Prairie Works

This time of year I get lots of questions about a particular vine growing upwards onto trees with a vibrant red color. This vine is Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and it shows itself with great pride during the early fall.

Virginia Creeper is very common. It is found in every state east of the Rocky Mountains and in most county’s in the upper Midwest. It can be expected to be found in every woodland, tree line and thicket in Northwest Illinois. It likes the rocky soils and ravines that the area provides. It has the ability to climb 50 feet vertically. Like many vines it has tendrils, giving this vine the ability to cement itself to walls, trees, fences and the like and needs no support. The presence of adhesive tips and the end of the tendrils, instead of penetrating rootlets, also means it doesn’t damage buildings the way some vines do. It is one of the earliest vines to color in the fall. A vigorous grower, it can cover a trellis, building side or a tree in just a few years.

Virginia Creeper Climbing Tree

Unlike some woody vines found in our woodlands. Virginia Creeper tends to not damage trees. It plays nice with others and serves as a winter food source for birds and many insects use its foliage. Another common name for Parthenocissus quinquefolia is Woodbine. Do you think this any any relation to the town in Jo Daviess County named Woodbine?

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/va_creeper.htm

Recently, I have been noticing an increasing amount of presumed Badger activity in the area with hole digging, eye witness accounts or tracks from the creature. I have decided to crash course myself in Badger and have found some very interesting information.

The American Badger (Taxidea taxus), is a fossorial carnivore, meaning its spends most of its life digging and being underground. Badgers inhabit much of the great plains but are scattered throughout the Upper Midwest. They prefer open areas such as prairies, pastures and fallow ground preferably with loose dirt to ease its digging practices. Badgers prey on Squirels, Rabbits, Mice, Moles, Gophers and when those populations are low they will settle for snakes, insects and birds.

Some interesting facts about Badgers include:

• Badgers reproduce by delayed implantation, where mating occurs in mid-summer but eggs are not fertilized until December. They give birth to an average of three cubs in March or April.
• During the winter months Badgers enter torpor, a semi-hibernation state where they will rise in and out of sleep every 29 hours.
• When challenged the Badger can release a musky odor, similar to a Skunk’s survival tactic but not as powerful.
• Their digging claws can reach lengths of 4″.
• They have been known to dig through concrete and asphalt.
• Badgers will hunt with coyotes to utilize both of their skill sets most efficiently and share the kill.
• Badger hair is used for shaving and paint brushes.
• In the middle ages Badger vs Dog fights would be arranged for gambling entertainment, much like illegal Cockfighting today.
• Their burrows are called setts.
• One unwilling Badger used as a mascot at a Wisconsin high school football game escaped and dug its way under the football field creating humps and holes throughout.
• Early settlers in southwest Wisconsin would live in underground lead mines during the winter months, thus receiving the nickname of Badgers. Later, this created the state’s official animal and mascot, The Wisconsin Badgers 
• Bucky Badger, the University of Wisconsin mascot, was once replaced by a raccoon because the live mascot was too ferocious to handle. It was call ‘Regdab,’ Badger spelled backwards.  

Bager Tracks contain many pads and prominant claws up front.

badger_sound If you hear something like this, you may have a Badger.

http://www.prairieworksinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/badger_big.jpg Me with the largest Badger I have ever seen.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Badger For more information

Last week there was a segment on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered featuring native plants. This 5 minute feature titled Local Plants Give Sense of Place, Character discussed the many benefits of native plants. Moving beyond the usual advantages of no watering and increasing value to wildlife Washington D.C. gardener, Lisa Caprioglio, discussed the great sense of place that native plants can provide to display a sense of regionalism rather than using the same set of plants from state to state.

They also discussed a problem that is not frequently discussed: The accessibility to purchase native plants. Unfortunately the push to use natives is not matched by the ability to purchase them. 

A nice little story that hopefully reached a large audience.  

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90645101&sc=emaf Listen to the story here.

As you drive through the countryside this week you have probably noticed a small tree blooming in an elegant white. This is American Plum (Prunus americana) which graces the country from late April to mid-May with its white flowers. It is always amazing how many of these plum trees are around and how much we under appreciate this fantastic bird feeder.

