blazing winter2017 v6 c blazingfall08 v4

by Kevin Kavanagh

As I was examining a spectacular patchof native flowering azaleas in theShenandoah Mountains of Virginiaduring my university days, I paused totie a loose bootlace. As I bent down, Idiscovered my very first patch ofspotted wintergreen (Chimaphilamaculata). I was thrilled. It’s easy tomiss this diminutive plant even thoughit ranges widely with scatteredpopulations from New England andOntario southward to Arizona, Mexicoand Panama. Its ability to goundetected quite often is due, in part,to its tendency to grow among fallenneedles, logs and other organic matteron the forest floor. Furthermore, itsvariegated foliar colour scheme helps itto remain camouflaged among thedappled shadows.

Other common names for thisevergreen perennial include stripedprince’s pine, striped wintergreen andspotted pipsissewa. The namepipsissewa is from a Cree termmeaning “it breaks into small pieces.”A member of the family Ericaceae(Heath Family), spotted wintergreenhas narrow, olive to blue-green toothedleaves that have a beautiful variegatedpattern. The veins are white andespecially pronounced along themidrib of the leaf. The leaves arearranged in a whorl around a stem

that is typically less than 15centimetres (six inches) tall but whichoccasionally reach 25 centimetres (10inches). The plant is highly clonal withstems emerging from a series ofhorizontally creeping rhizomes. Overtime, it can form patches of modestsize on the forest floor. Some classify itas a shrub based on its persistent stemsand evergreen characteristics, whileothers consider it to be a sub-shrub orherbaceous perennial.

In mid to late summer, larger (moremature) stems will produce one to(rarely) three short flower stalks risinga few centimetres above the leaves,often branching at the top to producea small number of five-petalled,rounded flowers held upside down likeminiature umbrellas. The petals aregenerally coloured white tolight pink and beautifullycomplement the grey-green variegated foliage. Likemost other ericads, the flowers developinto small capsules filled with tinyseeds which, despite the plant’sstrategy of hugging the forest floor, arebelieved to be wind dispersed.Bumblebees are known to pollinatethe flowers.

Spotted wintergreen appearsto be very particular in its sitelocations and growingconditions. Preferred forest habitats aregenerally restricted to those dominated

W I N T E R 2017 , VO LU M E 18, IS S U E 1

A PU B L I C AT I O N O F T H E NO RT H AM E R I C A N NAT I V E PL A N T SO C I E T Y

Native Plant to Know

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Spotted WintergreenChimaphila maculata

2 NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY WINTER 2017

The Blazing Star is . . .

The Blazing Star is published quarterly(April, August, November, February) bythe North American Native Plant Society(NANPS). Contact [email protected] editorial deadlines and for advertisingrates. The views expressed herein arethose of the authors and not necessarilythose of NANPS.The North American Native Plant Societyis dedicated to the study, conservation,cultivation and restoration of NorthAmerica’s native flora.

Winter 2017Volume 18, Issue 1ISSN 2291-8280

Editor: Irene FedunProduction: Bea PatersonProofreader: Eileen AtkinsonPrinted by: Guild Printing, Markham, Ontario

© North American Native Plant SocietyImages © the photographers and illustrators, text © the authors. All rights reserved.

North American Native Plant Society,formerly Canadian Wildflower Society,is a registered charitable society, no.130720824 RR0001. Donations to the society are tax-creditable in Canada.

NANPS Membership: CAN$25/YEAR WITHIN CANADA,US$25/YEAR OUTSIDE CANADA

Join online or send cheque or moneyorder to North American Native PlantSociety, Box 84, Stn D, Toronto, ONM9A 4X1.Telephone: (416) 631-4438. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.nanps.org.Facebook: www.facebook.com/nativeplantTwitter: @tnanps

Board of Directors:Vice-President: Adam MohamedSecretary: Miriam HenriquesTreasurer: Lakshay GandhiColleen CirilloBill FordAlison HowsonJanice Keil Arielle KieranMyles MackenzieHoward MeaddHarold Smith

Why volunteer?Volunteering allows you to meet new people, learn new things, expand yourhorizons and channel your enthusiasm for nature into action! Ask NANPSvolunteers why they do it and you’ll likely get many more reasons.

My involvement with the North American Native Plant Society began when Iwent to the native plant sale for the first time. Over the years I “graduated” fromcustomer to volunteer to plant sale committee member to plant sale coordinator. Ithas enriched my life. In addition to gaining native plant knowledge, I have learnedabout volunteer coordination, publicizing the sale, managing sales data and charitygovernance. Along the way I have met amazing people and had many interestingdiscussions. I am grateful to NANPS for these opportunities.

What does NANPS do? You likely know about someNANPS activities. They includepublishing a quarterly newsletter,managing two conservationproperties, organizing the speakerseries, workshops and excursions,writing information sheets,staffing information booths,operating a seed exchange,planning the AGM and awards,and maintaining our website,Facebook, Twitter and Linked-Inpages. We also have committeesfocussed on restoration and, of course, organizing the plant sale, our biggest eventof the year.

What can I do? All contributions are valuable. They include setting up refreshments at our events,unloading and organizing stock at plant sales, representing NANPS at communityevents, cleaning seeds, providing your photos for our website, designing flyers,networking, fundraising, writing articles, taking photographs or drawing cartoonsor illustrations for The Blazing Star and managing our organization. You don’t haveto be an expert. With interest and dedication you can learn while participating.

Where do I start? We email out volunteer opportunities several times a year. To participate, pleasecontact [email protected]. In the upcoming year you can help at informationtables at various events and at our plant sale in May. Our editor is always happy to receive ideas for newsletter articles. We are currently looking for someone tocoordinate volunteers and to promote the use of our trailer which was purchased to support plant rescues and restoration efforts.

If you have a specific skill, talent or area of expertise, please tell us. We sometimesreceive questions by email and it is helpful having resource people who can respond.

