Volume 1, Issue 1
G r e a t N at i v e s Of M i d -w e s t e rn E c o ty p e
October 21, 2008
G. N. O . M. E N E WS I F O UND ( E D ) A G NO ME !
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
ButterflyWeed Profile
2
Native on the Net
2
Best Books
2
Organization Spotlight
3
LandscapingTip
3
Plantingwith a Purpose
3
Focus on the Future
4
Did you know... • That if you rub the seed heads of yellowconeflower they smell like potpourri? • That there are 339 species of native plants listed as threatened or endangered in Illinois? • That only 1/100th of 1 percent of the original prairie is left in Illinois?
There are many challenges facing the world today. Global warming, increasing energy consumption, depleting of natural resources, and degradation of what is left of our natural areas are just the tip of the iceberg (which is melting by the way). The purpose of this newsletter and this organization, and I use that term loosely, is to provide information, opportunities, and a place for native enthusiasts to have a running dialogue about the thing that we are so passionate about; Native plants and their increased use in our world. I decided to use the acronym GNOME for several reasons. The first is– I like them. It seems that people either do or they don’t, but either way, they have long been associated with gardening. I also wanted something that people would remember and might even evoke a smile when thought of. I figure that anything that gets people thinking about native plants has to be good.
Native plants need stewards and that means YOU!
Each issue of GNOME News will feature different resources related to native plants and their interaction in the bigger picture. This will include things like books, websites, plant profiles, landscaping ideas, anecdotal observations, and other similar items.
Just like the landscapes we plan and plant, I hope that this forum for discussion will change and evolve over time. No matter how you use natives in your setting, you know that they never stay static. That is one of the reasons that makes using them so fun. I hope that this forum will provide that same opportunity.
AB O U T T H E F O U N D E R My name is Jeremy Berger. I have lived in the Mid-west all of my 35 years. Originally from Iowa, I was transplanted here a few years ago when my wife was accepted to a PhD program in Chicago proper. I graduated from the Univer-
sity of Iowa with a BA in Elementary Education and a specialization in Science. I have been involved with various organizations over the years. I was a volunteer raptor rehabilitator at the
MacBride Raptor Project in Iowa. I am also a member of Wild Ones; a great native plant organization. I am currently a computer teacher at an elementary school in Montgomery.
P age 2
Volume 1, Issue 1
ASCLEPIAS T UBEROSA-BUTTERFLY WEED This month’s feature plant is one of my favorites from the milkweed family– Asclepias tuberose, commonly called butterfly weed or Orange milkweed. This well-behaved native was originally found throughout
“It's the flock, the grove, that matters. Our responsibility is to species, not to specimens; to communities, not to individuals."
- Sara Stein, 1998, Author of Noah's Garden
most of North America. Nursery trade has expanded the range of this plant. Typically growing from 1 –2 feet tall, this plant has bright to dark green alternate leaves with large, bright orange blossoms lasting from May through September depending on your area. It lacks the white, milky sap that is typical of this family.
Close up of flowers on a 2 year old plant in my garden.
As its name implies, this plant will attract butterflies. It is also a larval host to the Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and Queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies.
My experience with this plant has been very positive. It has tolerated both moist and dry areas, though it prefers to have drier feet. It has attracted aphids, which don’t seem to be hard on the plant. You can leave them for ladybeetles or wash them off with soapy water. I would avoid chemical pesticides due to its harm to eggs and larva. One reason I love this plant is because it will fit well into more traditional perennial garden settings as well as in restored or naturalized areas. I suggest using it with other mid-sized perennials or in front of larger ones.
NATIVE ON THE NET There are literally thousands of links out there related to native plants. In this section I will share sites that I think have a lot of merit and are useful to other native plant enthusiasts. This month’s featured site is : Illinois Wildflowers http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info
This simple to use website will provide you with a wealth of information on plants found in Illinois. Many of these plants are “typical Midwest” plants, so this resource is useful to those outside of Illinois as well. The categories Dr. Hilty uses are broken down by site conditions.
This list also contains nonnative plants, but I find that a plus rather than a negative since you will likely encounter both in the field. You will not want to miss the Links to other Websites section. It has some real gems related to Midwestern ecotype plants and databases!
B E ST B OOK S I would have to say that this is probably the book that started my native plant obsession. The Amazon review said “This book may well
change the view from your patio. A former old-style suburban gardener, Sara Stein writes convincingly of the ecological history of suburbia and the necessity
of good stewardship of the land stolen from prairies and forests to make our back yards. “ With chapters called Unbecoming a Gardener and Smiles of Vanished Woods, you will be
pulled into a world that most Americans can relate to. It will open your eyes to things that you have failed to notice for most of your life.
