Though this week’s Flower Facts isn’t exactly “fun,” we at Flower Blog feel it’s important to point out which species of native plants and flowers are on the verge of extinction so we can all do our part to conserve these rare beauties.
Definitions:
- Extinct – a species formerly indigenous to Canada that no longer exists anywhere.
- Extirpated – a species no longer existing in the wild in Canada but occurring elsewhere in the world.
- Endangered – a species threatened with imminent extinction or extirpation throughout all or a significant portion of its Canadian range.
- Threatened – a species likely to become endangered in Canada if the factors affecting its vulnerability are not reversed.
- Vulnerable – a species particularly at risk because of low or declining numbers, small range or for some other reason, but not a threatened species.
Extirpated Flowers:
Blue-eyed Mary
Credit: Doug Bauman
Illinois Tick Trefoil
Credit: Valerie Lykes
Endangered:
Gattinger’s Agalinis
Credit: Per’s Wild Flowers
Skinner’s Agalinis
(no photo available)
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus
Credit: EduPic
Slender Bush Clover
Credit: Field Bio in Ohio
Pink Coreopsis
Credit: Live Life Like
White Prairie Gentian
Credit: Squash Blossom Farm
Small White Lady’s Slipper
Credit: Blake Maybank
Furbish’s Lousewort
Credit: Best Pictures of Canada
Pink Milkwort
Credit: North Carolina Native Plant Society
Eastern Mountain Avens
Credit: Go Botany
Slender Mouse-ear-cress
Credit: 90 Ways
Western Fringed Prairie Orchid
Credit: ranger.carlos
Large Whorled Pogonia
Credit: Wildflowers.org
Small Whorled Pogonia
Credit: Wildflowers.org
Wood Poppy
Spotted Wintergreen
Credit: Darel Hess
Threatened:
Anticosti Aster
Credit: Louis-M. Landry
Bluehearts
Western Blue Flag
Credit: Chuck Stull
Plymouth Gentian
Credit: New England Wildflower Society
Giant Helleborine
Credit: James Gaither
van Brunt’s Jacob’s Ladder
Credit: Stephen Clayden
Small-flowered Lipocarpha
Credit: Vahl G. Tucker
Nodding Pogonia
Credit: Brad Wilson, DVM
Western Spiderwort
Credit: Colorado Wildflowers
Pitcher’s Thistle
Credit: Martha
Athabasca Thrift
(no picture available)
Purple Twayblade
Credit: Scott Namestnik
Sand Verbena
Credit: National Park Service
Bird’s-foot Violet
Credit: content from Ray’s Web
Keep your eyes peeled for these rare gems or ask your local botanist which plants are well-suited for your own backyard!
Love,