Come join us!Each year we honour a Volunteer of the Year at our annual general meetings. Pastrecipients are listed on our website. Maybe next year it will be your turn! But frommy perspective, the biggest reward is the satisfaction of helping nature and beingwith others who also care about our natural world. Without volunteers, there wouldbe no North American Native Plant Society. A big thank you to all my fellow volunteers!

Alice KongNANPS plant sale coordinator

Celebrating Our Volunteers

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Long-serving volunteers Miriam Henriques and Bill Ford.

NANPS SPEAKERS’ SERIES

NATIVE PLANTS FOR MULTI-SEASON SHADE GARDENS

Wednesday, February 22, 20177 - 8:30 p.m.

TBG StudiosToronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto

Award-winning horticulturist Frank Kershaw will reveal themulti-season attributes of native shade garden plants andoffer simple approaches to identifying, establishing andcaring for them. A co-founder of the Canadian WildflowerSociety (now the North American Native Plant Society),Frank has over 40 years experience in the parks,environment and gardening fields. He teaches gardendesign at George Brown College and previously taught atthe University of Toronto’s Landscape Architecture School.

Space is limited. Please reserve your spot by [email protected]. Pay at the door: NANPS members $5,non-members $10.

CONNECTING THE DIVERSITY DOTS: GARDENING WITH

NATIVE PLANTS

Wednesday, April 12, 20177:30 p.m.

Toronto Botanical Garden

In this illustrated slide presentation, garden author Lorraine Johnson explores the beauty and benefits of nativeplants and the pleasures of low-maintenance gardens thatattract birds, bees and butterflies. Lorraine's's recentlyupdated 100 Easy to Grow Native Plants will be available for purchase and signing.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. NANPS members and TBGmembers get in free, general public $15, students (with ID) $12.

WINTER 2017 3NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I have a couple of comments about the cover story in thefall 2016 issue of The Blazing Star about the ostrich fern(Matteuccia struthiopteris). I’d be cautious about includingthe genus Pteridium in a statement about ediblefiddleheads. I’ve always heard that you should avoid eatingbracken ferns. In the Field Manual of Michigan Flora (Voss& Reznick, 2012), the authors say about Pteridiumaquilinum: “The fiddleheads of this species contain thecarcinogenic terpene ptaquiloside and should not be eaten.”Also, to my knowledge, cinnamon fern was re-classified intoits own genus Osmundastrum in 2008. The Michigan Flora(http://michiganflora.net/species.aspx?id=1874) andFOIBIS, Flora Ontario Integrated Botanical InformationSystem, (http://www.uoguelph.ca/foibis/index.htm) bothuse this classification, although I don't know if it has beenaccepted North America-wide.

David d’Entremont, Mississauga, Ontario

Editor’s Note: There are differing opinions on the safety of eating bracken fiddleheads. Here’s one article:http://honest-food.net/bracken-fern-edible/. For anyonewho wishes to avoid the controversy altogether and eatonly what is universally considered to be safe, you shouldfeel secure buying fiddleheads at the grocery store sincethere is too much liability involved for food chains to getsloppy on their identification. If you’re picking your own,please make sure of the identification before you pick. Check the internet or a reliable field guide before you goout searching for fiddleheads. Please pick no more than10% of a given population of any native plant.

Irene Fedun

A Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly feeds on the nectar of commonelderberry (Sambucus canadensis).

The NANPS Founders Conservation Award recognizesthe extraordinary contribution of an individual or groupto the conservation, protection or restoration of thenatural heritage/flora of North America at thecommunity, regional, provincial, state, national orcontinental level. Deadline for submissions is July 31,2017.

NANPS Garden Award recognizes and celebrates theamazing gardens that support diverse habitat and sharedaccommodations for our native flora and fauna.Deadline for submissions is September 1, 2017.

The Richard Woolger Cultivation Award celebratesgrowers who demonstrate a passion and commitment tothe propagation of native plants. Deadline forsubmissions is September 1, 2017.

The NANPS Volunteer Award is given to a volunteerwho makes an outstanding contribution to thefulfilment of NANPS goals.

Visit nanps.org for more information.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR NANPS AWARDS

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by Patricia Baldwin

Has anyone ever asked why you loveplants? Were you hard-pressed to findan answer? Do you find it difficult toput into words the joy and wonderthat botanical nature elicits in you? Doyou believe that being out in natureaffects your health in a positive way?

Most of us find the answers to thesequestions elusive but scientists havebeen studying this fascinating subjectfor decades. They are trying to clarifyexactly what it is that makes us lovenature and how nature is beneficial to our health.

Studies such as those done bypsychologists Rachel and StephenKaplan indicate that being in naturegives our over-worked brains time torestore themselves. In the pre-industrial world, the majority ofpeople were employed in activities,both for work and leisure, that weretied in with the natural environment.Compare foraging in the forest togrocery shopping at a big box store,for example. Each experience is quitedifferent to our brains. Looking forripe fruit or berries outdoors uses theprimitive parts of the brain andrequires less conscious thought thanreading grocery store labels. It is anactivity that many people now do forpleasure and relaxation. Whenshopping, we use the pre-frontalcortex to read and decipher language,pricing, nutrient information andcooking instructions. Advertisers postcolourful packaging to attract ourattention and the steady stream ofvisual stimuli can be stressful. A greatdeal of conscious thought is involvedin interpreting the information. Ourheavy use of the pre-frontal cortexwithout time to rest causes us tobecome less and less efficient. Mentalhealth can decline due to overuse ofthis part of our brain. We need torebalance by using the primitive brainwhich is associated with rest andrelaxation and is more engaged byforest smells and colourful foods. Inother words, we need to recharge our

brain’s batteries for it to becomeproductive again.

