Wildflower Wednesday and the "Johnny Appleseed" of Wildflowers.

Chicory is very special to me. Every time I see it along the roadside, I think of my parent's 50th anniversary. We gathered Chicory, Queen Anne's lace, and used some Lady's Mantle from my yard to fill blue canning jars for centerpieces on the tables. The party was held in my backyard and we used the color blue...as it was my parent's favorite color. This flower is a true blue and you can buy seed online if you want it in your garden. About this time of year the bright blue flowers of chicory appear once again along area roadsides. The plant likes to grow near warm rocks...so that is why this biennial does so well on roadsides. The plant is related to endive and has a bitter taste... the root can be used as a coffee additive. New Orleans is famous for chicory coffee. It was used as a cheap substitute during hard times. One more interesting chicory fact: The plant has a two-year life cycle, and only blooms in its second year. Then, after going to seed, it dies with the first frost. Yesterday, while driving to Rockford, I noticed it for the first time. There are those who want the county to mow the side of the road, but I really like to see all the colors of the wildflowers. I guess I would attribute that love of the roadside to Lady Bird Johnson. Today, perhaps most people think of Lady Bird Johnson as the reason why we see wildflowers blooming along the nation's highways and fewer junkyards and billboards. The Beautification Act of 1965 was one tangible result of Mrs. Johnson's campaign for national beautification. Known as "Lady Bird's Bill" because of her active support, the legislation called for control of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain types of signs along the nation's Interstate system and the existing federal-aid primary system. She had the nickname of of "the Johnny Appleseed of Wildflowers."

Balisha