The City of Apalachicola says it won’t be mowing Lafayette Park for the next two weeks to protect the wildflowers there

The City of Apalachicola says it won’t be mowing Lafayette Park for the next two weeks to protect the wildflowers there.

The wildflower patch at Lafayette Park is a population of lyreleaf sage.

Lyreleaf sage is a native wildflower in the mint family, and is one of our region's earliest bloomers.

The species typically flowers between early March and late April, with sporadic flowering throughout the rest of the year.

Lafayette Park is home to one of the densest colonies of lyreleaf sage in the region, and the population likely predates the development of the park and surrounding community.

Lyreleaf sage has a long history of utilization by people.

The plant's root was used as a tonic for intestinal problems, as a food source via boiling of the greens, and as a tea from the leaves and flowers.

A salve made from the roots and leaves was also used in the treatment of external injuries.

Because the species blooms when many other pollinator species are not flowering yet, it is a critical pollinator plant in early spring.

As with all members of the mint family, lyreleaf sage is an important pollen source for bees.

Hummingbirds and butterflies will also utilize the flowers.

In order to promote the long-term survival of these plants at Lafayette Park, mowing has been suspended for two weeks to allow for developing seeds to reach maturity.

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