American Plum is very widespread. It is found in almost every state east of the Rockies and in almost every county in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. It attains a hight of 15 feet and a width of 15 feet when found alone or when planted as a speciman tree. In the landscape it is hard to find a native tree or shrub that beats its versatality. It is showy, fragrant, provides great value to wildlife and tolerates a great range of growing conditions. Unfortunatly, it is hard to find in the nursery trade in its native form.

If you can beat the birds to its fruit you will enjoy a moderately tasting, but sometimes sour, plum. With all of the glamourous options available at the supermarket now, this plum is usually reserved for canning and for use in jams and jellies. Because of its high palatability by birds and mammals it is found along fencerows and roadsides everywhere, sometimes forming huge thickets that will take up a quarter acre in size if the surrounding land is not managed. Our state conservation districts often sell this tree for windbreaks and hedgerows.

As you view this small tree this week let it remind us of the true beauty that our native flora can possess. 

Right now Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) is in bloom. One of the first spring flowers to bloom, Dutchman’s Breeches is a sure sign that spring is here. It is grouped into the beloved plant system known as Woodland Ephemerals. This plant will disappear completely by June.

Dutchman’s Breeches is a common plant of Oak woodlands that have not been disturbed. It attains a hieght up to 12 inches and is most common on North facing slopes but will grow on any aspect. It is found in a huge range from Canada to Georgia and from the eastern seaboard to the Dakotas. It is found in most of Illinois’ and Wisconsin’s counties.

Dutchman’s Breeches is subject to a process called myrmecochory, wich means its seeds are spread by ants. The ants are attracted to its elaiosome organ and take the seeds back to thier nest where they consume the elaiosome then leave the seed in thier nest debris. This provides great germination conditions for the seed. For this reason you can find this plant growing in some odd locations. I have seen this plant growing in landscaped mulch beds on the North side of homes.

This is a very attractive plant but has a short bloom time. It’s cousin, Dicentra spectabilis, is native to Asia and is a very popular shade-tolerant ornamental flower here in America, commonly known as Bleeding Heart. Notice that the above picture was taken on April 14th of 2006. After the hard winter of 07-08 Dutchman’s was just beggining to poke through the ground at that time this year.

Dynamic plants adjusting to dynamic midwestern weather.

http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/Dicentra_cucullaria_page.html Great pictures

This is the time of year when we get to witness one of the true gems of native plant dynamics. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is found in wet woodlands, shaded streambanks, springs and on the edges of fens. It is the first flower to begin growing in late winter, creates a horrible odor and has great medicinal value. However, Skunk Cabbage is best known for its thermogenetic properties – it produces its own heat!

Beginning as early as late February Skunk Cabbage begins to appear, sometimes coming up through the snow and melting it in the process. It produces a foul odor (hence the common name) as it grows, attracting stoneflies and bees. These insects serve as its pollinators and are responsible for its reproduction. Breaking a portion of the leaf will give someone a deep whiff of the skunk-like smell. This odor also discourages herbivores from eating it, thus increasing its survival rate.

Skunk Cabbage can create temperatures up to 35° C (95° Fahrenheit) by a process known as cyanide resistant cellular respiration. It is among a small group of plants that exhibit thermogenesis. This produced heat also helps spread its odor into the air. Simply put, Skunk Cabbage is warm blooded, like us.

Another rare trait – Skunk Cabbage has contractile roots. This pulls the plant down into the mud as it grows. The plant actually grows downward, although it attains a height of up to 18 inches. This makes the plant impossible to be dug from the ground, something the nursery trade learned long ago.

Skunk Cabbage is not rare but also not common. It can be found in most Northern Illinois counties but occurrence is sporadic elsewhere. In Wisconsin it is found in most counties of the state. The specific habitat that it prefers makes it hard to find. Large populations of this plant can turn into tourist areas this time of year. It is well documented that Chicagoland once had extremely high populations of Skunk Cabbage.

