Nominations are Now Open Invasive in Profile: Nandina

Transcription

NativeSCAPE
Published by the Georgia Native Plant Society
July 2010
Volume XVI, Number 3
Nominations are Now Open
by Paula Reith
Page 3
The purpose of the GNPS Plant of the Year program is to recognize native plants
in the landscape which benefit our wildlife and ecology.
Invasive in Profile: Nandina domestica
President‟s Message
2
Restoration News
4
Chapter News
7
Plant Rescue News
8
Member Page
20
Upcoming GNPS Events
21
Newsletter Editor
Karen Wilkins
Newsletter staff:
Sharon Parry, Ellen
Honeycutt and
Lisa Betz, Proofreaders
NativeSCAPE is published
quarterly by the Georgia
Native Plant Society. A
subscription is included
with membership in the
GNPS.
Copyright 2010 by the
Georgia Native Plant
Society. All rights
reserved. Articles may
not be reprinted without
permission of the
author.
by Ellen Honeycutt
Page 5
Nandina domestica is a plant of Asian origin (China, India) that has been used in
Southern gardens since the early 1800‟s.
Plant Focus: Cup Plant - a Living Focal Point for the
Garden
by Mary Tucker
Page 10
I‟m not very adept at garden design, but I do know the importance of focal
points, and I‟ve often heard garden lecturers recommend adding a sculpture to
the landscape for just such a purpose.
Southern Highlands Reserve Field Trip
by Ellen Honeycutt
Page 12
On June 1, 2010, GNPS members were fortunate to again tour the native plant
gardens at Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway, NC.
The “Other” Dogwoods
by John Little
Page 16
Almost everyone is familiar with and appreciates the flowering dogwood (Cornus
florida), the most popular landscape tree in the eastern part of the United
States.
2010 Spring Plant Sale
by Sheri George
Page 18
The 2010 GNPS Spring Plant Sale was a wonderful success thanks to over 100
member volunteers who worked hard on Friday set-up day and braved the stormy
weather for the sale on Saturday.
Membership Renewal Form
Page 22
2
Georgia Native Plant Society
P.O. Box 422085
Atlanta, GA
30342-2085
www.gnps.org
770-343-6000
GNPS Board of Directors
President
Ellen Honeycutt
Vice President
Don Stewart
Secretary
Shirley Center
Treasurer
Paula Reith
Members-at-Large:
Julie Newell
Paul Shivers
David Haimbach
Director of Communications
Sharon Parry
Director of Conservation
Marcia Winchester
Director of Education
Jacqueline McRae
Director of Membership
Jane Trentin
About your membership in the
Georgia Native Plant Society
Your membership dues and
donations help support our mission
which is:
To promote the stewardship and
conservation of Georgia‟s native
plants and their habitats By sponsoring meetings, workshops,
an annual symposium, grants,
scholarships, the native plant rescue
program, and this newsletter utilizing an all-volunteer staff of
dedicated native plant enthusiasts.
We look forward to and appreciate
your continued support.
Membership renewal forms for 2010
can now be completed online or by
completing the form on the last
page of this news letter
NativeSCAPE July 2010
President‟s Message
By Ellen Honeycutt
As the days grow hot with summer, we look for ways to cool down. The tall canopy of
mature oaks (Quercus sp.), hickories (Carya sp.) and tuliptrees (Liriodendron
tulipifera) provides welcome shade, and I am thankful for these majestic native trees.
The air can be 10 degrees cooler in the shade (and those leaves are an excellent
sunscreen!). When it comes time to choose trees for your own yard or neighborhood
project, remember the cooling shade of these trees during the summer and the relief
they will provide to you and to future generations. Fall is the best time to plant trees
and, believe it or not, it is just around the corner.
The 2010 Garden Tour is but a memory now, but a pleasant one. Several hundred
members took the time to visit one or more of our member gardens on April 18 th.
Thanks to Cindy, Julie and Faye for opening their personal gardens to us. The Stone
Mountain Nature Garden and our own propagation area at Stone Mountain were also
on the tour and provided members with an opportunity to see the progress made in
both sites.
The 2010 Plant Sale was a wonderful success – we sold over $21,000 worth of plants!
So many people helped to make this possible – from the Plant Sale committee, to the
dozens of volunteers, to the members that donated plants, to the nurseries that
donated plants, and to the hundreds of customers that bought them all! Thank you all
so much for demonstrating that the demand for native plants is stronger than ever.
We have a few plants left over, so look for announcements about plant sales at
meetings and various events throughout the year.
A lively group of folks turned out to hear about Ferns at our May meeting and were
treated to a variety of special things – the GNPS scrapbook was on hand for viewing,
we sold plants and t-shirts, there was a free raffle, and one of our board members
brought a huge cake so we could celebrate her birthday! Please plan to attend our
meeting on July 13th – it‟s sure to be just as fun (as well as educational). Come early
and enjoy the new features at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Our 2010 Symposium, which was snowed out in February, has been rescheduled to
September 25th. Information is already on the website and should be reaching your
mailbox soon. The location is the same (North Metro campus of Chattahoochee
Technical College in Acworth, GA) and many of the speakers have been rebooked. In
addition to an assortment of talks, we‟ll have vendors selling plants, art, books and
other items. I hope to see many of you there – it‟s a great opportunity to learn as
well as socialize.
In late May, I had the opportunity to meet with folks from other native plant societies
during the FNPS (Florida) conference in Tallahassee. It was good to learn more about
how each of them interact with their members and support issues in their state. The
purpose of the meeting was to begin an effort to join together and collaborate on
some common issues: endangered plants, land advocacy, invasive plants in the wild
and in nurseries, as well as encouraging more nursery production of native plants, and
the continued growth of our own societies. It looks like a promising start to building a
partnership that will help each of our groups, both the large and the small, to be
more effective in supporting our efforts in education, conservation and preservation.
