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Growers of Rare and Unusual Native Appalachian Plants
CLOSED UNTIL SPRING 2021. SHIPPING OF NEW LIVE PLANT ORDERS MADE IN THE WINTER MONTHS WILL OCCUR BEGINNING APRIL 1, 2021. SEED ORDERS, HOWEVER, WILL SHIP DURING THE WINTER.

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CLOSED UNTIL SPRING 2021. SHIPPING OF NEW LIVE PLANT ORDERS MADE IN THE WINTER MONTHS WILL OCCUR BEGINNING APRIL 1, 2021. SEED ORDERS, HOWEVER, WILL SHIP DURING THE WINTER.

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this is a story of getting to know the plant kin

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this is a story of getting to know the plant kin

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plants our our teachers, evolving and relating for millennium more than our ape family. Intricately connected to the water. The only beings who can eat the sun and  transform it in a form that is sometimes edible to us. plants are people and deserve our respect. may this learning be for the continued reciprocity between us and them, may we learn from the vast wisdom they are willing to teach us.

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research from neuro-biologists are confirming what many indigenous folks have been sharing for time immemorial is that plants *can* listen. when we go beyond this computer screen lets talk to them as if they can hear your because they can.

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consider using “ki” for singular or “kin” for plural pronouns

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consider using “ki” for singular or “kin” for plural pronouns

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This is Kimmerer’s invitation: be more respectful of the natural world by using “ki” and “kin” instead of “it.” These are variants of the Anishinaabe word “aki,” meaning earthly being. And if you’re concerned that this amounts to appropriation of Native ideas, Kimmerer says that to appropriate is to steal, whereas adoption of “ki” and “kin” reclaims the grammar of animacy, and is thus a gift.

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Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping

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Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping

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these are gorgeous *and* shade lovers! oh my oh my

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Quick Facts

Size

One to two feet tall

Habitat

Virginia bluebells thrive in shady areas with moist soils, like woodlands or shaded floodplains. They do well when planted in large clumps.

Range

Virginia bluebells can be found throughout the Chesapeake watershed.

Status Stable

The Virginia bluebell is a perennial with blue, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake watershed.

Appearance

Virginia bluebells grow from one to two feet in height. Buds are small and pink. Flowers are about an inch long, blue and trumpet-shaped, formed from five attached petals. Leaves are green and oval-shaped, growing up to four inches in length.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Flowers bloom in March or April for around three weeks. Each flower has five stamens and one pistil. Virginia bluebells are not able to self-fertilize and must rely on pollinators. Because of the trumpet shape of the flowers, Virginia bluebells are most commonly pollinated by butterflies, which can land on the edge of the flower and reach the nectar. Bumblebees have to hover in front of the flower, making pollination more difficult. Fertilized plants produce around four seeds. In mid-summer, the foliage dies back and the plant goes dormant until the following years.

Did You Know?

Bluebells bloom in clusters. The oldest flower in the cluster is the one attached to the main stem.

The scientific genus name Mertensia comes from the German botanist Franz Carl Mertens.

Other names include Virginia cowslip, Roanoke bells and lungwort oysterleaf.

Sources and Additional Information

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Virginia Bluebell | Chesapeake Bay Program

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Size One to two feet tall Habitat Virginia bluebells thrive in shady areas with moist soils, like woodlands or shaded floodplains. They do well when planted in large clumps. Range Virginia bluebells can be found throughout the Chesapeake watershed. Status Stable The Virginia bluebell is a perennial with blue, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in spring.

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Rain washes chemicals and fertilizers into our streams, rivers and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Once in our waterways, these pollutants fuel the growth of excess algae, which clouds the water and threatens the health of fish, crabs and the entire Chesapeake Bay.

One of the easiest ways for us to reduce our pollution contribution to the Chesapeake Bay is to replace some of our lawn and typical landscapes with native plants. Native plants have occurred in our region for hundreds of years and are accustomed to local sun, soil, and climate.

By picking native plants that suit local conditions, you can reduce or eliminate the need for fertilizers, pesticides and watering. This also saves time and money. Native plants also provide food and cover for local wildlife like butterflies, birds, frogs, turtle and small mammals.

You can find native plants with the same shape, color, size or other characteristics as some of your favorite non-native plants to create attractive and more natural landscapes right in your own yard.

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Rain washes chemicals and fertilizers into our streams, rivers and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Once in our waterways, these pollutants fuel the growth of excess algae, which clouds the water and threatens the health of fish, crabs and the entire Chesapeake Bay.

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everything by robin will kimmer. everything. 

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everything by robin will kimmer. everything. 

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skip to 9:00

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What Plants Can Teach Us - A Talk with Robin Wall Kimmerer

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Lauren's Garden Service & Native Plant Nursery

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Lauren's Garden Service & Native Plant Nursery

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Reopens April 12 2021

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Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance and Native Plant Nursery | Lauren's Garden Service

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When it comes deciding what's native and what's not, there is a broad spectrum of opinions. Some gardeners will only use plants that are native to their immediate area. Others are opposed to using cultivars (native plants that have been selectively bred for particular traits like double blooms, but cover a broader geography). And then, there are those gardeners will use plants that are native to North America and feel that it's okay to use cultivars.

Obviously, there is a broad range of opinions when it comes to which native plants are acceptable. I tend to fall on the 'live and let live' end of the spectrum. If I really think about it I can find plausible evidence to support all ranges of the spectrum. Our locally native plants have provided food and shelter to our local wildlife but there are also non-native species that have been shown to be beneficial for local wildlife as well. For instance, the monarch butterfly will feed off of lantana, a non-native annual plant.

I personally like to rely mostly on locally native species and then sprinkle in non-natives or natives of the Southeastern, Eastern or Northeastern US.

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Native Plants - Get Valuable Information and Shop | Lauren's Garden Service

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When it comes deciding what's native and what's not, there is a broad spectrum of opinions. Some gardeners will only use plants that are native to their immediate area. Others are opposed to using cultivars (native plants that have been selectively bred for particular traits like double blooms, but cover a broader geography).

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if you know another name then the one I list please let me know! starting to research the indigenous plant
"learning names is an act of respect, an act of relationship"

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Talk - Robin Wall Kimmerer - Learning the Grammar of Animacy: subject and object

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Friday, December 4, 2020

Drawing on both indigenous and scientific knowledge, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, talks about the importance of cultivating a reciprocal relationship with the environment, and how understanding our connection to the land helps us connect more deeply with one another.

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"Goldenrods and asters" chapter in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Will Kimmer

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"Goldenrods and asters" chapter in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Will Kimmer

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if you don't have access to the book this article has some of that essence

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One of the blessings of a visit to New York late last summer was seeing something I miss in California: a world awash in goldenrod. A member of the vast and happy Asteraceae family, Solidago canadensis, one of a hundred species of native goldenrods in the US, overflowed fields and banked roadsides near my sister's house in the Adirondacks. Filled with tiny yellow daisy-like flowers up close, looking like an explosion of yellow fireworks from a near distance, and like a sea of sparkling yellow foam from a greater distance, goldenrod is the late August and September wildflower in most of the country, along with its aster companions.

In her passionately wise and luminous book, Braiding Sweetgrass, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer tells the story of her first interview with her advisor at the State University of New York's School of Environmental Science and Forestry. Why, he asked, did she want to study botany. She had her answer ready: she wanted to know why goldenrod and asters look so beautiful together. His answer was crushing. That, he said, was not a valid reason to study botany. Such considerations belonged to art, not science.

Luckily for us, she was, though daunted, not discouraged, and later found other, more sympathetic teachers and mentors. But for a while, she left the indigenous knowing of her heritage behind while studying science as it was presented in her courses. It wasn't until she was studying for her Ph.D. in Wisconsin that she found herself at a gathering of native elders who could speak of the depths of plants in ways her botany classes had not: their relationships to other plants, to the places where they grew, to the animals, birds and humans in their midst. The stories of their origins and names. The wisdom they have to share.

And their beauty. As an artist, I would have happily explained (as artist friends did) that yellow and purple look so beautiful together because they are complementary colors. Each primary color, in this case yellow, has a complement composed of the other two primaries, here red and blue, creating purple. Complementary colors have a powerful synergy, both making the other zing, creating a combination more electric than, for example, pink and purple. However lovely the latter combination, it will always be less exciting to our brains than pairing purple and yellow, or orange and blue, or red and green. These are not the combinations you'd think of for a meditation garden. But if you want to look at a field of scintillating color, or add excitement to your garden, your painting or your wardrobe, interweaving complements is a surefire way to do it.

Other than red flowers against green leaves, nature hasn't gone out of her way to combine complementary colors. And red flowers are relatively rare, orange even rarer, and true blue almost nonexistent. Purple is fairly common, and yellow abundant. All are dwarfed by the numbers of white flowers, which offer no opportunity for complementary drama. So it's especially striking when nature has not only combined complements but thrown them about with as much abandon as she has goldenrod and asters. Robin Wall Kimmerer was talking specifically about New England asters, with their deep purple petals and deeper-than-goldenrod yellow centers. The stronger the purple, the more scintillating the combination, though with the many lighter asters, and with the pink-purple thistle shown here, the combination is still electric.

