Spring 2005 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

7/31/2019 Spring 2005 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

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Minnesota Plant PressThe Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

Volume 24 Number 3 Spring 2005

Monthly meetingsMinnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd. East

Bloomington, MN 55425-1600

952-854-5900

6:30 p.m. Building east door opens6:30 p.m. Refreshments,

information, Room A7 9 p.m Program, society business7:30 p.m. Building door is locked

9:00 p.m. Building closes

ProgramsThe MNPS meets the first Thursday in

October, November, December, February,March, April, May, and June. Check theWeb site for more program information.

May 5: Native Grass IdentificationWorkshop, by Anita Cholewa, Ph.D,curator of temperate plants, J.F. BellMuseum of Natural History. Plant-of-theMonth: Bottle Grass (Elymus hystrix),presented by Erin Hynes, President of theOrnamental Grass Society of Minnesotaand author of Cold Climate OrnamentalGrasses.

June 2: Forests, Logging and Plants:How forest management and naturalhistory interact to affect northern forestunderstory plant communities, by DanielR. Dejoode, senior natural resources

specialist for Peterson EnvironmentalConsulting, Inc. Annual Plant Sale, opento the public.

In this issueMNPS plant sale...................2

Evelyn Moyle honored......... 2

Board changes...................... 3

Bioblitz................................. 3

Reed canary grass studies.....5

Review of Steiner book........ 6

Volunteer opportunities........ 6

Toothwort (Plant Lore)........ 7

Think Native Grants............ 7

Explore natural areasduring five field trips

MNPS members will lead five field trips to natural areas this springand summer. They are to the Falls Creek Scientific and Natural AreaBeaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, Hayden Prairie (Iowa) State

Preserve, Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Boot Lake SNA, Helen AllisonSavanna SNA and Cedar Creek Bog.

Participation may be limited, so early registration is encouraged.Site directions and other information will be provided to registrantsDetails and updates for upcoming field trips are available on theSocietys Web site, www.mnnps.org

Sunday, May 15 Falls Creek SNA Spring Wildflowers10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Arrive by 9:45 a.m.Northern Washington County, MinnesotaLed by Barb Delaney, professional botanistContact: Doug Mensing, [email protected] or 612-202-2252

This trip was planned as a follow-up to a wonderful winter forayPlease join us in exploring a truly unique plant community virginwhite pine forest on the ravines of the St. Croix River. We will seeabundant spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, rue anemone, bellwortand some rare species, such as kittentails.

Saturday, May 21 Spring Flora at Beaver Creek WMA andHayden Prairie State Preserve10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (12:30 p.m. lunch at Hayden Prairie)Fillmore County, southeast Minnesota and Howard County, Iowa.Led by Mark Leoschke, IowaDNR state botanist, and Paul

Bockenstedt, Bonestroo naturalresources plant ecologistContact: Paul Bockenstedt,651-604-4812, [email protected]

Join members of the MinnesotaNative Plant Society, IowaNative Plant Society and IowaPrairie Network for a day afieldon the Iowan Surface as we

New MNPS Web sitewww.mnnps.orge-mail: [email protected]

MNPS ListserveSend a message that includes the word

subscribe or unsubscribe and yourname in the body of the message to:[email protected] Continued on page 4


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ChangingFaces onMNPS boardby Karen Schik

While many of our members maynot be aware of the inner workings

of the Society, a lot goes on behindthe scenes. There are nine boardmembers, who spend a considerableamount of time on the organizationand functions of the Society, plusquite a few members who alsovolunteer tremendous amounts oftime and talent. I want to recognizeour departing board members and saya huge Thank You to each of themfor their many contributions.

David Johnson served on the boardas treasurer and membershipdatabase manager this past year, buthis contributions far exceed one year.He has been providing his servicesas treasurer and data manager foralmost seven years. We hardlynoticed what he did because hequietly went about doing it so wellthat it just seemed to happen on itsown. In fact, he updated both the

financial and membership databasesto more useful programs, and hasmonitored all that information allthese years. David produced themembership directories and all themonthly mailing labels, including thelittle membership expiredreminders. David will be sorelymissed

Doug Mensing served on the boardfor the last three years. Doug wasthe one you could count on to helpout with everything, whether to speakat a conference or to help clean upafter it. A busy dad of two youngchildren and a professional ecologist,Doug somehow made the time tocontribute countless hours forcountless events, organizing fieldtrips, and working on thesymposium. There wasnt much thatDoug didnt do. We will miss his

enthusiasm, readiness, andcompetence serving on the board.