Nature doesn’t just contribute toour mental health; there are manyphysical benefits to be gained from the forest environment. Dr. Qing Li in Japan has discovered that spendingtime in forests increases a serumprotein hormone known asadiponectin produced by adipose

tissue in our bodies. Adiponectin helpsregulate our blood sugar levels andbody weight. In urban environments,human populations are experiencingan increase in blood pressureproblems and metabolic syndrome.People with Type 2 diabetes or highblood pressure can benefit from a walkin a forested area.

In recent studies, Dr. Li and other

Don’t Just Smell the Roses …

Redwood old-growth forest in Muir Wood National Monument in the San Francisco Bayarea

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scientists have discovered complexrelationships between humanendocrine and immune systems andthe biogenic volatile organiccompounds (BVOCs) released bytrees. Dr. Li has found that treeBVOCs, also known as phytoncides,can bring about blood pressurereductions in humans that rival theeffects of blood pressure medication.Trees are particularly significantproducers of BVOCs due to their longlife and large size. The resins in oldertrees build up within the heartwoodproviding a high concentration ofphytoncides, especially in old-growthtrees. Grasses and other plants do notrely as heavily on chemical defencessuch as those employed by treesbecause they have defencemechanisms like sharp leaves or theability to regrow quickly. They stillproduce BVOCs, but in smallerquantities. When we are outside, webreathe these gaseous chemicalsstraight into our lungs. Theoretically,they can then pass the blood-brainbarrier and enter directly into thebloodstream if the molecule size issmall enough. Thus, it’s possible forphytoncides to affect our bodies in theway drugs do. It is not surprising thatsome medical practitioners are nowprescribing a walk in the woods inplace of a drug.

Japan has set aside 24 forests for useas health facilities where residents canpractise a preventative health carepractice known as Shinrin Yoku. Thisterm translates to “forest bathing.” Theforests were selected because of thepresence of trees known to producecertain chemicals. Dr. Li notes thatphytoncides provide 50% of thehuman health benefits for ShinrinYoku, but there are other factorsworking in combination with BVOC’sto enhance human health such asnegative ions near bodies of water (astream or a pond.) Negative ions havebeen linked to good health andlongevity in humans. If you’ve evertried aromatherapy, you’ve usedvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) to

obtain specific health benefits. ShinrinYoku has been described asaromatherapy in the forest.

You may have heard about VOCswith respect to pollution. Thesepollutants are usually man-madevolatile organic compounds createdduring industrial processes. VOCs andBVOCs can both contribute to theformation of smog. Despite that, astudy in Houston, Texas, where smogis a serious problem, has postulated

that the large-scale planting of nativetrees along the city’s outskirts wouldresult in an overall reduction in smog.The study authors suggest replacing400 hectares (1,000 acres) ofgrasslands with tree species such asAmerican elm (Ulmus americana),cedar elm (Ulmus cassifolia), green ash(Fraxinus pennsylvanica) andsugarberry (Celtis laevigata).

Humans rely on the circulation ofblood to bring chemicals to variousparts of our bodies. Plants aredifferent in that plant cells havechemical sensors (like those in humannoses) throughout their leaves, stemsand roots. Different chemicalstransmit different signals to the plant.These could be scents to encouragepollinators to approach the plant or towarn other parts of the plant – or evenneighbouring plants – that insectshave begun snacking. The plant mightrespond with the production of a

nasty-tasting or even poisonouschemical to discourage the insects. Acommon VOC, methyl jasmonate, isreleased by a number of plants tosignal stress, warning the rest of theplant to take preventative measures forsurvival. Stressors could take the formof bacteria, fungi or insects (whichalso produce BVOCs, just tocomplicate matters.) The presence ofany of these could trigger a chemicalresponse from the tree. However, most

of the reasons that plants producechemical signals are still unknown.We are only beginning to grasp theirsignificance.

In Japan, the cypress tree(Chamaecyparis obtusa) and a cedar(Ctyptomeria sp.), both native to thecountry, have been studied andfound to be especially beneficial dueto the release of compounds such asalpha-pinene and limonene.

A northern Quebec studymeasured the levels of alpha-pineneand limonene in balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea), black spruce (Piceamariana), white spruce (Piceaglauca), tamarack (Larix laricina),jack pine (Pinus banksiana), white

cedar (Thuja occidentalis) andLabrador tea (Rhododendrongroenlandicum). The study looked atthe antimicrobial properties of thetrees’ essential oils (which produce theBVOCs.) Many North American FirstNations used balsam fir in traditionalmedicines. Some tribes apparentlyused them for bedding as well. All thetree species in this study had strongethnobotanical histories.

Plants, like people, need to maintainhomeostasis (the tendency of the bodyto seek equilibrium within its internalenvironment) for optimal health.Alternative evolutionary adaptationsto body temperature homeostasis areevident when we compare warm-blooded animals, like humans, withcold-blooded animals such asamphibians and reptiles. Humansregulate body temperature withinternal body adaptations, including

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perspiring when hot or shivering whencold. Alternatively, cold-bloodedanimals use the outside environmentaltemperature to provide heating andcan internally adjust to extremes oftemperature in ways humans cannot.Trees adjust to temperature extremesby shutting down photosynthesis andgrowth in the winter. Deciduous treeswill drop their leaves. Evergreensdrastically reduce photosynthesisalthough it still occurs through theneedles, which have considerably lesssurface area than the leaves of adeciduous tree. Phytoncide productionalso varies with climatic factors suchas temperature and light.

Trees emit their phytoncides intothe air to affect their surroundingenvironment. Dr. Qing Li has foundthat, in the appropriate forestenvironment, some trees areproducing BVOCs in sufficientquantities to provide benefits tohumans when they come within closeproximity. A dense forest will providegreater health benefits than a city parkwith large expanses of grass.

Worldwide, scientists are looking atthis plant-human relationship. Theissue is becoming especially importantas more humans move away fromrural areas and into flora-impoverished urban environments.The Japanese have developed healthcare guidelines for boosting immunity.

