Spring 2009 Minnesota Plant Press ~ Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

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    Minnesota Plant Press

    Te Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter

    Volume 28 Number 2 Spring 2009

    Monthly meetingsThompson Park Center/Dakota

    LodgeThompson County Park

    360 Butler Ave. E.,West St. Paul, MN 55118651-552-7559 (kitchen)

    ProgramsThe Minnesota Native Plant

    Society meets the rst Thursdayin October, November, December,February, March, April, May, andJune. Check at www.mnnps.orgfor more program information.

    6 p.m. Social period7 9 p.m. Program, Society

    business

    In this issuePresidents column ...................2New lifetime member ...............3Northeld citizens park ............4New mnnps website .................4New members .........................5Wild River State Park ...........5Field trips ................................6Dutchmans breeches ...............7June 4 plant sale .......................7

    May 7: Making a Floral Atlasfor the Shakopee Mdewakanton

    Sioux Community,Victoria Ranua,environmental assessment specialistfor the SMS Community; Plant-of-the-Month: Solanum rostratum(buffalo bur).

    June 4:Western PrairieFringed Orchid: an EnigmaticallyDeclining Species, by NancySather, DNR ecologist; Annualplant sale.

    Oct. 1: Program to be

    announced.

    Unregulated oodplains:good for plants, peopleby Beth Nixon, MNNPS Conservation Committee chair

    Adaptation to the greater powers of the Earth has made numerous nativeplant species, anthropomorphically, look forward to the oods of springfor their livelihood. Rivers still unregulated enough to escape their banks

    in the spring nourish oodplains and backwaters with the spring ushof the lands meltwaters. Viewed from Google Earth, unregulated riveoodplains stand out as a prominent signature of oodplain forests chockfull of native plant species in balance with the annual ooding ritualUp close, oodplains present themselves with tall forests of silver maplewith elm, ash, cottonwood, and often laced with riverbank grape vinesUnderfoot, carpets of herbs rise and fall on an annual basis, surviving onthe nourishment of spring oods.

    These oodplains welcome ooding, and people who nd theseunregulated places learn to appreciate the power and beauty of the springritual. Conservation of these unregulated rivers and oodplains shows wha

    could be done for people trapped in harms way, where rivers run regulatedand oodplains are nonexistent.

    You can advocate for programs for conserving and restoring oodplainsThrough the federal Emergency Watershed Protection easement optionlands with a history of ooding can be preserved. The Nature ConservancyUpper Mississippi River Program is a focal point of their ambitious threeyear-old Great Rivers Partnership. Top priorities include the Root Riveand areas tributary to the St. Croix River.

    Although there are several altered oodplains, such as the Red RiveValley, which no longer are havens for native plant species, many largeand small oodplains still abound throughout Minnesota. Foremost ithe granddaddy, the Mississippi,at several recreation sites. A sitenot to miss is the McCarthy LakeWildlife Management Area atKellogg, near one of the Societysfavorite eld trips, Weaver Dunes.Further upstream, and north ofthe Twin Cities, is the MississippiRiver Islands SNA near Elk River.Then there are the lower CannonRiver Turtle Preserve SNA, the

    Continued on page 3

    MNNPS websiteFor current information about

    Society eld trips, meetings andother events, check the website:www.mnnps.org

    The site also contains all of thenewsletters since 1982, committeecontacts, and a variety of volunteeropportunities.

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    MNNPS Boardof Directors

    President: Scott Milburn,[email protected]

    Vice President: Shirley MahKooyman, shirley.mah.kooyman@

    mnnps.orgDerek Anderson, board member,

    [email protected]

    Ken Arndt,board member, eldtrip chair, [email protected]

    Michael Bourdaghs, boardmember, [email protected]

    Angela Hanson, board member,[email protected]

    Elizabeth Heck, board member,

    webmaster, elizabeth.heck@mnnpsorg

    Dylan Lueth, board member,[email protected]

    Beth Nixon, board memberconservation committee chair,[email protected]