I used to have a large population behind my house in Bull Valley near Woodstock, ILL. A friend once thought that a deer had broken up a salt lick and spread it around the woodland, melting the snow… If you have never experienced this phenomena it should be put on your ‘to do’ list.

http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/spring1999/skunkcabbage.html Good Article

During the 1800s the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) was one of the most widespread and useful tree species east of the Mississippi River. Its name counjours up images of roasting fires around Christmas time and is a word used loosely in America today. The folklore around this tree is legendary in Appalachia and the tree had an immence effect on the culture there. Chesnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) was discovered in America in 1904 and by 1950 it had wiped out almost the entire population of Chestnut trees.

The Chestnut was a major tree species in the eastern Unites States when settlers arrived in America. It is what ecologists consider a ‘keystone species’ as its presence contributes to natures diversity. It is estimated that 25% of the trees on the eastern seaboard were Chestnuts before blight took over. During its bloom time in spring, the Appalachian Mountains would appear snow covered with its small white flowers. A prolific nut producer, it was the primary winter food for Turkey, Deer, Bear, birds, livestock and even humans. It was extremley important in harboring wildlife.

Its wood was highly valuable commercially as it grew straight, had tight grain, resisted decay, was rich in tannins and grew faster than Oaks. The wood was used extensively for just about everything. On the wood and tannin markets Chestnut had a utilitarian versitility that no other tree could match. Today, Chestnut wood reclaimed from old homes and barns is highly sought after.

The Chestnut Blight was accidentally introduced and disovered at the Bronx Zoo in New York city in 1904 after importing the Asian Chestnut for ornamental purposes in the 1890′s. The asian varieties evolved with the fungus and therefore were minimally effected. By 1940 an estimated 4 billion trees were killed by the blight. The failing of this tree species had a negative impact on the economy of rural appalachia.

In Illinois, the Chestnut has been recorded in the wild in only seven counties, including JoDaviess, the only county in the northern half. Wisconsin reports 6 counties. It is likely that the trees here were in isolated populations and could have been intentionally planted by pioneers from the east.

Today, scientists are working on developing blight resistant strains on the American Chestnut with thier goal to be 98% of the original. These new varieties must contain genetic strains found in the Asian Chestnut (Castanea mollissima) due to its resiliancy to the blight. Some areas of the country are being found to be untouched but experts feel it is only a matter of time before their demise. Its hybridized return will never be appreciated by purists, but it may add an important element to our landscape that we are losing due to declining Oak and Ash populations.

http://www.acf.org/ The American Chestnut Foundation

http://ipm.ppws.vt.edu/griffin/lore.html Chestnut Folklore

http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF2202/Freinkel/Freinkel.html The Loss of the American Chestnut Tree by Susan Freinkel

 How do I incorporate Christmas and prairies? I know, I will write about ‘Merry Christmas Prairie’ in Mineral Point Wisconsin. Merry Christmas Prairie is a 43-acre prairie restoration that was conducted jointly by the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Wisconsin Conservation Corp begining in 1988. It is located around Pendarvis/Merry Christmas Mine, both Wiconsin state historical sites. Merry Christmas Mine began operation on Christmas day in 1905. The surrounding prairie was planted in order to emulate the pre-settlement landscape that the early cornish miners of the area would have encountered in the 1820s. Altough the prairie itself is mediocre in quality, it’s association with the regions mining history makes it notable.

One of the most interesting tidbits about lead mining and local botony is the use and nameing of Amorpha canescens, Leadplant. Leadplant, technically a shrub, indicated the presence of lead beneath the surface. Due to its extremely deep taproot, Leadplant utilizes verticle crevices in the bedrock to reach for nutrients. Early miners looked for Leadplant and assumed mineral rich bedrock would lay underneath. Groves of Aspen trees also served this purpose - most likely Populus tremuloides, Quaking Aspen. Today, Leadplant is still found growing in prairie remnants throughout the Driftless Area and is a plant that I include in most prairie restorations that I perform.

 Before there was a 1849 gold rush in California there was a 1827 lead rush around Galena. Today, there are many remnants of the mining era that survive in the area. It is quite common to come across an old mine when walking through the woods around Galena, Shapville, Council Hill and Shullsburg. Although 150 years of weathering make them difficult to recognize they are usually defined by 3-8 foot deppressions in the soil with a gravelly base with no other explanation of its cause. The last lead mining operation in the region closed in 1977 at Shullsburg.

