NativeSCAPE Published by the Georgia Native Plant Society

Help for Our Native Hemlocks By Mary Tucker Page 10

Our native hemlocks are dying due to a spreading infestation of the hemlock woolly

adelgid (HWA), an aphid-like insect native to Asia. Hope for biological control of

the infestation comes in the form of a tiny black beetle that feeds on the adelgid.

July 2009

Volume XV, Number 3

President’s Message 2

Restoration News 17

Plant Rescue News 18

Chapter News 19

Upcoming GNPS Events 20

Member Page 21

Newsletter Editor

Sharon Parry

Newsletter staff: Ellen Honeycutt and Lisa Betz, Proofreaders NativeSCAPE is published quarterly by the Georgia Native Plant Society. A subscription is included with membership in the

GNPS.

Copyright 2009 by the Georgia Native Plant Society. All rights reserved. Articles may not be reprinted without

permission of the author.

Walking with Wildflowers By Gina Strickland Page 13

Try to imagine cool wooded valleys with winding roads beside roaring green-blue

rivers. Broad embankments of trillium in bloom outside your car window as you

pass. High mountain top pull-offs with vistas with no cities in sight below.

Rescuing in Woodlands - Observations By Jeane Saylor Reeves Page 3

Our Georgia woods are a wonder, filled in all seasons with treasures, beauty, and

release from the pressures of daily life. When we stroll or hike into a rescue site

with the intent of saving plants from the imminent, catastrophic effects of earth-

moving machines, our hearts are in the right place.

Hickories By Ken Gohring Page 7

Trees of the Carya genus are found primarily in North America. While taxonomists

differ regarding classification of some plants, 12 distinct species and many

varieties are currently recognized as being native to the United States.

About Mushrooms By Mary Woehrel Page 12

Mushrooms were once thought to be part of the plant kingdom. With the

introduction of DNA analysis, it was found that they actually have more in common

with animals than with plants.

Black's Bluff and Wolf Creek Preserve By Ed McDowell Page 16

In September of 2008, the board of directors made the decision to contribute

significant gifts from reserve funds to two specific land management organizations -

The Nature Conservancy, Georgia Chapter, to assist with the expansion of the

Black’s Bluff Preserve in Floyd County and the Wolf Creek Preserve in Grady

County.

2

I’m amazed at how lush the woodland plants have become as a result of all the

wonderful rain we’ve had this spring. I especially noticed the trillium - during the

drought they were quite small with few flowers, and this year they are huge with

many of them blooming. I’ve learned a lot from observing native plants in their

natural habitat and how they adapt to weather cycles, often much better than non-

native ones.

We had a spectacular members only garden tour April 19. A big thanks to our

members who allowed us to tour their gardens and to Jane Trentin and Nancy

Goodwin for arranging the tour. If you missed the tour check it out on our website at

www.gnps.org. Speaking of our website, Mike is constantly updating and adding new

information, so be sure to check it out often.

In response to our February survey, our July and September meetings will not be held

at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Visit our website for more details. Carol Brantley

has volunteered to coordinate car pooling to our meetings. If you are interested in

participating, contact her at carolbrant@bellsouth.net. There is more information

below.

Congratulations to Barbara Dorfman, Karen McCaustland and to all of you who

volunteered at the plant sale at Stone Mountain Park. It was a great success.

Barbara and Karen are considering holding another sale this fall. We’ll keep you

posted as plans are made. Also at Stone Mountain Park, Marshall Wilson has

volunteered to be our Propagation Chairperson. If you want to learn more on

propagation, attend some of their workdays. It will be well worth your time.

My last reminder is that the Heritage Park workdays are the 2nd Saturday of each

month from 10-12. It is a great opportunity to learn more about our native plants in

a beautiful park setting.

