Butterwort (Pingquicula), can be found blooming throughout the Americas.  The variety of its genus allows it to be found in the tropics, as cold areas of Northern Minnesota, Canada, and across the ocean in Russia.  It is a carnivorous (insectivorous) plant that uses a "flypaper" method to capture small insects.

Wednesday, August 21st, 2007 - Report by

Our Artist's Point and Grand Marais harbor provide a home for many unusual plants - some are hardly seen anywhere else - some are called Arctic Disjuncts. Earlier in the season we see things like, Bird's-eye Primrose, Butterwort & Brook Lobelia. They are small but oh so beautiful.

Our friend Ken gave us a guided tour out to Artist's Point. These flowers were not showy - but rare. He wanted us to see the Billberry (Vaccinium uliginosum). It is much like a blueberry but very rare. It was struggling because of the drought. Ken gave it many sprinkling cans of water. We saw many Collomia linearus, and also a plant that looked like an Aster and use to be called an Aster but now they want to call it a Goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides) - why?? - doesn't make sense. We also saw many Willow-herbs.

It was a bit windy but still a lovely day and the company was special!

(I will be vacationing around Lake Superior with a side trip to Isle Royale) this report is early and there will be no report next Wednesday.