Fragrant Plant At Blue Springs Creek (Updated With Pic)

[mic]

All over BSC there is a dry plant the is fragrant when you rub it on your hands. I want to say the flowers are bell shapped... real small. Anyone know what that is?

[Kayser]

Wild onion?

[mic]

No, it is a good smelling plant. It is all over the place in the rocks right next to the creek. I'm normally trying to get my fly line out of it as it is a little grabby.

[JimmyG]

Are the flowers white? Lilly of the valley maybe? My mom was always growing them when I was a kid - only reason I would have any idea!

[Outside Bend]

If the one you're talking about gets about 2-3 feet tall and has nettle-like leaves with square stems, I'm betting it's Beefsteak plant. It's in the mint family, which explains the odor when you crush it. It's edible, apparently non-native, and it's pretty common along streams in the Ozarks.

Here's the wikipedia article with a few decent photos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_frutescens

[mic]

That might be it. I'll try to take some pics on my next visit.

[mic]

OK... I found the same plant on the Huzzah, again in dry creek bed. The smell when rubbed in your hand is a licorice type smell. What is it?

[Geoff]

no idea what it is but it was all over Mill Creek too and its very good at catching fly line and fouling up your cast,

[Gavin]

Dunno for sure..those appear to be small flowers not leaves...maybe Sorrel...sour grass.

[mic]

no idea what it is but it was all over Mill Creek too and its very good at catching fly line and fouling up your cast,

Amen to that. Next time your out there rub it in your hands. It is wild how good it smells.