3
Nominations Are Now Open...
by Paula Reith
… for 2011 GNPS Plant of the Year!
The purpose of the GNPS Plant of the
Year program is to recognize native
plants in the landscape which benefit our
wildlife and ecology. GNPS should
continue to highlight native plants that
are underutilized in commercial and
domestic landscapes or which are vital
components of our Georgia ecology. We
are looking beyond beauty, even though
we acknowledge that this is often what
draws us to a special native plant in the
first place.
GNPS members may nominate any plant
which is native to Georgia until October
15th. You are limited to nominating only
one native plant.
You may nominate online:
http://gnps.org/forms/
POY_Nomination.php
Or send your nomination via email to:
[email protected].
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Photo Credit: Mike Strickland
Include the common name, scientific name and your reason for nominating your native plant in your nomination.
After the nomination process has closed, the nominated native plants will be posted on the GNPS website.
GNPS members will select the Plant of the Year by voting either electronically or in person at the November
general meeting. Electronic voting either via the GNPS website or by email ends at midnight November 8th
preceding the November 9th general meeting.
Below is the link to the annual Plant of the Year winners.
http://gnps.org/poy/Plant_of_the_Year.php
4
Buffalo Creek Restoration
by Flo Hayes
During a work day at Buffalo Creek on May 15, the
West Georgia Chapter of GNPS (WGC of GNPS)
received some welcome help from Cub Scout Pack
2345. The boys and their leaders, Erica McConnell,
Wolf Den leader, Angel Harden, Assistant Wolf Den
leader, Randy Galbraith, Assistant Cubmaster, and
parents worked to remove privet and honeysuckle
from the front of the trail. They did a wonderful
job. They have asked to be included again in
another workday and are very excited about this
project. Other members of WGC of GNPS worked
removing larger privet and unwanted small trees as
well as invasive plants from an area to be planted
with mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum), hepaticas
(Hepatica americana) and other rescued shade
plants.
Cub Scout Pack 2345
Photo Credit: Sara Gilbreth
In early June some members of WGC of GNPS made
another walk over in the area near the trail head and
identified additional plant material. Among the plants
found were a New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
in full bloom, a nice stand of Solomon's Seal
(Polygonatum biflorum), Sweet shrub (Calycanthus
floridus) with a lighter bloom than usual, and some
beautiful Fire Pink (Silene virginica). Many other
desirable plants were noted and our excitement
increases as we have a chance to work on this trail and
identify plants and habitats.
Volunteers Hard at Work
Photo Credit: Gina Strickland
5
Invasive Plant in Profile: Nandina domestica
by Ellen Honeycutt
Nandina domestica is a plant of Asian origin (China, India) that has been used in Southern gardens since the early
1800‟s. One common name is Heavenly Bamboo because of its resemblance to bamboo in growth habit; it is also
simply known as Nandina. Nandina domestica is an evergreen or semi-evergreen woody shrub that grows to 8 feet,
although smaller cultivars have been developed. Leaves are alternate, large, bi- or tri-pinnately compound with
small leaflets. Flowering occurs in the spring, when small, white flowers develop in large panicles at the ends of
the stems. Fruits are green berries that mature to a bright red and are often used in holiday decorations.
Nandina domestica has shown invasive properties in warmer
climates, especially Florida. It spreads in two ways: through
dispersal of seeds by wildlife, like birds, and also by underground
stolons. In Georgia, plants occasionally show up in natural areas
and adjacent properties because of seeds; its spread by stolons is
primarily limited to the area around the plant. According to the
Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, it is considered a Category 2
invasive plant: “Exotic plant that is a moderate problem in
Georgia natural areas through invading native plant communities
and displacing native species, but to a lesser degree than
category 1 species.”
Nandina in Flower
Photo Credit: Ellen Honeycutt
In my area, which is about 30 miles north of
Atlanta, I have seen Nandina growing on the side
of a rural road where it is clear that no one
would have planted it. I also find it occasionally
Nandina Berries
in my wooded area, thanks to the fruits of my
neighbors‟ plants and the birds that brought
them over. I probably pull out two plants per
year in my two acres. Occurrence of volunteers in my immediate neighbor‟s yard is higher because they have the
mature plants (there must be some rule of thumb here about how far away a bird poops from where he ate
something!).
(Continued on page 6)
6
Invasive Plant in Profile: Nandina domestica
(Continued from Page 5)
adjust to the amount of insects available as a source of
protein.
So, if you have this, let me be clear: I‟d like you to get
rid of it. Here are some replacement ideas for you to
consider:
Evergreen shrubs under 8 feet for sun/part sun areas:
Nandina Seedling
You might say: “Why worry about a Category 2 invasive
plant when there are 28 plants ahead of it on the
Category 1 list?” What is one plant per acre per year
(as in my case)? It‟s clearly not going to overwhelm us
while we‟re standing here (like Kudzu). Consider that
every mature plant becomes a parent to potentially
dozens of new ones. Each berry in that cluster of 3050 berries can be a new plant. As those berries are
dispersed into natural areas and untended roadsides,
they grow up to be parents themselves. In a few
years, each plant is making 30-50 new plants each
year. The exponential growth from that first plant in
the right environment yields hundreds and thousands
of plants each year.