Dr. Li says that walking a minimum oftwo hours over 2.5 kilometres (1.5miles) will boost both physical andmental health. If you have a full dayavailable, then walk five kilometres(three miles) over four hours. If youwish to produce natural killer cellswhich fight cancerous tumours, herecommends taking a three-day tripinto the forest and spending twonights in that forest therapy setting. Inother words, like a turtle seeking awarm log in a pond to warm its bodyand maintain homeostasis, urbanitesneed exposure to the natural world inorder to stay healthy.

The Japanese prescription forpreventive health looks a lot like whatCanadian conservationist MonteHummel described in his bookWintergreen: Reflections from LoonLake. Hummel was talking about hissmall cabin set in the forest around asmall lake on the Canadian Shield:“For years now, my habit (and firmresolve) has been to be in my cabin fora few days every month… More thananything else, this place has been anenduring sanctuary for me from a verydemanding work schedule, and aspiritual wellspring… My great regretafter thirty years of full-timeinvolvement in the Canadian andworld conservation movement is that Ihave not taken more time toexperience what we have all worked so

hard to protect. Because withoutdipping back into our source regularly,any of us can lose our way.”

Pat Baldwin trained as a forester butworked in the health care industry formany years. She is now involved inresearch at the Faculty of Forestry,University of Toronto, in a field thatmarries the two disciplines.

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White Bear Conservation Reserve old-growth forest in Temagami, Ontario

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by Lorraine Johnson

In the native plant movement, weoften try to interest people in addingnative plants to gardens for a by-now-familiar list of environmental benefits:enhancing biodiversity, creatinghabitat for wildlife, reducing wateruse, eliminating pesticides. We alsotalk about the attractiveness of nativeplants, appealing to the aestheticimpulse of gardeners to createlandscapes of beauty.

I think that for a long time,however, we’ve missed a keyelement—and it’s one that has deepresonance for people. Let’s startpromoting the edibility anddeliciousness of many native plants,and the ways in which gardens full ofnative plants can provide food notonly for pollinators and birds, but forhumans, too. If we start focusing onedible native plants, I think we willextend the reach of our message andgain a whole new audience of

Native Edibles from Your Garden

Redbud pods

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gardeners, along with the growingnumbers of people who are interestedin foraging. (A related bonus is that bypromoting the planting of ediblenatives, we will be gently redirectingforagers away from natural areas thatcan’t sustain plant harvesting.)

The following is a list of somereadily available native plants fornortheastern gardeners that are easy togrow—and delicious to eat.

Trees and ShrubsPawpaw (Asimina triloba): An idealurban tree, pawpaw is about sixmetres high (20 feet), tolerant of awide range of conditions, flowersprolifically (with maroon blooms inspring) and produces the largest ediblefruit of any tree native to Canada. Thefruit looks like a small mango andtastes like a cross of banana andpineapple. Pawpaws should be plantedwhere they are protected from wind;plant three trees to ensure fruit set.

Wild plum (Prunus americana): Thissmall tree (a bit taller than pawpaw)produces attractive whitish pinkflowers in spring and plums in earlyautumn. A fast grower, wild plum alsosuckers and spreads. Not only doesthis tree provide food for humans, butit’s a host for the larvae of the cecropia

moth and coral hairstreak butterfly.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea):This tree is perfect for urbanconditions in sun or shade. It grows4.5 to 7.5 metres (15 to 25 feet) andproduces a mass of white flowers inspring, followed by prolific berries inearly summer and beautiful fall colour.The fruit tastes like a combination of

blueberries andalmonds, andcan be enjoyed inmany differentways: eaten raw,cooked into piesand jams ordried.

Redbud (Cerciscanadensis): Boththe flowers—some of theearliest to appearin spring andcovering thebranches withbright pinkcolour—and thedangling pods of

this small tree that’s up to nine metrestall (30 feet) are edible. The flowersare great in salads and the pods can becooked in a stir-fry. Does well in sunor shade, is leguminous and its earlyflowers are important for pollinators.

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago): Thistall shrub/small tree (up to ninemetres) flowers in late spring andproduces bluish black fruit in latesummer, which can be eaten raw.(Note that the fruit has a large seed.)Easy to grow and versatile, nannyberrycan be grown in sun or shade.

Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata): Amassive, 30 metre (100 foot), slow-growing but long-lived tree, shagbarkhickory (yes, with shaggy, peelingbark) has two things going for it in theedibility department: its nuts (withthick outer husks and slightly bitternut meat inside) and its sap, whichcan be boiled into a syrup, like the sapof sugar maples. Grow it in sun orpart shade and plant it where youwon’t have to move it, since its taprootmakes transplanting difficult.


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Smooth serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) is closely related to the A. arborea mentionedin the article. The fruits are sweet and juicy and comparable to blueberries.

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Pawpaw fruit

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Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina): Thisenchantingly architectural shrubspreads well in sunny spots, and thefruit—borne on perky-lookingcones—can be boiled in water, thencooled, for a delicious lemonade-typedrink.

Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa):This large shrub/small tree is highlyversatile, growing in a wide range ofconditions and creating thickets bysuckering prolifically. Its springflowers are followed by abundantblueberry-sized fruit in early fall thatare too astringent to eat raw but arebest when processed into juice or jam.This species has good autumn foliage.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin): Thesweetly scented, yellow flowers of thissmall, three-metre-high (10 foot)shrub appear before leaves in spring.The fruit, a reddish berry thatdevelops in summer, can be dried andused as a

substitute forallspice.

Theleaves,

twigs, andbark can bemade into a

tea. Grows in sunor shade. A host

plant for spicebush swallowtaillarvae.

PerennialsNodding wild onion (Alliumcernuum): All parts of this nativeonion are edible, with a strong

and pungent flavour. Growing toroughly one-third of a metre (onefoot), nodding wild onion does best insun but will tolerate open shade,producing white to pink and purplishflowers in summer.

