What is the purple spring-blooming wildflower planted in the median of
I-71 in Ohio in the area south of Washington Courthouse

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Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 22 May 2004 15:06 PDT

Hi kkenrick,

Could you please describe the flower a bit more? Are they purple
spikes or petals? Tall stemmed or groundcover? Lots of flowers on one
plant or just one? Seen just at the edge of woods or out in the full
sun? What kind of leaves? Anything you can think of will be sure to
help us track your flower down.

Would it be one of these? If not, are any similar?

Ohio Summer Wildflowers
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/dnap/summer/default.htm

Thanks,
hummer

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Clarification of Question by kkenrick-ga on 22 May 2004 17:26 PDT

The flowers are planted in the median itself, in full sun. They look
like spikes 10-12" high and are a deep purple. Since we were simply
driving by, I don't have a good description. Perhaps they aren't "wild
flowers" in the strict sense, but I thought only native flowers were
planted by the highway dept. Whatever they are, they are flourishing,
covering almost the entire median for miles on end. In addition, we
saw some on the edge of the highway up close to the fence, and I am
assuming they spread from the original plantings in the median. Sorry
I can't give better information.

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Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 23 May 2004 05:08 PDT

Hi kkenrick,

Wild Lupine?
http://www.mikebaker.com/plants/Lupinus_perennis.html

hummer

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Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 23 May 2004 13:36 PDT

Hi kkenrick - this may be it!

Penstemon cobaea 
http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/pen.cobae.htm
http://www.easywildflowers.com/pen.pur-oen.jpg

Penstemon cobaea
Common Name: Purple Beard Tongue
"Show-stopping spikes of loosely spaced white to violet to deep
purple, 2 in. long tubular flowers atop erect stems. Flowers bloom in
June and are larger than other penstemon flowers."
http://www.grownative.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=42

Fingers crossed,
hummer