    Erika Rowe, board member,[email protected]

    Russ Schaffenberg, board

    member, [email protected]

    Treasurer: Ron and CathyHuber, [email protected]

    Linda Huhn, programcoordinator, 612-374-1435

    Secretary: Andrs Morantes,[email protected]

    Field Trips: [email protected]

    Memberships: memberships

    [email protected]

    Historian-Archives: RoyRobison, [email protected]

    Technical or membershipinquiries: contact.mnnps@mnnpsorg

    Minnesota Plant Press Editor:Gerry Drewry, 651-463-8006;[email protected]

    Minnesota Native Plant Societys purpose(Abbreviated from the bylaws)

    This organization is exclusively organized and operated for

    educational and scientic purposes, including the following.

    Conservation of all native plants.1.

    Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences.2.

    Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant3.

    life.Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to4.

    Minnesota.

    Study of legislation on Minnesota ora, vegetation, ecosytems.5.

    Preservation of native plants, plant communities, and scientic and6.

    natural areas.

    Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural7.

    resources and scenic features.

    Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through8.

    meetings, lectures, workshops, and eld trips.

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    Presidents columnby Scott Milburn

    We are coming off another successful symposium, our fourthconsecutive year focusing on a region of Minnesota. This year a greatroster of speakers explored the often underappreciated Tallgrass AspenPrairie. Over 130 people attended the all-day event. I would like to thankour speakers, including Rhett Johnson, Nancy Sather, Robert Dana, Cary

    Hamel, Russ Reisz, Donovan Pietruszewski, Laura Reeves, and Ross Hier.Most of them made the trek down from the Northwest, including Cary andLaura who came all the way from Manitoba. I would also like to thank thesymposium committee for their time and effort. This years committeehad two new members, with Erika Rowe taking charge of much of theplanning and Angela Hanson coordinating the catering. It is also importantto point out how gracious the Bell Museum of Natural History has been tohost us the past several years.

    As keepers of our natural history, the Bell Museum serves an importantrole in educating the public. The Bell is the states repository of Minnesotaanimal and plant life. Anyone visiting the Bell will notice the beautiful

    dioramas depicting the Minnesota landscape with the prominent fauna andora. As you may already know, the Bell Museum is seeking funds for anew facility as part of the 2009 capital bonding request. This request forfunds is not new. Last years request was denied through a line-item veto.This funding request will likely face similar scrutiny from those who haveopposed it in the past, with the economic decline making things that muchmore difcult. The purpose and mission of the Bell is in line with ours, andwe have an opportunity as individuals to show our support. I encouragethose who feel strongly about this to contact their local representatives,including the Governors ofce.

    In other news, the board has three new members replacing myself,Peter Dziuk, and Shirley Mah Kooyman. The new members are Angela

    Continued on page 4

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    Mike BourdaghsMPCA Wetland Biologist Mike

    Bourdaghs is another one of thenew crop of recently elected boardmembers. He has been with theMPCA since 2004, working ontechniques to measure wetlandquality by looking at how wetlandnative plant communities respondto human-caused disturbances.

    Mike had his rst real exposureto the states ora during a summerinternship on the Kabetogama

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    Chamberlain Woods SNA on theMinnesota River, and numerous

    other fascinating examples ofoodplain natural communitiesthroughout the designated Wild andScenic Rivers.

    Visit a oodplain, appreciatethe native plants and their complexnatural communities, and noticethe associated animals. Imaginethe possibilities for reclaiminglandscapes and watersheds complicitin devastating human disasters, andthen do something about it.

    FloodplainsContinued from page 1

    Angela HansonThe Societys new board

    member, Angela Hanson, has beena MNNPS member since she wascultivating her plant knowledgewhile studying ecology at theUniversity of Minnesota. Sincethen, she interned with the DNRsPrairie Care Program (with Societymember Dave Crawford), theShakopee Mdewakanton SiouxCommunitys Land Department,and the Minnesota Board of Waterand Soil Resources. She now works

    full time for the City of BurnsvillesNatural Resources Department,where she is involved with programsranging from wildlife managementto water quality improvement toecological restoration and publiceducation.

