We haven't played this game in a while but now is a great time of year to find new things blooming around the woods and creeks. The fall wildflowers are just as colorful and spectacular as the spring ones. This flower grows in stalks about 24 inches high - taller if they're really happy. It has blue to purple flowers - usually a bit darker than what it looks like in this pic. They like damp meadows and creeksides. They volunteer here everywhere and I'm always very happy to have them show up in the flower beds.
Hint: The Latin name sounds like an STD. Also, it's cousin is named after a bird. Give yourself extra points if you can name both.
Answer below the fold.
And the answer is: Lobelia siphilitica. Great Blue Lobelia.
Turns out that it was named 'siphilitica' because it was thought to be a cure for syphilis. They were wrong.
Now you know.