Dianne Plunkett Latham servednearly two years on the board,stepping down recently to pursue hermany other interests, includingtravel. But Dianne made up for hershortened term by her engagement in

the board and her manycontributions, which includedcoordination of the Think NativeProgram, chairing the ConservationCommittee, staffing the booth andgiving presentations at numerousevents. Perhaps her more corecontributions to the society, however,were the ways that she helped to steersome of the board policies andoperations. She repeatedly broughther expertise as an attorney and her

experience serving on other boardsto help guide our board. Herknowledge, thoughtfulness, andenthusiasm will be greatly missed.

On the flip side of these good-byes,the board is very pleased to welcomethree new members: Daniel Jones,ecologist at Barr Engineering (whohas already stepped in to fill Diannesterm), Mary Brown, a long-timemember and native plant enthusiast,

and Sandy McCartney, St. Louis Parktree inspector (who will both starttheir terms in June 2005). Eachbrings talents and experiences thatwill help the Society to keep growingstrong.

Volunteers areneeded June 10,11 for BioBlitz

Minnesotas second annua

BioBlitz will be from 5 p.m. to 5 p.m

Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11

at the Minnesota Valley NationalWildlife Refuge. MNPS members

are invited to assist. The BioBlitz is

a festival, a contest, an educational

event for the public, and a scientific

endeavor. While scientists from

around the state are conducting an

intense biological survey, walks and

demonstrations will be held at the

MVNWR Visitor Center.

The scientific goal of a BioBlitz isto count as many species of plants

and animals as possible during a 24-

hour biological survey of a natural

area. More than 750 species were

recorded during the first Minnesota

BioBlitz, which was held in 2004 at

Tamarack Nature Center in Ramsey

County.

Volunteers are needed to assist in

surveys and to help lead walks forthe general public. Survey subjects

include reptiles, amphibians, birds

mammals, fish, butterflies, moths

beetles, ants, flies, bugs, spiders

mites, centipedes, worms, snails

grasses, sedges, trees, flowers, and

mushrooms. To volunteer or for

more information, contact John

Moriarty at 651-748-2500, or Dr

Susan Weller at 612-625-6253.

Additional information on the

BioBlitz is available at

www.bellmuseum.org

For information on the Saturday

morning, June 11, Rally for the

Refuge run, which is sponsored by

the Friends of the Minnesota Valley

see www.friendsofmnvalley.org/

rally.htm

Treasurers Reportby David Johnson

In 2004 we had $13,548.35 ofincome and $9,074.54 of expenses.

We increased our assets by$4,473.81, mostly because of the2004 symposium.

Our assets, as of Dec. 31, 2004,were: CD, $1,063.40; Checking,$11,279.51; Cash, $52.00.

MNPS maintains dedicated fundsin the checking account for thefollowing projects: Refuge AvianFeeder Project, $776.68; ThinkNative, $641.07.


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by Craig A. Annen, ecologist,Michler & Brown, LLC. This is asummary of his Dec. 17 , 2004,presentation to the Army Corps of

Engineers.

Can reed canary grass beselectively controlled?

Reed canary grass abatement andsubsequent native species restorationare challenging tasks, for manyreasons. One reason is a lack oftreatments that selectively target reedcanary grass with minimal collateraldamage to non-target species. Thisis usually not a problem during theearly stages of restoration when reedcanary grass is dominant, but canbecome a problem as the restorationprogresses and native species beginto return from the seed bank or activeplanting.

I have been exploring selectivecontrol options for use in transitionalareas where reed canary grass ispresent, but not the dominant species.I began by conducting a feasibilitystudy to determine if Vantage

(sethoxydim), a grass-specific

herbicide, would reduce seedproduction and above-g roundbiomass of reed canary grass withoutharming native species.

