Accent on Natural Landscaping

Natural Landscaping

February 13, 2016

Do you have a passion for native plants and natural landscaping? Do you wish you knew more about native plants and biodiversity? If so, I invite you to join this blog and learn about native plants, natural landscaping and biodiversity a little at a time.

As Executive Director of Wild Ones for 17 years, one of the things I enjoyed the most was to share with members and others the new and interesting information I learned about things related to the Wild Ones mission. So now as I continue on with my next life adventure, [Read more…]

Climate Change Changes

May 20, 2019

This is the time of year we receive the latest reports on climate change. NOAA and NASA reports say 2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record globally.

Graph courtesy of Climate Central.

2018 was also another near-record year for America’s weather and climate disasters. So what does this mean for our native trees? A lot!

How do fir, spruce, pine, beech, oak and ash ranges change?

See the video “Ecological responses to Climate Changes.” In essence, Profession Jack Williams tells us the boreal trees we love will move farther north, while the hardwoods will become more prominent. This has happened before, but over a period of a thousands of years — not the faster climate change we have been experiencing since the 1960s. So whether or not plants can move fast enough to survive is the big question. Let’s hope they can….

For more info, see Climate Control’s 2018 Global Temp Review: Land & Ocean.

Bluebonnets or Lupines

May 17, 2019

Bluebonnets

Bluebonnets are now blossoming in Texas so I thought it would be a good time to try to explain the difference between a bluebonnet and a Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis).

Texas Bluebonnet (*Lupinus texensis*) Photo by Norman G Flaigg courtesy of Wildflower Center.

Texas bluebonnets are actually six different Lupinus species with only one having the official name of Texas Bluebonnet or Lupinus texensis. Bluebonnets grow in most southwestern states, while Wild Lupine grows in Wisconsin and most northeastern and southeastern states.

Although they are both in the Lupinus genus, they blossom at different times and, of course, in different climates. The shape of the petals of the Bluebonnet flower (raceme*) resembles the bonnets worn by pioneer women, hence the name. Typically blue in color, the flower florets also will grow in shades of white, pink, lavender, purple and maroon. Each floret has a wide white banner spot in the center of the banner petal. As the floret ages, this spot often turns reddish-purple. As the entire flower (raceme) ages, one of the top petals turns reddish-purple. It is considered ephemeral; it goes dormant by late spring.

According to Mike Quinn, past president of the Austin Butterfly Forum, “the bluebonnet is the larval food host for the Northern Cloudywing, Gray Hairstreak, Henry’s Elfin, Painted and American Lady, and Orange Sulphur butterflies.” (Wildflower.org)

Wild Lupine

Like the Texas Bluebonnet, Wild Lupine (Lupinus perrenis) likes well-drained soil and a sunny location. Wild Lupine, however, blooms late spring to early summer. It, too, is considered an ephemeral because it goes dormant by mid-summer. Its blooms, described as pea-like, are blue to violet in color and also have a white area at the tip of each floret.

Although the Wild Lupine is the only host plant for the Karner Blue butterfly caterpillar, a federally-endangered species native to the Great Lakes region, it is also a host plant for the Frosted Elfin and the Eastern Persius Duskywing butterflies.

Seeds and Leaves

All species of Lupinus have leaves which are palmate with anywhere from 3 to 11 leaflets. When seeds are ripe they spring from their pods with a popping sound. Before they can germinate, however, the seeds must be scarified (roughed up) to allow water uptake.

The bluebonnet and Wild Lupine belong to the Legume or Bean Family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae) which makes the plant a good source for nitrogren — a natural fertilizer. That is why plants of the Legume Family are able to grow so well in disturbed areas and often are used as a cover crop to enrich the soil.

*Spike-like cluster

WOFVA’s 19th ANNUAL NATIVE PLANT SALE MAY 18, 2019

May 15, 2019

Cheerful volunteers Rich and Pat Fischer help get ready for the WOFVA Chapter annual plant sale.

