Greenish, bell-shaped single flowers dangle on kinked stalks below each leaf axil. It blooms in July and produces red berries in August. McLean Lake Meadow-Rue is a tall, showy wetlands plant that's not at all common at Birch Brook. Alternate compound leaves are divided into paired oval leaflets with the tip of the terminal leaflet being three-toothed. The plant may grow to 1.5 m. Masses of fuzzy white flowers blooming in late summer are quite distinct.
Flowers lack petals but have four small sepals and numerous thread-like yellow stamens.
It is worthwhile to walk the trails every week in late spring and early summer to view the full array of wildflowers carpeting the forest floor. From 5 to 10 slender, shiny leaves are arranged in a whorl. The star-shaped flowers are white with from 6 to 8 petals. Berries are delicious fresh or preserved. Leaves are narrow, oval and pointed.