If You Want to Do Nature a Favor, Pick These Four Flowers

When you're walking in the countryside, you might feel the urge to pick some flowers. Fortunately, there are certain flowers you can pick without disturbing the ecosystem.

Flowers play a vital role in our ecosystems by supporting bees, butterflies and birds who pollinate plants, including those that produce fruits and  vegetables. They also contribute to biodiversity, soil health, and the overall functioning of the ecosystem.

When picking flowers, it's important to be mindful of the ecological impact. If you take too many, you could disrupt the wildlife that depends on them. Luckily there are a number of flowers that you should feel free to pick whenever you see them: Lupines, Japanese Knotweed, Canadian Goldenrod, and Rugosa Rose

Right now, beautiful purple, blue, and pink flowers adorn the roadsides. These are lupines in full bloom. If you want to pick them, don't hold back. In fact, you'll be doing a favor to the local environment by taking them home in a beautiful bouquet.

Johnny Haugaard, a floral decorator, explains "that picking these flowers helps combat their invasive nature." If you want lupines in your garden, you can collect their seeds and plant them at home. However, be cautious as they spread easily. But lupines aren't the only flowers you can pick. Three other species also benefit from being picked and brought home, helping nature in the process:

Japanese Knotweed

With its large green leaves and prolific growth, Japanese knotweed blooms with white flowers from July to September. It looks great in bouquets. Haugaard loves it for its beauty but warns against planting it at home due to its invasive nature. When picking it in the wild, do not leave any plant remnants behind, as they can propagate new plants.

Canadian Goldenrod

This yellow-flowered perennial, like Japanese knotweed, blooms from July to September. The flowers, known as goldenrod, are ideal for making floral wreaths due to their pliability. Haugaard encourages picking these invasive plants for bouquets and decorations. If you want them in your garden, plant the seeds in a contained area like a raised bed or a grass-surrounded plot to prevent spreading.

Rugosa Rose

Rugosa rose, bearing orange hips, blooms most of the year and can be found near the coast. The flowers are beautiful in dried bouquets but can be tricky to handle due to their thorns, says Haugaard. Like the other species, rugosa rose is invasive. These can be planted in gardens, but should be monitored to control their growth.

By picking these flowers, not only do you create beautiful arrangements, but you also help protect local ecosystems from these invasive species.