INDIAN BLANKETS

Clearly, I have taken a sabbatical from my blog.  Field season (the time when biologists are out in nature (aka “the field”) doing their research) came along and I dropped the blog.  Don’t fret.  I used the time away to get more tidbits and photos.  I also decided that this blog continues to entertain me, and I will continue for another year. 

So let’s return with some practical, beautiful flowers!  Gaillardia pulchella was abundant at my field site in southern Oklahoma.  This plant cost me $27 because I needed to buy a field guide to identify it.  Oh sure, you techies probably have an app for that.  However, for field biologists…the one with the most field guides when they die WINS!  So, I was investing in my success.  This flower is commonly called “Indian blanket” because it blankets the prairie.  According to “Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie “, the Blackfeet made a tea from the plant to treat digestive issues like diarrhea and the powdered root was used to treat skin troubles.  The Kiowas considered them a good-luck flower.  Apparently, these are easy to grow from seed so it might be a great addition to your flower beds.  Not only are they lovely and thrive in full sun (duh – they are prairie specialists) but you could use them for that age-related hormone skin rash.  How lucky would that be?