Fall wildflowers are painting Metroparks Toledo meadows and prairies in yellows and blues right now.
One of the most unusual is the closed gentian, sometimes called the bottle gentian, which, though scarce, can be found in moist shaded areas of Oak Openings.
It’s unlike most wildflowers, which open wide, inviting pollinators to visit. The closed gentian is just that, closed. Blooming in a cluster atop a one- to two-foot-tall stalk, the rich, blue flowers that are so attractive to us are closed at the top, restricting entry only to bumblebees. These insects have the strength to push their way through the tiny opening at the tip of the flowers to collect nectar and, in the process, pollinate them, explained Art Weber, Metroparks nature photographer.
