What is a wildflower?

Did You Know?

What exactly is a wildflower, and why is it so special?

A wildflower was not intentionally seeded, nor is it a selected cultivar. A wildflower is an uncultivated plant that grows naturally in open fields, forest floors, wetlands, meadows, and roadsides.

Wildflowers have a big job; they support entire ecosystems for butterflies, moths, and other pollinators, including birds and small animals who depend on seeds, nectar, and pollen for their food supply and life support.

Wildflowers are established after approximately 2-3 years of growth. Their roots penetrate, spread, stabilize the soil, prevent erosion, and maintain nutrients from settling into nearby lakes or streams.

Wildflowers provide a massive display of color to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies (responsible for one in every three bites of food we consume). Unfortunately for humans, wildflowers have been perfecting their colors over millions of years to attract pollinators, not to please us.

Wildflowers play an essential role in carbon sequestering. During photosynthesis, they absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which becomes organic material. This organic matter is stored in the plant's roots and soil and is used for growth. Wildflowers are highly effective at carbon sequestering because they endure extreme temperatures, drought, and poor soils.

Without the presence of wildflowers, our existence would be in danger.

I found pink yarrow—Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)—growing in the ditch. Such an exciting find because I thought the wild yarrow only came in white, but my research also includes pink! I will be collecting the seed for sure! It’s being visited by an Essex skipper.