    Angela lives in SouthMinneapolis. Her other passionsinclude photography, gardening,sailboat racing, and riding

    motorcycles. One of her motorcyclesis currently having native plantspainted on it.

    Angela looks forward to herinvolvement with the board and theSocietys unique blend of nativeplant proponents. She hopes toattract, inspire, and compel newand younger audiences to sustain oreven expand the Societys concernand enthusiasm for native plantsand their habitats.

    Derek AndersonDerek Anderson is one of the

    newer members of the MinnesotaNative Plant Society. He has been amember for several years and looksforward to serving on the board.

    Derek grew up in northwesternWisconsin, where he developed aninterest in the outdoors and plants. Hespent a good deal of time on the St.Croix River and the numerous parkslocated along the river. This interestled Derek to go to the Universityof WisconsinSuperior, where he

    obtained a degree in botany. Hisearly work and interests focused onthe forested plant communities ofnorthern Wisconsin and Minnesota.

    Derek started working with theMinnesota Department of NaturalResources in 2004. While he startedwith northern forests, he nowprimarily focuses on the prairies ofsouthern and western Minnesota.The majority of his work within theDNR is centered on the recoveryefforts of the plants listed asfederally endangered or threatened(Minnesota dwarf trout lily, westernprairie fringed orchid and prairiebush clover). More recently, he hasstarted surveying the counties ofsouth central Minnesota as a part ofthe Minnesota County BiologicalSurvey.

    Introducing new

    MNNPS board membersPeninsula and never looked back.While he has over 10 years ofprofessional botanical experience,

    Mike freely admits that he has a lotto learn. That is what led him to theMNNPS just over a year ago.

    Mike currently resides inMahtomedi and spends most of histime helping his wife raise a toddler.During breaks in the action he enjoysbrewing beer, playing hockey, andthinking about canoe trips to come.

    David Johnsonis new lifetimehonorary memberby Ron Huber

    At the April 2 meeting, DavidJohnson was awarded an HonoraryLife Membership for his many yearsof dedicated service to our Society.

    David was born in West Virginiabut has lived in numerous placesaround the country. After completinghis computer science degree at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madisonhe and his wife, Susan, moved toMinnesota. David recalls collectingseeds as a youngster. Later, he taughthimself how to grow tropical orchidsand native plants from seed. He

    served as treasurer and membershipsecretary for the Orchid Society ofMinnesota.

    David discovered the MNNPSwhen he saw the display board. Heand Susan joined in 1998, and Davidvolunteered to keep membershiprecords. He also became treasurerin 1999. He developed severacomplex computer programsto handle the membership dataRecently, David made some long-

    awaited changes, modernizing andstreamlining the database. He thenturned those duties over to othersbut he continues to volunteer hiscomputer programming expertiseon an as needed basis.

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    by Arlene Kjar, MNNPS memberI rst became involved with

    Northelds Lashbrook Park in1988, when I joined a citizen groupcalled People for Parks. The group

    was intent on saving an 11-acrecorneld from being developedinto high-rise apartments. The landhad previously been designated asparkland, but developers had theireyes on this prime piece of landtucked in next to St. Olaf College.

    It took four years of meetings withthe city, many fundraisers, donationsand a grant before the park becameLashbrook Park in 1992. This was

    made possible with the donationof $25,000 from St. Olaf College,and equal amounts from People forParks and the City of Northeld.Working with the Park Board, agrant of $86,000 was obtained withthe efforts of Kathiann and WesleyBrown of People for Parks. Thegrant funds came from the State ofMinnesota, funded by the UnitedStates Department of Interior.

    The oak savanna portion of

    the park was planted by PrairieRestorations in 1996. About nineacres are prairie; the other two acresare part of the wooded watershedarea next to the prairie. The park wasnamed after the Alfred Lashbrookfamily that once farmed the landand became world-famous for theirHolstein cattle. The name reects theNortheld motto, Cows, Colleges,and Contentment.

