A bright and beautiful native wildflower so…why is it called a Wallflower?

Peter Baye found this beauty blooming on a rocky outcrop along the Gualala River. Its common name is Wallflower, and its scientific name is Erysimum capitatum. It doesn't look like a shy, retiring wallflower to me!

Wallflowers, Erysimum capitatum, by Peter BayePeter describes this flower as egg-yolk yellow, and you can see why. Peter had previously photographed a different species of Wallflower, Erysimum menziesii ssp menziesii.

Menzies Wallflower - Erysimum menziesii ssp. menziesii - by Peter Baye

Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

2 thoughts on “A bright and beautiful native wildflower so…why is it called a Wallflower?

  1. Carolyn André

    That flower is gorgeous. It looks like anything but a "wallflower." I don't know if the word for that is antonym, when talking about a proper name or proper noun, but that is the meaning of the inappropriate name. Anyone know the correct word when a proper name is the opposite of the object it describes?

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