But I agree with her about goldenrod and New England asters: their combined gorgeousness is a perfectly good reason to want to study botany. And while it may be true that aesthetics are not the province of science, there's fascinating science connected to beauty, starting with the exquisitely sensitive cones nestled in our retinas. Millions of neurons, waiting to encode for our brains the light waves bouncing off the world around us. Two-thirds of our cones are dedicated to the longer wavelengths of the warmer colors - like the yellows of goldenrod. Another third is devoted to the seeing their green leaves. Only 2% of our cones are reading the purple aster petals, which reflect back the shortest wavelengths of light.

Why yellow and purple? Carotenoids in the goldenrod and aster centers, and anthocyanins in the aster petals. Chemicals that reflect those colors back to us, and, among other things, protect the flowers from too much of the ultraviolet light we can't see, and that burns both our skin and the petals'. To bees, who can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, goldenrod's yellow is even more incandescent than it is to us. But they hardly need the pizazz. There are so many solidagos, with so many individual flowers per plant, in so many places that they can't be missed. Bees abound in those fields, picking up the sticky, heavy pollen and bringing it back to the hive to make bee bread for the winter.

I think it's the sheer exuberance of the solidago phenomenon that I love so much. This is nature at her most joyful, maybe even her whackiest. Why not throw millions of luminous yellow flowers out there as most other flowers fade? Throw in some purple for dazzle! Turn the neighboring leaves vivid red and orange! Provide winter food for thousands of tiny creatures who return the favor by pollinating the flowers. Create larger creatures to stand in the fields, with carefully crafted eyes connected to brains capable of awe. Fill them with wonder at what has been wrought. Those wildly yellow early autumn fields are a sign of a creation that can't be stopped.

I take a lot of comfort in this vast energy. Although such fields are plowed and bulldozed daily for grazing or agriculture, houses or parking lots, this sheer vibrancy tells me nature is far from fragile in the face of her heedless humans. Another essay in Braiding Sweetgrass details the destruction of Lake Onondaga, sacred to the Onondaga people of upstate New York. After more than a century of pumping industrial waste up to sixty feet deep into and around the lake, along with the sewage of the growing city of Syracuse, it's now a Superfund site. In fact, nine Superfund sites. Long gone are the wetlands, the trees, the oxygen-generating plants, the moss, the birds, the frogs, the once crystal clear water.

The same story can be told of countless places. The details vary, the heartbreak is painfully similar. There is a lot of restoration going on, even if grudgingly on the part of the corporations and governments that caused the destruction. People the world over are pulling beloved, damaged places back from the brink. The same is happening with Lake Onondaga. There are attempts, some good, some bad, to restore a semblance of natural life to this dead landscape. Of the ones described in the essay, my favorite is the work being done by nature herself, who sent the 'oldest and most effective of land healers...the plants themselves.'

Seeds of trees took root in the white, gluey sludge and slowly grew. Birds landed in their branches and dropped the seeds of berrying shrubs. Clovers and other legumes, among the most important of our plant allies, arrived and began pulling nitrogen into the muck. The endlessly adaptable grass family moved in. Their roots add humus, and the first glimmering of soil making can be seen.

It's a slow process of enormous strength, and one we can trust. That's where I take comfort. Of course, we should be doing everything in our power to stop the destruction and repair the damage. Nature should be able to rely on us, too. But as she asks, she also inspires. When we need courage, and ardor, and zeal for this work, she invites us to stoke those fires by standing in the midst of a sea of goldenrod as it pulses with energy, radiating her vibrant, enduring, indomitable heart.

I'd love to have you on the journey! If you add your email address, I'll send you notices of new adventures.

Related posts:

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The gold rush: the joyful power of goldenrod - The Soul of the Earth

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One of the blessings of a visit to New York late last summer was seeing something I miss in California: a world awash in goldenrod. A member of the vast and happy Asteraceae family, Solidago canadensis, one of a hundred species of native goldenrods in the US, overflowed fields and banked roadsides near my sister's house in the Adirondacks.

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Shared album - Problematic Invasive Plants of Interest

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Shared album - Problematic Invasive Plants of Interest

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Reopens March 2021

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Promote

A cornerstone of our mission is to promote the use of local ecotype native plants, the plants that belong in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, around our homes, in our schools, and in our residential parks and gardens.
Get Involved

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A cornerstone of our mission is to promote the use of local ecotype native plants, the plants that belong in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, around our homes, in our schools, and in our residential parks and gardens. Get Involved

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Shared Album - Cultivated Native Plants of Interest

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Shared Album - Cultivated Native Plants of Interest

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closed for now

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Our Online Shop is CLOSED for the season.
Send an e-mail to [email protected] if you are interested in placing an order.

The health and safety of our customers, volunteers, and staff are our highest priority.
We are taking measures to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

We greatly appreciate your patience as we navigate our response to COVID-19.

In addition to beautiful native plants, Blue Water Baltimore's Herring Run Nursery provides tens of thousands of dollars of unrestricted funding to the organization each year. If you are able, we hope you'll consider making a donation to allow us to keep nurturing our plants for sales in the future, in addition to supporting the rest of our vital work.

About the Nursery

Blue Water Baltimore's Herring Run Nursery specializes in plants native to Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Our non-profit Nursery offers more than 250 native species of trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, and more to retail and wholesale customers alike.

Native plants are a feast for both our eyes and our planet. Native plants help provide clean water, healthy soils, beautiful landscapes, and so much more. We strive to offer beautiful and durable plants that benefit and our local landscapes. We also offer:

Plants for rain gardens and urban spaces

Organic compost, potting soil, and rain barrels

Expert advice on using native plants for all types of gardens and landscapes

All proceeds from Herring Run Nursery sales support our mission for clean water and strong communities. Every purchase makes a difference!
2020 Schedule
Plant Availability

Our plants vary week to week and season to season. We make great efforts to keep our list up-to-date. Please call (844)756-8688 or email [email protected] if you are looking for something specific.
Plants & Pricing
Nursery Resources

Location and Parking

Our Nursery is located between Loch Raven Blvd. and Northern Pkwy. Look for nursery signs near the entrance by the stone house.

During normal business hours, parking at the Nursery gate is restricted to volunteers and customers with accessibility needs and limited mobility . All other customers should park in marked areas of the Hillen Road parking lot.

Don't worry! We can help bring you and your plants back!

Contact Us

Email nursery [at] bluewaterbaltimore [DOT] org or call at (844) 756-8688.

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Blue Water Baltimore's Herring Run Nursery

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In addition to beautiful native plants, Blue Water Baltimore's Herring Run Nursery provides tens of thousands of dollars of unrestricted funding to the organization each year. If you are able, we hope you'll consider making a donation to allow us to keep nurturing our plants for sales in the future, in addition to supporting the rest of our vital work.

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Watermark Woods - Native Plants | Hamilton, VA

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Watermark Woods - Native Plants is a Native Plant garden center. We specialize in plants for the iedmont region.

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Arborday.org Tree Nursery. We offer affordable bare root Forest Pansy Redbud trees and many others trees shipped at the best time for planting where you live.

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cover crops

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Vick, Albert F. W.

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Sisyrinchium angustifolium Mill.

Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass, Narrow-leaf Blue-eyed-grass, Bermuda Blue-eyed Grass, Blue-eyed Grass

Synonym(s): Sisyrinchium bermudiana, Sisyrinchium graminoides

USDA Symbol: sian3

The numerous, narrow, light-green leaves of this perennial form dense, tufted clumps which steadily grow with new foliage during the season. The flattened, leaf-like flowering stems may be up to 18 in. long and bear light-blue, star-shaped flowers a few inches above the leaves. Height is 1-1 1/2 ft. Several delicate, blue or deep blue-violet flowers with yellow centers in 2 broad bracts top a flat stem, generally only 1 flower at a time in bloom; stems taller than the clusters of narrow, sword-shaped leaves near base.

Although the plant is small and has grass-like leaves, the flowers have all the features of the Iris family. The various species are all much alike and separation is based on such characteristics as branching pattern and leaf length. Common Blue-eyed Grass (S. montanum) is also a widespread species, with slightly wider leaves, over 1/4 (6 mm), and unbranched stalks.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist, poor to average soils
Conditions Comments: This short-lived perennial will decline if allowed to dry out. Heavy mulch causes crown rot and rich, organic soils encourage rank, vegetative growth. Plants need to be divided at least every other year.

