[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

‘No Mow May’ ends early this year. No Mow May is the co-author’s prescription for wildflowers.

On the ranch, we have a variety of designated land use areas. Around the houses, venues, and buildings, grass is manicured because the vistas are stunning and that makes it easier to enjoy. It also dissuades critters from encroaching on human habitat.

Oklahoma is naturally blessed with some of the most beautiful natural wildflowers. Our state is one of the most diverse ecological systems, letting nature do its best. From the Rocky Mountains and high plains in the west, the wheatland in the center, the ancient Arbuckle mountains and waterfalls in the south, the bayous with wetlands of the southeast, and the rolling Ozark Mountains in the east, the terrain and flora changes dramatically.

The proximity allows varietals that normally would not be together. A strip through the east central part of the state is called cross-timbers because of the transitioning vegetation. As Washington Irving observed, it is incredibly rugged, dense, and harsh to walk through, but the hills and dales are phenomenal.

Against that back drop, the ladies have affirmed ‘No Mow May.’ in park areas. Since the guys get to enjoy, we happily oblige. Why not? The multi-flowered white fox-glove stand knee high under the oaks, hickory, and pine canopy. Foxglove was the source of digitalis, an early heart medicine. Queen Anne’s Lace and white indigo are the other dominant white florals.

The brilliant OSU orange, some almost red, Indian Paintbrush carpet the meadows with a brilliance appropriate for their name. Even our friend, the late Joan Hill with her palette of explosive colors, could not match the hand of God. The Indian Blanket with its brown center, transitioning to a purplish red ring, radiating to deep yellow inhabit the open edges.

Along the hillsides and in ditches, the delicate looking white with gentle pink primrose remind one of young ladies about their day. The brilliant yellow of the evening primrose moves from the delicacy of the pink to in-your-face yellow. What a contrast? Their cousin, the deep merlot colored wine-cup bring intensity to the small flowers.

The puffball purple-pink tipped with golden-yellow touch-me-not (sensitive briar) are a common dry prairie plant that thrives on road embankments, fence lines, and fire breaks, where native soil has been disturbed by the incursion of mankind, but is left to natural recovery.

The ubiquitous delicate white doll daisy with its yellow button grows in dense groups resembling snowflakes. An area will be swamped in the tall, little flowers, while next too it, there are none.

Yellow flowers abound from brilliant light, to deep yellow to buttery yellow. Most are beautiful, some are obnoxious. The goldenrod causes intense sneezing for some. The little yellow clover covers anything not already covered. The broom weed is. Why did the pretty tickseed get such an ugly name? The massive sunflowers demand your notice.

Then blues are the unusual shade in nature from sage to indigo. The tall, tubular spiderwort has a commanding isolated presence. Perhaps the most unusual of all flowers is the dramatic passion flower (maypop). The fruit of these spreading vines are near the ground, about the size of a kiwi, with a very sweet, soft texture. Passion flower is also an herbalist’s dream, used for menopause, anxiety, insomnia, and blood pressure.

Numerous unusual flowers flourish. Have you seen the spindly stemmed echinacea (coneflower) with isolated petals drooping low to expose the button in the middle? Although often purple, most of ours are pale to white. Some grow to almost four feet tall along fire-breaks and much lower along the edge of the forest. The upper parts and roots are a popular herbalist plant for cold and flu, inflammation, and lowering blood sugar.

Our last are varieties of milkweed. Greens are not dramatic, purple are scattered, but the unusual orange make you notice. They are particularly showy when the Monarch butterflies visit on their annual migratory journey.

All medication came from plants, before synthetic drugs. Have the lab concoctions improved lifespan? We have about 6,000 years of recorded history with herbs, oils, and spices. The Native American ancient knowledge is now embraced and researched by herbalists. Even universities are researching plants for medicinal purposes, at the time the younger generation is abandoning the traditions and wealth of knowledge from the elders.

Think about it. The obnoxious plants in your lawn, blossom into showy flowers in nature. Plants are nature is medicine. Remember, record, and share your grandmother’s counsel. She was more right than you thought. Everything the human condition needs to flourish exists in nature. It all fits, like it was designed that way.