Missouri Springtime Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tulip

The native range of tulips is quite widespread - from the Iberian Peninsula to North Africa and the Middle East, all the way through Siberia and China. Its cultivation is believed to have begun in Persia, and the plants were said to be the favorite of the Ottoman sultans. Did you know that tulips can also be grown from seeds? The drawback is that it takes 5-8 years before the plants grow large enough to flower.

Answer: Crocus

A corm, also called an ulbo-tuber, is part of the underground plant stem that the crocus uses to store energy during the winter. Another plant found all over Europe and Central Asia, there is evidence that the crocus, "Crocus sativus", was cultivated for saffron by the ancient Minoans on the island of Crete.

These pretty first bloomers in Missouri come in a variety of colors including white, lilac, yellow, and mauve.

Answer: Dogwood

In his "Canterbury Tales" Chaucer spoke of the whipple-tree that has hard, strong wood, which was used to make parts of a horse-drawn cart. Native plants throughout Eurasia and North America, one theory is that the name of the tree was derived from "dagwood", slender stems used to make dag - daggers, skewers, and arrows. Did you know that the fruit of the dogwood is edible? Said to be without flavor, the fruit, or drupes, which are high in vitamin C, have been used in Eastern Europe as food and medicine to fight colds and flu.

The dogwood tree is the state tree of Missouri.

Answer: Daffodil

Daffodils are known by many different names in Missouri that are many times used interchangeably for the same flower. The term narcissus can be used for a daffodil, jonquil, paperwhites, or daffadowndilly. The common name for any of these flowers is daffodil; however, the term is used especially for the yellow flowers with the trumpet-shaped flowers.

The name jonquil is used for a specific daffodil called Narcissus jonquil. Rather than just one bloom per stem, there are several, and the leaves are shaped differently.

In ancient times the narcissus was used for medicinal purposes; the plant produces Galantamine, which is used in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Answer: Lilac

Lilacs are in the olive family, and like olives, they like to grow on rocky hills. A very popular ornamental plant, the lilac has very sweet-smelling, pungent flowers. It was chosen as the state flower for New Hampshire because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State".

Answer: Peony

Native to both Europe and Asia, peonies have been cultivated for centuries. Available in a wide variety of colors, peonies can be deep red, yellow, pink, or white. In ancient China, the plant was used for flavoring food. Confucius wrote "I eat nothing without its sauce. I enjoy it very much, because of its flavor." In addition Europeans used the petals during the Middle Ages to brew tea.

Answer: Forsythia

A beautiful addition to any garden, the forsythia brings a pop of color while the rest of the plants are still in their winter hibernation. Named after Willian Forsyth, a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society, the forsythia is native to eastern Asia, although one of the eleven species is native to southern Europe. Together these shrubs will make a beautiful hedge, but remember! They grow fast, so the shrubs should be planted 4-6 feet apart.

Answer: Redbud

A redbud tree isn't that much to look at until spring. It is relatively short compared to other trees with a curvy trunk. When it begins to bloom, however, it is amazingly beautiful. The flowers are light to dark pink in color, and cover the branches before the leaves pop out. Native Americans ate the flowers of the tree - either raw or boiled - and roasted the seeds.

In some regions, the eastern redbud tree is called the "spicewood" because people use green twigs to season their wild game.

Answer: Iris

With species (260-300 total) that are also known as flags , some say that the iris was named after the Greek goddess because of the wide variety of colors. Grown from rhizomes, or from bulbs in some species , the iris grows from a long stem with a flower that has six lobes. Three of the lobes, also called "falls", spread downwards, while the remaining lobes, called standards, stand upright.

Answer: Hyacinth

Associated with rebirth and spring, the hyacinth is native to the eastern Mediterranean; this popular plant, however, has been naturalized around the world in areas with the correct climate. Taking its name from a young man accidentally killed by the Greek god Apollo, the hyacinth comes in an array of colors, including red, blue, white, and orange. Be careful while handling the bulbs.

They are poisonous and can cause a mild skin irritation.