Pendarvis and Merry Christmas Mine and Museum is a great way to learn about early lead and zinc mining operations in this area. There are many artifacts and descriptions of the lead mining process on the self guided walking tour around Merry Christmas Mine. A few hours at the site makes for a great education for anyone curious about how the mining process worked.  

An odd name for a prairie and a very heartfelt greeting this time of year. Merry Christmas to everyone – Cory -

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/pendarvis/  Wisconsin State Historical Society

http://mineralpoint.com/living_history/pendarvis_historic_site.html  City of Mineral Point

An interesting article appeared in the August 26 edition of the Chicago Tribune. The gardening section had an article about the Coneflower species and the hybridization that has been done to these popular flowers. Purple Coneflower along with Black-Eyed Susan are the most recognizable and widely used native plants today. The article states that even though the Echinacea species is indeed a native species to the Midwest, it abandoned its native roots a long time ago.

Today we most commonly see cultivars such as Echinacea ‘Sunrise,’ ‘White Swan,’ ‘White Lustre,’ ‘Magnus’ and so on. These varities are hybridized versions of our pioneer prairie plant but are assumed native either due to improper marketing by the nursery trade or because the medicinal uses of Echinacea are widely known and associated with Native Americans. In fact, any “variety” or “cultivar” plant is not a native and the native Echinacea of Illinois would most likely be Echinacea pallida - Pale Purple Coneflower. It is found at select midwestern nurseries that specialize in native plants where they strive to keep native gene pools intact. Never found at the local nurseries perrennial section.

The Tribune article entitled “A Better Coneflower?” highlighted the growing argument between those hybridizers and native plant purists. As the popularity of Echinacea varieties has grown, so has the argument. This maybe an argument that will grow alongside our coneflowers (whichever ones it may be) for a long time. A Wilmette, IL resident who has gotten away from from using cultivars summed it up by saying “If you plant something that isn’t native” she says “It may be pretty but its not as beneficial as it could be.” 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/home/chi-0826echinacea_aug26,0,162126.story The Chicago Tribune article

Contact Cory @ Prairie Works if you would like true native Pale Purple Coneflowers – 815.751.7400

There are a few signs that signal summer’s end and the arrival of fall. Shorter days, cooler nights and kids back in school. One sure sign for me is seeing the beginning blooms of New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae). New England Aster is one of the showiest native wildflowers and a very versatile plant when used in prairie restorations. The plant is suitable for a backyard garden but can also be found growing in roadsides.

New England Aster is native to most parts of the Unites States east of the Rocky Mountains and North of the Mason-Dixon Line. It can be found growing in almost every county in Illinois and Wisconsin and about half in Iowa. It grows around 4 feet tall and prefers mesic soils but tolerates heavy clay. It serves as a host to many butterflies and has an abnormally long bloom period, sometimes over two months. Often times this plant will look stressed when dry and serves as a good indicator of a dry summer and fall. Its strong fiberous root system makes it ideal in erosion control applications.

Be on the lookout this fall for this great prairie flower.

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/ne_asterx.htm

The Wisconsin State Journal published an article on August 9, about the trend of converting high maintenance turf grass areas into prairies on large corporate campuses. Some of the Madison, WI area’s largest corporations doing just that include American Family Insurance, Alliant Energy and SACO Foods. The article cited the usual benefits, such as bio-diversity and habitat, but also noted that the appeal most often comes down to saving money and the overall bottom line.

Steve Cohan of Full Compass, headquartered in Middleton, WI said the company recouped its initial investment in the first three years due to reduction of turf maintenence. The company spent 30 percent more on the initial prairie installation when compared to turf grass costs but they liked the long-term benefit. Cohan said, “There is something really interesting about having this environment right outside your window. You can look literally four feet out your window and see a hawk in a tree. That’s something you don’t get with a traditional office building with traditional shrubs and a parking lot.”

