Naturally Natives Resilient Ozark Plants on the Run and Old as the Hills Text and photos by Scott Woodbury
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changing climate and advancing t is said that blues musician glaciers. Robert Johnson (Tommy Johnson in the movie, O During the last two million Brother Where Art Thou) sold years, many plants and animals his soul to the devil (for musimigrated to the warmer climate cal virtuosity) at the crossroads of the Ozarks as they were pushed in Clarksdale, Mississippi. More south and west by advancing famous blues musicians origiglaciers. As the climate warmed, nated from this area (and miand glaciers retreated back north, grated there) than anywhere in most cooler-loving species the country. In much the same followed. But some species way, more species of plants ex(called glacial relics) stayed ist in the Ozark Highlands (one behind. They found refuge in the of the oldest mountain ranges bottoms of cool sinkholes, northon the planet) than anywhere in facing slopes, box canyons, the lower Mid-west. Why? Beand wetland fens. To this day, Penstemon cobaea, Echinacea pallida, and Oenothera cause the Ozarks are an ancient glacially disconnected animals macrocarpa crossroads for migrating plants. like wood frogs and four-toed They are a tapestry of plants, uprooted and on the run from ever- .salamanders still hang out in these cool and moist, shady safehavens, while the majority of their population exists far to the north and east. The same is true of plants like queen-of-the-prairie (Filapendula rubra) and Ridell’s goldenrod (Solidago ridellii), both living in wetland fens, and also harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) and white camas (Zigadenus elegans) that cling to north-facing bluffs along the Jacks Fork River. These are disconnected species (called disjunct) because they exist beyond or at the edge of their Filapendula rubra, Queen-ofnatural ranges. According to Dr. the-Prairie.
mud pies, grasshoppers, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade, water lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of education. ~ LUTHER BURBANK
CONNECT NATURE
Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 30 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program.
CALL OR CHECK WEBSITE FOR CURRENT HOURS. 88 Forrest Keeling Lane | Elsberry, MO 63343 | 800-FKN-2401 | forrestkeeling.com
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The Gateway Gardener™ APRIL 2021