In case you have a cultivar and haven‟t seen berries,
these are the cultivars that are said to have little to no
fruit production (often because they do not flower):
„Filamentosa‟, „Firepower‟, „Gulf Stream‟, „Harbour
Belle‟ and 'Harbour Dwarf'.
Beyond the invasiveness factor, don‟t forget that using
a non-native plant instead of a native one means less
food materials for insects that eat only native plants.
Fewer insects mean fewer birds as bird populations
Agarista populifolia „Leprechaun‟
Ilex glabra „Compacta‟ up to 6 feet
Ilex glabra „Shamrock‟, slowly growing to 5 feet
Morella cerifera „Don‟s Dwarf‟, „Fairfax‟, both up
to 6 feet
Morella cerifera „Suwanee Elf‟, seems to be up to
4 feet
Leucothoe fontanesiana, up to 5 feet (L. axillaris
is similar)
Shrubs with colorful berries:
Ilex verticillata „Winter Red‟ or „Red Sprite‟
Photinia pyrifolia „Brilliantissima‟ (Aronia
arbutifolia)
Callicarpa americana, Beautyberry
Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides
Viburnum opulus var. americanum, American
cranberry bush
7
Chapter News
By Gina Strickland
The West GA Chapter of GNPS participated in the Hydrangea Festival in Douglasville on June 4-6 in the Educational
Division. Our entry was about the GNPS rescue program and was titled 'Rescue Me'. The Rescue Me entry was
awarded the First Place ribbon for Educational display.
On June 12, a group from the Chapter made a field trip to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama. The
Curator for Kaul Wildflower Garden and trail, John Manion, gave us a guided tour. Even though it was a hot trip, we
enjoyed it and learned quite a lot about the garden creation and landscape design as well as the many fine
specimens of native plants.
Photo Credit: Mike Strickland
8
Native Plant Rescue News
By Lynn Almand
Rescue schedule
The spring and early summer plant rescue season is over, and we will wait until September
to start the fall rescues. There may be a few pop-up rescues, but only if the weather
allows. Please remember to water your newly planted treasures until they are well
established. This is a good time to plan where you want to put your fall and winter rescue
plants, as this is the best time to plant almost everything--especially shrubs and trees.
Think about what will do well in your garden. Do you have the perfect setting for a
serviceberry (Amelanchier) or a Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens)? Is there an
area that you could start a fern glade? Time to dream while relaxing somewhere cool...
Facilitators
Each issue I tend to brag about our facilitators and their efforts to lead rescues for you.
Well, this time is no exception, but I want to share with you some of the other ways our facilitators are helping the
environment. They are working hard as volunteers in public gardens, Master Gardener projects, and in schools. I
asked them to share their "other native plant lives." Here are some of the things they sent me:
Georgia Perimeter College Native Plant Botanical Garden
Karen Lindauer reports: Many rescued plants have enhanced the woodland gardens and the Jeane Reeves Memorial
Garden at GPC Botanical Gardens. In fact, just before one of our rescue sites was bulldozed, we transported enough
granite rocks, soil from the solution pits and plants to establish an outcrop area at GPC, complete with Stone
Mountain Daisies (from seed in the soil). When the outcrop bloomed the September after we planted it, George Sanko
told us that he didn't think it would work. When asked why he let us do it, he said that's what GPC Botanical Gardens
are all about--pushing the limits.
From Bill Belknap: If you have never been to the GPC garden, it's worth a trip. Lunch and Wildflower walks and talks
are available in spring and fall as well as periodic plant sales. It's close to the intersection of I-20 and I-285 in Decatur
and is open from dawn to dusk for free. For more information, go to www.gpc.edu/~decbt/.
Other facilitator volunteers there include: Susan Todd, Kathryn Gable, Paula Reith, and John Little.
Mary Scott Nature Preserve
Beth Nation reports: Since 2003, when 10.6 acres of less-than-pristine woodland in my neighborhood were acquired by
DeKalb county (later designated a nature preserve), I have been deeply involved in the Master Plan process, then in
lobbying for completion of the essential hardscape for which funding was available. This spring, my focus has turned
to organizing a Friends-Of-The-Park organization to guide MSNP's future development and maintenance, and to host
regular workdays. I am propagating some of my rescued plants for use there, particularly ones rescued within 20 miles
and typical in mesic, slightly sweet conditions. For driving directions, go to http://
www.decaturpreservationalliance.org/woodlands.php. (This is a GNPS restoration project.)
Heritage Park
Connie Ghosh is the committee chair for this GNPS restoration project. Her reports and the workday schedule can be
found at http://gnps.org/restoration/Restoration_Index.php. Facilitators who volunteer there include Sheri George,
Ellen Honeycutt, David Zaparanick, and Marcia Winchester. Marcia Winchester tells us this about her experience
there: I've donated rescued plants and arranged several rescues to dig plants for Heritage Park when we needed some
plants for erosion control. When we use rescued plants in a restoration project, we use plants that would normally be
found there and follow natural distribution patterns. We use logs and rocks to help stabilize the plants and keep them
in place until their roots are strong enough without support. People walking in the park are so excited to see the
plants. We've added lots of Christmas fern and last winter a glade of 14 fragrant native Azaleas. I love to watch the
walkers slow down so they can enjoy the woods.
9
Native Plant Rescue News
Panola Mountain
From Susan Todd: I do volunteer work at Panola Mountain State Park. One of my favorite duties is leading hikes on
the Granite Outcrop trail for elementary school field trips. We talk about the different ecosystems along the trail and
how wildlife use the plants in each system. We also talk about the granite outcrop - how it forms and how plants
survive there. The children especially like the wonderful stand of low bush blueberries. They can relate to blueberry
pancakes no matter how young!