President’s Message By Marcia Winchester

NativeSCAPE July 2009 Georgia Native Plant Society

P.O. Box 422085

Atlanta, GA

30342-2085

www.gnps.org

770-343-6000

GNPS Board of Directors

President

Marcia Winchester

Vice President

Kathryn Gable

Secretary

Shirley Center

Treasurer

Paula Reith

Members-at-Large:

Tom Painter

Dick Reeves

Don Stewart

Director of Communications

Sharon Parry

Director of Conservation

David Zaparanick

Director of Education

Ellen Honeycutt

Director of Membership

Mary Lou Cannamela

Carpooling in July!! Here is a chance to get to know other members, protect the environment and help your own budget. If you would like to help us test carpooling, send an email to carolbrant@bellsouth.net with the information noted below. Having as many replies as possible allows us to suggest convenient carpool groups --- it does not obligate you to participate nor promise a carpool for you. Send your information as soon as possible so that potential carpool members can be notified and plan their trips to our next meeting on July 14, in Alpharetta. 1. Name (yours) 2. Address with ZIP (the one from which you intend to carpool) 3. Best phone number 4. Email 5. Driving preference (choose one): Driver (my auto has at least 4 seats with belts, good insurance and reliable AC) Navigator (willing to mapquest or be able to read maps) Passenger (will have at least one joke and refrain from driving advice OR I don’t want to clean out the dog hair from my car) 6. Suggested meeting location (grocery or other public parking areas that are safe and don’t interfere with business)

3

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Our Georgia woods are a wonder, filled in all seasons

with treasures, beauty, and release from the pressures

of daily life. When we stroll or hike into a rescue site

with the intent of saving plants from the imminent,

catastrophic effects of earthmoving machines, our

hearts are in the right place. These native plants,

from small trees and lovely shrubs to delicate

wildflowers and graceful ferns, can and will adapt to

new, safe homes. But, to ensure their survival, each

rescuer should be aware, alert, and contemplative as

to the plants’ indigenous situations.

There are a number of factors that aren’t readily

apparent to the novice rescuer, and even seasoned

rescuers sometimes fail to consider that each plant has

its own needs. Some flora are even ―picky‖ when it

comes to relocation. For instance, native orchids

(Cypripedium spp.), trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens),

running ground pine (Lycopodium digitatum), and

horse sugar (Symplocos tinctoria), although different

in their needs, are all demanding, but well worth the

effort of educating oneself. Of course we all know

that moisture, light, and food are the basic elements

that all plants require in varying amounts. But other

factors aren’t so obvious, and even moisture, light,

and food aren’t so simple.

A water-loving plant growing on the bank of a stream

is there because it needs the oxygen contained in

moving, bubbling water. Gentians (Gentiana spp.),

cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), foamflower

(Tiarella cordifolia), and grass-of Parnassus (Parnassia

asarifolia) come to mind. Other plants such as Jack-in

-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) and Virginia

sweetspire (Itea virginica) are found in damp or boggy

conditions, and are at their happiest there. Northern

maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum), wild hydrangea

(Hydrangea arborescens), mountain laurel (Kalmia

latifolia), and galax (Galax urceolata), among others,

often prefer the conditions they find at the top of

stream banks and ravines. While they need ample

moisture, they hate ―wet feet.‖ Once in a while, a

plant will be noticed growing out of context, so to

speak. For instance, a southern lady fern (Athyrium

filix-femina) might be spotted at the top of a dry

slope; that doesn’t mean that lady ferns like dry

conditions. On the contrary, there is probably an

underground seep close by.

Seasoned native plant gardeners come to realize that

certain plants, such as foamflower, galax, and

Shuttleworth ginger (Hexastylis shuttleworthii), can be

moved into a garden setting and will do quite well.

While, in their natural settings, they prefer given

conditions, these amenable plants manage nicely

elsewhere, as long as they are given dappled sunlight,

adequate water, and decent soil.

About water: we have found that most native plants,

if given the choice, would reject chlorinated tap or

hose water in favor of rainwater. Since that isn’t

always an option – the years-long drought has made us

vividly aware of the glory of a soaking rainstorm – the

next best thing is to collect tap water in containers

and let it stand for a day or so. Just keep it lightly

covered to let the chlorine gases escape and keep out

mosquitoes.

Cardinal flower and green-and-gold (Chrysogonum

virginianum) are two of a fairly small number of plants

that need to be kept free of winter leaf litter. If these

wildflowers with winter rosettes are planted on slopes,

(Continued on page 4)

Rescuing in Woodlands - Observations By Jeane Saylor Reeves (Reprinted from the April 2003 NativeSCAPE for the benefit of our newer members.)

Pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) Photo: Robert Baker

4

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Rescuing in Woodlands - Observations Continued from Page 3

the canopy’s autumn leaves will slide off and let

winter sunshine in to do its work.

