Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Natural Landscaping

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…]

Poinsettia (Euphorbia marginata)

The beautiful Poinsettias (genus Euphorbus) we see decorating building interiors this time of the year are not native to the USA, but rather to Southern Mexico and Central America. However, did you know we have a species of native poinsettias here in America as well?

Members of the Spurge (Euphorbiaceae) family, there are a number of native Euphorbus species. The one most like the non-native is the annual Painted Poinsettia (Euphorbia cyathophora). Its bracts turn orange-red and it is has fiddle-shaped leaves. Sometimes called Fire on the mountain, it is closely related to Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) which has showy, variegated light green and white leaves.

In the Midwest, Fire on the Mountain seed can be purchased through Prairie Moon Nursery. The plants grow best in full sun or part shade, in drier soil that has not been composted. It is a good reseeder, but excess plants should be able to be pulled out easily because of the rocky, sandy soil conditions in which it prefers to grow.

All have a thick, white sap which can irritate skin and eyes.

None of the native Euphorbus species, however, are as showy as the non-native Euphorbus species.

Interestingly enough, the Poinsettia gets its name from the first American Ambassador to Mexico Joel Roberts Poinsett. In 1828 he sent the first plants back to the USA where he propagated and shared the plant with friends and botanical gardens. (Mr Poinsett is also know as the founder of the Smithsonian Institution.)

The non-native invasive species Bishop's Weed is often called Snow on the Mountain also. Photo courtesy of Plant Conservation Alliance.
The non-native invasive species Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium podgraria) is often called Snow on the Mountain also. Photo courtesy of Plant Conservation Alliance.

Invasive Non-Native Bishop’s Weed

The native Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) is different from the invasive non-native Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium podgraria) often called by the same name.

To learn more about the legends associated with Poinsettia.

 

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Wild Ones 2019 Calendar

One of the things we used to do for our Wild Ones members while I functioned as Executive Director was to hold an annual Photo Contest. We would use these in our promotion and educational materials and we would also create an annual calendar from the most spectacular of the photos. That tradition was lost for awhile, but this year this program was re-instated and along with it, a Wild Ones calendar for 2019.

2019 Wild Ones Calendar

The Wild Ones 2019 calendar features this year’s award-winning photos from the 2018 Photo Contest. It is 11” x 17” when hanging on a wall.

  • The grids provide ample room for you to note appointments and important events. National holidays and Wild Ones chapter anniversaries are already included.
  • Calendars are ordered directly from a UPS store. The cost is just $15 each, which includes shipping and handling. Download the order form here. Calendars will be shipped directly to you or to the address designated on the form from UPS.
  • Ordering is easy: Click the link above to download the form, print it, fill it out, and mail it to the address on the form along with your $15 payment. The deadline for ordering calendars is February 28, 2019.

Calendars can only be ordered through the address on the order form. They are not available through the Wild Ones national office or the online store.

I haven’t received my copy yet, so I can’t speak from personal observation, but I know Wild Ones headquarters “hope(s) this calendar will inspire you to keep planting natives!”

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Common Goldeneyes

Common Goldeneye ducks floating along the Fox River in Appleton Wisconsin’s Lutz Park.

I participate in the eagle monitoring program hosted by WDNR. We count the eagles we see along the Fox River for 90 minutes during sunrise, once a month during November through March. We often see other wildlife, especially waterfowl. This past Saturday, December 8, 2019, it was 10 degrees at sunrise; fog was rising from the water’s surface. As the sun rose higher in the sky and before I left my monitoring site, the fog was so dense you could hardly see across to the other side of the river.

Common Goldeneye Ducks

The distinct coloring of the male goldeneye is shown beautifully in the photo below. With their white body and black back and their greenish-black head with a white spot on each side of their face, the males stood out even in the fog.

A pair of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula). Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In the video below I’ve recorded a flock of Common Goldeneye ducks lifting off the water. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the whistling of their wingbeats. They would fly west down the river and then float back. Ah! The life of a duck!!

“Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a Special Concern species in Wisconsin. It is a medium-sized diving duck with a chunky body and a large head. The males are white with a black back. The head is greenish-black with a white spot on each side of the face. The females have a light-brown head. They have a white belly, breast and flanks, interfaced with a gray back, wings and tail. Both sexes have a distinctive bright yellow to pale yellow eyes.

The species is an uncommon breeder in Wisconsin that nests in cavities with most individuals seen here (in Wisconsin) during migration or winter. During the breeding season, it is found near ponds, lakes, and rivers in woodland areas. The clutch size varies from 5 to 16 eggs that are incubated by the female for 28 to 32 days. The species is threatened by the impacts of pesticides, deforestation, as well as decreased water quality. The recommended avoidance period for this species is April 10 – July 10.” (WDNR)

Added note: Common Goldeneyes can reach speeds of 40 mph in flight.

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