Although the weather was overcast, the roadside flowers were as bright as ever. At some scenic vistas I stopped the car to get a closer look at them and couldn’t resist the temptation to pick some. The first flowers I noticed were Goldenrod—clumps of yellow blooms lending a striking contrast to the fall prairie’s bronzes, russets, oranges, and purples. According to some native plant websites, Goldenrod is a sure sign that the first frosts of winter are not long away.

As I traveled further, I decided I would try to make a nice bouquet for my friend from these found treasures. I’m no expert, but I did my best to identify some of the plants I found along the way.

Aster pilosus or White Heath Aster makes late displays of small, white flowers, with yellow centers, on branched stems. Sometimes they have a purplish flower rather than the more typical white. The flowering branches have a soft, hairy covering.

I think this is Tall Boneset or Eupatorium altissimum. Boneset is a member of the aster family.  It has a small white flower that will certainly lend a nice filling to my bouquet—a good substitute for baby’s breath. 

                      

The Ox-Eye Sunflower, or Heliopsis helianthoides, has golden yellow, daisy-like flowers that the butterflies apparently love.

                       

Western Sunflower or Helianthus occidentalis, has bright yellow flowers on leafless stems.

I gathered enough wildflowers to make a fantastic autumn bouquet.

Here are a few links that may help you identify some of the wildflowers in your area:

www.wildflower.org/explore

www.mywildflowers.com

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/intermediate.asp?curGroupID=11

www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/links2.shtml