Ostrich fern (Matteucciastruthiopteris): Few things announce

spring more than fresh fiddleheadferns—the edible (when cooked),

closed up fronds of this attractivefern. Grows in sun and shade, inregular to moist soil, and spreads well,creating large colonies.

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum):Spreading to create dense colonies, thisshade-tolerant groundcover, which growsto roughly half a metre (1 1/2 feet),flowers in spring and then produces asingle small round fruit that can bemade into jelly. Mayapple’s umbrella-shaped leaves are especially attractive.

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllumvirginianum): This very aggressive,moisture-loving woodlander grows tohalf a metre (two feet) and has smallpurplish flowers in spring. The youngstems can be cut, cooked and eaten

like asparagus.

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): Afavourite of bees and butterflies for itsnectar, wild bergamot is a sun-loving,meadow plant (growing to hip height)that flowers for weeks in the summer,producing lavender blooms that look abit like jesters’ hats. The leaves ofMonarda fistulosa have an Earl Greytea scent and can be made into alovely hot drink.

Wild ginger (Asarum canadensis): Therhizomes of this shade-loving, low-growing groundcover do indeed tastelike ginger and can be used in manydifferent ways (e.g., candied, finelychopped and added to peas).Spreading well, wild ginger needshumus-rich soil, medium to moistconditions.

Lorraine Johnson, a past president ofNANPS, has written a number of booksabout native plant gardening; a new,revised edition of her classic 100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardensis coming out this spring from Douglas &McIntyre Books.

Wild bergamot

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Allium cernuum

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by Stephen R. Johnson

Virginia, my home state on the mid-Atlantic coast, occurs at a latitudewhere flora of the southern UnitedStates meets and intermingles withflora from the northern states. Perhapsthe most interesting and familiarregion to me is the eastern part of thestate. I had the privilege of exploringjust a fraction of the botanicaltreasures of this broad area in variousprofessional capacities from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.

One of the first of these forays wasto a fascinating isolated sphagnumbog in Caroline County northeast ofRichmond. My college botanyprofessor, Dr. Miles Johnson, led theexploration. We saw the staple of thesouthern U.S. pulp and paperindustry, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda),growing in standing water, toweringover masses of purple pitcher plants(Sarracenia purpurea). I had thoughtof loblolly pine as an upland tree untilthen. Interspersed among the prolificpitchers and, glowing like jewels, weretiny round-leaved sundews (Droserarotundifolia). I did not see PineBarrens gentian (Gentianaautumnalis), a beautiful and –thankfully – fairly common gentianspecies; it was too early in the season.However, almost three decades later, Ifound this species at a native plantnursery. The owner had collected theseeds from plants growing in aCaroline County bog.

In spring 1987, an invitation camefrom Robert Wright, then head of theVirginia Native Plant SearchConsortium. Wright was conducting abotanical survey of New Kent County,several miles east of Richmond,searching for populations of the stateand federally endangered smallwhorled pogonia orchid (Isotriamedeoloides). We walked throughmany clearings, occasional bucolicpastoral scenes and forest edgesbeneath countless tulip trees(Liriodendron tulipifera) and othertypical Carolinian species such as red

maples (Acer rubra), northern redoaks (Quercus rubra) and white oaks(Q. alba). We also saw the occasionalsouthern red oaks (Q. falcata) butfound not a single pogonia. Instead weenjoyed seeing large twayblade orchids(Liparis lilifolia) and a gorgeousexample of crossvine (Bignoniacapreolata), all inflower. Thecrossvinestraddled twodead trees andbore its yellow andplum-colouredflowers along itsentire length. Theupper flowers wereparticularlystriking framedagainst the bluesky. It’s good thatwe made our tripto New KentCounty when wedid because, sadly,within five yearsthe county wasconsumed bysuburban sprawl.

During the late1980s and early’90s, I was a fieldtechnician forthree wetlandmappingcontractors. Thisjob gave me the opportunity to visitseveral of what I call ghost naturalareas in Spotsylvania County just westof Fredericksburg. I term them“ghosts” because each was marked forimminent annihilation and quickconversion into a wealthy gateddevelopment. One of my first trips asa technician was to a moist glade westof Fredericksburg. At the forest edge Iremember a beautiful fringe tree(Chionanthus virginicus) in full flower.In the morning sun it fluoresced; withthe slightest breeze it shimmered.Nearby grew a single wild azalea(Rhododendron periclymenoides) withits pink and white flowers and a style

that sticks out like a tongue. I was sampling for the presence of

wetland soils, typically pale gray clayoriginating from anoxic conditions, atanother site west of Fredericksburgwhen I spotted a small orchid withone, sometimes two, glossy brightgreen leaves, known as green adder’s

mouth (Malaxis uniflora). I also founda line of American chestnut (Castaneaamericana) stumps each with a crownof root suckers. Growing in sporadicclumps between the blighted chestnuttrees were a dozen or more of theuncommon large whorled pogoniaorchids (Isotria verticillata), congenersof the small whorled pogonias we weresearching for on the previouslymentioned excursion.

Spotsylvania County was the site ofmany American Civil War battles. Inoticed while probing and assessingsoil colours for wetland characteristicsthat the landscape had a bed of gravel


Botanical Forays into Eastern Virginia


While searching for small whorled orchids with the Virginia PlantSearch Consortium, Stephen found many large twayblade orchids.

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just below the soil surface, except inone place. At a strange erect pile ofearth, the stone layer had mysteriouslydisappeared. I believe this was a civilwar breastwork, a breast-highdefensive structure possiblyconstructed in 1863 at the Battle ofChancellorsville or in 1864 at theBattle of the Wilderness. Both battlesoccurred west of Fredericksburg. Thisparticular site was somewhat hiddenand surrounded by broad archingAmerican holly (Ilex opaca var. opaca).