Another horticultural consideration is that some plants

require certain minerals, enzymes, or fungi for

obtaining or assimilating nutrients. For example, if a

downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens) is to

survive in a new site, a good quantity of the

surrounding, allied soil should accompany it. It should

then quickly be placed in a comparable wooded

setting. At that point, and with proper watering, the

gardener can only hope for the best.

On the contrary, other plants, such as Christmas fern

(Polystichum acrostichoides), Catesby trillium

(Trillium catesbaei), and mouse-eared coreopsis

(Coreopsis auriculata), are an easy pleasure. Another

agreeable fern, the small, charming ebony spleenwort

(Asplenium platyneuron), enjoys often acidic, less-

than-moist soil. It can be found colonizing on

disturbed soil (once, even in a local vineyard!), or

among lichen-spotted rocks on small, mossy ridges.

Please do keep in mind that a clump of green that is

seemingly insignificant, even boring in appearance,

may sport delightful flowers, fall color, or berries in

another season. And there are a few plants, such as

toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) and cranefly orchis

(Tipularia discolor), whose foliage appears in late

autumn and remains green through the winter, while

flowering in the spring and going dormant for the

summer. It really does serve a new rescuer well to

study a few books on native plants and to keep the

eyes and ears open to learn from other rescuers.

When we are fortunate enough to have a rescue site

that holds trout lilies (Erythronium spp.), we quickly

learn that the bulbs, more often than not, are nestled

among rocks under the soil. The rocks help prevent

rodents from digging and eating the bulbs, and they

also provide a cool root run. (By the way, trout lily

bulbs, as they gow older and bigger, work themselves

deeper into the ground; we must allow for that when

we dig, so as not to sever the bulbs. Another aside:

we find trout lilies in a given site springing from the

tops of mesic hillocks, growing down the slopes, and

almost into creeks.)

In fact, many plants benefit from including local stones

in the planting hole. In addition to a cool root run, the

rocks aerate soil that may otherwise become

compacted over time. Some plants such as hepatica

(Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa) and Oconee azalea

(Rhododendron flammeum) grow best in rocky, dryish

soil that has a rather high lime content. Even here in

our lower piedmont, with its many acid-loving plants,

we find pockets of basic (high pH) soil and the plants

that thrive in them. A quick mention of another factor

is that of ―lean‖ soil. The preference for some plants,

such as bird’s-foot violet (Viola pedata) and certain

asters (formerly Aster spp., now reclassified into

several genera), is for dirt that is not rich and friable

but rather thin, sometimes hard-packed, and usually

dry, often in sunnier sites. Erma Bombeck, the late

columnist, once wrote of rearing her children with

―benign neglect.‖ Sometimes green things, too, don’t

take to being coddled.

Rescuers need to consider that some plants, from

buckeye (Aesculus spp.) to Shuttleworth ginger, have

root systems that require special attention. Their

(Continued on page 5)

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) Photo: Robert Baker

5

Rescuing in Woodlands - Observations Continued from Page 4

roots are few in number, and therefore, must be

worked out of their homes with care. Patience is a

virtue – in fact, perhaps a matter of vegetative life or

death. But with any plant, don’t give up too soon if it

seems to have passed into the Great Beyond. ―Goner‖

shrubs and trees, while appearing to be dried-up

sticks, may send out new growth from the roots or

stems a year, or even two, later.

As for small trees, some are readily transplanted;

others hate being moved. Beech (Fagus americanus)

and chalk maple (Acer leucoderme) are quite tolerant,

while redbud (Cercis canadensis), which seeds

abundantly, often rebels at having its taproot

disturbed. Rescuers have joked over the years about a

small number of plants ―dying just to spite you.‖ Of

course, trees and shrubs are certainly more amenable

to being uprooted during dormancy. Unfortunately

this isn’t usually an option at a site on the verge of

being developed. Selective pruning can help lessen

the strain on the plant.

Along the same lines, it is important to keep in mind

that the ferns, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs one

comes across on a rescue in the woods emerged

through seed dispersal or offshoots. Almost never

were they dug from another place and plopped into

new sites. While we rescuers must do just that, extra

care – especially regular watering for a year or so – will

help to ensure their survival. Some of these stressed

plants may wilt badly, especially in the heat of

summer. (Again, cutting the foliage back can reduce

the strain on the roots.) Others, surprisingly, don’t

miss a beat and continue to adjust and thrive.

