• Wednesday-What'sUP July 8 - 11:16 pm

Barb Bouwkamp snapped her shutter and captured several shots of the purple and pink flower that grows wild all around the U.P., called a lupine. You see these beauties along country roads and rivers, often coloring entire fields as far as the eye can see. Barb also spotted this bright orange butterfly that had landed on an Indian Paintbrush. Another of the colorful wildflowers that inhabit the fields and yards here UP North. Whether it's an expanse of color as the lupines or just a splash of it like these orange sprouts, it's natures way of brightening our day.

Love the butterfly!!!! I love to watch them and the hummingbirds on my flowers. Summer is so wonderful!

I agree with you about summer, too, Deb. Again, wonderful photos. Thank you, Barb!

Actually, Mary, the flower shown in the final photograph with the butterfly is orange hawkweed. Considered a noxious weed or invasive plant in many states (including Minnesota), it spreads aggressively.

Indian paintbrushes, however, are a native wildflower. Rather than having a 'regular' flower, their petals look more like leaves that have been dipped in paint. Follow the link below to an example of one:

http://www.ownbyphotography.com/IndianPaintbrush-0003C.jpg

Mary says: Well, imagine that! You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. I've called those flowers in the photo, indian paintbrushes my whole life. Thanks for straightening that out!

I've always called those flowers "Indian Paintbrushes," too, but recently saw a picture of a real Indian Paintbrush and didn't know if this flower just happens to bear the same name or if it was a misnomer. Now I know!

We just returned from the U.P. a couple of days ago. A wonderful trip! I didn't want to leave. :(

My Grand Mother told me there were no Indian Paint Brushes in the C.C. till after the Dust Bowl days in the thirtys when they blew in. Anyone else here hear anything like that?

Beautiful! All 3 of them!

The lupines are spectacular!

There must be so many that the deer can't eat them all. Which is exactly what they do to every one i try to grow at home.

I remember being surprised to find that the flowers I called Indian
paintbrush were really hawkweed. Intellectually I know that, but I
will probably always call them Indian paintbrush.

The most lupines I have seen are in Lupine Cove. The last corner before you see the beach at Bete Gris.

I have always called those flowers Indian Paintbrush also....hmmmm....I wonder who started this?? I'll probably still call them Indian Paintbrush because it sounds more poetic than Hawkweed.

I grew up in the Detroit area and called them Indian Paintbrush. It may be the local Michigan name for them.

I love the top lupine picture; the lupines are gorgeous!

I grew up calling the flowers that Mel linked to, "Indian Paintbrush". :-) Thank you for the link, Mel.

http://www.lnstar.com/mall/txtrails/wildflowers/flowers.htm

The site above has over 100 listed wildflowers with pictures for your perusal. These are in TX but many are found in Michigan also. When anyone mentions Indian Paintbrush, I always think of the Indian Blanket flower. They are not alike, but both are so pretty. I love this time of year when God's wonderful colors decorate the earth....

Enjoy!
Sandy

Thanks for the tip, Neil! We'll check it out - just another good excuse to go out that way.