Often I convince myself that I’ve surely found and collected every wildflower that grows in this area of Texas. but I’m regularly – and most pleasantly! – surprised when I find a new species I haven’t encountered before!
Tuesday I was drawn by a pile of Indian Paintbrushes to pull over on the side of Alternate 90 in Seguin, TX. Indian Paintbrushes have a short blooming season, so I try to get as many as I can before the season ends. They grow tall and can be easily seen from a distance. But nestled close to the ground between the paintbrushes – totally not visible from the road – I discovered these beautiful, bright pink, five-petaled flowers with bright yellow centers that I had never seen before.
I took out my phone and opened “Picture This” – an iPhone App that has become an absolutely essential tool for identifying wildflowers – and took a photo:
Picture This identified this bright bloom as Sabatia campestria. Common names include “Meadow Pink” and “Texas Star”. On this day I was prepared for whatever flowers I would find, having brought a box and dessicant with me. The Meadow Pinks were plentiful, so I gathered a bunch to start drying immediately.
It will be interesting to see how these dry. In my experience, bright pink flowers tend to dry a deep purple, making it difficult to include flowers that are actually pink in my works. I’m hoping these will be a solution!
