This essay describes 8 different flowers found in the United States. It states their regular name and scientific names, it also lists its uses.

Spring Beauty

Claytonia Virginica

The Spring Beauty was used by Indians and Pioneers for many reasons. They used it for food, for example they ate the bulbs raw or boiled as a potato substitute. The flavor is described as bland and as resembling chestnuts. The leaves were nibbled when fresh and added to salad, also a great feed for wildlife. Spring Beauty can be seen between March and May in Minnesota, south Ontario, south Quebec, south New England, Indiana, Through the Appalachians and westward. It will be found in the rich soils of open woodlands. The stem grows to be six inches tall. This perennial is fragile and is easily broken. The white to pink flowers grow towards the sun on the dark colored stem. The petals are usually less than half an inch long. Spring Beauty is known by many names such as Fairy Spuds, Good Morning Spring, Ground Nut, May Flower, and Wild Potato.

Labor union parade, NY., May 1, 1911 (LOC)

English: Dodecatheon meadia Shooting Star. Nashvil...

Dodecatheon meadia habit

Sweet William

Phlox Divaricata

Sweet William is a thirty inch tall flower with green leaves and stem. the petals are a blue to violet color. It blooms in April through June. Sweet William grows in South Minnesota, Indiana, southwest Quebec, New York, southwest Connecticut, south to Missouri, the mountains in Virginia, and North Delaware. It grows along streams, on rich moist soil in woodlands, and in the partial shade. Sweet William is also known as Blue Phlox. In early medicine the leaves were made into tea and used to cure eczema. It was thought that it would "purify the blood."

Blue-eyed Mary

Collinsia Verna Nutt

The Blue-eyed Mary is known by many names. It is also known as Broad Leaf Collinsia and Innocence. There are four petals on each stem. The wildflower grows to be six to twenty-four inches tall. The petals are usually...