Restoring The Landscape With Native Plants: January 2011

Our Native Landscape Story (Part 2): Reducing Impervious Surfaces

This is Part 2 of Our Native Landscape Story.

Read Part 1 here.

I detailed how we removed impervious surfaces in Part 1 to the right of the garage.

This post will highlight the native plants we added where the trailer parking pad is on the right side of the photo below.

As mentioned in Part 1, the trailer parking pad was composed of 8-10 feet high of fill in a depression so that it would be level with the cul-de-sac.

We removed all of the fill and asphalt back to the native soil.
Composted leaves were spread on top of the soil, then it was planted and mulched.

Side View of Parking Pad and Fill

Same view from side of garage, just planted.

Early May, 2010

On the left in foreground is Chokeberry and a Bur Oak tree. In the center of the island is a Pagoda Dogwood. Shrubs and trees on the right include Ironwood, Fragrant Sumac and American Cranberry.

Just planted, May 2007

May 2010

View from below in May 2007.

May 2010

Blue beech tree on right. Spring wildflowers planted in this area include Bishop's Cap, Wild Ginger, May Apple, Trout Lily, Wild Geranium, Cinnamon Fern, Early Meadow Rue, Virginia Bluebells, Wild Columbine, Wild Leeks, Blue Cohosh, Hepatica and Dutchman's Breeches.

Native Plant of the Week: Wild Columbine ~ Aquilegia canadensis

Wild Columbine ~ Aquilegia canadensis
Other Common Names: Red Columbine, Canada Columbine, Rock Columbine

Wild Columbine was present in our yard the first spring we lived here. It had been relegated to the fence edge because the yard was mowed. Since converting the yard to native plantings, it has successfully seeded and moved inwards into the yard.

"This graceful flower enlivens us all through the months of May and June by its brilliant blossoms of deep red and golden yellow." (Studies of Plant Life in Canada, C. Traill, 1906)

The red and yellow flowers of Wild Columbine are an important source of nectar for hummingbirds migrating northwards in the spring. In our area in central Minnesota, it typically flowers in mid to late May, but last year was flowering as early as late April.

Wild Columbine flowers are 5 parted with interesting long hollow nectar spurs. The tops of the 5 sectioned seed capsules dry and open, and the shiny black seed is wind dispersed.

Wild Columbine foliage is similar to Early Meadow Rue, a softly lobed, 2-3 parted leaf arranged alternately on the flower stem.

Wild Columbine against our fence

Columbine is the larval host for the Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius), a type of Borer Moth (Papaipema leucostigma) and the Columbine Sawfly (Pristophora aquilegae). (Illinois Wildflowers Website)

Wild Columbine prefers dry to mesic soils and the edges of woodlands or in open rocky habitats.
It is native to eastern North America, from Saskatchewan south to Texas and eastwards. It is listed as endangered in Florida.

Our Native Landscape Story (Part 1): Reducing Impervious Surfaces

This series of posts will highlight sections of our landscape and what we've done in each section.

Our lot is approximately 2/3 of an acre. The house is situated on the top of a gravel esker, and the detached garage is at the bottom of the slope. Our soil varies from gravel and sand deposits on the top of the esker to a sandy-loam at the bottom of the slope. We moved in 2004.

This post will be about the area to the right of the garage. We are at the end of a cul-de-sac, and when looking at the house with our realtor I noticed the excessive amount of paving and parking pads.

Pictured below, the paving on the right side of the garage and the the trailer parking pad on the far right. Underneath the trailer parking pad, (the lot slopes to the right) there was about 10-12 feet in height of fill to make the parking pad level with the cul-de-sac.

In 2007, we decided to remove this excess paving. Reducing impervious surfaces on our lot was one of our goals to help improve water quality. Water will therefore infiltrate into the ground, rather than running off our property, potentially carrying pollutants, and adding to the surge of water that our storm sewers have to accommodate.
Read an earlier post on Permeable Asphalt

We hired a contractor with a skid steer to remove around 1200 square feet of asphalt, subgrade and fill back to the native soil. This included a 10 foot wide section in front of the left side of the garage that is now a raingarden, collecting the cul-de-sac runoff.

