The secrets of wildflowers: a delightful feast of little-known facts, folklore, and history

Content: Skunk Cabbage: First Flower of Winter 3 --
Hepatica: Gem of the Woods 7 --
Spring-Beauty: A Pink Potato 11 --
Anemones: Flowers of the Wind 14 --
Coltsfoot: Roadside Cough Medicine 18 --
Bloodroot: A Bloody Early Bloomer 22 --
Dandelion: Our Tulip in the Grass 25 --
American Columbine: An Elfin Beauty 31 --
Dutchman\'s Breeches: Rude Little Trousers 34 --
Garlic Mustard: A Tasty Foe 37 --
Trout Lily: A Lily by Any Other Name 40 --
Ginsengs: The Man-Plants 44 --
Violets: Love in the Springtime 48 --
Trilliums: Dead Meat 55 --
Speedwells: Diamonds in the Rough 58 --
Pussytoes: The Feet in the Lawn 62 --
Buttercups: Bitter Beauties 65 --
Celandine: A Golden Poppy 69 --
Marsh Marigold: Friend of the Farmer 72 --
Blue Flag: Born to the Purple 76 --
Solomon\'s Seals: The Several Seals of Solomon 80 --
Wild Ginger: An Overlooked Crank 83 --
Jack-in-the-Pulpit: The Silent Preacher 86 --
Saxifrages: Rock Crushers? 90 --
Lady\'s Slippers: The Secretive Slippers 92 --
May Apples: The Green Umbrellas 97 --
Daisy: A Flower Loved and Hated 101 --
Wild Geranium: The Catapulted Crawler 105 --
Baneberries: Two-Season Treats 107 --
Goatsbeard: The Geodesic Clock 113 --
Bedstraws: Creepers for Runners 115 --
Cinquefoil: A Rose by Another Name 117 --
Forget-Me-Nots: Legendary Flowers 120 --
Chickweeds: For the Birds 124 --
Black-Eyed Susan: A Pretty Face 128 --
Bindweeds: The Pretty Stranglers 131 --
Deptford Pink: Tiny but Divine 135 --
Milkweed: A Sweet Grabber 137 --
Butterflyweed: A Neglected Beauty 142 --
Clovers: Ubiquitous and Useful 145 --
Jewelweed: Nature\'s Salve and Toy 150 --
Black Cohosh: Candles of the Fairies 154 --
Chicory: The Roadside Peasant 157 --
Bergamots: The Monster Mints 161 --
Nightshades: Beautiful, but Deadly? 164 --
Pokeweed: Bounty for Man and Bird 168 --
Sundews: The Carnivores 173 --
Purple Loosestrife: Summer\'s Deadly Glow 176 --
Yarrow: The First-Aid Kit 180 --
Queen Anne\'s Lace: The Royal Carrot 185 --
Dayflowers: An Embarrassing Memorial 188 --
Knotweeds: Knots Underfoot 192 --
Indian Pipes: Ghosts of Summer\'s Woods 198 --
Mulleins: The Bearded Weeds 202 --
St. Johnsworts: Chasing the Blues with Yellows 207 --
Avens: Both Blessed and Cursed 211 --
Mints: Old and Lively Scents 213 --
Cardinal Flower: America\'s Favorite 217 --
Bouncing Bet: Soap with Bounce 221 --
Evening-Primrose: An Owl-Like Sweet 223 --
Toadflax: Old Toad Face 227 --
Goldenrods: The All-Americans 230 --
Ragweeds: The Season for Sneezin\' 236 --
Joe-Pye Weed: A Noble Lummox 240 --
Boneset: A Bitter Tea for the Ailing 243 --
Sunflowers: Beauty and Bounty 246 --
Turtleheads: The Talking Heads 251 --
Vervain: A Favorite of Priests and Witches 254 --
Groundnut: Sweet from Tip to Toe 257 --
Ladies\'-Tresses: Orchids of Autumn 261 --
Dogbane: A Fly\'s Worst Friend 264 --
Thistles: Watch Your Step! 267 --
Asters: The Stars of Autumn 271 --
Gentians: The Royal Family 276.