![Sunflowers.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p51-sunflower.jpg?itok=lfFuxxpw)
![Sunflowers.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p51-sunflower.jpg?itok=lfFuxxpw)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 51
Reviewed
Sunflowers exhibit a variety of characteristics, but most of the commonly encountered species have triangular to lanceolate leaves, rough leaf surfaces and conspicuous yellow flowers.
![Timothy seed heads.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p54-timothy.jpg?itok=LBguu2OH)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 54
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Timothy is a cool-season bunch grass. By late spring it can be readily identified by the blue-green, cylindrical seed head resembling a small cattail. It has an elongated ligule at the base of the leaf, with a notch on each side.
![Greenbrier stem.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvf-p22-greenbrierstem.jpg?itok=173hizah)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 22
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Greenbriers grow as stout vines, climbing with the aid of tendrils that arise in pairs at the base of leaf stalks. The flowers are small and green and grow in clusters of 5 to 26 flowers on long stalks.
![Wild bean seed pod and flower.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p57-wildbean.jpg?itok=72wd5iA0)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 57
Reviewed
Three species of wild bean occur in the Midwest. Each is a somewhat small plant with twining vines and relatively small leaves composed of three leaflets. Seeds are present in hairy pods.
![Huckleberry.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p25-huckleberry.jpg?itok=-zAdEXYQ)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 25
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Huckleberries are stiffly branched leafy shrubs or small trees, often found in extensive colonies, from 6 inches to 10 feet tall. The alternate, simple leaves are 3/4 to 3 inches long and 1/2 to 1 inch wide. The fruits are blue to black berries with a faint whitish coating.
![Jewelweed.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p28-jewelweed.jpg?itok=FudVrT_6)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 28
Reviewed
Jewelweed commonly reaches 18-24 inches. Leaves have scalloped edges and fleshy stems that exude a clear, watery gel-like liquid when crushed. Flowers are orange (I. capensis) or pale yellow (I. pallida).
![Little bluestem.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p31-littlebluestem.jpg?itok=6ylosbKF)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 31
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Little bluestem is a native grass that occurs in clumps with fine leaves less than 1/4 inch wide. Seed stalks are commonly 2 to 3 feet tall. Stems are hairy and flattened near the base. Seeds are light and fluffy.
![Simple leaf with parts labeled.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p02-simple-leaf.jpg?itok=Hg6ALtLw)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 02
Reviewed
Refer to this glossary for definitions of words and phrases related to plants.
![Cover art for publication CM350](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/cm0350cvr.jpg?itok=GsYR5oxo)
Writing Features
Reviewed
Good feature writers are imaginative, curious, nosey, attentive, unconventional, witty, and usually are not above "borrowing" a good writing idea from someone else.
![Orchard grass.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p34-orchardgrass.jpg?itok=mt4d5AJB)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 34
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Orchard grass is a cool-season bunch grass. Its leaves have a bluish cast. Close inspection of the leaf collar reveals a flattened shape and membranous ligule. Its rather distinctive seed heads form by late May. Height at maturity averages 3 feet.
![Barnyardgrass.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p05-barnyardgrass.jpg?itok=OfsAuY2J)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 05
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Barnyardgrass is most often found growing in moist areas. The large seeds of this grass make it an important food source for bobwhites.
![Partridge pea.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p37-partridgepea.jpg?itok=TXNf4Ooc)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 37
Reviewed
Partridge pea grows from 12 to 18 inches up to 3 feet tall. It has compound, alternate leaves. Leaflets are less than 1 inch long. Flowers are bright yellow with reddish-purple bases, about 1 inch across. Ripened seedpods are red-brown.
![Big bluestem stalks.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p08-bigbluestem.jpg?itok=d15KhdXV)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 08
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Mature seed stalks of big bluestem are copper colored and often grow more than 5 feet tall. The clumpy growth of big bluestem allows room for other plants to exist and provides excellent habitat structure for nesting and roosting
![Poison ivy.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p40-poisonivy.jpg?itok=5C1xT6uI)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 40
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Poison ivy is a vine that can grow up to 60 feet high or a low, upright shrub. It has alternate leaves with three oval to lance-shaped leaflets with a pointed tip.The flowers are greenish white and grow in clusters 1 to 4 inches long on new growth of stems.
![Cover art for publication G9444](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/g09444cvr.jpg?itok=u2Kut8K0)
Bait Stations for Controlling Rats and Mice
Reviewed
Using bait stations to control rats and mice can be more effective and safe than using poison. Visit our website today to learn more.
![Crab grass.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p11-crabgrass.jpg?itok=0RzXlthH)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 11
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Often found in disturbed areas, crab grass tends to indicate early successional vegetation, and thus good quail habitat. However, late spring disturbance may result in a crab grass response heavy enough to displace other beneficial or desired plants.
![Cover art for publication G9484](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/g09484cvr.jpg?itok=K7wuCiuu)
Aging a Deer by Examining Its Jawbone
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Managing the age structure of bucks is considered very important for improving the quality of the deer herd. Visit our site to learn about aging a deer.
![Common ragweed.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p43-ragweed.jpg?itok=8i95IU84)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 43
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Common ragweed commonly grows to 18 inches. Leaves are simple, alternate, smooth and deeply lobed. Often the lobes are lobed again.
![Cover art for publication G9447](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/g09447cvr.jpg?itok=omzmCPWc)
![Red cedars.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p14-redcedar.jpg?itok=895eLNhS)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 14
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Eastern red cedar is a small to medium-sized tree up to 50 feet tall. It is an aromatic evergreen with a dense pyramid-shaped to cylindrical crown.
![Sensitive brier.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p46-sensitivebrier.jpg?itok=uBst3I1Q)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 46
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Sensitive brier has prostrate stems and seedpods covered with hooked barbs. Doubly compound, featherlike leaves close rapidly when touched or disturbed. Flower clusters are a fuchsia ball dotted with contrasting yellow stamens.
![Flowering spurge.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p17-floweringspurge.jpg?itok=WIDFa1fZ)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 17
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Flowering spurge may reach 3 feet tall on richer soils. Inflorescences are multibranched, with multiple flower heads per branch. Flowers have five white petals with a yellow center and average about one-third inch across.
![Cover art for publication G9490](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/g09490cvr.jpg?itok=Vd9O70S7)
Managing for White-tailed Deer in Missouri: Establishing a Wildlife Management Cooperative
Reviewed
White-tailed deer management
This deer conservation guide is one in a series developed jointly by MU Extension and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
![Smartweed.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p49-smartweed.jpg?itok=U4P6PuT6)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 49
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Annual smartweeds has abundant, swollen nodes where the leaf meets the stem. Leaves are simple, alternate and parallel-veined; most are lanceolate. Flower clusters are white or pink, and at maturity the plant yields large numbers of seeds.
![Goat's rue.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-04/mp0903cvr-p20-goatsrue.jpg?itok=Fi6wCGmY)
Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest, Page 20
Reviewed
Goat’s rue, a member of the bean family, is readily identified by its striking flower, which consists of a cream-colored upper petal above two bright pink lower petals. Leaves are alternate, compound and usually hairy, with a pointed, hairlike tip.