Canopy is another consideration; the treetop leaf

cover that starts out sparsely, with pioneering trees,

over the years becomes denser, heavily shading the

ground below. The plants that bloomed in bright

dappled shade may not do so when sunlight is notably

reduced. Piedmont azaleas (R. canescens), in

particular, might stop forming buds, even though the

shrubs themselves are quite healthy. Moving one

(while cutting it back as necessary) to a more open

area could be all it needs to start flowering again. The

larger lilies – Turk’s-cap (Lilium superbum), Carolina

(L. michauxii) – fall into the same category. Another

aspect of canopy is that, occasionally, rescuers will

discover a fresh point of view regarding flora that they

are only accustomed to seeing in a sunny spot. If

southern, or bull-bay, magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

is found in a rich, moist, wooded area, it will look so

different from its lawn or roadside version as to be

quite surprising. It grows tall and slender, not so laden

with leaves (and not usually blooming). In the winter

it reveals itself nicely through the stark hardwoods as

a bright, almost delicate, tower of green.

What about a rescuer who dearly wants that clump of

blooming fly poison (Amianthium muscitoxicum) but

can’t provide the loamy, wooded slope that is

commonly its choice? Or, say, a fine turtlehead

(Chelone spp.), thriving in a bright, damp swale? If

one studies the area in which a plant is distributed and

chooses a particular plant on the locale’s outer

reaches that most closely matches the new home

destination, chances for its survival improve.

(Genetics at work?) On the other hand, desire can and

should go only so far. Rescuers who can’t come close

to providing a suitable adoptive home are well advised

to let someone else with a more acceptable garden,

woodland, or creek setting take a treasure and keep it

healthy – or alive!

On a horticultural note, if a rescuer comes across a

plant that self-seeds readily, for instance Coreopsis

spp., Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica), or wild

geranium (Geranium maculatum), placing it at the

higher realms of a slope will help to ensure that the

seeds will work their way down over the years. A

―drift‖ of such a plant can be a lovely thing. Another

gardening tip: when one observes two or more plants

blooming at approximately the same time, and

appreciating the same conditions, placing them as

companions can create a delightful picture. Try the

pale yellow of bellwort (Uvularia spp.) nodding over

the dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), with its yellow

patch, for instance, or note how the rich, plumy red

NativeSCAPE July 2009

(Continued on page 6)

6

Rescuing in Woodlands - Observations Continued from Page 5

of sweet shrub (Calycanthus floridus) is echoed in the

tiny dots of red seen in the white bells of mountain

laurel.

The education of a rescuer is a joyous thing for both

the neophyte and the facilitator or old hand who

helps. At the beginning of the learning curve, it may

all seem overwhelming, and even cause anxiety. But

our native plants are for the most part quite forgiving

and hearty. Out in the woods, after a few rescues are

―under the belt,‖ the many questions and concerns

soon give way to the camaraderie and good will that

pull us all together.

Our cause is good, and the results are a blessing. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

The family of Jeane Reeves attended the ceremony

dedicating her Native Fern Garden at the Georgia

Perimeter College Native Plant Botanical Garden, on May 2,

2009. From left to right: Jeane’s son Scott, Scott’s wife

Shirley, husband Dick, son Matt, and daughter Susan.

This sign marks the area dedicated to Jeane, the GNPS

founding member who developed the plant rescue program.

Nominations are now open for 2010

GNPS Plant of the Year!

This program promotes the recognition of

outstanding native plants and encourages a deeper

appreciation of our especially desirable native

plants.

GNPS members may nominate any plant which is

native to Georgia until 10/15/09. Please send your

nomination to PlantoftheYear@gnps.org. Include

the common name, scientific name and your reason

for nominating your native plant in your nomination.

After the nomination process has closed, the

nominated native plants will be posted on the GNPS

website.

GNPS members will select the Plant of the Year by

voting either electronically or in person at the

November general meeting. Electronic voting either

via the GNPS website or by email ends at midnight

11/9/09 preceding the November 10th general

meeting. You may only vote once.

Below is the link to the annual winners and some

photos of the winning plants.

http://gnps.org/poy/Plant_of_the_Year.html

2000 GNPS Plant of the Year

7

In the backyard of my home, west of Marietta, are two

large trees whose presence dominates the area. The

trees are about 80 feet tall and are among oak and pine

trees. These trees are mockernut hickories (Carya

tomentosa). Mockernut hickory is one of a dozen

distinct species of hickories found in the United States.