On my last visit to a Spotsylvaniawetland, I was alone in a thicket of redmaples. Near the wetland edge, I sawan amber spring peeper sleeping on aleaf at eye level. Among the green andstraw-coloured blades of wetlandgrasses I spied the unmistakable greenglobular inflorescences of Americanbur-reed (Sparganium americanum)shining in the sun. Its spherical floralstructures stood out in sharp contrastto the linear and angular leaves of theattendant grasses and graminoids.

On a graduate school classtrip in plant ecology, my plantecophysiology professor DonYoung and I went to theeasternmost point of mainlandVirginia to First Landing StatePark. This natural area islocated within the city limits ofVirginia Beach just south ofhistoric old Cape HenryLighthouse. Here loblolly pinesgrow in both dry sand andblack water muck. Moreinteresting were the few largelive oaks (Quercus virginiana)and the less frequent, co-dominant, dry dune oak pair:blackjack oak (Q. marilandica)and blue jack oak (Q. incana).Live oak ranges from here tonortheastern Mexico, whileblue and blackjack oaks shareco-dominance in old, nutrient-poor sand hills throughout thesoutheastern U.S. All three oakspecies were festooned with

Spanish moss(Tillandsia usneoides) whileadjacent loblolly pine was not.Some researchers suggest thatthe pine tree sheds bark atsuch a fast rate the seeds ofSpanish moss can’t establish.Oaks don’t shed bark thatquickly so Spanish moss canestablish – not necessarily tothe advantage of the oaks.Spanish moss may eventuallycause enough drag inwindstorms to break treelimbs and dry Spanish mosscan spread ground fires intothe crown of a tree.

Perhaps the most intriguingplant search was with ChrisLudwig, then botanist for theVirginia Natural HeritageProgram. Ludwig wassearching for the state-rarespecies known as long-leaflobelia (Lobelia elongata). Wetravelled to remote NorthLanding River in southeastVirginia and took a small boat

into one of the most botanicallysurreal areas I’d ever seen. The waterwas acidic and tea-coloured but youonly glimpsed it when you disturbedthe carpet of duckweed (Lemna sp.)obscuring it. Our boat traversed anarrow channel margined by thicketsof towering cordgrass columns(Spartina cynosuroides). In the neardistance was a dark forest and I couldmake out the round floral heads ofbuttonbush (Cephalanthusoccidentalis) and an almost-continuous canopy of bald cypress(Taxodium distichum). Erupting fromthe duckweed carpet were cypressknees three to five feet (one to oneand a half metres) tall. A cypress kneeis a woody projection that sproutsabove the water level, growingvertically from the root of the tree,generally in swamps. As the knees age,the tops may become chipped, craggyand collect dead leaf litter and otherorganic matter. It was in just such amatter-filled knee top that we foundour sought-for lobelia with its spike of velvety violet flowers.



Pickerel weed

North Landing lobelia

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Later we met the assistant directorof the Natural Heritage Program tosearch the same system of tidal creeksfor waste discarded from pleasureboats. The assistant director and Iwere startled by a strange guttural cryfrom Ludwig. We glanced sharply athim and found him pointing towardsthe bow of the boat, incapable ofspeech. A beautiful cottonmouthsnake, maybe eight feet long (over twometres), was serenely undulatingacross the stream in front of our boat.

One of my favourite places ineastern Virginia is the paved,automobile-accessible loop trail atJamestown Island National Park. Inthe summer you will likely see spikyblue-flowered pickerel weed(Pontederia cordata) and arrow arum(Peltandra virginica) growing in theswamp in front of the visitor centre.Helen Roundtree, author and experton eastern Virginia Native Americans,says the vegetation growing there

today is much like what was therewhen the first English explorersarrived in 1607. On this trail I like toget out of the car and view the JamesRiver from a line of loblolly pines thatgrade steadily down into the river. Inthe middle of this loop trail is afreshwater swale that is generallyshaded at midday but probably sunlitat other times of the day. In the springof 1990, while approaching the marsh,I saw an orange dot hovering abovethe wooden roadside railing. As Idrove closer, the dot resolved into thetight cluster inflorescence of afewflowermilkweed(Asclepiaslanceolata). As Iturned to get mycamera in thepassenger seat,my eyes lockedonto the eyes of agreat blue heron

standing stock still very close by. Wewere both startled but the lanky birdremained unmoved. Rather thanfurther disturb the heron, which hadfishing and frogging rights to theswale whereas I was just an interloper,I slowly pulled away from themilkweed, saving it for another foray.

Stephen Johnson no longer lives inVirginia but he still considers himself aVirginian and grows many Virginia plantsin his Iowa front and back yards as areminder of those halcyon forays somany years ago.


visit www.brigittegranton.com

Original Artby

Brigitte Granton

Acrylic, Oil and Ink.Commission work by request.

www.LongPointLandTrust.ca

GIVING NATIVE PLANTS A PLACE TO GROW

Native plant nursery, landscaping and

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Design & Consulting services available by OALA member

by Peter Kaellgren

Finding orchids in the wild can be achallenge. Most books on Canadianorchids are illustrated withphotographs of the blossoms only.These beautiful, carefully chosen andphotoshopped images feed the"orchid bug." My partner JohnAlexander and I caught the bug whenwe visited the Purdon Nature Reservenear Perth, Ontario. Around mid-June, the bog at Purdon is filled withan estimated 15,000 pink and whiteshowy lady’s slippers (Cypripediumreginae). The profusion of bloom andthe beauty of the bog made a deepimpression on us.

It’s important to realize that thephotos of orchids you see in books arenot like the mug shots taken ofconvicted criminals who look more orless like their image 365 days of theyear. Some plants, especially orchids,

only bloom one day of the year. Mostof the books suggest blooming timesbut these can be unpredictable andeven mature native orchids do notbloom every year. Trying to find aplant using only images of theblossoms usually leads to frustrationand disappointment. To locate andidentify the plant requires moreevidence. Once the amateur naturalisthas gathered this evidence, he or shemight be able to see and photographthe orchid in prime bloomingcondition.