Benefit

Use Medicinal: Amerindians used root tea for diarrhea (in children); plant tea for worms, stomachaches. Several species used as laxatives. (Foster & Duke)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Deer Resistant: No

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Propagate by seed or division. Several dozen divisions can be expected from a mature, healthy specimen.
Seed Collection: Collect seed capsule when they have darkened to brown and become wrinkled.
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native ground cover to replace grass in Florida.
February 04, 2008
Where can I find a list of ground covers to replace my grass. I live in the south of Ocala Florida.
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Herbarium Specimen(s)

Collected Apr 24, 1995 in Bexar County by Mike Fox

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Cressler, Alan

Iris cristata

Iris cristata Aiton

Dwarf Crested Iris

Synonym(s): Iris cristata var. alba, Neubeckia cristata

USDA Symbol: ircr

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

This is a small iris, its clusters of narrow, pointed leaves ranging in height from only 4-16 in. The sepals of the its blue-violet flowers are distinctly marked with a central yellow or white, purple striped band. Crested ridges called beards occur along the band. One (occasionally 2) violet-blue flower with 6 spreading, petal-like parts, atop a short slender stalk.

This is a low iris of southern and midwestern wooded uplands. Dwarf Iris (I. verna) has non-crested sepals, narrower leaves less than 1/2 (1.5 cm) wide, and occurs in peaty soil and pine barrens from New York south to Florida, west to Arkansas, and northeast to Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Colors range through various shades of blue through purple to white.

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Well-drained, rich, acid soils.
Conditions Comments: Soils which are too rich encourage rank vegetative growth in this species. Ordinary, dryish soil is preferable.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Popular for its large, blue to white, spring flowers on small-statured plants in Southeastern shade gardens.
Use Wildlife: Flowers attracts hummingbirds and bees.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Hummingbirds
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division , Seeds
Description: If seeds are collected, they should be planted immediately in acid soil. Seedlings will take two or three years to flower. Propagating by division is much more reliable than seeds. Divide in early fall when the leaves have begun to yellow.
Seed Collection: Collect the leathery capsule approximately 6-8 weeks after flowering when they have turned brown. Only a small percentage of flowers in a population will produce capsules. Storage greatly reduces viability.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Colonizes by rhizomes, so separate as desired.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance and Native Plant Nursery | Lauren's Garden Service

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Common Name: smooth aster

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Height: 2.50 to 3.00 feet

Spread: 2.00 to 2.50 feet

Bloom Time: September to October

Bloom Description: Violet blue rays with yellow center

Tolerate: Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil

(Information from Missouri Botanical Garden)

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'Bluebird' Smooth Aster - Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance and Native Plant Nursery | Lauren's Garden Service

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Latin Name: Aster laevis Common Name: smooth aster Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Asteraceae Zone: 4 to 8 Height: 2.50 to 3.00 feet Spread: 2.00 to 2.50 feet Bloom Time: September to October Bloom Description: Violet blue rays with yellow center Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Flower: Showy Attracts: Butterflies Tolerate: Drought, [...]

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Solidago rugosa

Solidago rugosa Mill.

Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod, Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod, Rough-leaved Goldenrod, Roughleaf Goldenrod, Rough-stemmed Goldenrod, Roughstem Goldenrod

USDA Symbol: soru2

Thin sprays of arching flowering stems occur at the top of sturdy, erect, 2-5 ft. stems. The numerous, narrow, toothed leaves are rough-surfaced.Tall, rough, hairy stem bears divergent, or arching, branches with small, light yellow flower heads concentrated on the upper side. The plant occurs in clumps.

This highly variable goldenrod can form large masses in fields that were once cultivated. Physicians in ancient times believed that goldenrod had healing powers; in recent times these plants have been popularly blamed for causing hay fever, but the irritating symptoms often attributed to it, are actually caused by ragweed ( Ambrosia spp.), which produces the afflicting pollen in abundance when goldenrod is in flower.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Most well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: This is a variable species and is divided into two subspecies, the typical one subdivided into three varieties.

Benefit

Use Medicinal: Physicians in ancient times believe that goldenrod had healing powers; in recent times these plants have been popularly blamed for causing hay fever, but its irritating symptoms are actually caused by ragweed, whose pollen is abundant where goldenrod is in flower. (Niering)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds

Propagation

Description: If seeds are sown fresh, plant outdoors. Germination is often poor so sow thickly. Stem tip cuttings can be taken in May or June. Division of the basal rosettes, usually in late winter, offers the easiest method of increase. Mature plants can yield 30
Seed Collection: In October, examine a tuft of nutlets. If they are off-white or gray, they need more time. Mature seeds are white. Most seeds are flat and not viable. Viable seeds are thicker. Seeds remain in the heads for several weeks past the first frost. Store dry in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Solidago odora

Solidago odora Aiton

Anisescented Goldenrod, Anise-scented Goldenrod, Sweet Goldenrod

USDA Symbol: SOOD

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A smooth, tall, fragrant plant bearing crowded, cylindrical clusters of yellow flower heads along one side of slightly arching branches, Anise-scented goldenrod is a 2-5 ft. perennial with a neat form and rich, anise scent. The yellow inflorescence is usually one-sided, with the base wider than the tip.

The crushed leaves of Sweet Goldenrod give off an anise scent that readily identifies this widespread species. A tea can be brewed from its leaves and dried flowers.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Soil Description: Average to poor, sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Solidago odora is easily kept in bounds.

Benefit

Use Other: The crushed leaves of sweet goldenrod give off a licorice scent that readily identifies this widespread species. A tea can be brewed from its leaves. (Niering)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds

Propagation

Description: Increase by division of mature clumps or by seed.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Research Literature

Reslit 186 - Goldenrod: Plants with multipurpose potential (2002) R. L. Burrows
Reslit 76 - Propagation protocol for production of Solidago odora seeds; USDA FS - National Seed Laboratory, Dry Branch, Georgia (2007) J. R. Barbour
Reslit 389 - Recognition and avoidance of the predator Phymata americana Melin on Solidago odora Ait. by late season floral visitors (1994) N. B. Elliott and L. M. Elliott
Reslit 280 - Seed germination strategies of species with restoration potential in a fire-maintained pine savanna (2006) K. L. Coffey and L. K. Kirkman
Reslit 917 - Effects of Fire on Plant Community Composition of North Florida Second Growth Pineland (1992) D. W. Mehlman
Reslit 925 - The life of a fire-adapted Florida goldenrod, Solidago odora var. chapmanii (2004) E. S. Menges and R. B. Root
Reslit 1415 - Sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora, Asteraceae): A medicine, tea, and state herb (1999) A. O. Tucker, M. J. Maciarello and K. Clancy
Reslit 1430 - Vegetation of frequently burned old-growth longleaf pine (Pinus palustris mill.) savannas on choccolocco mountain, Alabama, USA (2003) J. M. Varner, J. S. Kush and R. S. Meldahl

This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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cover crops
root divide crested iris

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Cressler, Alan

Silene virginica

Silene virginica L.

Fire Pink, Scarlet Catchfly

USDA Symbol: sivi4

Fire-pink is a weak-stemmed, 1-2 ft., short-lived perennial with long, narrow, opposite leaves and bright-red, tubular flowers. Five petals flare out from the flowers' tubular bases, and each petal is notched into two, sharp-pointed lobes. Bright red, long-stalked flowers bloom in loose clusters at tops of slender, weak, or reclining stems.

A common name for members of this genus is Catchfly, which refers to the sticky hairs or exudates which trap insects. Another species with bright red flowers is Royal Catchfly (S. regia), found in Midwestern prairies and dry woods; it has short-stalked flowers, with petals that are only slightly toothed or untoothed, and thicker leaves. Fringed Pink (S. polypetala) has pale pink flowers with conspicuously fringed petal ends. It is more heat tolerant than S. virginica.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Typically blooms mid-spring, but may continue to mid-summer.

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Soil Description: Well-drained, rocky, acid soils. Poor soils preferred.
Conditions Comments: Fire pink grows well on lightly disturbed ground. It does not do well in deep shade, needing dappled light.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Intense red flowers in dappled shade in eastern North America.
Use Wildlife: Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Seeds attract juncos, pine siskins, sparrows, water pipits, and horned larks.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies , Hummingbirds
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings
Description: Propagate by seed or cuttings. Seeds can be sown outdoors immediately after collection or stored, pretreated and sown later. Divide mature plants in late fall or early spring by removing outer rosettes.
Seed Collection: This plant declines quickly after flowering so it is best to flag the plant. Seeds mature 2-3 weeks after the bloom period. Vigorous plants may have flowers and dehisced capsules at the same time. Mature capsules should be swollen, pale green or tan, and split readily when pinched. Refrigerate in sealed containers.
Seed Treatment: 3-4 weeks of cold-moist stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Because it is a short-lived perennial, it is a good idea to start a few new plants each year.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native wildflowers for Northern Indiana
May 08, 2007
I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Saturday April 21. What a beautiful place. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I was wondering how I could find out w...
view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Cressler, Alan

Asclepias tuberosa

Asclepias tuberosa L.

Butterflyweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Orange Milkweed, Pleurisy Root, Chigger Flower

USDA Symbol: astu

This bushy, 1 1/2-2 ft. perennial is prized for its large, flat-topped clusters of bright-orange flowers. The leaves are mostly alternate, 1 1/2-2 1/4 inches long, pointed, and smooth on the edge. The yellow-orange to bright orange flower clusters, 2-5 inches across, are at the top of the flowering stem. The abundance of stiff, lance-shaped foliage provides a dark-green backdrop for the showy flower heads.