I was somewhat excited to have hickories in my

backyard as I have had an attraction to hickories for

some time. On the small farm I grew up on in Missouri,

a large hickory stood on a small hill top at the rear of

our home. It was quite a bit different from the hickories

in my Georgia back yard. It was a shagbark hickory

(Carya ovata), characterized by bark that appears in

long plate-like strips, attached to the tree trunk in the

middle but loose elsewhere along its length. This

attractive shaggy appearance has resulted in the tree’s

common name.

The hickory trees growing on my small farm in Polk

County are shagbarks. However, they are a special

variety, sometimes called southern or Carolina shagbark

(Carya ovata var. australis or Carya ovata var. carolinae

septentrionalis). The southern shagbark has slightly

smaller nuts and more narrow and less hairy leaves and

the bark, while shaggy, is not as regular and tight as the

standard shagbark. The southern shagbark is usually

found in neutral soils, whereas the standard shagbark

prefers acidic soils.

The reason for my attraction to hickories is the fruit,

which as children we called ―hicker nuts.‖ The fruit

production of hickories is quite variable and is one

reason why hickories are not often grown as a

commercial crop. The shagbark near the home where I

grew up did not produce many nuts. The same was true

of other hickories on our farm, but there were numerous

hickory trees on neighboring farms that did produce

large crops of nuts with relatively thin shells. These

were eagerly sought for eating as a tasty treat and used

in pies similar to the way pecans are used today. While

the nut meats are not as easy to extract as pecans, the

taste in my opinion is superior. Usually the desirable

shagbark hickories would be found in open, relative dry

pasture areas.

As a youth I noticed hickory nuts for sale in grocery

stores. These nuts were quite a bit larger than the ones

that we gathered. These nuts were the fruit of the

shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa). Shellbark hickory is

less common than shagbark, but it does have a large

natural growth area. It is primarily a Midwestern tree

whose range extends from western New York to eastern

Kansas. Its southern range includes Tennessee and some

specimens have been found in northwest Georgia. Its

bark is very similar to the shagbark, and in some areas

the species is called shagbark.

Trees of the Carya genus are found primarily in North

America. While taxonomists differ regarding

classification of some plants, 12 distinct species and

many varieties are currently recognized as being native

to the United States. Another is found in Mexico and

two or more are found in Southeast Asia. Carya is part

of the Juglandaceae family, which includes the walnuts.

The Carya species found in the US are divided into two

sections, Carya and Apocarya.

The first section, Carya, includes what are called true

hickories. The second, Apocarya, includes the water

hickory (Carya aquatica) and the bitternut hickory

(Carya cordiformis), which are both native to Georgia.

Both of these hickories have bitter fruit which is quite a

contrast to the other member of the section, the pecan.

Hickories By Ken Gohring

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Fruit of Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)

Paul Wray, Iowa State University, www.forestryimages.org

(Continued on page 8)

8

Hickory trees are characterized as trees with deep

taproots, having a compound leaf structure and being

monoeocious (having both male and female flowers).

The male flowers are catkins up to several inches long

that produce pollen that fertilizes the smaller female

flowers which are spikes at the end of stalks. The

pollen is wind borne and is one of the tree pollens that

can cause spring allergies in those susceptible.

Hickory trees are one of the most useful and

commercially significant trees found in the forest.

Native Americans used hickory nuts as an important

food, produced by cracking the nuts, boiling them and

skimming off the oily substance, and using it like butter.

Early American settlers also used this product, called

hickory milk, as well. Native Americans also used the

wood in making bows.

For years the American chestnut was recognized as the

most valuable tree found in the southeast because of its

many uses. In many ways, the hickory has filled this

role. Hickory wood is strong and durable, and used in

products capable of withstanding strong vibrations. In

pioneer days, it was used to make wagon wheels and

textile looms. It is still used to make handles for tools.

The wood is also used for charcoal and for smoking

meat. It is an excellent fire wood and is highly desired

for this purpose. The wood is used by the furniture

industry. It is also used to produce syrup like that made

from maple trees.

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is considered one of the most

valuable cultivated plants originating in North America.

