Flowers That Grow on the face of the street
Wildflowers and naturalized flowering plantsthat are plants brought to an area by animals and humans, grow everywhere the conditions are right for them, and sometimes that includes by the side of streets. Which of those plants are suited to your place is dependent upon the site’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zone. At USDA zones 8 through 10, a wide choice of flowering plants that grow along roadways can be acquired. Avoid planting invasive species; for example sweet Alyssum is designated as invasive in some states, such as California.
Tall
Many of the flower-producing plants that grow on the side of streets are tall. Queen Anne’s lace (Ammi majus), for example, rises to 4 feet high with feathery leaves and an open growth habit that allows sunlight to hit plants supporting it. This plant’s white flowers are tiny, but they kind flat discs that somewhat resemble lace and are around 4 inches across. Queen Anne’s lace is an annual, meaning it lasts just one growing season. Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are also tall plants found growing beside streets. They’re perennials, returning every year. Growing best in USDA zones 3 through 10, daylilies hit 3 feet high and have lilylike flowers held on long stems above straplike leaves. Each blossom lives for just one day, but each daylily plant produces tens of thousands of flowers. Penstemon (Penstemon) is another tall perennial that sprouts on the side of streets. Suited for USDA zones 3 through 9, it has leaves similar to daylily leaves. Its blossoms are not any longer than 1 inch long and are born on spikes from 1 to 4 feet high.
Medium
Lupine (Lupinus perennis) and Borage (Borago officinalis) grow along roads and reach medium height. Lupine, a perennial that grows best in USDA zones 4 through 8, has pink, blue and yellow blooms. The wild variety is most frequently blue. The plant is about 1 foot tall with 3-inch broad leaves cut into lobes. Its blossom stalk is about 15 inches tall. Each of its blossoms resembles a cross between a snapdragon and also a sweet pea. Lupine’s toxicity is believed to be mainly in the alkaloid D-lupaine, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Borage is an annual that’s dark-blue, five-petaled blossoms that are about 1 inch wide. Its leaves, stems and buds are fuzzy. When selected, they leave a brown stain on hands.
Short
Short flowering plants that grow along roadways comprise California poppy (Eschsholzia californica) and African daisies (Osteospermum). California poppy is the state flower of California. This yearly’s tulip-shaped flowers appear in late winter and early spring, which are medium orange and are 1 1/2 inches long. They arrive in sunlight and close on overcast days. The plant’s foliage is finely cut and gray-green. The plant grows to 1 foot tall and also tolerates drought circumstances. African daisies are annuals that have daisy-shaped blossoms in shades of cream, yellow and orange. The plants grow to 1 foot tall.
Warning
Do not pick wildflowers or their own seed heads from the side of public streets. They could possibly be safeguarded. On private property, ask permission before selecting them. Obtain seeds from reliable sources that cultivated the flowers for their seeds. When choosing flowering plants that aren’t wild or naturalized in your area, mimic their growing conditions. You may have to supplement rainfall with irregular watering and/or fertilizing.