This showy plant is frequently grown from seed in home gardens. Its brilliant flowers attract butterflies. Because its tough root was chewed by the Indians as a cure for pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments, Butterfly Weed was given its other common name, Pleurisy Root. Although it is sometimes called Orange Milkweed, this species has no milky sap.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Shape: Lanceolate , Linear , Oblong
Fruit Type: Follicle
Size Notes: 1-2 ft (30-60 cm).
Leaf: Linear to oblong to lanceolate. Bottom of leaf is a lighter green then the top of the leaf. 2-4 in (5-10cm) long and 3/8 – ¾ in (1 -2 cm) wide.
Flower: Corolla, hoods, and horns are orange. Glabrous. Hoods are 3/16 -¼ in (5-6 mm) long, and horns just slightly smaller 1/8 in (3 mm). Horns protrude through the hoods. Corolla reflexes backward. The flowers are usually orange, rarely yellow or red. Populations west of the 100th meridian tend to be dominated by yellow colored flowers.
Fruit: Pod color is grayish green. Narrow, 4-8 in (10-20 cm) long by 1-2 ½ in (2 ½ – 6 cm) wide. Covered in short hairs.
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Prefers well-drained sandy soils. Tolerates drought.
Conditions Comments: Butterfly weed has an interesting and unusual flower structure. Plant it among other mid-sized perennials. Inevitably butterfly weed will get aphids; you can leave them for ladybugs to eat or spray the insects and foliage with soapy water. Aphids can also be removed by blasting the plant with a high pressure stream of water.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Butterfly weed makes a delightful cut flower. Strong color, Blooms ornamental, Showy, Long-living, Perennial garden.
Use Medicinal: Its tough root was chewed by First Nations People as a cure for pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments explaining its other common name, pleurisy root. (Niering) Fresh root chewed for bronchitis and other respiratory complaints. Tea of root for diarrhea.
Use Other: This showy plant is frequently grown from seed in home gardens.
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: Roots, plant sap from all parts. Not edible. Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Symptoms include vomiting, stupor, weakness, spasms. Toxic Principle: Resinoid, cardiac glycoside. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies , Hummingbirds
Larval Host: Grey Hairstreak, Monarch, Queens
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Cuttings , Seeds
Description: The easiest method of propagation is root cuttings. In the fall, cut the taproot into 2-inch sections and plant each section vertically, keeping the area moist.
Seed Collection: Watch plants closely for seedpods in late summer/early fall. Allow seeds to completely mature before collecting seed to establish new plants in another location. A long pod is produced containing hundreds of seeds with tufts of long, silky hairs (an adaptation for wind dispersal).
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Needs to be transplanted carefully and requires good drainage. It takes 2 – 3 years before A. tuberosa produces its vibrant flowers, which appear in 2 – 3 inch clusters of orangish-red. Once established, it lasts for years, becoming thicker each year.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, The - Valhalla, NY
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
United States Botanic Garden - Washington, DC
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA
Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, PA
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 610 - Edible wild plants of the prairie : an ethnobotanical guide (1987) Kindscher, K.
Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 765 - McMillen's Texas Gardening: Wildflowers (1998) Howard, D.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 281 - Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1985 VOL. 2, NO.2 - Guide to Black-Eyed Susan, Parkways, Wildflowers for the East, Arboretum Mall to...
Wildflower Newsletter 1986 VOL. 3, NO.3 - Fall Planting Tips, Growth Provides Enthusiasm, 1985 Financial Facts, Gathering ...
Wildflower Newsletter 1987 VOL. 4, NO.4 - Wildflower Center Sows Seeds for the Country, Hotline for Texas, New Goals Plans...
Wildflower Newsletter 1996 VOL. 13, NO.3 - Hummingbird Gardening, Blooms Beget Butterflies, Butterflies and Hummingbirds Fo...

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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friend of the monarch butterflies that are going extinct! plant these by the boatload

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Brundage, Stephanie

Asclepias incarnata

Asclepias incarnata L.

Swamp Milkweed, Pink Milkweed

USDA Symbol: asin

The large, bright, terminal blossoms of this showy, 2-4 ft. perennial are made up of small, rose-purple flowers. Deep pink flowers clustered at the top of a tall, branching stem, bearing numerous narrow, lanceolate leaves. Opposite, narrow, lance-shaped leaves line the erect, open-branched stem. Elongated, tan-brown seed pods persist into winter.

The juice of this wetland milkweed is less milky than that of other species. The genus was named in honor of Aesculapius, Greek god of medicine, undoubtedly because some species have long been used to treat a variety of ailments. The Latin species name means flesh-colored.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Lanceolate
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Margin: Entire
Leaf Apex: Acute
Leaf Base: Rounded
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Follicle
Size Notes: 2-5 ft (60-152 cm).
Leaf: Leaves: Long and narrow and taper off to a point, 2 3/4 – 6 in (7-15 ¼ cm) long and 1/2 – 1 in (1- 2 ½ cm) wide. Glabrous. Leaf texture is coarse, color is green, and plant stands erect. The leaves on plants exposed to full sun are often purplish toward the end of the growing season. Leaf arrangement is opposite and attachment is petiolate.
Flower: Color is generally light pink to light purple but seeds of a reddish form known as pulchra are sold for gardens. Similarly, white variants are found in the wild and are sold by nurseries. 20+/- flowers per umbel.
Fruit: Pods erect, long 4 in (10 cm) and narrow like the leaves. The pods are often in pairs. Seed Color is brown, 5/16 in (8 mm) long.
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Rich, wet, very muddy to average garden moisture. One of the few ornamentals that thrives in mucky clay soils. Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil but will tolerate heavy clay.
Conditions Comments: With its showy flower clusters that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, swamp milkweed is underutilized in gardens. In moist soils or in a pond, it will thrive. The interesting seed pods look like other milkweeds. Swamp milkweed will inevitably have aphids. The insects are not a problem unless the plant looks sick; at that point an effective treatment is to spray the plant and aphids with soapy water. Another possible treatment is to support the plant part with your hand and blast it with high-pressure water. Good for wetland gardens and habitat.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Herbaceous perennial forming stately clump of upright stems with long narrow leaves and heads of fragrant soft mauve pink flowers, composed of many small intricate flowers.
Use Wildlife: Milkweeds are an important food source for the monarch caterpillar.
Use Food: Although milkweeds are poisonous raw, the young shoots, leaves and seed pods are all edible cooked. When placed in cold water, brought to a boil and simmered till tender, milkweeds are said to be delicately flavoured and harmless. (Poisonous Plants of N.C. State) The flower buds, nectar-sweet flowers and seeds are also edible. (Kershaw)
Use Medicinal: In the past, the roots of swamp milkweed were simmered to make a tea taken in small quantities both as a general purge and to destroy and expel parasitic worms.
Warning: All parts. Toxic only in large quantities. Syptoms include, vomiting, stupor, weakness, spasms. Toxic Principle: Cardiac glycosides and resinoids.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Butterflies , Hummingbirds
Larval Host: Monarch and Queen butterflies.
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: High
Poisonous: yes

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Easy to start from seed. Established plants may be divided in spring.
Seed Collection: Watch plants closely and collect seed in October, November.
Seed Treatment: Heat helps germination.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native flowers for Door County, Wisconsin
September 02, 2009
We recently were required to put in a new septic system on our vacation property in Door County, WI. This left us with a clearing on our wooded lot where the septic field is now located. The installer...
view the full question and answer

Attracting butterflies in Tennessee
July 03, 2009
What flowers and plants do the caterpillars in Tennessee eat? And do you know what butterflies live in Tipton Co. Tennessee?
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Page, Lee

Rudbeckia hirta

Rudbeckia hirta L.

Black-eyed Susan, Common Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan

USDA Symbol: ruhi2

Depending on growing conditions, this species may act as an annual, biennial or as a short-lived perennial. Bright-yellow, 2-3 in. wide, daisy-like flowers with dark centers are its claim-to-fame. They occur singly atop 1-2+ ft. stems. The stems and scattered, oval leaves are covered with bristly hairs. Coarse, rough-stemmed plant with daisy-like flower heads made up of showy golden-yellow ray flowers, with disc flowers forming a brown central cone.