Thomas Jefferson planted pecans at Monticello and gave

some to George Washington. It is said that these pecans

are the oldest trees at Mt. Vernon. A large number of

pecan cultivars have been developed and named. They

vary in nut size (from 1 to 3 inches), flavor quality, shell

thickness, age at first bearing, disease resistance,

bearing tendency and length of time for crop maturity.

Some of these with thin shells are called ―paper shells‖.

Even though pecans are most likely not native to

Georgia, the state leads the nation in pecan production.

One cannot drive through middle to south Georgia

without seeing a large number of pecan groves. The

pecan is the largest of the hickories, growing to 130 feet

in height. Its large major limbs grow up and out in a

distinctive spreading manner. It is fairly easy to spot

these groves of pecans because of this growth feature.

In addition to providing delicious nuts, the wood is used

for flooring, cabinets and furniture.

While the pecan is the state tree of Texas, it got its

name because early settlers found it growing and being

used by Native Americans in Illinois. It is somewhat

difficult to determine its original range, but it is

believed to be primarily along the Mississippi River

drainage extending as far west as Texas and as far north

as southern Illinois.

Many of the hickories are native to Georgia. One of

these is the pignut hickory whose nuts were gathered by

early colonists and fed to swine, resulting in the

common name. Pignut hickory is quite common in the

southern Appalachians. Other hickories found in Georgia

are the sand hickory (Carya pallida) and the mockernut

(Carya tomentosa).

The nutmeg hickory (Carya myristiciformis) is rare and

has a quite limited range. The only substantial

population is near Selma, AL. It is sometimes called

swamp hickory because of its growth habit. The red

hickory (Carya ovalis) is much more common that the

nutmeg hickory. At one time it was thought to be a

hybrid of the shagbark and pignut hickories.

Hickories Continued from Page 7

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa) - Fall Foliage Photo Credit: Sharon Parry

(Continued on page 9)

9

Hickories Continued from Page 8

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Common Name Species Height Nut Size Leaf Size # Leaflets Ga Native

SECTION CARYA

Pignut glabra 60 - 80 ft 1/2 to 1-1/2 in. 8 - 12 in. Usually 5 Yes

Shellbark laciniosa 70 - 100 ft. 2 to 2/12 in. 15 - 24 in. 5 - 9 Yes

Nutmeg myristiciformis To 80 ft. 1 to 1.2 in. 7 - 14 in. 5 - 9 Yes

Red ovalis 80 - 100 ft. 1 to 1-1/2 in. 8 - 12 in. 5 - 9 Yes

Shagbark ovata To 120 ft. 1-1/4 to 2-1/2 in. 8 - 14 in. 5 or 7 Yes

Southern Shagbark ovata var.australis 65 - 100 ft. 1 to 1-1/4 in. 5 - 12 in. 5 - 7 Yes

Sand pallida 30 - 80 ft. 3/4 to 1-1/2 in. 7 - 14 in. 5 - 9 Yes

Scrub floridana 10 - 20 ft. To 1-1/4 in. 8 - 12 in. 3 - 7 No

Black texana 20 - 30 ft. 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 in. 6 - 12 in. 5 - 7 No

Mockernut tomentosa 50 - 80 ft. 1-1/2 to 2 in. 9 - 14 in. 7 - 9 Yes

SECTION APOCARYA

Water aquatica 70 - 100 ft. 1 to 1-1/2 in. 8 - 16 in. 7 - 15 S. Ga

Bitternut cordiformis 60 - 80 ft. To 1 in. 7 - 10 in. 7 - 11 Yes

Pecan illinoinensis To 130 ft. 1-1/2 to 2 in. 12 - 18 in. 9 - 15 No

Common Name Nut Taste Bark Husk Range

SECTION CARYA

Pignut Bitter Scaly ridged Thin SE US, Mo east to NY, north to ME

Shellbark Good Shaggy Thick MO east to PA, south through TN

Nutmeg Edible Fissured Thick Rare, scattered SC to east TX, most in AL

Red Sweet Shaggy & Ridges Thin SE US, MO east to NY, north to ME

Shagbark Delicious Shaggy Thick Eastern US, excluding so. part of so. States

Southern Shagbark Edible Shaggy Thick Heart of Dixie, NC through MS

Sand Edible Deep furrows Thick Confederacy excluding TX, FL, so. GA & so. SC

Scrub Edible Smooth, ridges Thick Central FL

Black Edible Deep furrows Thin TX north to OK & MO

Mockernut Edible Ridges, furrows Thick So. states north to IL & PA

SECTION APOCARYA

Water Bitter Fissured, scales Thin MS River Valley & Coastal South to NC

Bitternut Very Bitter Furrowed Thin Eastern States excluding Gulf coast

Pecan Excellent Thin broken strips Thin MS River Valley west to central TX

The following tables detail some features of the hickories found in the US. It is not intended to be a definitive aid

to species identification. Most of the references cited have keys that can be used for this purpose.