    Obtaining the park was just thebeginning of a continuing battle topreserve it as a restored oak savannaand native wetland woods. Citizengroups came together many timesto prevent tennis courts, an archeryrange, and landscaping fromencroaching on the natural park.

    Prairie Partners is a new citizen-led group I have joined. Its missionis to help promote, maintain, andpreserve all prairie ecosystems in

    Northeld and the surrounding area.Prairie Partners consists not only ofresidents of the Northeld area, butmany college students.

    Education is an important part

    of our group. Members of PrairiePartners have volunteered to teachclasses, such as Drawing in thePrairie, and ower walks that are ledin the prairie and woods. Two grantsare pending that would providesnowshoes for youth to be used inthe park in the winter. A brochure,produced by Prairie Partners,is being distributed to promoteawareness of the park. Membersattend the city park board meetingsand communicate with city staff.

    Taking care of an 11-acre naturalpark is a never-ending task. Avolunteer crew pulls Canada thistlesand takes out buckthorn, reed canarygrass and other exotic invasiveplants. Prairie Partners has drawnupon the specialists at Carleton andSt. Olaf and naturalists from thestate parks for advice. The residentsof Northeld think it is great to

    have a city park that is dedicatedto preserving the native habitat ofNortheld, and they take pride inhelping to care for it.

    Northeld residents organize,create natural city park

    mnnps.org hasa new faceby Elizabeth Heck

    The Minnesota Native PlanSocietys website has a new faceCheck it out at www.mnnps.orgThe site is intended to introduce the

    Society, encourage membershipprovide an informational resourcefor existing membership and be aneducational resource. ProspectiveMNNPS members will ndinformative details about the Societyin the links at the top of the pagewhile current members are kept upto-date through the links on the left

    Board member Elizabeth Heckdesigned and constructed the

    site, while other board membercontributed greatly to the concept andcontent. Additional contributions toMNNPS online communicationinclude an update to the Societyblog being undertaken by membeKaty Chayka. This is the placeto post the latest in plant-relatedhappenings. Also look forward toour new Facebook being set up byboard members Michael Bourdaghand Angela Hanson.

    Thanks to all those who havevolunteered their time to make theSocietys online communicationavailable to a diverse variety oplant-loving professionals andenthusiasts.Shirley Mah

    Kooyman receiveseducators award

    Shirley Mah Kooyman, MNNPSvice president, received the BruceBeresford Horticulture Educators

    Award from the Minnesota StateHorticultural Society on Feb.7. The award is given to honor aperson who has been an educatorin the gardening world for 15 yearsor more. Shirley has been at theArboretum for 24-1/2 years and hasbeen teaching for just as long. Shewas nominated for the award by theHennepin County Master GardenerProgram, where she has been amember since 1984.

    Hanson, Derek Anderson, andMichael Bourdaghs. I am verypleased to have them serve the

    Society in this capacity. Each wilbring a unique perspective and a newdimension to the board. Also new isthe revamped website. (See articleabove.) One of the web componentswill be a revised blog. We havehad a blog, but we want to make ita more useful tool. We hope folkswill contribute to the blog and thatit will be benecial to our membersIn closing, we hope everyone wilenjoy the new growing season.

    Presidents columnContinued from page 1

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    by Dave Crawford, park naturalist,

    Wild River State Park. This is a

    summary of his Feb. 5, 2009 talk.

    Prairie Care is a volunteer-based

    project to reconstruct prairie andoak savanna, maintain existingremnants, and compile data onphenology and locations of nativeprairie and savanna species.

    The project dates to the 1980s.The name Prairie Care came

    about in 2000 for an adopt-a-speciesapproach to getting volunteers tohelp with early-seeding species.

    Wild River State Park lies on theSt. Croix River upstream of TaylorsFalls, Minn. It was establishedto preserve river shoreline and to

    preserve and restore presettlementplant communities. Most of thepark is wooded and is rated highto outstanding in biodiversitysignicance.