Currently, my garden club, Evergreen Garden Club of Conyers, is reworking a flower bed in front of the nature center
at Panola as our project for the year. We have cleaned the bed up and found a good number of native plants. We will
"beef up" the groups of natives and add a few more groups. We plan to put in signage so the staff (and I) can use the
bed as a teaching tool. All plants will be native and indigenous to the Park. I am using plants from rescues as I can
find them. The goal of this project is education of local native plants.
and more:
Karen Lindauer leads the Fern Creek Habitat Restoration Project at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta.
Ellen Honeycutt is helping out at the Dunwoody Nature Center.
Beth Nathan represents her county commission district on DeKalb's Parks Bond and Greenspace Citizens Advisory Board
(CAB), which advises on project selection and monitors expenditures from county parks bond funds. Among other
things, she interacts with county staff and other CAB members about current plantings and invasives during bimonthly tours of existing parks.
Marcia Winchester has this to say about her
Master Gardener project: I'm passionate about
the Butterfly Garden in my master gardener demo
garden. A few years ago I took one section and
put in only natives from rescues. At our workday
last week everyone was taking pictures of the
native section. It is just beautiful. It has both
Asclepias tuberosa and A. variegata, Jeane‟s
(Reeves) favorite Phlox, P. paniculata, Passiflora
lutea, Ceanothus americanus, Coreopsis major all
blooming together. I love pointing out all of the
different native plants to viewers of the garden.
There are natives blooming from April to frost.
Last year I harvested milkweed seed and mailed
them to Monarchs across Georgia to use in their
butterfly program. One thing, I never let anyone
else weed this garden.
Lynn Almand writes a native plant article for her
Forsyth County Master Gardener newsletter and
manages the MG native garden at Sawnee Mountain Preserve.
The Path at the Master Gardener Demo Garden
Photo Credit: Marcia Winchester
Facilitators have held special rescues for The Woodlands in Decatur, Oakhurst Community Gardens, the
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Grant Park, Suwanee Greenway, and many rescued plants have been planted in
neighborhood gardens throughout Atlanta.
I know that many, many of you also volunteer your time in similar ways because I've heard you talk about it on
rescues, seen your names on rescue signup sheets, and lists of restoration project volunteers. The Stone Mountain
Propagation Project is staffed by GNPS members. I'm very proud we are working to preserve our Georgia treasures and
beautify our communities with native plants, and I hope you are also.
10
Plant Focus: Cup Plant - a Living Focal Point for the Garden
By Mary Tucker
I‟m not very adept at garden design, but I do know the
importance of focal points, and I‟ve often heard garden
lecturers recommend adding a sculpture to the
landscape for just such a purpose. I‟ve found that a
sculpture need not be fashioned of stone or steel.
In my garden, the most dramatic and sculptural focal
point is a towering native perennial, cup plant (both
Silphium connatum and S. perfoliatum go by this
common name). I was first introduced to Silphium
connatum at the Cullowhee native plants conference in
1998. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this
conference, it takes place at Western Carolina University
in Cullowhee, NC, and its official title is “Native Plants
in the Landscape.” But those of us who are regulars just
call it Cullowhee. This year is the 27th anniversary of its
inception, and it will be held from July 28-31. For more
information or to register, visit http://
nativeplantconference.wcu.edu.
Photo Credit: Mary Tucker
But back to cup plant! While browsing through the plant vendors at Cullowhee that year, a striking plant called
Silphium connatum caught my attention. It was for sale by Peter Heus, proprietor of Enchanter‟s Garden in Hinton,
West Virginia. This plant had bold, unusual foliage and a lovely yellow, daisy-like bloom.
The genus Silphium was already a favorite of mine, but I was not familiar with Silphium connatum. I learned from
Peter that it is endemic to West Virginia and that it likes rich, moist soil. So I took it home and found a place for it
in an intermittently damp, sunny spot in my garden. Since that time, it has surely become one of my favorite
plants, largely due to the dramatic architectural quality it lends to the garden. By the time it begins blooming in
mid to late June, it has reached 7 feet in height and 3 to 4 feet in width.
The statuesque nature of these plants adds a distinct dimension to the summer landscape. In addition to serving as
living sculpture, they can be employed as a seasonal screen or hedge. My own collection of cup plant encircles a
stone patio, providing privacy in summer when it is most needed.
The robust foliage is truly impressive, and the leaf form adds a delightful sculptural accent in the garden, just as
lovely – in my opinion – as the flowers. The leaves are opposite one another on the stem, and the larger, mature
leaves (which can be up to two feet long and one foot wide) are fused at their bases, forming a “cup” (hence the
common name) around the stem. Rainwater pools in these living vessels, providing songbirds with a drink. Peter
Heus told me that he has even seen small songbirds bathing in these cups! It is also said that early settlers and
Indians drank rainwater from the leaves; hence, you may hear the plant referred to as Indian cup. The leaves are
covered with small stiff hairs and have a somewhat serrated edge, which is more pronounced on older leaves.
The purple-tinged stalks are square, and on mature plants they are about an inch wide at the base. Despite the
plant‟s height, this sturdiness of stem means that the plants don‟t require staking (at least in my experience). In
fact, I leave the dead stalks throughout the winter for the birds to land on as they approach the nearby
birdfeeder. Many of these stalks are still standing in late spring, a testament to their durability.