Sources:

Brown, Claude and L. Katherine Kirkman 1990. Trees of Georgia and Adjacent States. Portland, OR. Timber Press.

Harrar, Ellwoods and J. George Harrar, 1962. Guide to Southern Trees. New York, NY. Dover Publications.

Lance, Ron 2004. Woody Plants of the Southeastern United States, A Winter Guide. Athens, GA. The University of Georgia Press.

Little, Elbert L. 1998. National Audubon Society field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Edition. New York, NY. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

10

At the March 2009 GNPS meeting, we were treated to a

presentation by Dr. Robert Fuller of the Predator Beetle

Lab at North Georgia College and State University

(NGCSU) in Dahlonega. He told us that our native

hemlocks are dying due to a spreading infestation of the

hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), an aphid-like insect

native to Asia. Hope for biological control of the

infestation comes in the form of a tiny black beetle that

feeds on the adelgid. These beetles are being raised in

Dr. Fuller’s Predator Beetle Lab and at several other

labs in Georgia and throughout the eastern United

States.

Hemlocks cover thousands of acres in north Georgia,

inhabiting moist environments near rivers and streams.

The shade they cast helps moderate the temperature of

the streams, protecting water quality and making

streams habitable for species such as trout. The trees

themselves also provide habitat and food for many

wildlife species.

There are two species of native hemlock in eastern

North America, the eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

and the Carolina hemlock (T. caroliniana), with the

eastern hemlock being the dominant of the two. Both

species are threatened by the HWA.

The HWA is an introduced pest that came from Asia and

was likely introduced on nursery stock. It was first seen

on the East Coast in Virginia in the early 1950s. The HWA

has been spreading at a rate of about 12 miles per year,

and it has now spread as far north as Maine and south to

northern Georgia. It is currently at least as far south in

Georgia as Lumpkin, Dawson, and Pickens Counties, and

it is sure to continue its migration south.

The HWA can cause decline and death of a tree in as

little as three years. Dr. Fuller noted that approximately

95% of the hemlocks in the Shenandoah National Park in

Virginia have already died.

Dr. Fuller described the HWA lifecycle, noting that they

are active in late fall, winter, and early spring, when

they are in their ―crawler‖ stage. The HWA is a small,

dark insect, but it can be most easily recognized on

hemlock trees by the white wool-like material that it

surrounds itself with. It damages the hemlocks by

piercing the tree and sucking out nutrients. This causes

damage to needles and buds, weakening the tree

substantially.

The crawlers move about a bit on the tree, but they can

also be shaken off a limb by wind and can blow for

hundreds of yards, infesting other trees. They are also

sticky in nature and can be picked up by birds or other

animals. Even humans hiking in the woods can get the

crawlers on their clothes and unknowingly spread the

pests.

The East Coast has no native predator of the HWA,

hence the attempt to introduce the predator beetles

(most of which come from Asia) as a control measure.

These beetles feed primarily on the HWA and are

dependent on the HWA to reproduce, so the beetles are

unlikely to have any negative impact on other species.

The Predator Beetle Lab released its first 50,000 beetles

in March of 2008. The lab has doubled its capacity since

then and is in the process of doubling capacity again. Dr.

Fuller described the laborious and exacting methods

used to raise the beetles, and he brought live specimens

for GNPS members to see.

Help for Our Native Hemlocks By Mary Tucker

NativeSCAPE July 2009

(Continued on page 11)

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Archive

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Bugwood.org

11

Help for Our Native Hemlocks Continued from Page 10

Beetles are released into areas that have been

designated as Hemlock Conservation Areas, which are

locations that have been determined to be critical

hemlock habitat. It is expected that the released

beetles will continue to reproduce in the wild to become

self sustaining, and that they will spread from the initial

release sites to adjoining areas.

