Forked bluecurls (Trichostema dichotomum) flowers open early in the day. That’s when the beautiful blue flowers are erect with long curled Its stamens (male parts) and styles (female parts).
Its lower petals are distinctively spotted to “direct” bees where to land. Butterflies do not visit these beautiful blue flowers.
As the day progresses the flowers “curl in” on themselves facilitating self-pollination for the times when bees don’t do the job.
A thin multi-branched annual, forked bluecurls often begin flowering in the spring, and flowering often continues into the late fall. It very soon will finish up flowering at the south Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area. Each pollinated flower produces 4 nutlets, each with one seed.
Look for this lovely native wildflower in well drained, sunny places throughout Florida and the eastern half of North America including the southern provinces of Canada. A member of the mint family, Laminaceae, its opposite leaves are narrowly elliptical.
Enjoy the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area 