Silphium connatum is kin to Silphium perfoliatum, which is more widely known by native plant gardeners. The
11
Plant Focus: Cup Plant - a Living Focal Point for the Garden
(Continued from 10)
USDA Plants Database (http://plants.usda.gov) and NatureServe
(http://www.natureserve.org) both show its preferred name as
Silphium perfoliatum var. connatum, but Peter Heus grows them
both and says he considers them two distinct species, as does the
book Flora of West Virginia published in 1977. I have spoken with
other botanists and they, too, believe it is a separate species. Peter
notes that, compared to S. perfoliatum, the leaves of S. connatum
are broader where the stem comes through, forming a wider cup.
He also says that there is less pronounced serration on the leaf and
that it flowers earlier than S. perfoliatum. The bloom time of the
two does overlap, and hybridization may occur.
Bees and butterflies are attracted to the 2- to 3-inch yellow
flowers, and birds (especially the goldfinch) adore the seeds. I have
had no problems with any pests on my plants, and the deer have
not bothered it – probably due to the hairy nature of the foliage.
From my research, I understand that the seeds need a cold period
to break dormancy, so I just let whatever seeds the goldfinches
don‟t eat fall to the ground near the mother plant. When the
weather begins to warm in the spring, seedlings will appear. In the
flower heads of the Silphium species, only the ray flowers are
fertile; therefore, though you will get some seedlings in your yard,
you should not be
overrun with them. Dig the seedlings for sharing or transplant while
fairly small since they develop extensive root systems and can be
difficult to move after putting on some size.
Though most Silphiums are found in dryer habitats, cup plant is quite
tolerant of moist conditions. Its home in the sunny bed at our patio
can be fairly damp at times, which some gardeners would consider a
problem. However, I‟ve managed to use this to advantage to grow
both cup plant and some lovely native companions. Among them are
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), ironweed (Vernonia
noveboracensis), Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), seashore mallow
(Kosteletskya virginica), scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus),
crimson-eyed rosemallow (H. moscheutos), swamp sunflower
(Helianthus angustifolius), spider lily (Hymenocallis caroliniana),
turk‟s-cap lily (Lilium superbum), scarlet beebalm (Monarda
didyma), blue flag iris (Iris virginica), copper iris (I. fulva), and
lamance iris (I. brevicaulis).
Cup plant is offered for sale by some native plant nurseries, either by
seed or plant. You may also find it for sale occasionally at GNPS
meetings or at the GNPS annual plant sale. Give it a try if your
garden needs a dramatic focal point.
12
By Ellen Honeycutt
On June 1, 2010, GNPS members were fortunate to again tour the native plant gardens at Southern Highlands
Reserve in Lake Toxaway, NC. Members from the Georgia Botanical Society participated as well. The Southern
Highlands Reserve is located in western North Carolina at an elevation of 4500'. SHR is a private native plant garden
and research center dedicated to the preservation, cultivation and display of plants native to the Southern
Appalachian Highlands. Naturalist Richard Bryson
and Executive Director John Turner were our
guides.
Before the tour started, we got a peek at some
of the propagation efforts. SHR staff are
propagating native azaleas and red spruce both
for their own use and for use by other non-profit
groups. Please see more about this effort on
their website (http://
www.southernhighlandsreserve.org/blog/john/
shr-begins-ecological-restoration-program).
Trip Attendees
Unlike our trip in May 2009 (http://gnps.org/fieldtrip/
Southern_Highlands_Reserve_09.php), the Rhododendron
vaseyi had finished blooming and the waterfall hike was
unavailable due to winter ice storm damage. However, since
our trip this year was a month later, we were able to see
completely different plants in leaf and in bloom! We started
out with a tour of the Wildflower Labyrinth which contains
many herbaceous perennials in bloom now and will continue
to be spectacular into the fall. Huge Baptisia plants
dominated the beds.
Vaseyi Seedlings
The Labyrinth
13
From there we went down through the Azalea walk on our way to the Vaseyi Trail and Pond. The Azalea walk was
colorfully populated with many blooming Gregory Bald hybrid azaleas in striking shades of orange and red.
Azalea grown from seeds found on Gregory Bald
Azalea grown from seeds found on Gregory Bald
We also saw blooming False Solomon‟s seal (Maianthemum racemosum), Clintonia lily (Clintonia umbellulata),
Solomon‟s seal (Polygonatum biflorum), still blooming
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Goatsbeard (Aruncus
dioicus), and large, lush swaths of Hayscented fern
(Dennstaedtia punctilobula).
Clintonia Lily
Along the Vaseyi Trail, Galax urceolata was sporting shiny new foliage
and crisp white flower wands. Winding our way through a forested
trail, we finally arrived at Vaseyi Pond, which was surrounded by lush
gardens, gorgeous mountain views and full of fat bullfrog tadpoles! Here
members of the trip spread out to explore the many plants and rest areas.
Galax urceolata
14
(Continued from 13)
Just beyond the pond awaited a view site like no other we‟d
seen that day. The mountains stretched out from there, as
far as the eye could see. Blooming Rhododendron hybrids
(perhaps a hybrid between R. maximum and R.
catawbiense) framed the view.
Vaseyi Pond
Mountain Vista
Naturally occurring Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) peaked out from the forested edges all around, and delighted
us with their pink blooms and buds. It was peak time for Mountain Laurel all along the roads near the entrance to
the Reserve and it was nice to examine them closely here.
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Hybrid Rhododendron
15
(Continued from 14)
We concluded our tour with a walk along the Laurel Woods Trail back to the facility. The trails are sometimes
facilitated by constructed bridges, boardwalks and steps to make the hike more secure. A lovely clump of still
blooming pink lady slippers (Cypripedium acaule)
awaited our final exclamations, a nice surprise to finish
our trip.