    An area of about two squaremiles, which had been altered

    from presettlement oak savannaby agricultural activity, is inneed of restoration. Prescribedburns, invasive species control,and collecting and sowing oflocal genotype seed from native

    species are proving effective inaccomplishing restoration.

    Seed collection and sowing arenow done mostly by volunteers andvisiting school classes. Resourcemanagement goals go hand in handwith educational goals, reaching

    beyond park boundaries as morevisitors become aware of nativeplant communities and take part instewardship activities.

    Up to 1,000 visitors are involvedeach year, contributing 1 to 1.5 full-time employee equivalents in total

    volunteer hours. Estimated retail

    value of seed collected and sownhas risen from $400 per year inearly efforts to more than $40,000 ayear. Species diversity of collected

    seed has risen from 20 species toover 200. Henslows sparrows anda rare jumping spider, Pelegrinaarizonensis, are among the wildlifespecies known to have benetedfrom restoration efforts.

    The largest part of the increase

    in species diversity is credited tovolunteer Species Stewards, whomonitor and report locations andphenology of one or more early

    ripening, uncommon, or challengingspecies. Stewards collect seed from

    their species when it is ripe. Thisseed may be combined with otherspecies for mass sowing, maybe carefully sown in promisinglocations, or may be used to growplugs which are planted to establish

    new populations for further seedcollection.

    Training materials make itpossible for even inexperiencedvolunteers to be condent ofaccomplishing what is needed fortheir species. Data reported by

    stewards are used to improve trainingmaterials for future volunteersMore stewards are needed, as manyspecies are not currently beingclosely monitored. Stewards arealso being sought for the task of

    making manageable-sized portionsof the park buckthorn-free.

    Community involvement is keyto Wild River Park restorations

    CorrectionThere is an error in a chart

    accompanying the articleInventory shows the extent of non-native invasive plants in Minnesotaforests, that was in the Winter2009 issue. European privet shouldnot have been listed as a non-nativeinvasive species found in the plots.

    MNNPS welcomesnew members

    The Society gives a warmwelcome to 27 new members whojoined in the rst quarter of 2009.They are as follows.

    Norman Aaseng, MinneapolisChel Anderson, Grand MaraisSarette Arsenault, St. PeterKarl Bischoff, WelchKevin Cavanaugh, St. PaulKate Drewry, White Bear LakeKaren Eckman, ShoreviewLinda Falch, RicheldPamela Freeman, AnokaNick Grebe, MinneapolisDale T. Higgs, Apple ValleyRic Jasken, OgemaKaren Jensen, Stillwater

    Tara Kline, West St. PaulMatt Lasch, Prior LakeAmy Linnerooth, MankatoSharon Meister, CorcoranDean and Natalee Oknich,

    LindstromStacey Olszewski, MinneapolisTrudi Poquette, MinneapolisPhyllis Root, MinneapolisJacob and Anne Rouland, BlaineJudith Sims, St. PaulPhil and Pat Splett, Stancheld

    Karen Stiles, MinnetonkaNatalie White, MinneapolisTerry Yearwood, St. Paul

    How to join MNNPSThere are three ways to join the

    Society. Information is availableon the website (www.mnnps.org),or you may join at any monthlymeeting. To join by mail, send yourname, address, contact information,membership class, and a check to:

    Minnesota Native Plant SocietyP.O. Box 20401Bloomington, MN 55420

    Dues are:$15 - Individual

    $15 - Family

    $ 8 - Student

    $ 8 - Senior

    $20 - Institution

    $25 - Donor

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    by Ken ArndtWe have a great line-up of eld

    trips in 2009. In March we wentto the University of MinnesotaHerbarium. Outdoor eld tripsbegin in April.

    All eld trips are open to MNNPSmembers at no cost. Register fortrips at one of our general meetings,where you can sign up in person, orgo to our website (www.mnnps.org)and follow the link to the eld trippage, where you can e-mail me.

