A distinctive wildflower of sunny marshes and damp thickets, Helmet Skullcap sends up a tall, one-sided spike of striking blue-violet flowers in mid-summer. Each blossom is distinctly two-lipped, with the upper lip forming a prominent hood, perfectly resembling a tiny helmet.

While the flower gives it the "helmet" name, its true family name, "skullcap," is revealed after the bloom fades. The small seed pod develops a unique, cap-like appendage, looking just like a miniature medieval skullcap. This upright member of the mint family is a favorite of bumblebees, which are perfectly suited to pry open its hooded flowers.