Wildflowers – sure they’re pretty, but what do they do? Unfortunately, we often ignore or downplay the role of forbs.

But forbs are important members of their plant community. In fact, let me give you two examples of wildflowers that have a special role to play.

This is lupine. It’s a member of the legume, or pea family.

The roots of lupine have bumps or nodules on them, which house bacteria. These bacteria are capable of converting nitrogen from a non-usable form to a useful form.

It’s like having a fertilizer factory right in the roots. This is obviously beneficial for the lupine, but can also help other plants growing nearby because the nitrogen content of the soil increases.

This plant is squarestem phlox. We call it a cushion plant because of the way it grows like a big pincushion on the soil surface.

Cushion plants often grow in windswept areas and where water is scarce. By staying low to the ground and having a very compact canopy, the plant is able to conserve water.

But cushion plants also help conserve soil. This dense mat catches soil particles being carried in the wind.

Next time you’re admiring a wildflower, realize that it’s not just a pretty face. It’s probably a valuable member of the plant community. From the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, I’m Zola Ryan