A field guide to wildflowers at full speed

That’s why Natural Lands has partnered with Chris Helzer to promote his new book, which Helzer says has been missing “as long as field guides and automobiles have awkwardly co-existed on this earth.”

A Field Guide to Roadside Wildflowers At Full Speed is a free, self-published eBook. The wildflowers in the book are arranged by both color and blooming date (within color classes), just as you’ll see in other field guides. However, in this guide, the flowers appear as they actually look when you see them from the road.

Helzer says this more realistic portrayal of wildflowers will prevent the frustration that comes from staring bleakly at field guide photos that bear little resemblance to what you see out your car window.

And it’s the ultimate in social distancing.

A photo from the Field Guide. Black-eyed Susans are a common roadside wildflower. They can often be distinguished from upright yellow coneflowers because the darker brown/black streaks are embedded within the broader yellow streaks in black-eyed Susans, whereas those dark streaks are usually above the yellow in upright yellow coneflowers.

Another image from the field guide, showing wild bergamot, A.K.A. bee balm. Note the pale green smears among the pink, which are characteristic of this species. The limited width of the pink streaks also helps separate this species from similar flowers such as shell-leaf penstemon, though the two also bloom during different seasons.

Says Helzer, “I’m not asking for any monetary compensation for this book. It is offered as a free service to all drivers hungering for a way to learn more about wildflowers without having to stop and walk around like some kind of animal. In the event that you find this field guide useful, you can compensate me by donating toward your favorite conservation organization.” (Pssstt… here’s one!)

Disclaimer: This book should never be used while actually driving. Always use a designated passenger to look up flowers. I mean, they’re going to be staring at their phone anyway so they might as well do something useful for you at the same time.

Oh, and happy April First. Stay well, and keep smiling if you can.

What’s a road trip without checking out the scenery? Chris Helzer, aka The Prairie Ecologist, has put together a new guide for those who want to know a little bit more about the wildflowers they see along the roadside but don’t want to leave their moving vehicles.

According to Chris: “If you’re a fan of wildflowers, I’m sure you’ve noticed the same thing I have – all the field guides out there have one massive flaw. They’re designed for people who are slowly ambling about in prairies and other natural areas with nothing better to do than stop and stare closely at the minute details of flowers.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with kneeling down and staring closely at wildflowers. I mean, we should all be so lucky to have the free time and – apparently – lack of responsibility to spend our days wandering around in fields of blossoms. I’m sure at least some people who do that are perfectly nice, and probably not at all dangerous.

But what about the silent majority who prefer to experience wildflowers the way General Motors intended – by whizzing past them in a fast, comfortable automobile? How are nature-loving-from-a-distance drivers supposed to learn the names and habits of the wildflowers as they speed blissfully past them at 65 (85?) miles per hour?

Well, at long last, I have bravely stepped into the void to create the wildflower guide that has been missing for as long as field guides and automobiles have awkwardly co-existed on this earth. Today, I am introducing my new book, “A Field Guide to Roadside Wildflowers At Full Speed“. This free, self-published eBook is available right now.”

More: Chris Helzer h/t: colossal

Photo above: “Few wildflowers have orange blossoms, so butterfly milkweed stands out among its peers along the roadside. Just look for the striking orange streaks of color as you pass by. In addition, the contrast between its dark rich green leaves and bright orange above makes identification easy.

There are a few species of tall orange lilies that can somewhat resemble butterfly milkweed, but they are much less common and the contrast between orange and green is not as distinct.”