Wildflower Games

While working on my presentation for tomorrow at Beech Fork State Park's Wildflower Arts & Nature Festival, I found that I knew several games that have been played with wildflowers and plants we consider to be weeds. Here's a few:

Most of us have made daisy chains and searched for four-leaf clovers. Some of us have put buttercups under our chins to see if we liked butter, but have you ever played any of these games?

picture from wikipedia.org

English Plantain (common lawn weed)

1. Pick a long, fresh stem with seedhead still attached.
2. Make a loop around the seedhead with the stem, making sure to keep hold of both ends of the stem.
3. Pull the loop snug but not tight around the base of the seedhead.
4. Slide the loop down the stem for an inch or two.
5. Quickly slide the loop back up the stem with a quick jerk.
6. The seedhead will snap loose and fly off.
7. The one whose seedhead “shoots” the furthest is the winner.



Shepherd’s Purse (common weed)
The seedpods of this common weed are heart-shaped, which explains a bit about this game.

1. Wait until seedpods form on this little plant’s many-branched flowerhead.
2. Try to pick one of the seedpods without it popping open.
3. If it breaks open, that player is told he/she has”broken his mother’s heart” and loses that round of the game.



Fight Rooster (Violets)

1. Two players each pick a violet flower.
2. Hook the “spur” at the back of the flower head to the spur on the other player’s flower.
3. Count to three, then each pulls with a quick jerk on the stem of their flower.
4. Loser is the one whose flowerhead flies off the stem.



Sweet Honey (Honeysuckle)
1. Pick a honeysuckle blossom.
2. Carefully (usually with a fingernail) cut away the green base of the flower without cutting through the stamens.
3. The stamen should still be attached to the base; carefully hold the flower while pulling the stamen through the bottom of the flower.
4. There will be a little drop of liquid (the “honey”) appear at the base of the flower.
5. Lick the drop—sweetness!



Flower Earrings (Jewelweed)
This game has to wait until late summer when jewelweed comes into bloom.
1. Carefully pick a jewelweed flower, being sure to keep the slender stem intact.
2. Break a stem of the plant and find the gelatinous material in the stem.
3. Rub the gel on your earlobe with your finger.
4. Stick the flower stem into the gel on your earlobe. Earrings!

What other flower or weed games do you know? Ever made a grasswhistle, a hollyhock lady, or...? I'm sure I've forgotten several, so please share.

If you're in the area, do come out and see me at Beech Fork tomorrow! I'll be on the main stage at 11:00am. Stories and folklore all wrapped together!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.