Wildflower Identification


Spring Wildflower Identification

Last year my two sons participated in a 4-H wildflower identification project. Quickly this became a family project, which we all enjoyed.

There are several items that you will need to acquire to assit you in this project.

  • Your local library will be of tremendous value in providing wildflower identification books. I suggest checking out at least three.
  • An inexpensive three ring binder.
  • Plain white computer paper.
  • White glue.
  • Small id labels which can be printed from your computer.
  • Clear plastic sheet protectors with three holes already punched so the white papers can be slipped inside and then placed in the notebook.
  • Pencils
  • Heavy books or a flower press.
  • Camera

First assemble all of your supplies. We opted to make our own flower press. We cut two pieces of scrap wood that my husband had in his work room, into equal sized squares. Then we drilled a hole in each corner of the squares.

Next we purchased 4 bolts, 4 washers, and 4 nuts. We matched up the squares, slipped the bolts through the holes, added the washers and secured the nuts. We also placed 20 or so sheets of plain white paper in to the press.

My boys used a wood burner to decorate their presses. If we had it to do over again, I think we would have added some sort of attachment to hold a pencil.

I suggest looking through the wildflower books before venturing out. There are some wildflowers that are endangered and should not be picked. Take pictures of these flowers. The pictures can be added to the notebook, and labeled just the same as a wild flower.

Now you are ready to go on a wildflower collection adventure. You will make many trips outdoors to look for new flowers. Soon you will find yourself looking down at all times. Friends and neighbors will ask questions, and then they too will be looking for new flowers.

When you come across a flower, don’t pick it. If it is small enough, pull it out by the root. Open your trusty id book and identify the flower before placing it in the press. Trust me, it is nearly impossible to identify a flower that has been pressed. Don’t try to convince yourself that you will remember which flower it was and what it looked like. I’ve tried, it does not work.

Once you have identified the flower, place it in your press between two pieces of white paper. Write the common and Latin names of the flower on the sheet next to the flower. Also write the date and place the place the flower was found. Tighten the nuts and bolts and allow it to sit for a week or two.

The copyright of the article Wildflower Identification in Homeschool Science is owned by Lisa Hawkins. Permission to republish Wildflower Identification in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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