Early summer (May 29)sethoxydim application reduced seedhead production 98 percent and totalseasonal above-ground biomassproduction 56 percent . A la tesummer follow-up application (Aug.2) failed to improve biomass

suppression, possibly because thelitter that resulted from the initialapplication intercepted spray duringthe subsequent application.

Sethoxydim application had noeffect on native species abundance,indicating that it may possess a usefullevel of species selectivity.Herbicidal effects on reed canarygrass did not carry over into thesecond growing season. Reed canary

grass often recolonizes treated areasfrom its seed bank and rhizomeswhen treatments are discontinued.As a consequence, maintainingsuppression of growth and seed

production requires multiple-yearherbicide applications.

Why are multiple-year herbicide

applications necessary to control

reed canary grass?

My next objective was to look atreasons why reed canary grass is ableto quickly recolonize treated areas.One reason may have to do withrhizome apical dominance. Apicaldominance is the promotion of apical

growth with corresponding inhibitionof lateral growth, and is caused byinteractions among limiting factorsand plant hormones. Apicaldominance results in both activelygrowing and dormant rhizome budsin perennial grass stands.

When herbicides are applied toreed canary grass top growth, theymove throughout the plant along withcarbohydra tes. Studies with

radioactively labeled herbicidesshow that both glyphosate andsethoxydim translocate to andaccumulate within the apical portionsof rhizomes because the apex hasgreater sink strength for carbohydratewhen apical dominance is in place.As a result, lateral rhizome buds arenot affected by herbicideapplications, and reed canarygrass isable to resprout (resurge) from these

lateral buds.Rhizome apical dominance is well

documented in the scientificliterature, and rhizome buddormancy has been reported in reedcanary grass stands. The end resultof resurgence is that multiple-yearherbicide applications are necessaryto sustain the suppressive effects ofchemical treatments and deplete thedormant bud bank.

Can we enhance herbicide

effectiveness?I am currently investigating

whether short-circuiting apicadominance will enhance the

effectiveness of herbicide treatmentsTillage and plant growth regulator(PGR) applications are known toreduce the effects of apicadominance and promote lateragrowth in perennial grass rhizomesTillage overcomes apical dominanceby decap it ating rh izomes andbreaking them in to iso la tedfragments. PGRs mimic planthormones, and trick the plantsmolecular signal system into

promoting lateral growth. Oncedormant lateral buds become activethey are able to receivecarbohydrates (and herbicides) fromthe rhizome assimilate stream.

I want to find out if either tillageor PGR pretreatments followed byherbicide application will suppressreed canary grass to a greater extentthan herbicide application alone. Inthe first field season, PGR

pretreatments failed to improve reedcanary grass suppression, whilecoupling tillage (June 2) tosethoxydim application (June 23)reduced reed canary grass stemdensity 35 percent greater thanherbicide application alone, andimproved native species richness andabundance.

Craig A. Annen is a practicingrestorationist and researcherContact him at 608-424-6997 or

[email protected], or write to 228South Park Street, Belleville, WI53508.

Reed canary grass treatments studied

Thicket! - A Voice forIntegrated Weed Management

This newsletter is produced twicea year by the Integrated WeedManagement Group, which includesthe MDA. For current and pasissues, see: www.mda.state.mn.us/ipm/thicket/default.htm


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by Karen SchikLynn Steiner has filled a void with

a comprehensive and beautifullywritten book, Landscaping With

Native Plants of Minnesota. Whilemany books exist on native plantlandscaping, most are general andapply to very large regions of theUnited States. A person interestedin landscaping with Minnesota nativeplants has had to hunt for informationfrom multiple resources.

Steiners book has a strongecological basis, providingbackground info rmation about

Minnesota biomes, and emphasizingthe importance of referring to naturalareas for gardening inspiration andinsight. Steiner defines native plantsbased on The Vascular Plants ofMinnesota, the accepted reference byOwnbey and Morley. She describesthe types of habitats where they grow,their ecological benefits andmisconceptions about them. She alsowarns the reader about plantconservation issues, such as illegally

harvested plants and endangeredspecies. She strongly encouragesunderstanding and acceptance of theuniqueness of native plants, anddiscourages the use of insecticidesand other non-ecological practices.

