Katie Byerly of Cerro Gordo County is also known as Iowa Prairie Girl on YouTube.
I participated in the first annual “LoHi” Loess Hills organized hike in 2021. During that adventure in the western hills of Iowa, many of us learned to shout out PENSTEMON GRANDIFLORUS!!! when someone spotted a Large-flowered Beardtongue.
Doug Chafa, one of our group leaders, taught us this. He learned it from a college professor. I wonder who taught her. She sounded like someone I would have loved to explore a prairie with. Walking the land, all the while shouting out wildflower names with excitement and enthusiasm.
I’m not good at using the scientific names of plants. I understand their importance, but I prefer the common names—or better yet, the not-so-common names. The name somebody’s great great (great?) grandmother called it centuries ago.
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