Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants

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Photo of Adam and Eve orchid flowers

Adam and Eve Orchid

Aplectrum hyemale

Photo of an Engelmann’s adder’s tongue with a black background

Adder's Tongues

Ophioglossum spp.

Photo of American feverfew flower cluster.

American Feverfew

Parthenium integrifolium

Photo of American germander flowers

American Germander

Teucrium canadense

Photo of American ginseng plant with ripe berries

American Ginseng

Panax quinquefolius

Edible

Photo of lotus in pool at Duck Creek CA

American Lotus

Nelumbo lutea

Edible

Photo of American water willow closeup on flowers

American Water Willow

Justicia americana

Photo of ashy sunflowers showing flowers, leaves, and stems.

Ashy Sunflower

Helianthus mollis

Photo of autumn sneezeweed flowerheads, closeup.

Autumn Sneezeweed

Helenium autumnale

Photo of bastard toadflax plant with flowers

Bastard Toadflax

Comandra umbellata (formerly C. richardsiana)

Edible

Photo of beaked hawkweed flowers.

Beaked Hawkweed

Hieracium gronovii

Photo of beefsteak plant showing upper leaves and flower cluster

Beefsteak Plant

Perilla frutescens

Edible

Invasive

Photo of prairie showing big bluestem leaves and flowering stalks

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Photo of bird's-foot trefoil, close-up of flower cluster.

Bird's-Foot Trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

Bird's-Foot Violet

Bird's-Foot Violet

Viola pedata

Photo of blooming bitterweed plant shown from top.

Bitterweed (Bitter Sneezeweed)

Helenium amarum

Photo of black medick closeup of cloverlike yellow flowerhead

Black Medick

Medicago lupulina

Photo of black mustard flower cluster

Black Mustard

Brassica nigra

Edible

Photo of several black-eyed Susan flowers.

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Photo of blackberry lily showing open and spent flowers and developing fruits.

Blackberry Lily

Iris domestica (formerly Belamcanda chinensis)

Photo of bloodroot plant with flower

Bloodroot

Sanguinaria canadensis

Photo of blue cardinal flower flowering stalk

Blue Cardinal Flower (Great Blue Lobelia)

Lobelia siphilitica

Photo of blue false indigo flowering stalk

Blue False Indigo

Baptisia australis

Poisonous

Photo of blue phlox (wild sweet William) plant with flowers

Blue Phlox (Wild Sweet William)

Phlox divaricata

Photo of blue vervain flower clusters in a prairie

Blue Vervain

Verbena hastata

Photo of blue-eyed grass flower closeup

Blue-Eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium campestre

Photo of blue-eyed Mary flowers

Blue-Eyed Mary

Collinsia verna

Photo of bluebells, or Virginia cowslip, plants with flowers

Bluebells (Virginia Cowslip)

Mertensia virginica

Photo of a bracken fern leaf against a background of forest-floor leaf litter

Bracken

Pteridium aquilinum

Photo of Bradbury beebalm plant with pale flowers

Bradbury Beebalm

Monarda bradburiana (sometimes M. russeliana)

Edible

Photo of a broad beech fern

Broad Beech Fern

Phegopteris hexagonoptera

Photo of bushy clump of brown-eyed Susan plants.

Brown-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia triloba

Photo of buffalo bur flower and leaves.

Buffalo Bur (Kansas Thistle)

Solanum rostratum

Poisonous

Photo of a bull thistle flowerhead.

Bull Thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Edible

Photo of butterfly pea plant with flowers

Butterfly Pea

Clitoria mariana

Photo of butterfly weed plant with flowers

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Photo of Canada thistle flowers

Canada Thistle

Cirsium arvense

Invasive

Photo of cardinal flower plants in flower

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

Photo of Carolina false dandelion flowerhead.

Carolina False Dandelion

Pyrrhopappus carolinianus

Edible

Photo of Carolina larkspur plants with flowers

Carolina Larkspur (Prairie Larkspur)

Delphinium carolinianum

Poisonous

Photo of several cattail flowering stalks

Cattails

Typha spp.

Edible

Caucasian bluestem seed head

Caucasian Bluestem

Bothriochloa bladhii

Invasive

Photo of celandine poppy plant and flowers

Celandine Poppy (Wood Poppy)

Stylophorum diphyllum

Photo of a celestial lily, or prairie pleatleaf iris, in bloom.

Celestial Lily

Nemastylis geminiflora

Photo of chara, an alga with stemlike and leaflike structures

Chara (Muskgrass; Stonewort)

Chara spp.

Photo of a chicory plant.

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Edible

Photo of Chinese yam showing leaves and bulbils

Chinese Yam

Dioscorea oppositifolia (sometimes called D. batatas)

Invasive

Photo of Christmas fern leaves lying against fallen oak leaves

Christmas Fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

Photo of clasping Venus' looking glass, a blue wildflower

Clasping Venus’ Looking Glass

Triodanis perfoliata (formerly Specularia perfoliata)

Photo of cleavers flower cluster with developing fruits

Cleavers (Bedstraw; Goose Grass)

Galium aparine

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About Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants in Missouri

A very simple way of thinking about the green world is to divide the vascular plants into two groups: woody and nonwoody (or herbaceous). But this is an artificial division; many plant families include some species that are woody and some that are not. The diversity of nonwoody vascular plants is staggering! Think of all the ferns, grasses, sedges, lilies, peas, sunflowers, nightshades, milkweeds, mustards, mints, and mallows — weeds and wildflowers — and many more!

How to Identify

Common Features

Wildflower and Grass Facts

Thorny

Skin Irritating