The layout of the book is easy tofollow. The first half leads the readerfrom an overview of native plantcommunities, to evaluating a gardensite, to selecting plants and designingand installing a garden. Sidebarsprovide tips, including lists of deer-resistant plants, and plants forbu tt er fl ies, hummingbi rds, andspecific conditions. An abundance ofhigh quality color photographsbeautifully illustrate the text. Thesecond half of the book is devoted tocomprehensive descriptions andphotographs for 350 species of nativeflowering plants, grasses, trees,shrubs, evergreens, ferns, and vines.

Overall, I found her plant lists fordifferent conditions to be fairlyaccurate, though some designationsseemed incomplete. Little bluestem,

for instance, is listed as a savannaspecies, and not listed for mesicprairie and dry prairie, when clearlyit is a significant species of dryprairies. The lists provide a goodbasis, but a gardener should consultother reputable lists as well. Giventhe strong ecological nature of thebook, a reference to the presettlementvegetation map created byMarschner would also have been

helpful.Steiner has produced a beautiful

book that clearly demonstrates herknowledge and passion forMinnesota native plants. I was,however, disappointed by theauthors ready acceptance of non-native cultivars. While I have noissue, per se, with the use of cultivars,the title of the book impliesdedication to natives. Novices whodont understand the difference may

have little incentive to choose nativesover cultivars. Given the facts thatless than one percent of native prairie(for example) is left in the state, andthat cultivars generally provide lessnectar and other wildlife benefits, Iwould have expected cultivars wouldbe mentioned only as an aside.

Furthermore, she did not explainthe importance of local genotype, northe fact that nursery location does not

connote seed source location. Thisbook far exceeds most I have seen inregards to plant community ecology,but in my opinion, it fell short ofeducating readers about these issuesand the uniqueness of Minnesotasnatural heritage. The book is not theone reference that I had hoped itwould be, but it is nonetheless anexcellent resource and I would nothesitate to recommend it as asupplemental resource.

Get involvedby Karen Schik

Have you noticed new activities atthe Society? Things are happening more field trips, a new Web sitenew opportunities as land stewardsat Grey Cloud, more Society-

associated events, like the BioBlitzand the State Fair. Are youwondering how you can be a part ofall this fun? Scan the list below andlet us know what you are interestedin. Contact Karen Schik([email protected] or 651-433-5254)for more information or to sign up.

Occasional activities Sign up; wewill contact you as the need arises. MNPS Booth. Bring the displayboard to one or more events. State Fair. MNPS may againparticipate at another organizationsfair booth. Visit with fairgoers. Presentations. Organizationsoccasionally request presentations onplant-related topics. Let us know ifyou have a presentation you can give

Regular Needs May be onlyonce. Field trips. Lead a field trip to yourfavorite place, solicit others to lead

trips, or help organize trips. Submit an article to the Plant Press

Long-term tasks Firmcommitment needed. Database manager. Receive andenter new or renewing membersgenerate mailing labels, etc. Thecomputer (laptop) and program areprovided, as well as training. Annual symposium. Help plan andorganize the 2006 symposium

Planning will start this summer. Coordinate the Think Nativeprogram, a winter activity. Solicitparticipants, go through a selectionprocess, and follow up on results. MNPS historian. Compile thehistory of the society to post on theWeb site before the Societys 25thanniversary in 2007. Postcard mailer: Produce and maimeeting announcements and annuaWe want you back postcards.

Book tells how to landscapewith Minnesota native plants

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Plant Loreby Thor KommedahlWhat is toothwort?

Toothwort is a common name forDentaria laciniata and D. diphyllain the mustard family. Somebotanists include Dentaria in the

genus Cardamine. Both species arenative to Minnesota.

What do these names mean?Dentaria refers to the toothed

rhizomes of some species, whereasCardamine comes from DioscordesGreek name for cress. In fact,toothwort is also called spring cressbecause it has been eaten as analternate to watercress (Nasturtiumofficinale).