Stems, leaves and phyllaries are covered with hairs that give it a slightly rough texture. The similar Green-headed Coneflower (R. laciniata) has yellow ray flowers pointing downward, a greenish-yellow disc, and irregularly divided leaves.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual , Perennial , Biennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov
Bloom Notes: Uniformly yellow to yellow-orange or with a basal maroon splotch.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NS , ON , QC , SK
Native Distribution: W. MA to Man. & WY, s. to FL & NM; widely naturalized elsewhere
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Woodlands' edge, Opening

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist to dry, well-drained soils. Juglones tolerant
Conditions Comments: The cheerful blossoms of the Black-eyed Susans liven up bouquets. This annuals may bloom longer with some afternoon shade. Birds enjoy the ripe seeds. Black-eyed Susan can become aggressive if given too perfect an environment and not enough competition.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Color, Showy, Blooms ornamental, Wildflower meadow, Pocket prairie
Use Wildlife: Nectar-Bees, Nectar-Butterflies, Nectar-insects, Seeds-Granivorous birds
Use Medicinal: Amerindians used root tea for worms, colds; external wash for sores, snakebites, swelling; root juice for earaches. (Foster & Duke)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Gorgone Checkerspot, Bordered Patch butterfly
Deer Resistant: High

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Propagates very easily from seed sown in fall or spring. Spring-sown seed should be stratified. Rake seed into a loose topsoil or cover with Â¼ to Â½ inch of soil or mulch. If possible, supplement with water if fall or spring rains are infrequent and light. The seed requires several days of moisture and should germinate in one to two weeks.
Seed Collection: The nutlets turn charcoal-gray at maturity, usually 3-4 weeks after the bloom period. Seeds are mature at this time, but they are easier to collect after cones lose their tight compact stucture. Store dry in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: Stratify for 3 months at 40 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Black-eyed Susans are drought tolerant but respond well to an occasional watering. Additional irrigation in a dry year will improve the density of the stand and lengthen the flowering season. Do not mow until after the plants have formed mature seed cones, about three to four weeks after flowering. (Check by breaking a cone open and if the seeds are dark, they are mature.) The number of volunteer plants can be limited by removing the seed heads after the flowers are done.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native plants for shady small spaces in Houston, TX
June 18, 2006
What are the best plants and flowers to plant in small spaces in an urban area in Houston, Texas? I have several flower beds that are 3 foot wide and 10-12 foot long that get half day sun. The area...
view the full question and answer

Native, non-invasive plant seeds for each region in U.S.
June 09, 2006
I need to identify a wildflower from each region that we can package in custom packaging to use as giveaways at our member zoos and aquariums. Our project this year is called Conservation Made Simple...
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, The - Valhalla, NY
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
United States Botanic Garden - Washington, DC
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Fredericksburg Chapter - Fredericksburg, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

Collected May 19, 1990 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps
Collected Jun 26, 1988 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
Collected Jun 1, 1993 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
Collected April 25, 1990 in Bexar County by Judith C. Berry

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-8 Collected 2006-05-24 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Bibliography

Bibref 417 - Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (2000) Foster, S. & J. A. Duke
Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1985 VOL. 2, NO.1 - A Glorious Spring, Lupines in Landscapes, Director's Report, Notable Quote, Wild...
Wildflower Newsletter 1985 VOL. 2, NO.2 - Guide to Black-Eyed Susan, Parkways, Wildflowers for the East, Arboretum Mall to...
Wildflower Newsletter 1987 VOL. 4, NO.3 - Fall Planting Highlights the Season, Jubilee Celebration Commences December 1987...
Wildflower Newsletter 1987 VOL. 4, NO.4 - Wildflower Center Sows Seeds for the Country, Hotline for Texas, New Goals Plans...
Wildflower Newsletter 1990 VOL. 7, NO.5 - Naturalistic Landscaping Takes Careful Planning, Director\'s Report, Breaking th...
Wildflower Newsletter 1994 VOL. 11, NO.6 - Wildflower Center Featured Non-Profit in Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, Dana Leav...
Wildflower Newsletter 1995 VOL. 12, NO.2 - Wildflower Center Opens April 8th through 9th, Grand Opening Schedule of Events,...

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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shade lover! can be blue, lavender, or white

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Cressler, Alan

Phlox divaricata

Phlox divaricata L.

Wild Blue Phlox, Louisiana Phlox, Blue Woodland Phlox, Sweet William, Wild Sweet William

USDA Symbol: phdi5

The decumbent stem of wild blue phlox roots at the nodes sending up erect branches 8-18 in. Loose, flat clusters of fragrant, lavender or pink flowers with notched petals occur at the top of these stems. The leaves on decumbent stems are broader than those on flowering stems. A loose cluster of slightly fragrant, light blue flowers tops a somewhat sticky stem that produces leafy, creeping shoots at the base.

This beautiful species is most common in midwestern woods and fields. It is sometimes known as Wild Sweet William, a name also given to P. maculata. The mature plants in the eastern part of the range have notched petals; those in the western do not. The basal runners of the lovely Creeping Phlox (P. stolonifera) form large patches; it has fewer stem leaves and fewer flowers in its clusters; it occurs from Pennsylvania and Ohio south to northern Georgia.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Normally blue, lavender, or white.

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Alkaline (pH>7.2) , Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Rich, moist, acid soils, but also found in calcareous areas. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Showy, attractive, colorful blooms for the perennial garden.
Use Wildlife: Flowers attract butterflies, including swallowtails, gray hairstreaks, and western pygmy blues. Roots consumed by rabbits and voles.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division , Seeds
Description: Propagate by root division, seed, layering, or softwood cuttings (rooted stem) taken in late spring.
Seed Collection: Mature in late spring.
Seed Treatment: Cold-moist stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Remove spent inflorescences to encourage more flowering. Prevent complete soil dryness. Add compost to enrich the soil as needed.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Ground cover for trails in Northeast Texas
January 09, 2008
I have several acres of wooded land in Northeast Texas, Southern Lamar County. Both sandy and black land. I have created trails through the woods and would like to plant a native ground cover or gras...
view the full question and answer

Michigan native plants for shady, low traffic area
May 10, 2006
Hello, I am looking for a recommendation for a Michigan native groundcover. I live adjacent to the Rouge River watershed and want to buy the right thing. The location is shady, infrequently walked ...
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Makin, Julie

Aquilegia canadensis

Aquilegia canadensis L.

Eastern Red Columbine, Wild Red Columbine

Synonym(s): Aquilegia australis, Aquilegia canadensis var. australis, Aquilegia canadensis var. coccinea, Aquilegia canadensis var. eminens, Aquilegia canadensis var. hybrida, Aquilegia canadensis var. latiuscula, Aquilegia coccinea, Aquilegia latiuscula, Aquilegia phoenicantha

USDA Symbol: aqca

This is an erect, branching perennial, up to 2 ft. tall, well-known for its showy flowers. A nodding, red and yellow flower with upward spurred petals alternating with spreading, colored sepals and numerous yellow stamens hanging below the petals. The compound leaves, divided into round-lobed threes, are attractive in their own right.

This beautiful woodland wildflower has showy, drooping, bell-like flowers equipped with distinctly backward-pointing tubes, similar to the garden Columbines. These tubes, or spurs, contain nectar that attracts long-tongued insects and hummingbirds especially adapted for reaching the sweet secretion. It is reported that Native Americans rubbed the crushed seeds on the hands of men as a love charm. European Columbine ( A. vulgaris), with blue, violet, pink, or white short-spurred flowers, was introduced from Europe and has now become well established in many parts of the East. Aquilegia canadensis readily hybridizes with the popular Southwestern yellow columbines (A. chrysantha, etc.), yielding some striking yellow-and-red color combinations in the flowers. This genus has been referred to as the flower for the masses. Once started, Columbine propagates for years and, although perennial, increases rapidly by self seeding. (Andy Fyon)

The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin aquila which means eagle and refers to the spurred petals that many believe resemble an eagles talons.

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Pink , Yellow
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Alkaline (pH>7.2) , Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Drought Tolerance: High
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy, well-drained soils. Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, Sandy, Limestone-based. Not too rich.
Conditions Comments: Red columbine likes moisture but must be in well drained soil. Rich garden soil encourages rank vegetative growth and weak stems and shortens the plants lifespan, while plants in thin, sandy soils maintain a tight, compact habit and can live for many years. It is evergreen unless the temperature exceeds 110 degrees F or -10 degrees F, which will cause the leaves to go dormant until the temperature returns to a more tolerable level. Do not plant in continuous full sun, as growth will be stunted and leaves may burn.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Valued as a shade-loving perennial with attractive foliage and eye-catching blooms. Also does well as a saucerless pot plant.
Use Wildlife: Blooms attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and hawk moths. Seeds consumed by finches and buntings.
Use Other: Native American men reputedly rubbed crushed seeds on themselves to attract amorous attention.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies , Hummingbirds
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: Moderate

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Most easily propagated by seed because mature rootstocks are difficult to divide and transplant. Seeds may be sown immediately after collection or stored and given a cold-moist treatment. Sow seed in fall as soon as temperature drops and in spring before the worst heat. Will germinate in summer, but not as well and plants struggle more. Sow by just scattering on the surface and lightly tamping. Seedlings will flower the second year following germination.
Seed Collection: Flowers go to seed approximately 2 weeks after emerging.
Seed Treatment: Cold-moist stratify for 3-4 weeks at 40 degrees or below.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Be careful of overwatering in summer - the crowns can rot. Cut back old seed heads and stems in summer to keep tidy looking. To maintain pure strains of any Aquilegia species and prevent hybridizing (which A. canadensis will readily do), keep different species widely separated - not a surefire protection, but reduces the likelihood.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

