This report is written by Lorraine Anderson (lorraine@bwca.cc). She is part of a group of three seniors that have been looking at wildflowers in Cook County, Minnesota. They have gone out almost every Wednesday for over 20 years and love it, even in the winter. But of course there aren't any flowers in the winter!!

Wednesday Wildflower Report: August 20, 2003
We really didn't have a strong urge for a particular spot today. It was a very hot and humid day. We went up the Gunflint Trail, stopping at the Overlook where we enjoyed some beautiful grasses. Then on #60 to E #14 stopping along the way to see one thing or another of interest. My bumper sticker says "I BRAKE FOR WILDFLOWERS" and that is true. Then down to Lake Superior for our lunch. It was nice and cool down there. Then back to Grand Marais, stopping at the invasive Purple Loosestrife where we also found some Wild Bergamot. It had been quite a few years since we had seen that. You never know what you might find if you just stop and walk and look around.

Flowers we found Blooming:

Aster, Purple Aster ssp.
Aster, Flat-topped White - Aster umbellatus
Bellflower, Creeping - Campanula uliginosa
Bergamot, Wild - Monarda fistulosa *
Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia serotina - so much
Butter and Eggs - Linaria vulgaris
Buttercup, Tall or Common - Ranunculus acris
Chamomile, Scentless - Matricaria maritima
Clover, Purple - Trifolium ssp.
Clover, Rabbit's-foot - Trifolium arvense
Clover, Sweet, White - Melilotus alba
Daisy, Ox-eye - Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
Dock, Curled - Rumex crispus
Dogbane, Spreading - Apocynum androsaemifolium
Everlasting, Pearly - Anaphalis margaritacea
Fireweed - Epilobium angustifolium
Goldenrod - Solidago ssp.
Jewelweed, Spotted - Impatiens capensis
Joe Pye Weed - Eupatorium maculatum
Knapweed, Spotted - Centaurea maculosa
Lettuce, White - Prenanthes alba
Loosestrife, Purple - Lythrum salicaria
Lychnis, Evening - Luchnis alba
Mint, Wild - Mentha spicata *
Mullein, Common - Verbascum thapsus
Pea, Beach - Lathyrus japonicus
Pink, Deptford - Dianthus deltoides
Tansy - Tanacetum vulgare
Thistle, Bull - Cirsium vulgare
Thistle, Canada - Cirsium arvense
Thistle, Field Sow - Sonchus arvensis
Trefoil, Bird's-foot - Lotus corniculatus
Virgin's Bower - Clematis virginiana *
Wintergreen - Gaultheria procumbens *
Yarrow - Achillea millefolium

Shrubs we found with berries Edible and Non:
Baneberry, Red - Actaea rubra
Bunchberries - Cornus canadensis
Juneberry (Service Berry etc) - Amelanchier *
Lily, Blue-bead - Clintonia borealis
Raspberry - Rubus idaeus
* - new this week