Laurel Trail
Back at the Preserve facility, we enjoyed our sack
lunches and the spring blooms around us. The
conversation was a lively combination of tales of
previous field trips, native plants and, strangely
enough, ice cream ….
Pink Lady Slippers (Cypripedium acaule)
16
Reprinted with Permission of John Little (as edited)
Almost everyone is familiar with and appreciates the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), the most popular landscape
tree in the eastern part of the United States. Whether planted as a specimen or found in its natural home as a
dominant understory tree lighting up the spring woods, it has been called the “aristocrat of native trees” by Michael
Dirr. It provides exceptional beauty all year with its showy white blooms in the spring, red leaves and fruit in the fall,
and “alligator skin” bark in the winter.
Perhaps because it is so well known and loved, many gardeners and plant enthusiasts think of nothing else when the
word dogwood is mentioned.
There are, however, several other Cornus species native to
the southeastern United States which, while not so
spectacular, deserve more attention and use for detail
interest in select places in the landscape. Several of these
other species are Cornus alternifolia (pagoda or alternateleaf dogwood), Cornus amomum (silky dogwood), and
Cornus foemina (swamp dogwood). They are usually
shorter than C. florida and more shrubby in character with
showy, flat-topped cymes or clusters of 1/4-inch creamywhite flowers. They may be especially useful where their
horizontal features can be utilized to accent sharp vertical
lines, perhaps by massing or growing as a multi-stemmed
shrub. At close range, you will notice attractive stem
colors and texture.
Alternate-leaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Photo Credit: The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org
The pagoda dogwood probably has the most potential of
the three as a landscape plant. It rarely grows taller than 15 to 25 feet and is more commonly smaller, with several
main stems. It may be as wide (or wider) as it is tall. The branches sweep out in horizontal tiers nearly parallel with
the ground (hence the name “pagoda”). Each branch and twig forks in a Y-shaped pattern giving them a flat aspect.
As you might guess from the botanical name, this tree has alternate
leaves, the only alternate-leaved dogwood native to North America.
This characteristic can be overlooked because the leaves are mostly
crowded at the ends of twigs and not obviously alternate except on
long twigs. The 2- to 5-inch long leaves are similar to C. florida and
may turn reddish-purple in the fall, but don‟t count on it. More
dependable, and especially notable, are the lustrous reddish-brown
stems (sometimes green) and colorful fruit clusters. The fruit
(drupes) turn from green to red to blue-black and are perched on
stemlets that are deep red at maturity. About 1/4- to 1/3-inch
long, they attract numerous birds and are occasionally browsed by
deer and rabbits.
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) berries
Photo Credit: www.nativehaunts.com
You might not want to plant a pagoda dogwood too close to your
patio or deck, as some say the flowers are unpleasantly fragrant.
Instead, plant it near a tall tree or structure or on a creek bank. It
likes a cool root zone, but grows naturally in moist to dry habitats.
17
Silky dogwood is shorter and more shrubby in habit than pagoda dogwood. It typically occurs in wetlands and along
streams or ditches. Indeed it may be useful to help prevent erosion. Since it will tolerate wet soils, it might be
allowed to form clumps in areas not suitable for most other shrubs. Stems are easily rooted, so you can increase your
stand. It is said to form a good informal, unclipped hedge and to thrive in diverse locations, not just wet areas. Not
likely to ever be a commonly used landscape plant, if you have enough space, it could provide additional diversity to
your plant community.
The young stems of the silky dogwood are reddish-brown or greenish, silky, hairy and grow 6 to 10 feet in height,
spreading to equal width. Whitish or yellowish, flat flower clusters, which are not fragrant, appear in mid to late
spring and produce blue drupes similar to C. alternifolia. Sometimes they may have cream coloration. The birds and
other natural forces cause them to quickly disappear. The leaves are superficially similar to other dogwoods and
sometimes produce good reddish-purple fall color.
I mention swamp dogwood because I believe I rescued a couple of small specimens recently. Part of the fun of
participating in a plant rescue is finding an unfamiliar, but interesting, plant and doing the “detective work” to
identify and learn about it. It was growing on a hummock in a swampy area, but what caught my eye were the
clusters of red stemlets reflecting the sunlight. There were no fruits in sight, testimony to what was evidently a
picnic spot for the birds.
Whether what I dug was Cornus foemina (a.k.a. stricta) I‟m not sure. It was late in the year, and what few leaves
remained were dry. I‟ll be studying it next year and years thereafter looking for the yellowish flower clusters, blue to
purple drupes, appressed stem hairs and white pith I‟ve read about. For now, I‟m content to know I have another one
of the “other” dogwoods for my plant collection.
(These trees were eventually confirmed to be C. foemina based on the whitish color of the pith - not sandy brown, as
in C. amomum - after splitting a pencil size stem.)
18
2010 GNPS Spring Plant Sale
By Sheri George, Chair GNPS Plant Sale
The 2010 GNPS Spring Plant Sale was a wonderful success thanks to over 100 member volunteers who worked hard on
Friday set-up day and braved the stormy weather for the sale on Saturday. Many dedicated volunteers returned to
work the first ever Sunday sale for several hours. Thanks
also to members who donated plants either from rescues or
from their own gardens, ensuring our customers could shop
from a large selection of native plants.
Thanks to Cobb Land Trust for allowing GNPS to use
McFarlane Nature Park for our annual fundraiser.
The printing of the 2010 GNPS Spring Plant Sale postcards
was donated by Debbie Meadows and Offset Atlanta. Thank
you!