National Wetland Indicator Status

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski
Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 765 - McMillen's Texas Gardening: Wildflowers (1998) Howard, D.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 281 - Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Research Literature

Reslit 532 - Experimental analysis of biparental inbreeding in a self-fertilizing plant (2003) C. A. M. Griffin and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 442 - Attractiveness of Michigan native plants to arthropod natural enemies and herbivores (2007) A. K. Fiedler and D. A. Landis
Reslit 380 - Floral morphology mediates temporal variation in the mating system of a self-compatible plant (2009) C. G. Eckert, B. Ozimec, C. R. Herlihy, C. A. Grif...
Reslit 557 - Exotic earthworm effects on hardwood forest floor, nutrient availability and native plants: a mesocosm study (2008) C. M. Hale, L. E. Frelich, P. B. Reich and J. Past...
Reslit 602 - Genetic cost of reproductive assurance in a self-fertilizing plant (2002) C. R. Herlihy and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 603 - Experimental dissection of inbreeding and its adaptive significance in a flowering plant, Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae) (2004) C. R. Herlihy and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 605 - Evolutionary analysis of a key floral trait in Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae): Genetic variation in herkogamy and its effect on the mating system (2007) C. R. Herlihy and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 754 - Sequential decline in allocation among flowers within inflorescences: Proximate mechanisms and adaptive significance (2004) A. Kliber and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 900 - Effects of population size and isolation on reproductive output in Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae) (2001) K. Mavraganis and C. G. Eckert
Reslit 1180 - Effect of population size on the mating system in a self-compatible, autogamous plant, Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae) (1999) M. B. Routley, K. Mavraganis and C. G. Eckert

This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin

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Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife.

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The plants listed here are all tolerant of the drier and somewhat more acid environment under conifers (pine, spruce, fir, etc.). The number one reason that plants struggle when planted under pines is the lack of water. Evergreens have deep roots which can take up a great deal of water. New plantings under pine trees benefit from extra watering in their first year.
Planting Tips:
Keep in mind the mature heights of plants as well as their mature width. The height of the tree and the height of its lowest branches will influence how tall the under-planting should be.

In an effort to disturb tree roots as little as possible, plant small-size container plants (2-1/2″ to 4″ pots), even if they will grow to a much bigger mature size.

It is a good idea to mulch your transplants, especially when newly planted. The new small plants are sharing the available moisture with a large tree. Mulch will help to retain valuable water. In a woodland environment plants benefit from the cover of leaves and pine needles.
Flowering Herbacious Plants Ferns Sedges
Bearberry, growing under pines and among the juniper
along the Lake Michigan shoreline:

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The plants listed here are all tolerant of the drier and somewhat more acid environment under conifers (pine, spruce, fir, etc.). The number one reason that plants struggle when planted under pines is the lack of water. Evergreens have deep roots which can take up a great deal of water.

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story! Why the evergreens keep their leaves

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story! Why the evergreens keep their leaves

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The embedded audio player requires a modern internet browser. You should visit Browse Happy and update your internet browser today!

One day, a long, long time ago, it was very cold; winter was coming. And all the birds flew away to the warm south, to wait for the spring. But one little bird had a broken wing and could not fly. He did not know what to do. He looked all round, to see if there was any place where he could keep warm. And he saw the trees of the great forest.

"Perhaps the trees will keep me warm through the winter," he said.

So he went to the edge of the forest, hopping and fluttering with his broken wing. The first tree he came to was a slim silver birch.

"Beautiful birch-tree," he said, "will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?"

"Dear me!" said the birch-tree, "what a thing to ask! I have to take care of my own leaves through the winter; that is enough for me. Go away."

The little bird hopped and fluttered with his broken wing until he came to the next tree. It was a great, big oak-tree.

"O big oak-tree," said the little bird, "will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?"

"Dear me," said the oak-tree, "what a thing to ask! If you stay in my branches all winter you will be eating my acorns. Go away."

So the little bird hopped and fluttered with his broken wing till he came to the willow-tree by the edge of the brook.

"O beautiful willow-tree," said the little bird, "will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?"

"No, indeed," said the willow-tree; "I never speak to strangers. Go away."

The poor little bird did not know where to go; but he hopped and fluttered along with his broken wing. Presently the spruce-tree saw him, and said, "Where are you going, little bird?"

"I do not know," said the bird; "the trees will not let me live with them, and my wing is broken so that I cannot fly."

"You may live on one of my branches," said the spruce; "here is the warmest one of all."

"But may I stay all winter?"

"Yes," said the spruce; "I shall like to have you."

The pine-tree stood beside the spruce, and when he saw the little bird hopping and fluttering with his broken wing, he said, "My branches are not very warm, but I can keep the wind off because I am big and strong."

So the little bird fluttered up into the warm branch of the spruce, and the pine-tree kept the wind off his house; then the juniper-tree saw what was going on, and said that she would give the little bird his dinner all the winter, from her branches. Juniper berries are very good for little birds.

The little bird was very comfortable in his warm nest sheltered from the wind, with juniper berries to eat.

The trees at the edge of the forest remarked upon it to each other:

"I wouldn't take care of a strange bird," said the birch.

"I wouldn't risk my acorns," said the oak.

"I would not speak to strangers," said the willow. And the three trees stood up very tall and proud.

That night the North Wind came to the woods to play. He puffed at the leaves with his icy breath, and every leaf he touched fell to the ground. He wanted to touch every leaf in the forest, for he loved to see the trees bare.

"May I touch every leaf?" he said to his father, the Frost King.

"No," said the Frost King, "the trees which were kind to the bird with the broken wing may keep their leaves."

So North Wind had to leave them alone, and the spruce, the pine, and the juniper-tree kept their leaves through all the winter. And they have done so ever since.

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The embedded audio player requires a modern internet browser. You should visit Browse Happy and update your internet browser today! One day, a long, long time ago, it was very cold; winter was coming. And all the birds flew away to the warm south, to wait for the spring.

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Replacing grass with even a few plants native to your region can save insects and the ecosystems that depend on them.

For years, Toni Genberg assumed a healthy garden was a healthy habitat. That's how she approached the landscaping around her home in northern Virginia. On trips to the local gardening center, she would privilege aesthetics, buying whatever looked pretty, "which was typically ornamental or invasive plants," she says. Then, in 2014, Genberg attended a talk by Doug Tallamy, a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware. "I learned I was actually starving our wildlife," she says.

The problem, Tallamy explained, is with the picky diets of plant-eating insects. Most of these bugs-roughly 90%-eat and reproduce on only certain native plant species, specifically those with whom they share an evolutionary history. Without these carefully tuned adaptations of specific plants, insect populations suffer. And because bugs themselves are a key food source for birds, rodents, amphibians, and other critters, that dependence on natives-and the consequences of not having them-works its way up the food chain. Over time, landscapes that consist mainly of invasive or nonnative plants could become dead zones.

Top, Toni Genberg. Bottom, an enormous bumble bee (Bombus sp.) visits a wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) in Genberg's Virginia backyard. Photos by Toni Genberg.

Croplands can be just as destructive, making up nearly 20% of all land in the United States. And that doesn't even include the single largest irrigated crop in the country. Covering more than 40 million acres in the U.S., grass lawn consumes an area roughly the size of New England-land that, for the sake of habitat conservation, might as well be pavement.

Considering how little habitat and food these monocultures provide, and the incredible amount of resources they require, is there any wonder why the global insect populations are plummeting?

But there are solutions. One, at least in theory, is quite simple: Plant more native species. It's a calling that has spoken to a growing number of park managers, home gardeners, and landscapers-many of whom trace a direct line of inspiration to Tallamy. His research has helped overturn decades of harmful horticultural practice, forcing us to rethink how we tend to both public and private spaces.

Savanna Syndrome

In lieu of monocrops, landscapes with a larger, more diverse biomass of native species help support pollinators, sequester carbon, capture runoff, and rebuild habitats. One recent study found habitats with two or three native tree species are on average 25% to 30% more productive than monocultures, meaning they contribute that much more food and energy to an ecosystem. Habitats with five native tree species were 50% more productive. Wildlife is drawn to lands teeming with native plants.

Doug Tallamy, a professor of entomology, works to promote the planting of native plants in place of turfgrass. Photo by Cindy Tallamy.

For individuals who'd like to live a more sustainable lifestyle, the simple message of planting more native species is both productive and rewarding-a refreshing contrast to consumerist exhortations that blame the collective problem of environmental collapse on individual shopping choices. Like anything else, real change has to happen at the macro level, especially when it comes to turfgrass-a crop with deep cultural, even evolutionary roots.

Sociobiologists refer to the preference humans have for vast swaths of low-cut grass as "Savanna Syndrome." Open grasslands allowed our primitive ancestors to keep an eye out for predators. So even today, on a deep level, we feel safer when we can see to the horizon.

Lawn is the default landscape, but it doesn't have to be.

