Some of these begin to flower in January -- they may continue even into June, but they are most abundant in the cool, early spring. Only the peppergrass and the bluegrass are native to North America.
Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), sunflower family. Dandelions produce seeds without being pollinated -- this is part of the reason they are so successful in populating lawns and fields. Also look for the red-fruited dandelion (Taraxacum erythrocarpum), which is about as common in Fort Worth as the common dandelion. Native to Europe and Asia.
Common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), sunflower family. This species seems to have become much more common in the Fort Worth area over the last 10 years. Most groundsels have yellow rays -- but the rays in this species are not produced. Native to Eurasia.
Stork's bill (Erodium cicutarium), geranium family. In early spring, in-town roadsides become pink with masses of stork's bill in flower. The fruits are erect, long, and pointed, alluded to by the common name. Native to the Mediterranean region.
Bedstraw (Galium aparine), madder family. The thousands of tiny barbed hairs on the stems, leaves, and fruits make these plants 'clingers' -- they will stick to nearly anything. The flowers are tiny and have 4 petals. Native to Europe.
Field madder (Sherardia arvensis), madder family. Native to South America.
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), mint family. The violet color of these little tubular flowers makes brilliant masses along roadsides. One on one, the beauty of these little flowers matches those of any other 'wildflower' (of course, that's one person's subjective opinion). Native to Europe.
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Each henbit flower has a distinctively formed "hood" and "lip" -- the lip is a landing platform for insect pollinators.
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Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum), mustard family. These plants will grow practically anywhere. Each flower has 4 tiny white petals and produces a flat fruit. The fruits have a peppery flavor and can be used in salads. Native of eastern North America.
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Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), mustard family. With dandelions, henbit, and chickweed, shepherd's purse is among the earliest-spring bloomers. The fruits are much like those of peppergrass, and indeed, they're in the same family. The notched fruits apparently reminded Linnaeus, who named the species, of a shepherd's purse -- the second part of the scientific name (bursa-pastoris) literally translates to "purse of the shepherd." Native to Europe.
Chickweed (Stellaria media), pink family. Each of the 5 petals is divided so deeply that it looks as if there are 10 petals. The tiny fruits hang down ('nod') when the seeds begin to mature.
Chickweed has a very long history of herbal use (external application for itch relief) and it's interesting and amusing to see this common and hugely abundant 'weed' bottled and sold in herbal stores. Native to Europe.
Common speedwell (Veronica arvensis), figwort family. Most plants in this family have tubular flowers, but the speedwells have 4 open petals. Native to Europe.
Annual bluegrass (Poa annua), grass family. Grass flowers don't have petals, but they do produce essential parts -- an ovary (becomes a 1-seeded fruit) and stamens (produces pollen). The pollen is carried from flower to flower by wind. Native to eastern North America.
Pansy (Viola tricolor), violet family. Pansies have been bred from a native European species that is now widely naturalized in North America -- "johnny-jump-up" or "wild pansy." Garden pansies, though, are not known to grow outside of cultivation.
Like the wild species, garden pansies usually bloom the first year and then die. Pansies can survive freezing even when flowering and we see them in flower during the winter and into the spring.
The name pansy is derived from the French word pensée, meaning "thought" or "thinking," named because the flower resembles a human face, nodding as if in cogitation.
Copyrighted images with photographer attribution are from the USDA-NRCS PLANTS database (PLANTS website).