Special thanks go to the Plant Sale Committee, Marcia
Dworetzky, Marcia Winchester, Lynn Almand, Ellen
Honeycutt, Paul Shivers and Mary Lou Cannamela whose
teamwork made organizing the sale efficient and a lot of
fun. In addition, Mike Strickland, GNPS webmaster, who made
the Plant Sale Page a useful tool for members and visitors.
Sorting and arranging trees
Photo Credit: Sheri George
What did all your hard work amount to? Drum roll please!
The plant sale grossed over $22,400!
Additional pictures from the plant sale can be viewed at
GNPS.org under Plant Sale (http://gnps.org/plantsale/
Plant_Sale_10.php).
Thanks! (Can‟t say it enough.)
Pricing sun plants: Marcia Dworetzky, Eddi Minche, Kimberly Ray
Photo Credit: Sheri George
19
2010 GNPS Spring Plant Sale
(Continued from 18)
The following nurseries and growers have donated plants to the Georgia Native Plant Society's Annual Plant Sale.
They've supported us and made it possible for GNPS to fund our programs and projects. Now it's time to support them!
Please put them at the top of your nursery shopping list and thank them for their native plant contributions.
Andy's Nursery & Landscaping (R)
1807 N Hwy 85
Fayetteville, GA 30214
770-461-6089
www.andysnurseries.com
Fern Ridge Farms (R)
6254 Hwy 273.
Cedar Bluff, AL 35959
770-634-8586 (call for appointment)
www.fernridgefarms.com
The Kinsey Family Farm (R)
7140 Jot-em Down Rd.
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-887-6028
www.kinseyfamilyfarm.com
Andy's Nursery & Landscaping (R)
915 Highway 16 East
Newnan, GA 30263
770-252-3030
www.andysnurseries.com
Garden Delights (R)
GA Hwy 27
(Downtown) Pine Mountain, GA 31822
706-663-7964
lazyknursery.com/garden_center.html
Ladyslipper Rare Plant Nursery (R,
W)
7418 Hickory Flat, Hwy 140
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-345-2998
Autumn Hill Nursery (R)
4256 Earney Rd.
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-442-3901
www.autumnhillnursery.com
GardenHood (R)
353 Boulevard S.E.
Atlanta, Ga 30312
404-880-9848
www.gardenhoodatlanta.com
Lazy K Nursery, Inc. (W, M)
705 Wright Rd.
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
706-663-4991; 706-663-0939 (fax)
www.lazyknursery.com
Baker Environmental Nursery Inc.
949 Marshall Clark Road
Hoschton, Ga 30548
706-654-9072
www.bakerenvironmentalnursery.com
Hall's Flower Shop and Garden Center (R)
5706 Memorial Dr.
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
404-292-8446
www.hallsflowershop.com
Lost Mountain Nursery (R)
824 Popular Springs Road
Dallas, Ga 30157
770-427-5583
Bannister Creek Nursery (R)
3769 Rogers Bridge
Duluth, GA 30097
770-497-9905
www.bannistercreek.com
Buck Jones Nursery (R, W)
689 Grayson New Hope Rd.
Grayson, GA 30017
770-963-8227
www.buckjones.com
Buck Jones Nursery (R, W)
7470 Hickory Flat Hwy
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-345-5506
www.buckjones.com
M= Mail Order
R=Retail
W=Wholesale
Harp's Farm Market and Nursery,
Inc. (W)
1692 Highway 92 South
770-461-1821
Home Place Garden Nursery (W)
P.O. Box 300
Harden Bridge Road
Commerce, GA 30529
706-335-2892
Nearly Native Nursery (R, M)
776 McBride Rd.
770-460-6284
www.nearlynativenursery.com
Randy's Perennials (R)
523 W. Crogan Street (Hwy 29)
Lawrenceville, GA 30045
770-822-0676
www.randysnursery.com
Twin Branch Nursery (R, W)
1169 Wiley Bridge Road
Kelli Green Greenhouse and Nursery Woodstock, GA 30188
(R)
770-926-8566
2514 Shallowford Road
www.twinbranch.com
Marietta, GA 30066
770-928-1190
Woody's Wholesale Nursery (R, W)
2886 N Buford Hwy
Duluth, GA 30136
770-476-1705
20
Member Page: “It‟s the Pits!”
By Mary DeHaye
When building houses, contractors are required by law to haul off all construction debris. On a construction site,
you can often see those huge steel box-like containers full of wood scraps, pieces of drywall, cardboard boxes,
pieces of metal flashing, plastic pipe remnants, shingle scraps, almost every type of garbage generated in building
a house. It has not always been this way.
For many years, contractors who were building new houses were able to get rid of construction debris by simply
digging deep pits into which they dumped all trash materials. They would then cover these garbage pits with dirt,
pack them down, smooth them out and seed a lawn. It was permissible and the garbage was thought to be gone.
Out of sight, out of mind!
Well, after a few years, these nice, smooth yards started developing depressions - the garbage was decaying and
the cover top soil was sinking. The depressions became caverns! At this point, I can speak from personal
experience.
My house is about thirty years old and I have been in it for ten years. About five years ago, parts of my yard
started sinking! They sank deep and they sank fast! Huge pits! There are two of them. The smaller one is circular
and way in the far back of the yard. It is about 8 feet in diameter and maybe 2 feet deep. The other one is close
to the rear of the house. It is the big one and rather intimidating. It is 30 to 35 feet long, from 9 to 12 feet wide,
and from 2 to 5 feet deep.
Recently, I heard on a popular gardening show on the radio that there is only one solution to such a garbage pit fill it in. The host said that you could fill it in yourself - a lot of work bringing in dirt and rocks, shoveling it in,
packing it down, etc. The alternative was to hire it out to someone that could bring in dump trucks of dirt and
front-end loaders to fill and finish the area - assuming it was accessible. Both methods sounded destructive to the
rest of the yard as well as to the bank account.