Noah s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards
If you need some inspiration (like any enthusiast does), this is a great place to start!
P age 3
G . n . o. m . e N e w s
O RG ANI Z AT I O N S PO T LI G HT : WI LD O NE S “Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. Wild Ones is a not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization.” This mission statement taken from their website (http://www.for-wild.org) says it all.
This is one of the foremost native plant advocacy organizations in the mid-west and possibly the US. One look at their website will show the vast resources available to those interested in finding out more about native plant usage. There are various local chapters of this organization that usually meet monthly. Conferences and presentations are readily available to assist those interested.
Join a local chapter near you!
This group also organizes plant rescues from site in which natives would be destroyed by construction projects. At $30, membership is a bargain! Go WILD!!!
LANDSCAPING TIP OF THE MONTH: N E WS PAP E R B A C K S AV E R Site preparation is probably the most important step in the creation of a new native planting. Here is a quick “how-to” for starting smaller beds or naturalized areas.
Did you know that you are actually creating bigger issues if you disturb the ground by tilling or spading? This encourages weeds and grasses to invade your new creation.
Most people know how much labor goes into preparing the ground for planting a new bed.
Instead, try laying 6 or more layers of newspaper right on top of the ground. You can plant through it, and the sod
underneath will be smothered. If creating a small bed, Top with a couple of inches of mulch and use potted or bare -root plants. If doing a larger area, top with about 4 or more inches of sand. You can plant seed right into the sand. The newspaper will break down and actually help in soil creation!
P L AN T I N G WI T H A P U R P O S E Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Most mowers with engines smaller than 25 hp have no emission reducing parts (such as a catalytic converter). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a tradi-
tional gas powered lawn Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin mower produces as much air offers one type of this blend. pollution as 43 new cars each You can being driven also in12,000 miles. crease your You could plantings consider plantaround ing no-mow areas of grass blends your yard for those not freareas that you quently Plant more, mow less!! want “lawn”. used.
“Think globally,
plant locally!” -Denise Sandoval
G r ea t N a ti v es O f Mi d -wes t er n Eco t yp e Primary Business Address 1753 Wick Way Montgomery, IL 60538
E-mail: GNOME.Native@gmail.com
Great Natives of Mid-western Ecotype (GNOME) is an organization focused on the preservation and expansion of native floral and faunal species. The mission is to provide a netbased forum where members can share their passion, plans, ideas, and questions with other people havinga common interest in native species.
Join our facebook group! Add the “groups” application and search for us! This is our primaryforum location. The newsletter as well as open discussions are there and also other links to people and groups that focus on natives.
We’re on the Web! http://gnomenative.blogspot.com/ We are also in the bloggingworld. If you would like to be added as an author to our blog, please email us at GNOME.Native@ gmail.com. We can get you set up! There’s no place like GNOME!
If you have articles or photos that you would like to share, please email us. We would love to add others to the creation of this newsletter.
GNOME FOCUS ON THE FUTURE I was sitting out on my patio during a summer morning and was lucky enough to see my first Common Clearwing attracted by my native prairie garden. I was even more fortunate to have had my camera nearby and so captured this moment forever.
It was at that point that I really began to consider my individual impact not just on my yard, but on the ecosystem as a whole. I decided to start to make good on what I feel is my responsibility to this system.
My plantings have left some neighbors wanting plants. I have started to share seeds Upon reflection, I and transplants with them. started to feel sort of We are having more diabad for this moth. I can logue about gardening and Hemaris thysbe on Monarda fistulosa just about imagine how (Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Wild Bergamot) plant choices. Some have far it had to fly over even ventured out on their green monoculture own and bought some nalawns laden with chemicals to tives. Little by little, we are filling My mind turned to Noah’s make it grow and kill its pests, in Sara’s plans. Garden, featured in the Best stripped clean of all nutrients Books section this month. In (leaves and mowed grass), that book, Sara Stein had Hopefully, I will see the next genand lacking essential composome drawings of what type erations of clearwings in the comnents that I would consider of habitat corridors could be ing years; and hopefully they will habitat and neighbors would created by working with find this environment of better not even consider. neighbors. To me this quality than their predecessors did. seemed logical, but almost One person, one plant makes a unattainable. difference!