Common wildflowers of June

As the days get longer, the early summer flowers appear.

One of my favorites is Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra). This red flower is in the Morning Glory family and can be be anywhere from 3 to 8 feet tall. Hummingbirds love the small trumpet flowers that line the top of the plant. Standing Cypress are native and will naturally reseed themselves. They are biennials — which means they will germinate but not bloom until the second year. They like full sun but will bloom in locations with sun at least half of the day.

Another common wildflower that starts blooming in May and continues through June is Monarda: common species are Purple Horsemint (Monarda citriodora), also called Lemon Beebalm, and Basil Beebalm (Monarda clinopodioides). The Purple Horsemint is a much darker purple color than the whitish-purple Basil Beebalm. Both of these are clearly visible along the RR 12 roadside. Both species of Monarda will grow in full or partial sun locations.

If you want your current wildflowers to reappear next year, do not mow them until after their seeds have ripened. The seeds usually turn brown when they are ripe.