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Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District Lady's Thumb The non-native (European) Lady's Thumb is common in our area. It prefers full to partial sun and wet to moist fertile soil with organic matter. Habitats include marshy areas, edges of streams, mudflats, moist weedy meadows and waste areas. It is a summer annual, ½–2' tall with branching stems, more or less erect, although individual plants may sprawl. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and 1" across, lance-shaped and untoothed on short petioles clasping the stem. The leaf's upper surface often has a black smudge that is oval - hence the common name. Upper stems terminate in spike-like racemes of flowers, each about 1/8" across that may be pink, lavender, greenish white, or purple, even on the same raceme.
Lady's Thumb along Fox River September 17, 2013
Lady's Thumb at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve May 7, 2013 with distinctive "thumb print" smudge Click here for more information. Copyright © 2011-2017 by Kendall County Forest Preserve District. All Rights Reserved. |
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