Flax Family This is not a real common wildflower. This yellow-flowered flax is a perennial, the blue-flowered ones are non-native annuals. The blue ones are the plants used for commercial flax. Perennial Where seen: Oak Ridge, Piney Falls SNA
Pea Family This plant was blooming in August in the cedar barren area of the Haw Ridge Greenway in Oak Ridge. It has large flat seed pods and leaves with 3 leaflets. Thanks to Sonnia in Texas for helping me identify this "mystery flower!" This is a new one to add to my "life-list." :) Perennial Where seen: Haw Ridge Greenway, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Evening Primrose Family The pretty yellow flowers on this plant wilt by early afternoon, so they have to be seen early in the day. The large X-shaped structure is the pistil. These plants come up from seed the first year and bloom the second year, making them biennials. Biennial Where seen: Oak Ridge, Cherokee National Forest, Great Smoky Mountain NP, Warriors' Path SP
