These are buffalo beans. I don’t know what they’re called elsewhere, but here they grow wild on prairie hills in the spring, just as the wild crocuses (a.k.a. prairie wind flowers)?are fading.
?I brought them home from my run a) because I like them, b) they’re resilient travellers, and c) I knew everyone would ask me when I gushed about seeing them, “What’s a buffalo bean?”
My son is very happy I brought them back, so I don’t have to drag him to the hill and show him (lazy teenager…).
Oh, and a BIG THANKS to Dawn, for posting very specific instructions on how to put this picture up the way I want it 🙂
All Downhill From Here 
Very nice, Karen. I wonder if Lou Bob knows another name for them.
By: Jon in Michigan on May 9, 2006
at 9:32 am
Very pretty! Looks like they’ll last a few days in water, too!
By: Linae on May 9, 2006
at 12:41 pm
we have them here too but I’ve never heard anyone call them anything ever. I am going start calling buffalo beans all the time..everywhere I go..start a trend or somethng.
By: Pamalamadingdong on May 9, 2006
at 1:41 pm
So bizarre! I was sure we had them in Ontario… but according to my googlefest this afternoon http://www.weaselhead.org/profile/?s=1186, apparently not!
By: Una on May 10, 2006
at 4:46 pm