Until the Industrial Age, the demands of agriculture kept lawns at bay. They were seen mostly as status symbols that said a person had enough money to brush off the territorial demands of farmland. The invention of the lawnmower democratized the lawn, and further embedded its pathological hold on our psyches.

But lawns require huge quantities of water and often chemical treatments to maintain them-not to mention the emissions produced by two-cycle lawnmowers. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, running a lawnmower for one hour emits as much air pollution as driving a typical car 100 miles. This resource allocation becomes more and more difficult to justify as climate change continues to dry up once-productive habitats. As a monocrop, lawns displace landscapes that could benefit people, plants, animals, and insects. It's time for us to reconsider lawns on a grand scale, several researchers have concluded.

Considering how entrenched lawns are in the American imagination, to uproot them will require some give-and-take. Advocates say we need a culture shift as well as policies that support it.

"As climate change and droughts worsen, we might get to a point where there's political support to outlaw lawns," says Sarah B. Schindler, a professor of law at the University of Maine, who has written several papers about the legal authority of municipalities to ban lawns. "I do think we're seeing a change in norms, and I think part of that is tied to rising awareness of climate catastrophe."

Many native species flock to Genberg's property, including American goldfinches that dine on the seeds of orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida). Photo by Toni Genberg.

Part of that work is simply raising awareness. Many people don't think about the possibility of their yards as anything but turfgrass. As Tallamy puts it, lawn is the default landscape, but it doesn't have to be. "People don't realize there's an alternative."

Choosing Native Plants

Some communities are beginning to impose alternatives. In California, Colorado, and Arizona, where water shortages are a growing crisis, cities offer rebates for each square foot of lawn replaced with native or water-saving landscapes-a process known as "xeriscaping." In wetter climes, Washington, D.C., and cities in Nebraska, Washington state, Iowa, and Minnesota have implemented rebate programs for the planting of rain gardens, which capture and infiltrate more runoff than grass. The city of Alexandria, Virginia, recently changed its municipal mowing to allow for the growth of meadows and glades in city parks.

Throughout the country, local groups are advocating for the planting of natives on roadsides, medians, campuses, and parks. Some, like Food Not Lawns, encourage homeowners and neighborhoods to replace lawns with edible plants to establish food sovereignty and food security within their communities. Others take a more clandestine approach by planting "guerrilla gardens" or tossing "seed bombs" into abandoned lots and properties where they don't have the legal right to garden.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are often seen visiting the cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) on Genberg's property. Photo by Toni Genberg.

"One thing that we've learned with our research is that there is room for compromise," Tallamy says. Native planting doesn't have to be all or none to make a difference. He gave the example of chickadee reproduction: If you have at least 70% native plant biomass in a given habitat, you can have sustainable chickadee reproduction. "That gives you 30% to plant perennials and exotics and other ornamental plants."

Tallamy's research into the relationship between native plants and insects has inspired gardeners to do more than just turn their yards into native oases. Many are now creating resources to empower others to do the same.

The National Wildlife Federation created a native plant finder web tool, which allows users to plug in a ZIP code to find trees, shrubs, and plants native to their region. Following her horticultural revelation, Toni Genberg created ChooseNatives.org, a resource to help users find, purchase, and learn about native plants. Since switching to natives, Genberg herself has seen all sorts of wildlife return to a property that, before, was only a suburban simulacrum.

Matt Bright is the conservation manager for the nonprofit charity Earth Sangha which aims to propagate and restore local native plant communities in the D.C. area. "We've set records for total plants distributed from our wild plant nursery for four years running," he says. "And overall, the trend has been towards more demand from all corners, whether that's from park managers and ecologists, homeowners, or landscaping companies."

Biodiversity Among Buildings

But shifting away from lawns is complicated by the fact that municipalities have long adopted rules called "weed ordinances," which require short ground cover for purely aesthetic reasons. This effectively mandates the planting and maintaining of lawns, as do many local zoning laws and HOA bylaws. And these rules aren't always taken lightly. In Michigan a few years ago, a woman faced jail time for growing a vegetable garden in her front yard instead of lawn.

A long-horned bee visits an orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) in Genberg's backyard. Photo by Toni Genberg.

People don't want to be told that they can't have their lawns, but they also don't want to be told that they have to have a lawn.

The elephant in the room, of course, is property rights. Limits and requirements can inspire backlash. As Genberg points out, "Americans don't want to be told what to do, especially when it comes to their properties."

That's why Tallamy has focused on talking to the public instead of advancing top-down regulation. Laws, especially bans, need public support to pass. To even think about regulating lawns you first need to change the culture around them. As people like Toni Genberg and Matt Bright show, Tallamy's message is resonating.

"What you do on your property affects everybody," Tallamy says. Nonnative or ornamental plants may not look like pollutants, but from an ecological standpoint, they are. Tallamy's research bears this out: A new paper from his team shows just how effective nonnative plants are at destroying local habitats.

"We compared caterpillar communities in hedgerows that were invaded with non-natives versus hedgerows that were mostly native," he explains. "There's a 96% reduction in caterpillar biomass when they're nonnative, so if you're a bird and you're trying to rear your young, you just lost 96% of your food."

A bluebird taking off with its meal. Photo by Doug Tallamy.

But there's a flip side, he says. If you take the invasive species out and put the native plants in, you've just created 96% more food.

And this isn't some gardening trend reserved for America's suburbs and conservation lands. In Manhattan, the most densely populated urban center in the country, officials converted an abandoned railway line into a public park called the High Line, with a policy of planting at least 50% native species.

"There are monarch butterflies there, there are all kinds of native bees, which really surprised me," Tallamy says. "If you can do that in Manhattan, you can do it anywhere."

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How to Turn Your Yard Into an Ecological Oasis

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Replacing grass with even a few plants native to your region can save insects and the ecosystems that depend on them. For years, Toni Genberg assumed a healthy garden was a healthy habitat. That's how she approached the landscaping around her home in northern Virginia.

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Soul Fire Farm

A relaxing tea to promote sleep, containing lemon balm, valerian, chamomile, and blue vervain.*

The herbs are grown at Soul Fire Farm following Certified Naturally Grown standards and Afro-Indigenous heritage practices.

Instructions for use: Combine 1-2 teaspoon of loose herbal tea with 8 ounces of hot water. Steep for 5 minutes. Strain the herbs and enjoy.

Each bag contains 1 cup of herbs weighing approximately 1.5 ounces. This will yield 20+ servings per container.

Purchases from this store support the food justice work of Soul Fire Farm. Thank you for helping us free the people and the land!

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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A relaxing tea to promote sleep, containing lemon balm, valerian, chamomile, and blue vervain.* The herbs are grown at Soul Fire Farm following Certified Naturally Grown standards and Afro-Indigenous heritage practices. Instructions for use: Combine 1-2 teaspoon of loose herbal tea with 8 ounces of hot water. Steep fo

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Mullein & Cheyaka (Wild Peppermint) Tea bags. 2.00 each, prepared by our family. Good for lung and breathing help. All proceeds from the sale of these tea bags go toward our family's continuation of COVID community, home and individual support. We will continue to support as long as we are able. We believe in our Lakota and Dakota values of generosity, reciprocity and WOPILA. Items like packaging supplies, containers like jars, tins etc. and immunity boosting good medicine food, herbs and medicine plants are all examples of what these proceeds will go towards so that we can continue to support our loved ones. Ounkichiyapi. We help each other.

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Mullein & Cheyaka Wahpekhalyapi | Haipažaža Pȟežuta

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Mullein & Cheyaka (Wild Peppermint) Tea bags. 2.00 each, prepared by our family. Good for lung and breathing help. All proceeds from the sale of these tea bags go toward our family's continuation of COVID community, home and individual support. We will continue to support as long as we are able.

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Ernst Conservation Seeds offers hundreds of pre-formulated (stock) seed mixes. Following is a comprehensive list, provided numerically by item number. To make it easier to find the best mix for your needs, we recommend using our convenient Seed Finder Tool.

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Browse Seed Mixes | Ernst Conservation Seeds

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Ernst Conservation Seeds offers hundreds of pre-formulated (stock) seed mixes. Following is a comprehensive list, provided numerically by item number. To make it easier to find the best mix for your needs, we recommend using our convenient Seed Finder Tool.

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Description

Paw-paw is an all-around unique native plant, being the northernmost member of a mainly tropical family of trees. This understory tree naturally occurs in wooded slopes and ravines, but can flourish in your yard if planted in the right spot. Trees often spread by suckers creating a Paw Paw thicket. Paw paw is unusual in that its small maroon colored flowers are actually pollinated by flies, rather than traditional pollinators. For best fruit production, plant multiple trees to ensure lots of cross-pollination. Paw-paw's leaves contain a bitter natural insecticide, leaving it untouched by browsing animals like rabbit or deer. Its seeds are spread by a variety of different animals, such as red foxes, squirrels, and even box turtles.

Paw-paw has the largest edible fruit indigenous to the United States. Its flavor falls somewhere between banana and mango, and can be used in a multitude of ways. Some towns even have a "paw-paw festival", where people can celebrate this unique fruit by showing off their latest recipes - such as paw-paw ice cream or paw-paw beer.