My philosophy has always been: cooperate with nature and deal with what you are dealt. I have devised two other
methods that are not destructive and cost nothing except a little patience.
I made a compost pile out of the small circular pit. It was at the back in the utility area and I just keep filling it
with yard debris - leaves, twigs, clippings, etc. Working great. I have stopped taking compost from it but am
ending up with a very rich circular garden area. Rather charming.
The big cavern is still a work in progress. I am making a combination pond/bog out of it. I have always wanted a
pond and a bog so this was fate. I threw piles of leaves in it to decay and smooth out the bottom; I have also handfilled with dirt some of the deep holes that appear in the sidewalls. The pit holds water pretty well as seen in the
recent downpours, but I plan to line it with a heavy rubber membrane - from a yard sale. I will use an old
fiberglass pool form for the bog area - also from a yard sale.
The sides of the cavern are somewhat steep. Along the higher side of the hole, I am planting a barrier fence of
shrubs, especially thorny ones. Below the barrier shrub fence, all kinds of ferns, especially Christmas ferns
(Polystichum acrostichoides), are tucked into crevices and on ledges. It is important to have many evergreen
plants in the barrier. Foam flowers (Tiarella cordifolia) are also great for this area. Along the lower side is a little
walk and garden. Again, ferns line the bank. I have amassed a collection of water-loving plants from rescues and
from friends to put into the pond and the bog. Then all I will need is some fish!
So, there are 3 ways to handle construction pits - fill them in, make a compost pile, or create a pond/bog. Have to
think outside the box or, in this case, the pits!
21
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 13, Member Meeting - The Natural Gardens of America Alaska:
Please join guest speaker, Rick Barnes, as we journey from the top of the Alaska Range, on the slopes of Mt.
McKinley where nothing will grow, descending to the rich flora of the Alpine Tundra. Descend further still to the
open forests of the Taiga: a segment of the Great Boreal Forest, the largest of the six floral kingdoms on earth.
Our journey ends in Alaska's coastal rain forest, a region of mountains, waterfalls, and lush vegetation. Along the
way, discover the forces that conspire to make Alaska one of the most unique and changeable gardens in the
world, and discover its similarities to many areas of the polar region and alpine climates of the northern hemisphere.
The July meeting is held at Day Hall at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA. NorJuly 10, Heritage Park Trail Workday
Meet at the Mableton/Smyrna location at 9:00am.
July 10, Stone Mountain Propagation Project Workday
Meet at Stone Mountain Park, GNPS Propagation Area at 9:00am
July 24, West Georgia Chapter Meeting
Beginning at 7pm, at the Carroll County Ag Center. For more information on the Chapter and directions to the
meetings, please refer to the website at http://wgawildflowers.org/index.php
September 18, Stone Mountain Fall Wildflowers & Early Fall Foliage Hike
The hike will begin at 9:00am and continue through 11:00am. Participants will meet at Confederate Hall, Stone
Mountain. Join the Stone Mountain team for a 5 mile guided hike around the mountain and back to Confederate Hall
along the Cherokee Trail. See Stone Mountain daisies, asters, coreopsis and other fall blooming plants as well as
some early fall color on various trees. Wear walking shoes, bring water and a snack. Please register by calling
770.498.5658. Adults and children 10 and older.
September 25, GNPS Annual Symposium - RESCHEDULED
The location is the same (North Metro campus of Chattahoochee Technical College in Acworth, GA) and many of the
speakers have been rebooked. In addition to an assortment of talks, we‟ll have vendors selling plants, art, books
and other items. Please see the Symposium page (gnps.org/shortterm/Symposium_Announcement.php) on the GNPS
website for more information. Members can expect the announcement in the mail soon.
22
Georgia Native Plant Society Membership & Renewal
Memberships are effective for one calendar year, beginning January 1st.
Choose membership level: (Select one)
___Individual/Family ($20)
___Senior, 55 and older ($15)
___Full-Time Student ($15)
___Corporate/Commercial/Educational ($50)
___Lifetime Individual/Family ($250)
Affiliation:
___No Chapter Affiliation
___West Georgia Chapter
___Check here if in addition to my membership renewal, I have included ______ to be distributed as follows:
___Education
___Conservation/Propagation/Restoration
___Jeane Reeves Memorial Grants and
Scholarship Program
___Unrestricted
Total Enclosed: ____________
Check # _______________
Trade Name (if applicable):
_______________________________________________________________________
First Name: ______________________ Middle Initial: ____ Last Name: __________________________________
If Family, list additional names: ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Home Phone: ___________________________________ Work Phone: ____________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________
(Email address is required if you wish to receive the Listserv and/or Electronic Newsletter.)
___ Check here if you prefer NOT to receive emails from our list server which contain information about meetings,
plant rescues, work parties and other items of interest to the membership.
The full-color newsletter will be sent electronically. If you require a print version, which will be black and white,
check here: ___
Please mail completed renewal form to the following address: GNPS, PO Box 422085, Atlanta, GA 30342-2085

Nominations are Now Open Invasive in Profile: Nandina

Transcription

Similar documents

MAP ARTWORK + LEGENDS - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Firetail Fleeceflower

Garden bird guide - Landcare Research

31-2301 Taluswood Place_eBrochure

Cairnwood Estate

UN Day Invitation here

See the new spread here (pdf ~1MB)

Explore a stunning collection of private gardens behind the stately

when where emcee event chairs

Garden Designer - Chorlton Nursery