Wild flowers are Natures miracle of miracles. They bring color, perfume, and distinction to the diverse environments in which they grow.

Wildflowers, however, can be as ecologically devastating as they are beautiful. Some wildflowers are native to the countries in which they are found. Others are migratory transplants, introduced either accidentally or purposefully into new landscapes. Wildflowers are often ecological opportunists, capable of proliferating in a wide variety of environments, sometimes at the expense of less-hardy indigenous plant species.

The rate of multiplication of wildflowers is affected by the latitude, soil composition, heat, and moisture of their environments. Even sunburnt plots and gravelly highways can be home to these rugged species.

There are perennial, biennial, and season wildflower species. They come in shades of green, purple, pink, red, blue, yellow, orange, lavender and white. Always a treat to the eye, some are carnivorous insect eaters while others are poisonous to livestock.

Wild flower juices have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes by Native Americans, gypsies, and Australian aborigines. Fever, bronchitis, enlarged livers, ulcers, intestinal worms, allergies, cramps have traditionally been fought with wild flowers. To this day, science seeks to unravel their many closely held secrets that might help us fight cancer, high blood pressure, asthma, and arthritis.

Wildflowers have also been made into dyes, insect repellants, sunburn ointments, and cooking accoutrements. Cooked as greens, brewed as substitutes for tea/coffee, or consumed as jams, jellies, syrups, or wines--wild flower varieties cover the gamut.

Naturalists, scientists, doctors, gardeners or besotted flower enthusiasts . . . wildflowers have them all enthralled!