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#21 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 03:53 PM

Susan, you won't attract Karners, they're horrible fliers, so you'd have to be within 400 meters of an established population. That's not to say there's no reason to pass over lupine tho! :)

Todd


Oh well, I wouldn't pass on the lupine even if it didn't come with Karners. It's wonderful. I did see a couple fritillaries this afternoon. Their favorite things next to violets seems to be milkweed and dog poop. I couldn't find the blue-eyed grass, I guess I wasn't out early enough.

And FYI, not everyone with a mower is a dork. Just the ones mowing MY stuff without permission! I saw you teasing me, Todd! :wink:

Edited by schambers, 07 July 2009 - 03:57 PM.


#22 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 05:23 PM

Lance, here's a couple wood lilies for you to set your mind to:

Attached File  Wood_Lily_01.jpg   47.21KB   0 downloads

Attached File  Wood_Lily_03.jpg   50.66KB   0 downloads

And while I was in the Liliaceae folder, I couldn't resist this picture of the Atlantic blue-eyed grass. The light was so perfect that night, man, I had a hard time deciding which pics to keep.

Attached File  Atlantic_Blue_Eyed_Grass.jpg   30.72KB   0 downloads

These were all taken at The Nature Conservancy property here.

Blake, thanks for your compliment :)

I think I should take a moment to warn folks, this isn't fish that you keep inside your house. Genes will be going all over the place, and you should be very conscientious about that. If you get into native plants, please try to get local genotype, even if that means not getting something you really want. You folks in the prairie region are lucky, there's native plant retailers everywhere. Many park districts are rearing their own plants now, so check with them. Folks who don't have that option, collect seed locally, but also be conscientious about laws regarding seed removal (like from parks) and obtaining landowner permission. And never move a plant from the wild, unless it's in imminent danger on a development, and only then with permission. It's kinda complicated, but there's a lot more options coming on the horizon. If you're interested in learning more about all this, check out Wild Ones: http://www.for-wild.org

Todd

#23 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 07:38 PM

Man, that's really making me want a yard to plant stuff in. Great stuff, Todd and co.!

My grandmother was big into cultivating wild plants. She always had covered trays of seedlings and fern prothalia coming up in the kitchen under big old noisy shop lights, envelopes full of seeds and spores tucked away everywhere, and a big gorgeous wildflower garden out in the "horse lot" beneath massive red cedars and magnolias.

#24 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 10:10 PM

Thanks Nathan :) I can't wait to get further south and play with some of those neat Southeastern species. I'd almost trade these northern summers for some of that white milkweed, wow.

Todd

#25 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 10:22 PM

Do you get Asclepias incarnata up your way? I think it's my favorite milkweed.

#26 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 07 July 2009 - 10:47 PM

Do you get Asclepias incarnata up your way? I think it's my favorite milkweed.


Swamp milkweed is everywhere!
Posted Image


Todd, that wood lily is awesome...officially. That knapweed shot was taken at a pond I frequent. It seems to stay confined to disturbed areas around here.

#27 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 08 July 2009 - 10:32 PM

Does anyone know what that wasp's genus is? Man, they freakin' flock on my dotted horsemint, and they're AWESOME. Scared the crap out of my neighbor until I showed her you could tap otherwise "vicious" animals on the head when they were drunk with nectar lol.

Yeah, that's my general consensus on exotic "invasives" is that the invasive species was a bipedal hominid. But I've seen that stuff go into perfectly good, yet admittedly low richness prairies and displace everything else. When it's running off big bluestem, that's a problem. I've also heard some fantastic stories about people's hands falling off with tumors and such after pulling it. I really doubt those accounts. It will give you a rash, that's for sure.

Buttonbush kicked it off the last couple days:

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That plant should be required in the zoning codes to be at the outlet of EVERY downspout! :)

Todd

#28 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 08 July 2009 - 11:11 PM

The wasp looks like Sphex pennsylvanicus, but it could be one of the mud daubers too.

#29 Guest_BTDarters_*

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Posted 09 July 2009 - 03:14 AM

Todd,

I was asking about the Sweet Fern because I want to grow some indoors! It has a lot of neat medicinal and other properties that I think a lot of people don't know about. Here are some quotes from Shaker Herbs: A History and Compendium by Amy Bess Miller:

[Sweet Fern is] useful in [treating] cholera infantum, dysentery, leucorrhea, debility following fevers, bruises, and rhumatism. Also, because of its tonic and astringent properties, it is successful in [treating] diarrhea. ... [Dried] branches can be placed in a room for [prevention of] musty odors.


To treat diarrhea, you make a tea from the dried leaves. To treat or prevent musty odors, you dry the plants and place them underneath furniture in the room to be treated, or hang bunches on the wall. This is really a cool plant!

Brian




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