Bedford Conservation: Common Plants

Common Plants RETURN TO WILDLIFE PAGE

NAME	DESCRIPTION
Bluet	3-6 inches tall Grows in acid soil in small colonies Grassy fields and open woods April - June Cherokee Indians used a tea made from the leaves to stop bed-wetting.
Chicory	1-6 feet long stalks with long leaves and flowers on upper parts of branches Long tap root, wilts by midday Field borders, waste ground, roadsides April - October Tap root can be roasted and uses as a substitute for coffee; leaves can be used in salads.
Cinnamon Fern	24-36 inches tall Needs moist, good drainage soil Will grow in sunny moist soils or deep woods April - October Turns yellow in fall
Common Buttercup	20 inches tall Damp areas, particularly meadows and disturbed soil May-September American Indians made a poultice from the roots for boils and abscesses, using the irritant effect of the sap to burn them off.
Goldenrod	1-5 feet tall Meadows, open woodland July-September American Indians used it to soothe burns, crushed flowers were used for sore throats, and a tea from the flowers was used to treat fever and snakebites.
Goldthread	3-8 inches tall Swamps, bogs, damp woodland May-July Very small running perennial with thin bright yellow underground stem. American Indians and early settlers chewed the root to cure mouth ulcers, nausea, jaundice, sore throats, and stomach cramps.
Indian Pipes	3-10 inches tall Deep woods June-August American Indians used it as a remedy for sore eyes.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit	12 inches tall Swamps, damp woodland April-June American Indians made a tea from its root as an expectorant for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, colds, and headaches.
Milkweed	2-4 feet tall Swamps, damp thickets June-August Seed pods in fall that pop open and release seeds on downy airborne white silky tassels. Only food of Monarch Butterfly larvae, and the toxic sap makes the butterfly poisonous to predators American Indians used it for wart removal and a laxative. Its silky seed tassels were also used to stuff pillows.
Jewel Weed	3-5 feet tall Shaded wet ground June-September Lemon yellow or orange flowers. little pods of seeds that pop open when touched.
Lady Slipper	12 inches tall Fields, woodlands May-June The Lady Slipper begins its life cycle when its seed is invaded by a micro-fungus (endophyte). The fungus forms a surrogate root system for the seed. If the soil nutrient levels and pH are correct, the fungus provides small amounts of carbohydrates to the growing seed until it has grown large enough to produce its first green leaf and to use photosynthesis as its primary energy source. Once it relies on photosynthesis, it will reject the micro-fungus almost completely. This phase can take anywhere from 3 to 7 years. It can take an additional 5 to 10 years to reach flowering size.
Oxeye Daisy	1-3 feet tall in clumps Grows in wide range of soils, especially soil low in nutrients and pH. June-August Perennial, upper stems die back over the winter, spreads from seed and short root growths The daisy was the emblem of Queen Margaret, wife of Henry VI of England. Another old name for it was Bruisewort because the Crusaders made an ointment from it for their bruises, broken bones, and wounds.
Partridge Berry	2-4 inches tall Woodland creeper May-June Fruit is deep red and lasts through the winter. Mice, skunks, wild turkeys, and Bobwhites eat its fruits. American Indians used it to treat irregular and painful menses and for pain during childbirth. Also called Squaw vine.
Plantain	June - September Perennial, fibrous roots, long seed head Spreads by both seed and shoots from roots. American Indians called this plant White Man's Foot because it was found wherever the early settlers had passed. It has been used as a remedy for insect stings and bites, sores, and varicose ulcers.
Poison Ivy	Can grow up to four feet or be vine, has three glossy leaflets 2-3 inches long Forms a small creamy white berry in the fall containing a single seed. Berries generally remain attached to the stem through the winter. Poison ivy spreads by rhizomes and seeds and prefers shaded areas. Poison ivy has a fibrous yellow root system The oil in the leaf causes skin irritation and a rash.
Queen Anne's Lace	12-18 inches Dry fields, roadsides May-October This flower was very popular during the reign of Queen Anne, wife of Henry VI of England. Also known as Wild Carrot, it spreads its seeds by the wind.
Skunk Cabbage	12-22 inches tall Swamps, marshes, wet woodland February-May Strong smell sap, particularly when bruised, which attracts flies to pollinate the flowers American Indians used it as a leaf poultice to reduce swelling.
Winterberry	Deciduous holly shrub Swamps, damp thickets, pond margins Extremely showy in late fall and early winter when covered with their bright red fruit, these shrubs are either male or female--a trait typical of the holly family. Birds are readily attracted to them. There are several large bushes at the beginning of the path at Great Meadows in Concord, often filled with birds. There are a few here and there in Bedford in wet areas.