August 13, 2011 Wildflowers Around Baintertown Pond

Baintertown Pond is in the Baintertwon Park section of River Preserve County Park.  Many native wildflowers thrive between the edge of the pond and the grassy path.  The flowers pictured below are in the order we saw them as we walked around the east pond.

Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasciulata - Pea Family

Field Thistle, Cirsium discolor - Sunflower or Aster Family

Field Thistle is one of several native thistles that grow around Goshen.  There are also introduced thistles, such as Canada Thistle and Bull Thistle, that invade native plant communities.

Tall Ironweed, Veronia gigantea - Sunflower or Aster Family

Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata - Milkweed Family

Swamp Loosestrife,  Decodon verticillatus - Loosesrtife Family

Rose-Mallow, Hibiscus moscheutos - Hibiscus Family

Halberd-Leaved Rose-Mallow, Hibiscus laevis -Hibiscus Family

The flowers of both species of Rose-Mallow may be pink or white.  The easiest way to distinguish them is leaf shape.  The Halberd-Leaved Rose-Mallow has leaves that are shaped like an ancient European weapon, the Halberd.

Winged Monkeyflower, Mimulus alatus - Figwort Family

The Figwort Family includes Snapdragons and many local, native plants with irregular flowers.

Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata - Vervain family

Obedient Plant, Physostega virginiana -  Mint Family

Below is a list of other native plants in bloom near the pond:

Prairie Rosinweed,  Silphium integrifolia, Sunflower Family
Gray-Headed Coneflower, Ratibida pinnata, Sunflower Family
Common Fleabane, Erigeon philadelphicus, Sunflower Family
American Indian Hemp,  Apocynum cannibinum - Dogbane Family
Common Evening Primrose, Oneotera biennis, Evening Primrose Family
Horsemint, Monarda punctata, Mint Family
Horse Nettle, Solanum carolinense - Nightshade Family
Pale Indian Plantain, Arnoglossum atriplicifolium - Sunflower Family
Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana - Pokeweed Family
Jerusalem Artichoke, Helianthus tuberosa -Sunflower Family

The following introduced (i.e., not native) plants are in flower near the pond:

Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota - Carrot Family
Bouncing Bet, Saponaria officinalis - Pink Family
Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus - Figwort Family