ruderal

  • Typha latifolia / cattail

    Typha latifolia / cattail

    • tall, grass-like with thick, long, flat leaves
    • in wet areas, especially streams and stream banks
    • inflorescence club-like spike; yellow (male) above, green (female) below
    • seed head dark brown club, with bare spike above
    • fruits (seeds) white & fluffy, released in late summer, autumn, winter
  • Urtica dioica / stinging nettle

    Urtica dioica / stinging nettle

    • near streams and moist bogs, in woodland understories, disturbed places, wastelands
    • leaves - strongly serrated margin, a heart-shaped base, a pointed tip
    • flower - greenish or brownish in dense dangling clusters
    • nasty hairs that sting you
  • Verbascum thapsus / mullein

    Verbascum thapsus / mullein

    • rosette of large, soft, hairy leaves
    • small yellow flowers densely packed on a very tall spike
    • persistent ugly brown spike after flowering is done
    • often on otherwise bare ground