    Eloise Butler Wildower

    Garden and Bird SanctuarySaturday, April 25, 9 to 11 a.m., and11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

    Led by Scott Milburn, MNNPSpresident, board member andMidwest Natural Resourcesbotanist/ecologist, and ElizabethHeck, MNNPS board member andEloise Butler Wildower Gardennaturalist.

    Stroll through the oldestwildower garden in the country.This 102-year-old garden is home toover 500 species of plants, all within14 acres. We will visit woodland and

    wetland areas and see many springephemerals. Due to the narrow trailsin the garden, we will be limited to20 MNNPS members for each timeslot. The rst is full. The second willbe from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m..

    Hastings Sand CouleeScientifc and Natural Area

    Tuesday, May 5, 6 to 8 p.m.Led by Karen Schik, ecologist

    and project manager for Friendsof the Mississippi River; EllenFuge, SNA Progam staff; and TomLewanski, conservation director forFriends of the Mississippi River.

    This will be a joint eld trip withFriends of the Mississippi Riverand will be limited to 15 MNNPSmembers. Currently this eld tripis full, but we are taking names fora waiting list.

    This will be an evening hike intoone of the DNRs newest Scientic

    and Natural Areas. Hastings SandCoulee is a dry sand prairie ofabout 80 acres located just southof Hastings. It is the largest sandgravel prairie left in Dakota Countyand is home to rare plants, including

    James polanisia (endangered) andsea-beach needle grass.

    This will be, in part, a hands-and-knees adventure, as some of theearliest spring prairie owers arequite tiny. But there will be somesplash too, with the birds foot violetand other early prairie wildowers.

    Mdewakanton SiouxProperty and Spring LakeRegional Park

    Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m. to noon.Led by Victoria Rauna,environmental assessment specialistfor the Shakopee MdewakantonSioux Community.

    View several different nativeplant communities in Scott County.Participants will hike on ShakopeeMdewakanton Sioux tribal land andin parts of Spring Lake RegionalPark to view maple-basswoodforests, created prairie, rich fen with

    stunted tamaracks, shrublands andother wetland plant communities.

    Victoria Rauna has workedwith the Shakopee MdewakantonSioux Community for three years,surveying the ora on the reservationand working on a program to restorenative prairie. She will tell us abouther work and management plansbeing implemented on the triballands in Scott County.

    Orchid hunting up northGrand Rapids/Hill City AreaSaturday, June 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Led by Dr. John Almendinger,DNR forest ecologist; and ScottMilburn, MNNPS presidentand Midwest Natural Resourcesbotanist/ecologist.

    John and Scott led this trip twoyears ago, and many members haveasked for a repeat trip. Spend thebetter part of a day, hiking through a

    rich cedar swamp and black sprucebog in search of the unusual and thebeautiful.

    Participants will learn about thelocal geology and ecology of thissection of Minnesota, as well as getan understanding of how bogs areformed. A number of unique nativeplants will be encountered alongthe way, including over a dozendifferent native orchids. Dont missthis chance there are only a fewspots left.

    Aspen Parkland regionJuly 11 weekend

    Led by Nancy Sather, DNRbotanist/plant ecologist.

    Set aside the weekend of July 11for an in-the-eld follow-up of thisyears symposium topic, the Aspen

    Parkland region of northwesternMinnesota. Details for this trip arebeing planned now. Highlights willinclude surveying for the federallythreatened western prairie fringedorchid,Plantanthera praeclara, anda close look at the many differentplant communities of this region ofthe state.

    Weaver BottomsAugust

    Led by Steve Eggers, seniorecologist for the St. Paul DistrictCorps of Engineers.

    In August, MNNPS memberswill return to Weaver Bottoms inWinona County for a canoeingeld trip. American lotus and otheraquatic plants will be in bloom, wildrice stands will grace the river, anda diverse assemblage of emergent,oating and submergent aquaticvegetation will be experiencedthroughout the day.

