The Importance of the “Wild” in Wildflowers!
June 2, 2022 | Topics: Stories
By Eddee Daniel
By definition, wildflowers are uncultivated; because they are uncultivated, they are undisciplined; being undisciplined, they are beyond our control; or, in a word, wild. I think this is what makes them appealing to those whose spirits are equally free. Do not dismiss the importance of the “wild” in wildflowers. They may be small and lovely and content to grow in a pastoral urban park (among other places), but they are as untamed as a craggy mountain peak. And all the more surprising and beautiful for it.
I went out frequently, early on when spring was still in the hopeful, yearning phase, with the specific intention of looking for blooming skunk cabbages—invariably the first wildflowers of the season. I stepped carefully among hundreds of the pungent flowers on the soggy soils they prefer, looking for a photogenic one. But I never expected to find one that reminds me, every time I see it, of an exotic dancer!
Another early riser is this deep blue flower. Rarely seen singly, it has been blanketing many a yard for the last few years—growing thicker and blanketing more broadly with each passing year! That’s because it’s one of the worst cases of exotic invasive species. Although brought to this country as an ornamental, it has, like so many attractive invasives, escaped to the wild. Which means our parks. Which means endless hours of toil by parks staff and volunteers, digging up their bulbs and trying to keep it from spreading and crowding out the native species that are healthy for the habitat. Siberian Squill, while native to parts of southwest Russia, is not native to Siberia. Perhaps it reminded someone of a place that’s very, very cold!
I do not pick wildflowers. Of what value are they in your hand? No sooner do you get them into a vase at home then they begin to wilt. Buy sturdy commercial flowers for your kitchen table. Leave the delicate wildflowers in the woods.
An urban woodland, sheltered from the surrounding city, is a wonder in any case. Add wildflowers and it is truly marvelous! Especially in those drab, early days of spring before the budding of the trees, when the forest floor is littered with decaying leaves. The appearance of tiny flowers, like the aptly named spring beauties, poking up through the detritus can seem quite magical.
And then I chanced upon the most prodigious array of these tiny beauties…
The violets, which despite the name, come in a variety of hues, seem to have lasted longer this year than usual, it seems to me. I’ve seen more of them in more places than I can ever recall. Like spring beauties, the magnificence of violets can not be attributed to their size. Never spectacular from a normal adult eye-level, but if you bow low to the earth you will find their flashy bow ties nestled among the grasses. To quote one of my favorite philosophers, Winnie the Pooh: “Sometimes, the smallest things take up the most room in your heart” ― A.A. Milne
I am fond of taking the worm’s eye view of certain wildflowers. Virginia bluebells and trout lilies encourage this—and it is quite required by mayapples. I imagine myself crawling, antlike, underneath them as they tower overhead, like walking in a redwood grove. It takes a bit of healthy groveling to properly see these humble flowers.
I’ve been learning the names of the wildflowers. An app on my phone, iNaturalist, helps in that endeavor (although it doesn’t always come up with a name—or a correct one—so I’ve learned to double check). I’m not sure I’m better off for knowing their names, however. There’s something to be said for reveling in the mystery. Then again, it can be downright disheartening to thrill in the delight of a beautiful flower only to learn it is yet another invasive species.
Sure, wildflowers are ephemeral. Their impact, however, belies both their size and brevity of life span. I always will associate certain places with the flowers I’ve seen there. All year long, when I go past this or that particular spot I am reminded of the beautiful wildflowers that have come and gone; that I can count on seeing again next spring. Jacobus Park, for example, is home to many of the flowers I’ve already mentioned. But for me the trilliums leave the most lasting impression.
At least they will as long as they last. In an article I read recently that “32 percent of our native trillium species or varieties are threatened with extinction, thanks to human development, predation by white-tailed deer and feral hogs, competition from invasive plants and more.” It is critical that we not take our parks and the natural areas and wildflowers they contain, for granted. If we can’t find the societal and political will to establish adequate and sustainable funding for all of our parks, we may discover that they are as ephemeral as the wildflowers they contain. Please be an advocate for our parks!
Just as there is more spring to come, there are more wildflowers to share. Watch for part two of this story!
Related stories:
A spring bouquet of wildflowers!
Summer Bouquet: A panoramic view
Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks. The featured photo at the top of Virginia bluebells is from the Menomonee River Parkway in Wauwatosa.