We made sure the contractor did not leave the footprint of the paved area and potentially compact the soil in surrounding areas.

Fortunately, we live within a mile or so of an asphalt and gravel recycling center. So all of the fill and asphalt was hauled a short distance and recycled.

We ordered 30 cubic yards of composted leaves and spread this over the soil. This was to help reintroduce beneficial bacteria and organic matter that was lost due to the paving.

Just planted in May 2007

Native trees, shrubs, prairie and woodland perennials were then planted. Along the garage foundation, we added American Hazelnut, Chokeberry and Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla). Along the right side of the path we added several native ferns and spring ephemerals. Beyond this on the right side, Common Ninebark, American Plum and Pagoda Dogwoods are the backdrop.

We did add mulch once with the initial planting to prevent soil erosion. Now the fallen leaves are left and are the mulch.

June 2010

Here is the before and after from the back of the garage.

Just Planted, May 2007

June 2010

In the foreground on the right is Wild Ginger, Jack in the Pulpit and sedges. On the left is Canada Anemone and Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera), a favorite perch of tree frogs.

Name That Native Plant - Quiz 12

Do you know what native plant this is?

Post your reply.

Great Backyard Bird Count

February 18-21, 2011
Next month is the four day Great Backyard Bird Count, a project by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon.

Citizens submit their bird checklists of birds that they observed in their yards or local parks online, for any or all of the four days.

Scientists use the results to study bird populations. The count can highlight if there's an irruption (when bird species move outside of their typical range) or a decline in population numbers.

We have participated for the last several years, submitting our bird checklist for each of the four days of the count.

Not sure if you can ID birds?
There's an online bird guide if you don't have any bird books.

If you like to watch or feed birds during the winter months, this is a great family activity especially if you have kids. Check out the kids' page on their website.

Photography Contest

There's also a photography contest, so if you have some great shots of birds you can enter them into the photography contest.

You can view the previous year's winners in the Photo Gallery.

Also, look over previous year's results by bird species or look up the tally for your State or Province.

Here's an example of the sightings of Northern Shrikes in the Great Lakes area for the 2010 bird count.

Fellow bloggers

Add the GBBC web buttons to your blog (several to chose from on the GBBC website).

Native Plant of the Week: American Bladdernut ~ Staphylea trifolia

American Bladdernut ~ Staphylea trifolia

American Bladdernut is an attractive tall multistemmed shrub (sometimes considered a small tree) woodland understory native. It looks very similar to the Common Hoptree or Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata) with its three leaflets and similar size.

I just found a small cluster of American Bladdernut growing locally in a park. This portion of the park is an island in a creek/wetland habitat and is only accessible in the winter months. The bladdernut is growing on an upland north facing slope in the understory of large oaks and ironwoods.

American Bladdernut flowers in early spring, mid May in central Minnesota, with white five petaled downward hanging bell shaped flowers in clusters.

The seeds pods are the reason why this shrub is called Bladdernut because they look like an inflated papery lantern or bladder. These bladder like pods start to develop by mid June and dry out and brown as the summer progresses. "...the 1-4 pale brown, shiny seeds eventually become loose and rattle within the bladder..." (Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota)

Also according to Welby Smith author of Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota, the function of the bladder is unknown, but "presumably plays a role in the dispersal of seeds".

Perhaps the bladders float well and helps in dispersing seeds a good distance?

Bladdernut is opposite branching with a double terminal bud.

The bark is smooth and gray brown in color on new growth but on the older growth it develops into a dark chocolate brown with white streaks.

American Bladdernut is native to eastern America and southern Ontario. From the southern third of Minnesota southwards to Louisiana and east.

The best location for this shrub in the home landscape is in a shade to part shade location in medium to moist soil.

Name That Native Plant - Quiz 11

Do you know what native plant this is?

Post your reply.

Milkweeds and Their Associated Insects

Monarch butterflies are the insect most frequently associated with Milkweed (Asclepias) species as a larval host.