The Wild Ones Fox Valley Area Chapter’s (WOFVA) the 19th annual Native Plant Sale will be held May 18th at the WILD Center at 2285 Butte des Morts Beach Rd in Neenah from 9AM to 2PM. Besides native prairie, woodland and wet mesic plants, there will also be Common, Swamp and Butterflyweed Milkweed plants available for sale.

Do you want to start a rain garden? How about a butterfly garden? Or do you merely want to integrate native plants into your existing landscaping to provide better habitat for pollinators? Knowledgeable people will be on-hand to answer your questions at the WILD Center on May 18th.

See a detailed list of native prairie, woodland and wet mesic plants available at the sale, or if you need assistance in selecting native plants, see alternatives to non-native cultivars and nativars. The native plants featured are high quality nursery-propagated forbs, grasses, ferns and vines in 4-inch pots, 1- to 2-year growth. Trees and shrubs are available through pre-order only, and will not be available for sale.

PLANT SALE TRAIL

Again this year, Outagamie County Master Gardeners Association, the Paper Valley Garden Club and Wild Ones Fox Valley Area Chapter are partnering on their 3rd annual Plant Sale Trail. For more information about plant species available at each site and a map, go to Plant Sale Flyer.

WFRV-TV INTERVIEW

New this year is an appearance on WFRV-TV Green Bay (CBS). Plant Sale co-Supervisor Pat Filzen will be talking with Local 5 Live host Lisa Malak about native plants and the WOFVA plant sale on Friday, May 17th sometime after 9AM. If you have the opportunity, tune in and see what they’ll have to share with listeners.

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

May 13, 2019

In the St. Louis area, Heavenly Bamboo is considered to be semi-evergreen to deciduous because plants will typically lose their foliage (become deciduous) as soon as winter temperatures dip below 10 degrees F, with the stems sometimes dying to the ground. (MO Botanical Garden)

As if we don’t already have enough to do eradicating invasive species, now there is a new barberry plant on the horizon. Heavenly Bambo (Nandinia domestica) is an Asian import. It is semi-evergreen here in Wisconsin, can handle full sun to part shade and has a spectacular fruit display. Therein lies the problem. It is killing songbirds that are mistaking it for a good food source this time of year. But research has shown the seeds contain a cyanide, which causes a swift, but painful death.

Although it’s been found primarily in the Southern states, Wild Ones Fox Valley Area Chapter member Loris Damerow tells me certain cultivars of this plant can be hardy into Zone 5 of the Hardiness Zone map.

Making an on-line search for retail sources for this plant, I found it available at Walmart and several other on-line nurseries. If you run across this plant at a nursery, no matter how beautiful it appears, please don’t purchase it. In fact, make the nursery aware of it’s deadly effect on birds and potentially other wildlife, and ask them either to remove the plants or include a warning for the purchaser.

REMOVE BERRIES

If you should come across this plant in a neighbor’s yard or a municipal park or another area, with permission, please make every attempt to get the fruits removed before it is too late for the returning migrating birds. This time of the year, and especially because of our late spring, the Heavenly Bamboo fruits are appealing to wildlife since there is so little native plant nourishment available. Cut the berries from the plant and deposit them in the garbage; do not compost them.

CONTACT YOUR DNR

Here in Wisconsin, if you find a plant for sale which is on the invasive species list (NR40), you are encouraged to contact:

Matt Wallrath – State of Wisconsin, DNR
Trade Outreach Coordinator, Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation
Business Phone: 608-266-8916 Cell: 608-345-7063
Matthew.Wallrath@wisconsin.gov

Likely other states have similar contacts available for you to notify their DNR about the sale of invasive species. Don’t hesitate to check for this information and let them know if you find invasive species available for sale.

Thank you Kimberly Bruce for making me aware of this article: Feeding Behavior-Related Toxicity due to Nandina domestica in Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum).