This worldwide wetland grass can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) tall and can cover a quarter of a square mile or more in one stand!
These plants CAN be a nuisance, with some species having stinging hairs… BUT they are edible and highly nutritious, with various other uses as well!
The local Philippines call this woody vine “tayabak”. Related to the green beans we grow in our gardens, this species’ unique turquoise claw-shaped flowers are pollinated by bats.
This large-leaved biennial wildflower has thistle-like flowers and an edible and medicinal taproot
This tree has large, opposite, palmately compound leaves and pyramids of flowers around May. It is often planted in parks and along city streets.
This genus contains about a dozen species of shrubs and small trees, each with fruits that can be used to make a lathering soap.
This WHITE little plant completely lacks chlorophyll and is often mistaken for a fungus or mushroom. In truth, it is a parasite of fungi that feed on tree roots, and is often found in the shade beneath beech or maple trees.
This humble plant is easily overlooked, both in its quiet early blooming and later leaf unfurling. You can find it in wetlands and riverine forests in the NE quarter of the US, up into Canada.