The Monarch caterpillars have an advantage over predators from eating Milkweed plants which contain a toxic milky sap that becomes concentrated in their bodies.
"The larvae sequester cardiac glycosides from the milkweed leaves that they consume. Concentrations of these heart toxins in their bodies may be several times higher than those occurring in milkweed leaves." (Caterpillars of Eastern North America)

The orange and black coloration of insects associated with Milkweed belong to a group called the "Monarch Mimicry Complex". Either they feed on milkweed or share the same black and orange coloration as Monarchs that allow them protection from predators.

There are other insects who take advantage of the milky sap, or develop ways to 'eat around' the sap in order to consume Milkweed leaves.

Two types of beetles are commonly found on Milkweed. The first, pictured here, is the Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis). These beetles especially like feeding on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) although I have seen larva on Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa).

We find adults in early July in our area and a second population in September. These beetles are fairly large and conspicuous, just over 1 cm in length. The black patterning on their backs can be variable in shape. The second photo is of a larvae.

The other common beetle is the Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus). This long-horned beetle also prefers Swamp Milkweed as well as Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

I usually see these beetles in July in central Minnesota. They are red-orange in color, with four black spots (eyes) on their thorax.

"Eggs are laid near milkweed plants in grass stems. The larva find their way to the milkweed plant and burrow into the roots where they develop." (Insects of the North Woods)

There are two bug species found on milkweed too.

The Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii) is dark gray to black with an orange 'X' on its back.

Look for adults in early summer on Swamp Milkweed.

Adults lay their eggs on Milkweed in the spring and feed on the milkweed seeds. These bugs overwinter as adults.

The larva look very similar to the Large Milkweed Bug. One difference is the two black angled marks on their thorax.

The second bug found on Milkweed is the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). It has a prominent black band through the middle of its wings.

"Eggs are laid in milkweed seed pods or in crevices between the pods. About 30 eggs are laid a day, and about 2000 over a female's lifespan, which lasts about a month during the summer." (BugGuide.net)

In late August the larvae can be seen in huge numbers on Milkweed pods. They are pictured here on Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata).

These larvae mature into adults and overwinter in adult form. One generation per year.

The last insect commonly found on Milkweed plants is a moth caterpillar, the Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle). These black and orange caterpillars are found in early August, most often feeding on Common Milkweed.

The caterpillars "chew through major leaf veins to disarm the pressurized copious latex of the food plants." (Moths and Caterpillars of the North Woods) One generation per year in the north, caterpillars overwinter.

Native Plant of the Week: Rattlesnake Master ~ Eryngium yuccifolium

Rattlesnake Master ~ Eryngium yuccifolium

Other Common Names: Button Eryngo, Yuccaleaf Eryngo

Rattlesnake Master is a very attractive prairie native preferring moist to mesic sites in prairies. As the latin name suggests, the 1-2" wide basal foliage resembles that of a Yucca, silver gray in color, with "soft weak prickles spaced far apart along the edges" (USDA Plants Database Fact Sheet)

This plant is a tall grass prairie species. "The new growth is nutritious and readily eaten by all classes of livestock. It is a decreaser that disappears along with the better grasses as a range is continuously overgrazed." (Native Grasses Legumes and Forbs, Phillips Petroleum Company, 1956.)

Rattlesnake master grows to about 3 feet tall when flowering. The globe shaped flower heads consist of many 5 petaled white flowers and emerge in early July.

The flowers have a mild sweet fragrance and are pollinated by many types of insects, especially wasp species.

In our yard, it is also one of the favorite perches for gray tree frogs.

It is a great native for the home landscape in a full sun location and medium to moist soil. The flower heads dry and are attractive late into the fall. Be careful if you collect seed of the sharp bracts on the flower heads (be sure to wear gloves). Once dried the seed heads fall apart quite easily. According to the Prairie Moon Nursery catalog, it is easy to grow from seed, needing only a cold stratification for 60 days.

Rattlesnake Master is native from Minnesota southwards to Texas and east, except for the northeastern States. In Minnesota, it is native only to the southern portion of the State, just south of the metro area. Link to Distribution Map