What does toothwort look like?Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla /

Dentaria diphylla) is a perennial witha creeping rootstock (rhizome).Leaves are divided into three-toothedleaflets, and the flowers have fourpetals, usually white or pale pink.Cut-leaved toothwort (Dentarialaciniata) also has three leaflets perleaf, but the leaflets are narrower andmore sharply toothed; this is calledCardamine concatenata by Gleason

and Gronquist. Moreover, the petalsare pale lavender, and the rhizomesare segmented.

Where do toothworts grow?Most are found in moist woods or

river bottoms and bloom about thetime that hepatica, bloodroot, andDutchmans breeches bloom, that is,in early spring before shade blanketsthe forest floor.

Are toothworts medicinal or

edible?Toothwort rhizomes have been

used as a folk remedy for toothaches,and the American Indians chewedrhizomes for colds. A poltice wasmade to treat headaches. MenomineeIndians piled masses of rhizomesunder a blanket for three to four daysto induce fermentation to make themsweet, then cooked them with corn.They said this was good to eat and

also was good medicine for thestomach. Rootstocks are peppery,and when mixed with vinegar andsalt are substituted for horseradish,or chopped up are used in salads.

Does it have economic value?Not really. It is sometimes

cultivated in wild or rock gardens.

by Dianne Plunkett LathamFive 2005 Think Native Grant

recipients have been approved by theMNPS Board of Directors. If you arenear any of the winners, see howthe grants are making a difference.

MinneapolisAnna Dvorak, on behalf of the

McKinley Community Garden, inpartnership with the FellowshipMissionary Baptist Church and theCamden Garden Club, accepted the$200 grant to create a rain garden atCityview School, 3350 Fourth St. N.,Minneapolis. Students will help plantand maintain the garden, which is onthe border of Perkins Hill Park.

MarshallDiane Gunvalson,on behalf of the

Community Action Partnership inMarshall, accepted the grant ofprairie seeds remaining from lastfalls MNPS seed exchange. Theseeds will be used for the wildflowerhill in Independence Park inMarshall. They also received a smallgrant to purchase native plants fromPrairie Restoration, which they putalong a path. They hope to create

informational markers. They alsopartnered with the Biology Club andDr. Desy at Southwest MinnesotaState University to collect seedsfrom the native prairie at theuniversity. They planted the seedsin the university greenhouse forplanting on the hillside. The MNPSseed will be germinated in theuniversity greenhouse as well.

Brainerd

Theri Wasniewski, on behalf ofCentral Lakes College, Brainerd,Minnesota accepted the grant of

woodland, wetland and rain gardenseeds remaining from the seedexchange. They plan to create acampus woodland garden at the edgeof a jack pine savannah on the top ofa hill above the Mississippi River

This interpretive garden willhighlight native grasses, wildflowersshrubs and trees. Wasniewskisstudents will create pamphlets andplace them in at the entrance to theThink Native Woodland Garden.

PlymouthLinda Miller, on behalf of the

Gleason Lake Elementary SchooOutdoor Learning Center (OLC)accepted the grant of prairie plantsremaining from the 2005 MNPSplant sale. The school is located at310 Co. Rd. 101 N., Plymouth. Since2002, they have been removinginvasives and restoring prairiewetland and woodland habitatsStudents help maintain the areaFortin Consulting providesoversight, burning and herbicideThe PTA hired a naturalist, who takeseach classroom out into the OLC forinstruction six times a year.

CentervilleLisa Gilliland, on behalf of theWargo Nature Center in Centervilleaccepted the grant of woodland andwetland plants remaining from the2005 plant sale. By implementingsustainable native landscapes as acommunity resource, Wargo isinvolved in a community-basedscience project with the ScienceMuseum of Minnesota. Wargo seeksto demonstrate the wide variety ofplants that could be used asalternatives to bluegrass lawnsVisitors will see the plants in a seminative habitat and receive printedinformation about them. Wargo willhave interpretative signs for a birdfeeder watch area, a tallgrass prairiewoodland, and a butterfly garden.

The 2005 Think Native GrantCommittee consisted of DiannePlunkett Latham, chair, DaveCrawford and Linda Huhn.

2005 Think Native Grants


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Minnesota Native Plant Society

University of Minnesota

250 Biological Sciences Center

1445 Gortner Ave.

St. Paul, MN 55108

Spring 2005

Documents

Spring 2005 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter