Herb robert
(Geranium robertianum)

Description: Bright pink flowers. Leaves are hairy and when rubbed or crushed smell unpleasant.

Habitat: Open woodlands, shady areas.

Height: 50 cm

Flowering: May - June

Dame's Rocket
(Hesperis matronalis)

Description: Flower colour is highly variable, and clumps of plants provide a spectacular display of purple, pink and white. Introduced from Europe, it grows in disturbed sites and will invade woodlands. Each stem is covered in clusters of 4-petal flowers making it a very distinctive and attractive plant. Often grows in loose clumps, where you can usually see a variety of flower colours, from purples to white as it varies in this species. Flower colour can vary from purple to pink to white. Lightly fragranced. Toothed leaves alternate up the stem (c.f. Bouncing Bet in which leaves are opposite and arise as whorls of four up the stem). Introduced from Europe. A colonizing species that will grow in forest clearings, and in open areas. Fruit is a thin seedpod, typical of the Mustard family. Annual.

Habitat: Open, sunny areas, but will tolerate light shade and can be found in woodlands.

Height: 1 m

Flowering: June - August

Dog-strangling Vine
(Asclepias nigrum)

Description: Aptly named, as plants will clamber over and entangle anything they encounter. Introduced from Asia, it has invaded woodlands where it grows so densely that it smothers native plants. Narrow unbranched stem with paired leaves regularly spaced. Flowers small, pink borne on terminal of stem in cluster. Distinctive narrow seedpods, seeds are "fluffy". Invasive exotic. Also called "Dog-strangling Vine" because of habit of wrapping around branches and objects.

Habitat: Open and edge habitats, but colonizes woodland where can form dense stands.

Height: 3 m

Flowering: June - August

Swamp Rose
(Rosa carolina)

Description: Woody, sprawling bush. Beautiful pink flower. delicate, compound leaves. Stems thorny.

Habitat: Prefers dry, poor soils. Forest edge.

Height: 2 m

Flowering: June

Wild Bergamot
(Monarda fistulosa)

Description:

Habitat:

Height: 2 m

Flowering: July - August

FirewheelIndian Blanket
(Gaillardia pulchella)

Description: Distinctive daisy-like flowers with large red centers and yellow tips.

Habitat: Open, sunny habitats, especially dry meadow, roadsides, waste areas.

Height: 50 cm

Flowering: July - September

Common Milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)

Description: Flowers are pink, borne in clusters and are fragrant, particularly in the evening when they attract moths. Broken stem and stalks exude sticky, milky sap. Flowers are pink, borne in clusters and are fragrant, particularly in the evening. Seedpods are large and olive green but they get wrinkled and grey as they age. Open a ripe seedpod and hundreds of seeds blow out and float away. Seeds are light brown and have fluffy silky hairs at one end.

Habitat: Open, sunny sites, particularly disturbed land, roadsides, old fields.

Height: 1.5 m

Flowering: June - August

Hairy Beard-tongue
(Penstemon hirsutus)

Description: Pink, trumpet-shaped flowers in clusters seem almost too big for the plant. look closely at a flower and see the tufted stamen which hangs prominently from the petal tube. Stem is fuzzy (hence "hairy" in name).

Habitat: Open, sunny habitats, especially dry meadows.

Height: 50 cm

Flowering: June - August