A practical guide for roadside wildflower viewing
Are you a fan of wildflowers like we are? Is your bookshelf filled with plant field guides? Author and naturalist Chris Helzer says he’s identified a flaw in all the commonly available wildflower guides: “They’re designed for people who are slowly ambling about with nothing better to do than stop and stare closely at the minute details of flowers.”
Especially with the current health crisis, COVID-19, folks are looking for a safe way to appreciate nature. “Our nature preserves have seen a huge increase in the number of visitors,” says Kirsten Werner, senior director of communications for Natural Lands. “But there are some who are unsure about crowds they might encounter, and would feel better not having to even get out of their cars.”
That’s why Natural Lands has partnered with Chris Helzer to promote his new book, which Helzer says has been missing “as long as field guides and automobiles have awkwardly co-existed on this earth.”
A Field Guide to Roadside Wildflowers At Full Speed is a free, self-published eBook. The wildflowers in the book are arranged by both color and blooming date (within color classes), just as you’ll see in other field guides. However, in this guide, the flowers appear as they actually look when you see them from the road.
Helzer says this more realistic portrayal of wildflowers will prevent the frustration that comes from staring bleakly at field guide photos that bear little resemblance to what you see out your car window.
And it’s the ultimate in social distancing.
A photo from the Field Guide. Black-eyed Susans are a common roadside wildflower. They can often be distinguished from upright yellow coneflowers because the darker brown/black streaks are embedded within the broader yellow streaks in black-eyed Susans, whereas those dark streaks are usually above the yellow in upright yellow coneflowers.
Another image from the field guide, showing wild bergamot, A.K.A. bee balm. Note the pale green smears among the pink, which are characteristic of this species. The limited width of the pink streaks also helps separate this species from similar flowers such as shell-leaf penstemon, though the two also bloom during different seasons.
Says Helzer, “I’m not asking for any monetary compensation for this book. It is offered as a free service to all drivers hungering for a way to learn more about wildflowers without having to stop and walk around like some kind of animal. In the event that you find this field guide useful, you can compensate me by donating toward your favorite conservation organization.” (Pssstt… here’s one!)
Disclaimer: This book should never be used while actually driving. Always use a designated passenger to look up flowers. I mean, they’re going to be staring at their phone anyway so they might as well do something useful for you at the same time.
Oh, and happy April First. Stay well, and keep smiling if you can.