 KimberlyAnn's Houghton Travelogues | | | |
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| Page Views: 329 Last Visit to Houghton: - I Visit Here Frequently | Wild Flowers by KimberlyAnn - last update: Jan 4, 2009 |
| Wild Iris Along the Sloughs |
One of my favorite spring flowers is Wild Iris. If you walk the Sturgeon Sloughs Wildlife Area in the spring, you may catch these flowers blooming along the board walk that takes you over the marsh. |
|  | We keep a large portion of our yard natural, and because of this we are the only people in our area that have moccasin slippers growing wild under a patch of trees in our yard. This early spring flower is one of the protected wild flowers growing in the state of Michigan.. |
| Wild Moccasin Flowers in Early Spring |
| | This protected flower is a type of wild orchid (family orchidaceae) and is a perennial. Human activities such as clearing the Moccasin Flower’s habitat for development have caused a decline in the numbers of these native orchids. It is illegal to gather the flowers or dig the plants up. The wild Moccasin Slipper is very hard to transplant and many die during the first five years after transplanting. We need to protect these rare plants by preserving their habitat. If you find one only take pictures, leave the plant untouched. It is not only illegal, but it is a sad thing when people attempt to transplant them and they fail, or gather their seeds, only to find that they will not take hold in the new location. |
| | Lupin are another beautiful wild spring flower. Unlike the Moccasin Slippers Lupin are very common, and in the UP (Upper Peninsula) you will see large patches of these tall, graceful flowers as you drive along the highways. The most common color is purple or blue, however, sometimes pinks, and even white can be seen. Usually seen in June and early to mid July, sometimes hundreds of blooms can be seen in open fields. This flower is not only a perennial, but also seeds easily. Local green houses in Michigan may offer lupin, and packages of seeds can also be purchased. Lupin grows nicely in acidic soil, and in Michigan usually reach a height of two to 3 meet. Domestic lupin not only are available in the common colors seen growing wild, but also may be purchased in such colors as red and yellow. |
| | Wild daisies grow in large numbers and can be seen throughout the summers growing in sunny fields. Not picky about soil they will grow in normal, clay, or sandy soil. The daisy is a perennial, and also spreads easily with the hundreds of seeds it produces each year as the flower dries out and the yellow center turns to seed. The wild daisy has a blossom like the common shasta daisy that is often grown in flower gardens, but the bloom is considerably smaller. The daisy is a great flower to cut and place in a vase, as it is a long lived flower and will give you many days of pleasure. |
| | Indian pipe is a wild flower that has no chlorophyll, so it cannot get its energy from sunlight. Because of this, it gets nutrients from organic matter in the soil. Indian Pipes grow to be from about 4 to 10 inches in size, and are always white. They may be found in the woods, growing from leafy humus from June through September. I found these growing from an area of old fallen leaves under a large tree in our yard. |
| | This photo shows a wild geranium in the foreground, and a wild daisy in the background. The wild geranium is a native woodland flower that grows to about 12 to 24 inches in height, and is covered with delicate 1.5 inch rosy-lavender to soft pink flowers. It is a popular plant in wild gardens, as it will easily grow from collected seeds, and is an easy flower to maintain. It prefers well drained soil, and light to partial shade, but will also grow in sunny conditions. The geranium blooms from spring to mid-summer, then develops seed pods, that sprinkles seeds as they open in mid to late summer. |
| | Purple loosestrife is an erect perennial herb with a square, woody stem and flowers growing along its stalk. These plants grow from four to ten feet high, depending upon conditions, and produce a showy display of magenta-colored flower spikes throughout much of the summer. Purple loosestrife was introduced to the northeastern U.S. and Canada in the 1800s, for ornamental and medicinal uses, and is still sold as an ornamental garden plant, except in states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, where laws now prevent its sale. Unfortunately, this beautiful flower can be very invasive in wetland habitats, replacing native grasses, and other flowering plants. When the loosestrife forms dense populations, pushing out natural plants, they also reduce habitat for waterfowl. The plant generally flowers from June to September, producing many seeds. Loosestrife also reproduces through underground stems. |
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 Comments for KimberlyAnn about Houghton | | | | |
deecat Sat Feb 21, 2009 22:22 UTC
It's been 35 yrs. since I've been to UP so loved your pages so I could vicariously return. Great copper warning. I especially enjoyed the Lift Bridge, Strawberry Festival, National Park, Copper Mine, waterfront trail. Just a terrific page. | Tugboatguy Fri Oct 6, 2006 23:29 UTC
KimberlyAnn, Thank you for your comments and tip ratings my San Diego page. I used to sail on Lake Michigan years ago, will return again to your wonderful pages with gr8 pics & so much good info! Houghton page is a 10+! Doug | kyoub Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:51 UTC
What an interesting and informative tour of your summer hometown. I love lupines also but it is to hot for them here in Texas. Great tips, especially the one about the ground up aspirin. I will have to try that. | windsorgirl Sun Dec 19, 2004 00:06 UTC
Your photos are simply stunning! I esp love your fall colours travelogue and the lupine. thanks for sharing! |
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