The Chicago area has been naturalizing its corporate campuses for over a decade now. Some of the most notable projects include: Tellabs, Underwriters Laboratories, Nicor Gas, Prairie Stone Business Park, BP Amoco, WW Grainger and Abbott Labs. Openlands, a conservation organization founded in 1963, established The Corporatelands Program in 2003 to assist businesses with converting from traditional high maintenance landscapes to low maintenence landscapes that utilize prairies and native plants. They host workshops for facility managers to attend and explain the how-tos.

As with many new ideas and products, it is the goverment and corporations that lead the way into making concepts mainstream. Hopefully, we will see this trend continue to trickle down to the private sector.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=204983 Wisconsin State Journal Article 

http://www.openlands.org/corporatelands.asp Corporatelands Program

In a world where endangered plants are becoming extinct and rare plants are becoming threatened, refreshing news was announced that a new species of orchid was discovered in the United States at Yosemite National Park. The plant will be called Yosemite Bog Orchid (Platanthera yosemitensis) and appears to only exist within the California National Park. The plant can be confirmed by its tiny yellow flowers and distinct odor which resembles stinky feet or strong cheese.

The plant was first collected in 1923 and was thought to be another species, a southern Rockies Bog Orchid.  Its location was discovered again in Yosemite in 1993 at which time botanists had a gut feeling that this was a distinct species.  Taxonomists soon began searching for and mapping other locations where this orchid was encountered in Yosemite. The case was then re-opened, as if it were a crime mystery, in 2003. The country’s leading botanists confirmed it after much examination. “What a delight to find that, in the 21st century, such gems await disovery, or, in this case, re-discovery.”said Alison Colwell, a USGS botanist. “Doubtless more such finds await us.”

Well said, Alison. Lets hope the Midwest can get its own gem of discovery someday.

Read the USGS press release here http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1706

A great segment on invasive species appeared on the CNN News website on June 29. This followed up a news story that came up in March on The Nature Conservancy’s website and magazine. It discussed how nurseries are agreeing with The Nature Conservancy to not sell invasive species, sometimes some of their biggest sellers. Starting with the big box retailers Meijer and Lowes, they have agreed to pull Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra italica) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) from their shelves in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. Although many states, including Wisconsin, have their own laws concerning the sale of invasive plants this is the first full fledged effort by an environmental group to work with retailers. In general, there are about 20 plants that remain on the list that they eventually want garden centers to stop selling.

Last year the federal government spent 631 million dollars on invasive species removal. This does not count what state, county and local agencies are doing. Estimated numbers have reached the 5 billion mark when they look at its widespread effect. Illinoisians may be aware that Honeysuckle and Buckthorn were brought in by Chicago developers in the 1950s as an ‘economical hedgerow’ between houses during the baby boom. Now, an entire industry has been created in Chicagoland and beyond to control them.

This is a big step in the right direction. Lets hope that the nursery trade will continue to cooperate in the years to come so we can create regional landscapes rather than those which are boiler plate and instantly gratifying. Read the CNN article here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/06/29/plant.invaders.ap/index.html#cnnSTCText

We recently lost a great voice for and pioneer of native plant advocacy. The environmental First Lady was instrumental in putting native plants to use for reasons other than ecological restoration. The Beautification Act of 1965 was residue from her efforts to use plants on a large scale to fight pollution, renew urban areas, increase mental health and create a healthier highway infrastructure. Because of this bill, we now use 0.25 – 1 percent of funds allocated for highway landscaping for native trees, shrubs and plants of local orgin. After her white house years she moved her efforts to Texas where they set the benchmark for the use of native plants in a highway system. Lady Bird always spoke of the ecological and engineering purposes as benefits of native plants and their great beauty as a bonus. Texas is now known far and wide for the stunning color in its highway system when plants, such as Blue Bonnets, are in bloom. She eventually founded the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin in 1982. Lady Bird’s passion and ability to obtain results is respected by all conservationists today; she will be missed. Visit her research center here:  http://www.wildflower.org/ 

There have been two articles on landscaping with native plants recently in the Chicago Tribune. Both have highlighted their many benefits and advantages. It appears that more and more towns are changing their weed ordinances to adjust to the popularity. I hope the Galena Territory, Apple Canyon Lake and the city of Galena can take notice.