John and I have always beeninterested in nature. Originally, wefocused much of our energy onobserving and counting birds duringspring migration in Southern Ontariowhere we live. John, who has beendoing photography professionallysince his teens, would record what wesaw. We had always been interested inwildflowers as well. Six years ago,

friends living inArnprior,Ontario, near theOttawa River,showed us yellowlady's slippers(Cypripediumcalceolus) at theircottage, andsuggested that wecheck out thePurdon reserve.The rest isbotanical history.

Over 70varieties oforchids have beendocumented asgrowing inCanada. All areterrestrial, that isto say they growin the ground asopposed to manytropical orchidsthat are epiphytic,meaning they livein tree branches,or lithophytic,meaning they live

in the cracks of rocks. Most reproducewith difficulty. In many cases, theflowers are not pollinated. Apollinated blossom may produce acapsule with millions of microscopicspores, but the spores still have tocombine with a specific fungus andend up in exactly the right growingconditions (soil, moisture, sunshine,space) so that the fungus can gathernourishment for both parties. It cantake 7 to 17 years for a plant to appearand it may bloom only when its healthand the conditions are right. In oursearch for orchids, John and I havedeveloped a new appreciation for thenecessity of studying and preservingfragile ecosystems and keepingdevelopment and invasive speciesunder control. That includes notwalking too close to the orchids! Thebody weight of humans can compactthe surrounding soil and make thechemical balance inhospitable for thefungus, resulting in the death of theorchid.

The showy orchis (Galearisspectabilis) is among the first to bloomin mature Canadian woods. Itsrounded, glossy green leaves,sometimes with indented verticalveins, rise a few inches from the leafyforest floor and surround its stalk. Thestalk has small snapdragon-shaped,pale pink and white blossoms. Most ofthe photographs we’ve seen show oneto three plants, each with a single stalkof flowers.

For years, John and I had beendying to see and photograph a showyorchis. In 2014, a potter fromChatham sent us photographs of asingle plant that she had found alongone of the trails at Rondeau ProvincialPark. She provided us with detailedinformation on the location. Theecosystem or “plant profile” for thelocation corresponds to what isdescribed in the books as ideal forshowy orchis: a mature hardwoodforest with accumulated leaf litter.Companion plants such as maidenhairfern (Adiantum pedatum) and whitetrilliums (Trillium grandiflorum) grow


Strategies for Plant Profiling

Leaves and blossom stem of the showy orchis as discovered on theBruce Peninsula in August 2015.

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in patches along the trails. We scouredthe trail but were unsuccessful inlocating the small plant.

Since 2013, we have done most ofour orchid hunting in Bruce and GreyCounties, for several reasons. Over 40of the orchids found in Canada havebeen documented growing there. TheOwen Sound Field Naturalistspublished an excellent book, A Guideto the Orchids of Bruce and GreyCounties. Most important of all, thetown of Tobermory at the tip of theBruce Peninsula and Fathom FiveMarine Park host an annual orchidfestival early in June. This festival isthe ultimate fix for any orchid lover.

In August 2015, we were hiking aconservation area in Grey Countywhen we came upon maturehardwoods with a carpet of decayingleaves on the forest floor. I was excitedto see hart’s tongue fern (Aspleniumscolopendrium), a rare plant inCanada. Then we began to noticeclumps of maidenhairs and some ofthe healthiest white trilliums I haveever observed complete with red berryseed pods. On a roadside bank, wespotted a large group of rounded,glossy green leaves with indentedvertical veins and stems with thedried-out remains of blossoms. Itlooked like showy orchis. The plantprofile was ideal. Anxious to verify ourdiscovery, John photographed theplant and sent photos to naturalistfriends with orchid experience. Theyconfirmed that we had finally foundthe showy orchis.

Now the waiting began to documentthe plant in bloom. The followingyear, we drove up on May 12 andfound that the leaves had come up butthe stems were only beginning to rise.We waited until the Victoria DayWeekend. There was some colour onthe buds, but no blossoms yet.

On both these visits, while Johnphotographed, I tiptoed around thearea hoping to discover other showyorchis plants. Where there’s one, oftenthere are others lurking. Thisinspection proved challenging. Not

only was I trying not to step tooheavily on the soil, but also Iencountered the similar-looking greenleaves of large numbers of wild leeks(Allium tricoccum) and trout lilies(Erythronium americanum).

On May 27, our efforts were finallyrewarded – and richly. Most of theblossoms were open and fresh. Therewere 16 spires of blooms on thatsingle clump, more than we have seenon internet photos, in talks orillustrated in books. The springweather had been warm, even hot, andby this time, the leaves of the wildleeks and trout lilies were beginning toyellow and wither. This reduced theamount of confusing vegetation andallowed me to discover two smallerclumps of showy orchis growing a few

metres away from the first one. In theend, we counted only three clumps.Like many of Canada’s native orchids,the showy orchis is rare and difficultto find.

To profile native orchids, naturalistsneed to become familiar with theplants’ preferred ecosystems,companion plants and trees. Learn torecognize the orchid’s leaves, seedpods and immature or younger forms.These last longer and you are morelikely to see them than the blossoms.Once you have located and confirmedthe identity of the orchid, you stand afar better chance of finding it again inbloom. Native Orchids of Nova Scotiaand Orchids of the North Woods areexceptional in reproducing helpful


The same clump of showy orchis in bloom as photographed on May 27, 2016.

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photos of ecosystems anddevelopment stages.

