultivated in either the southeastern United States or Mexico approximately 5,000 years ago, sunflowers were taken to Europe as early as the 1500s. Of course, Ukraine is an area especially well-known for its production of sunflower oil today.

Sunflowers were extremely important to Native Americans, not only as a source of food and herbal medicine, but also as a spiritual representation. For example, the Hopis had a goddess, Kuwanlelenta, who was a protector of the flower, and to the Incas it was a symbol of the sun.

Liatris pycnostachya, also known as prairie blazing star or cattail blazing star, is commonly seen in Missouri from mid-summer, when it attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, to fall, when birds enjoy its food. The plant blooms a beautiful purple from the top down, so it brings color to a garden for several week. Some people like to cut and dry the tall stalks and use them in dried arrangements.

Prairie blazing star is native to central and southeastern United States. Native Americans used the leaves to treat upset stomachs and ground the roots to use for a general pain reliever.

Rudbeckia hirta is native to eastern and central North America, but can now be found in many areas worldwide. It provides nectar for some species of butterflies, and is a host plant for others. Black-eyed susans are considered to be pioneer plants; that means that they are among the first to grow in an area where the plant life has been damaged by fire or natural causes.

Even though they bloom prolifically, it is important to check the black-eyed susan leaves for mildew and rust and remove them. While it may be tempting to plant them in a large cluster of yellow, spacing them apart will help prevent fungal growth, as will watering the plant from the bottom.

Native Americans used the plant for a variety of purposes; some used the roots to soothe snake bites, and others believed in its use as a general cure-all.

"Mertensia virginica", also called Virginia bluebell or Virginia cowslip, is found from the eastern part of North America all the way west to Kansas. It is also a native plant in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada. While the buds are typically a pinkish color, the blooms can be blue, pink, or white. It enjoys living in moist, wooded areas, and attracts a variety of nectar-loving creatures, including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths.

Native Americans used the plant, which blooms in the spring, to cure many ailments, including whooping cough. The root was prepared as an antidote for poison, as well as a general cure all; the entire plant is edible.