One of our few really orange flowers (Daylilies and Touch-Me-Nots are other members of that exclusive club), Butterfly Weed likes an open field, where it attracts legions of insects of all sorts—butterflies, of course, but also bees and ants. These plants were among hundreds blooming in wildflower meadows in South Park.
For a description of the species, see the Asclepias tuberosa reference page.
Brought over as a forage crop, White Sweet Clover has made itself thoroughly at home. We may call it a weed, but it does not seem to crowd out the natives, and in general restricts itself to places that need some cheering up, like vacant lots.
For a description of the species, see the Melilotus albus reference page.
Delicate little morning-glory flowers often found running prostrate on the ground in a lawn, although the vines will climb several feet if they get a footing in tall weeds. These were growing in a weed patch along an alley in Carnegie.
For a description of the species, see the Convolvulus arvensis reference page.
The balls of buff-colored flowers have a strong, sweet scent that attracts all kinds of insects. These plants were growing beside a parking lot in Carnegie.
For a description of the species, see the Asclepias syriaca reference page.
This is the plant from which marshmallows, the treats much beloved of pyromaniac Girl Scouts, were originally made. It is a European import uncommon in our area, but abundantly weedy near the railroad tracks in Carnegie.
For a description of the species, see the Althaea officinalis reference page.