John and I are amateurs when itcomes to orchids, but our experienceshave taught us a few things. First, ifyou find one native orchid in anecosystem, there are likely to beothers. (Note: this does not apply tohelleborines [Epipactis helleborine], aEuropean orchid that will growanywhere.) This has proven true inour trips searching for orchids inBruce Peninsula nature reserves. Manyof the orchids are small, 50millimetres (two inches) or less. In2014, we discovered tiny, yellowishgreen Loesel’s twayblade orchids(Liparis loeselli) growing along theboardwalk at Oliphant Fen. We thenfound one or two at Petrel Point and asingle one at Singing Sands in an areacurrently covered by the rising watersof Lake Huron. According to thenaturalists at Fathom Five Park,Loesel’s twayblade had never beendocumented at the last two locations.In 2015, all of a sudden there were twodozen or more Loesel’s twaybladesgrowing on the boggy islands ofpitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea)and other species in the south sectionof Petrel Point. This year we sawhardly any. Since native orchids inCanada do not come up or bloomevery year, you need to keepchecking. You may get lucky.

Secondly, many of the nativeorchids that grow in Canada arewhite or occasionally produce albinoforms. Although there are manywhite wildflowers which can add tothe visual confusion when lookingfor native orchids, in our experiencewhite orchids in Canada are almostincandescent. The white stands outbecause it seems to glow from within.We found this quality helpful inlocating the lady’s tresses (Spiranthesspp.), fringed white orchids(Habenaria blephariglottis), prairiefringed orchids (H. leucophaea) andbog candles (Platanthera dilatata) aswell as albino forms of rose pogonia(Pogonia ophioglossoides) and grass

pinks (Sabatiaangularis). Theincandescent qualityof the white may bethe result of cellstructure in the orchidblossom and how itreflects the light.Precise scientificresearch needs to bedone to better explainthis effect.

May your carefuland well-researchedsearches prove asenjoyable andrewarding as ours.

Peter Kaellgren is aretired curator ofdecorative arts whospent his career at theRoyal Ontario Museum,Toronto. By assistingJohn Alexander with hisphotography, he isreviving his childhoodinterest in nature andfocusing on Canadianwildflowers andorchids.

14 WINTER 2017


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Loesel's tway blade discovered in a clump of pitcher plant at PetrelPoint Bog in July 2014. The plant is five centimetres (two inches)tall.

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NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY


Continued from page 1 – Spotted Wintergreen

by various combinations of oak(Quercus spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.)on well-drained, sandy soils. Thesesites exhibit moderate to high acidity,especially in the humus-rich surfacelayers where most of the fibrous rootsystem occurs. The species can tolerateconsiderable shade, sometimesgrowing under closed pine canopies,but it also thrives in more open oak-pine woodlands. It is rarely foundgrowing where dense shrubbery orother understorey plants could crowdit out, preferring more openunderstorey conditions.

Spotted wintergreen is listed asendangered in Canada by both federaland provincial authorities, with allextant populations located in southernOntario. One population previouslyrecorded from southwestern Quebec is now considered to be extirpated. Inthe United States, spotted wintergreenis designated as endangered in Illinoisand Maine and is listed as exploitablyvulnerable in New York. The attractivefoliage can make it a tempting targetfor native plant enthusiasts who try to transplant it into their gardens, but due to its dependence on amychorrizal relationship and thedelicate nature of the roots, mosttransplants fail.

Habitat disturbance is likely a causeof population declines or loss, as is

often the case for slow-growing forestunderstorey species with lowreproductive potential. An ongoingmonitoring program by a localconservation group in southernOntario suggests that herbivore browsemay negatively impact the species. Inthis instance, a small population thatwas being monitored experienced asudden and significant decline over one winter. Much of that winter wascharacterized by an extended period of intense cold with little snow cover,especially beneath the dense, overheadpine canopy. Observers noted thatthere were numerous white-tailed deer,eastern cottontail and wild turkeytracks in and around the spottedwintergreen patch. Other nearbyevergreen plants, such as ferns(Dryopteris spp.) and various coniferseedlings, exhibited very heavy browse,and it is believed that winter browse of spotted evergreen was a factor in the sudden decline of this patch. Toinvestigate the impact of the browsing,the group constructed a small fencedexclosure around the patch before thenext winter and installed a trail camera.Happily, the barrier proved effective,excluding rabbits, deer and most wildturkeys. (The exclosure was open at thetop and turkeys have entered on rareoccasions from above.) Within twoyears, the vigour of the patch and size

of the stems began to improvesignificantly. By comparison,surrounding vegetation outside theexclosure has continued to show winterbrowse. While this was not a formalexperimental design, this preliminaryaction suggests that heavy herbivorepressures in winter when plants areexposed may cause reductions in localpatches of spotted wintergreen andother vulnerable species.

Traditional uses of this species arevaried and include medicinal purposessuch as treating colds and fevers.Leaves have been used for making teabut should not be confused with thebetter known wintergreen (Gaultheriaprocumbens).

The avid field botanist will becheered to come upon spottedwintergreen, especially in colderweather when many other forestunderstorey plants have gonedormant. If we keep an eye out inideal habitats, perhaps morepopulations of this secretive littleplant will be discovered.

Kevin Kavanagh is the owner of SouthCoast Gardens, a small specialty nurseryand landscaping business in NorfolkCounty, Ontario. He is involved in severalmonitoring initiatives for endangeredplant species in the heart of CarolinianCanada.

MARCH 18, 2017Be “The Educated Naturalist”Kimball Township, Michigan

Master Gardeners of St. Clair County present Rick Darkeand Douglas Tallamy, authors of The Living Landscape:Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden,Mark Weathington of JC Raulston Arboretum and LarryCornelis of the Return the Landscape program at theLandmark Academy. To register, phone (810) 367-3399 or e-mail: [email protected].

JUNE 7-10, 2017Native Plants In The Landscape ConferenceMillersville, Pennsylvania

For more information: bhwp.org/education.

JULY 19-22, 2017

Cullowhee Native Plant Conference 2017Cullowhee, North Carolina

Hosted by North Carolina Native Plant Society

Visit ncwildflower.org for details.

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2017Tri-State Native Plant Conference 2017: Nature Knows No BoundariesShepherdstown, West Virginia

The native plant societies of Virginia, Maryland and WestVirginia are hosting this conference. Visit mdflora.org/eventto register.

Calendar of Events

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