    For more information Stay tuned to our website for

    additional details of existing tripsas well as more trips being plannedfor late summer and fall. If youwould like to receive periodic eldtrip update e-mails, just contact meat [email protected] and ask tobe put on the list. I look forward toseeing many of you this summer.

    Summer eld trips set

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    Plant Loreby Thor KommedahlWhat is Dutchmans breeches?

    Dutchmans breeches is a native,perennial, early spring owernamed Dicentra cucullaria in thefumitory family. It is a close relativeof bleeding heart.

    What do its names mean?It is called Dutchmans breeches

    because its blooms resemblewhite breeches (pantaloons).Dicentra comes from a Greekword meaning twice-spurred,referring to the two-spurred owers.Cucullaria means hood-like orhooded, descriptive of the owers.

    Where does it grow?Dutchmans breeches thrives in

    rich woods in most of the deciduous-wooded areas of the state.

    What do the plants look like?All of the leaves and ower stalks

    are basal and grow from short, scalyrhizomes. Leaves are three-partedwith nely divided leaets. The ve-to nine-inch long stalks (scapes)end in white owers arranged in araceme. When spring is over (April- May), the foliage turns yellow, and

    the plant is not visible in summer orfall.

    What is the relationship to ants?Seeds of Dutchmans breeches

    are spread by ants. A eshy structurecalled an elaiosome is attached to aseed and attracts ants. Ants carrythe seeds to their nests, where

    ants feed the elaiosomes to theirlarvae and then put seeds in theirwaste disposal area. Thus seeds areprotected until they germinate in therich substrate of ant nest debris amutual benet.

    Are plants edible, medicinal, orpoisonous?

    They are not edible. Thespecies contains several alkaloidsthat can affect the brain and heart.Native Americans and colonial

    practitioners regarded this plantas useful for treatment of syphilis,skin conditions, and as a bloodpurier. In some people, it causesdermatitis. Plants are also reportedtoxic to grazing animals.

    What does this plant have to dowith courtship?

    Stories are told that MenominiIndian suitors used this plant as alove charm. A young man throws

    owers at an Indian maiden, orchews on roots and projects hisbreath toward a potential mate as heencircles her, hoping she will followthe scent and him.

    Dutchmans breeches plant,Dicentra cucullaria, photo byShirley Mah Kooyman.

    Dutchmans breeches fowers,Dicentra cucullaria, photo byPeter Dziuk.

    Annual Plant

    Sale is June 4by Ken ArndtThis years native plant sale

    which raises money for the Societywill be held at the June 4 generalmeeting. We encourage members todivide or propagate their own nativeplants and donate them to the sale.

    We will again hold the sale onthe patio outside of Dakota LodgeWe need all plants by 6 p.m., so

    our volunteers will have time toget the sales area set up. The salewill take place after our speakerspresentation. Members and non-members may participate.

    Bring only native plants fromthe region (Minnesota/westernWisconsin). Do not bring cultivars(horticultural selection) of nativeplants (e.g. Goldstrum black-eyed Susan or Gateway Joe-Pye-weed).

    Plants should be from your ownproperty, or other private property(with that owners permission)and not from public property. Theplants should be in typical nurserycontainers with adequate water andsoil. Label them with both commonand scientic names. Pricing will bedone by volunteers at the sale. Wewill have plant guides at the sale tohelp with correct labeling.

    Try to dig your plants at leasttwo to four weeks before the saleespecially if you are dividing yourplants. The plants will then have timeto get through transplant shock.

    A few volunteers are needed tohelp with setting up and cleaning upthe sales area, along with assistingmembers with their plants. Tovolunteer, contact Ken Arndt [email protected]

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    Directions:

    Take MN Hwy. 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul.Go west on Butler 0.2 mile to Stassen Lane.

    Go south on Stassen Lane to Thompson County Park.

    Spring 2009

    Minnesota Native Plant Society

    P.O. Box 20401

    Bloomington, MN 55420