Paw-paw is the exclusive host to both the exotic Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly, as well as the Pawpaw Sphinx Moth (both pictured above), making it an important part of the ecosystem.

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Paw-paw | Direct Native Plants - MD, DE, PA, VA

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Paw-paw is an all-around unique native plant, being the northernmost member of a mainly tropical family of trees. This understory tree naturally occurs in wooded slopes and ravines, but can flourish in your yard if planted in the right spot. Trees often spread by suckers creating a Paw Paw thicket.

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Truelove Seeds is a farm-based seed company offering culturally important and open pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Our seeds are grown by more than 20 small-scale urban and rural farmers committed to community food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and sustainable agriculture. We share our profits directly with our growers: 50% of each packet sale goes back to the farmer who grew it! Meet the Farmers!

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Truelove Seeds - Vegetable, Herb, and Flower Seeds

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Truelove Seeds is a farm-based seed company offering culturally important and open pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Our seeds are grown by more than 20 small-scale urban and rural farmers committed to community food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and sustainable agriculture.

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With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about them?

First of all, tree ferns are ferns, but they are not really trees. To be a tree, a plant must be woody (undergo secondary plant growth, which thickens stems and roots) and grow to a height of at least three metres when mature. While tree ferns can have single, thick trunk-like stems and can grow to a height of more than 15 metres, they are never woody.

They're also incredibly hardy - tree ferns are often the first plants to show signs of recovery in the early weeks after bushfires.

The unfurling of an almost iridescent green tree fern fiddlehead amid the sombre black of the bushfire ash is almost symbolic of the potential for bushfire recovery.

Greg Moore, Author provided

Ancient family ties

Tree ferns are generally slow growing, at rates of just 25-50 millimetres height increase per year. This means the tall individuals you might spot in a mature forest may be several centuries old.

However, in the right environment they can grow faster, so guessing their real age can be tricky, especially if they're growing outside their usual forest environment.

Read more: The coastal banksia has its roots in ancient Gondwana

As a plant group, tree ferns are ancient, dating back hundreds of millions of years and pre-dating dinosaurs.

They existed on earth long before the flowering or cone-bearing plants evolved, and were a significant element of the earth's flora during the Carboniferous period 300-360 million years ago, when conditions for plant growth were near ideal. This explains why ferns don't reproduce by flowers, fruits or cones, but by more primitive spores.

JJ Harrison/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

In fact, fossilised tree ferns and their relatives called the fern allies laid down during the carboniferous then have provided much of the earth's fossil fuels dating from that period. And tree ferns were a great food source, with Indigenous people once eating the pulp that occurs in the centre of the tree fern stem either raw or roasted as a starch.

Until recent times, ferns were quiet achievers among plant groups with an expanding number of species and greater numbers. Today, human activities are limiting their success by the clearing of forests and agricultural practices. Climate change is also a more recent threat to many fern species.

Species you've probably seen

Two of the more common tree fern species of south eastern Australia are Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica. Both species have a wide distribution, extending from Queensland down the Australian coast and into Tasmania.

They're often found growing near each other along rivers and creeks. They look superficially alike and many people would be unaware that they are entirely different species at first glance. That is, until you look closely at the detail of their fronds and run your fingers down the stalks.

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C. australis has a rough almost prickly frond, hence its common name of rough tree fern, and can grow to be 25 metres tall. While D. antarctica, as the soft tree fern, has a smooth and sometimes furry frond and rarely grows above 15 metres.

Both contribute to the lush green appearance of the understory of wet forests dominated by eucalypts, such as mountain ash ( Eucalyptus regnans).

Stems that host a tiny ecosystem

The way tree ferns grow is quite complex. That's because growth, even of the roots, originates from part of the apex of the stem. If this crown is damaged, then the fern can die.

Read more: 'Majestic, stunning, intriguing and bizarre': New Guinea has 13,634 species of plants, and these are some of our favourites

At the right time of the year, the new fronds unfurl in the crown from a coil called a fiddlehead. The stem of the tree fern is made up of all of the retained leaf bases of the fronds from previous years.

The stems are very fibrous and quite strong, which means they tend to retain moisture. And this is one of the reasons why the stems of tree ferns don't easily burn in bushfires - even when they're dry or dead.

Shutterstock

In some dense wet forest communities, the stems of tree ferns are a miniature ecosystem, with epiphytic plants - such as mosses, translucent filmy ferns, perhaps lichens and the seedlings of other plant species - growing on them.

These epiphytes are not bad for the tree ferns, they're just looking for a place to live, and the fibrous, nutrient-rich, moist tree fern stems prove brilliantly suitable.

Engulfed by trees

Similarly, the spreading canopies of tree ferns, such as D. antarctica, provide an excellent place for trees and other species to germinate.

That's because many plants need good light for their seedlings to establish and this may not be available on the forest floor. Seeds, such as those of the native (or myrtle) beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii, may germinate in the crowns of tree ferns, and its roots can grow down the tree fern trunks and into the soil.

Read more: People are 'blind' to plants, and that's bad news for conservation

As time passes, the tree species may completely grow over the tree fern, engulfing the tree fern stem into its trunk. Decades, or even centuries later, it's sometimes still possible to see the old tree fern stem embedded inside.

Still, tree ferns are wonderfully resilient and give a sense of permanence to our ever-changing fire-affected landscapes.

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Tree ferns are older than dinosaurs. And that's not even the most interesting thing about them

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With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about them? First of all, tree ferns are ferns, but they are not really trees.

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need to check with ones are native

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By Heather Jo Flores

Medicinal plants

I am primarily a food gardener, but there are a handful of flowering medicinal plants that I always include in my garden. Not only useful for home remedies, they provide beautiful cut flowers, improve soil and attract beneficial insects. Many of the plants listed here are commonly bred and crossbred to produce ornamental variations, so be sure to note the species and choose the non-hybrid option.

Ten Medicinal Flowers to Grow

​Here are my 10 favorite medicinal flowers and some tips on how to grow and use them.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
A tall, self-seeding biennial that smells amazing and puts out thick stalks with clusters of tiny flowers. Angelica has a wide range of uses, from tummy aches to menstrual issues. The large umbels attract beneficial wasps that will eat more troublesome insect pests. It grows easily in part shade. Give it some room on the edge of the garden so it doesn't crowd out your other plants.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
I scatter calendula seed around the garden wherever there is bare soil. It grows almost anywhere and is easy enough to remove when you decide to put something else in its place. A common ingredient in salves, calendula is known to heal the skin from sunburn, rashes and scrapes.

https://www.heatherjoflores.com

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
A gorgeous biennial aromatic, clary sage is one of my favorite plants of all time. The smell is said to help cure depression and the long stalks of purple flowers are beautiful in a vase. Attracts bees and hummingbirds.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Known as a powerful antibiotic and antiviral medicine, echinacea is an easy-to-grow perennial that puts out large purple flowers for several months a year. If you start it from seeds, be sure to cold-stratify them by putting them in the fridge for a couple of weeks before planting. Bumblebees love it!

Echinacea within a permaculture guild

Elecampane (Inula helenium)
A large, leafy biennial that produces yellow daisy-like flowers. Elecampane is known for medicinal properties that help with lung problems, congestion, colds and the like.

Hops (Humulus lupulus)
Not a traditional cut flower, but try some vines of blooming hops in a flower arrangement. They look amazing! This is one of my favorite plants to make into tincture and use as a sleep aid. Plus, you know, beer.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Another wonderful sleep tincture, passionflowers also attract a wide range of beneficial insects. The flowers are stunning and the perennial, evergreen vines grow easily on a fence or trellis. The plants can be slow to start but once they take off, watch out!

Rose (Rosa canina)
Also known as "dog rose," this is my favorite species to use for rose hips. Rose hips are rich in vitamin C. Mix with apple peel and vanilla bean to make a delicious tea that is safe for children and the whole family.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
No garden is complete without a patch of valerian. They prefer sun but will do fine in part shade as well. The flowers smell delicious - not as pungent as the roots, which are the part that is most commonly used as a medicinal. Valerian root is used as muscle relaxant, a calming herb, and in folklore is commonly said to help cure heartbreak. Cut flowers also look wonderful in a bouquet.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
If you cut yourself in the garden, grab some yarrow, chew on it for a minute and put it on the wound. It will help stop the bleeding. I like to harvest the leaves and flowers, dry them, powder them and keep in a jar to use as a styptic.

​Finally, please remember that I am not an herbalist nor am I a doctor, and so I'm indicating common usages for these plants, based on my personal knowledge and experience. But don't just take my word for it! Take an herbal medicine class, do your own research and/or consult with your doctor.
​Free Online Permaculture Course

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Ten Medicinal Flowers That I Always Plant In Every Garden

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By Heather Jo Flores I am primarily a food gardener, but there are a handful of flowering medicinal plants that I always include in my garden. Not only useful for home remedies, they provide beautiful cut flowers, improve soil and attract beneficial insects.