Dr. Fuller noted that ornamental hemlocks that you may

have on your property are also in danger from the HWA,

and he gave tips regarding diagnosis and treatment. The

HWA are not very visible until they have their white,

woolly coating, which they secrete in late fall;

therefore, he recommended beginning inspection of

your trees in December.

There are several insecticides that can be used, but Dr.

Fuller recommended soil injection of the chemical

imidacloprid as the most effective method. There are

treatment companies that specialize in this service, or

the homeowner can borrow a soil injector from the

Georgia Forestry Commission. The chemical lasts about

two to four years, so retreatment may be necessary.

Dormant oil or insecticidal soap may be effective if the

hemlock is small enough to be fully treated by that

method.

For more information on homeowner treatment options,

see the website of the Predator Beetle Lab:

www.ngcsu.edu/resource/EnvirLeadCenter/pindex.htm.

This site also has information on all aspects of this issue,

as well as a photo gallery, updates from the Dahlonega

beetle lab, and links to other resources.

Another useful source of information is the Lumpkin

Coalition (www.lumpkincoalition.org), a non-profit,

volunteer organization whose primary focus is saving our

hemlocks. At their website you will informative articles,

pictures to help you identify an HWA infestation,

treatment information, and progress reports from

various predator beetle labs. The Lumpkin Coalition

hosts HemlockFest every November to raise awareness

about the plight of the hemlocks and to raise money to

save them. The 2009 HemlockFest will take place

November 6-8.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Educate yourself about the HWA and monitor your

trees for infestation.

Take action to treat any infestation that you find.

Be aware of infested hemlocks that you may

encounter in the wild and avoid spreading the HWA.

Tell friends and neighbors about the HWA threat to

our hemlocks.

Donate to the NGCSU Predator Beetle Lab at this

address: NGCSU Predator Beetle Lab; c/o Dr. Robert

Fuller; Environmental Leadership Center; 106 Rogers

Hall; North Georgia College & State University;

Dahlonega, GA 30597

See the Donate section of the Lumpkin Coalition

website and support the Lumpkin Coalition with

monetary donations, gifts in kind, or by volunteering

your time.

Attend HemlockFest in November to show your

support for our hemlocks. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Lady Beetle (Sasajiscymnus tsugae) Carole Cheah, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Bugwood.org

12

About Mushrooms By Mary Woehrel, President, Mushroom Club of Georgia

NativeSCAPE July 2009

When identifying mushrooms, color is not as important as

looking to see what is under the cap. This is especially

important when sending a picture of a mushroom to be

identified.

Mushrooms don’t always ―bloom‖ every year. If conditions

aren’t right, they will skip a year or several years. There are,

however, certain seasons when mushrooms in general are

more plentiful. Morels in the spring, boletes in the late

summer and fall. However, you can’t depend on most

mushrooms to appear every year at the same spot.

Temperature, rainfall and substrate are crucial.

Mushrooms were once thought to be part of the plant

kingdom. With the introduction of DNA analysis, it was found

that they actually have more in common with animals than

with plants. It didn’t seem right to consider them animals,

however, so they were given their own kingdom.

Mushrooms have not been studied as thoroughly as plants – so

there are still many unlisted or poorly described species. It is

possible then, for someone going into the study of fungi, to

make surprising discoveries of new species or to discover

species in an area where it was thought that they did not

exist. Many of these discoveries are being made by amateur

mycologists.

Poisonous mushrooms, unlike many poisonous plants, are not

dangerous to touch or handle. You don’t have to wear gloves

for example to handle them. You may want to protect

yourself from insects or surrounding plants like poison ivy, but

it is not necessary to protect yourself from skin toxins in

mushrooms.

All mushrooms should be cooked or steamed before eating,

even the store-bought button mushrooms. Mushrooms contain

protein, minerals and medicinal polysaccharides, but they

also contain hydrazine, a volatile substance used in rocket

fuel that is carcinogenic. Cooking dissipates it completely.

Be sure to buy a good field guide such as the National

Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms.

Buy more than one field guide.

Learn what the deadly species look like and the symptoms of

poisoning. Then you will feel more comfortable about

studying the others.

Some mushroom species are very easy to identify (the chicken

mushroom or sulfur shelf, the giant puffball, morels, and the

chanterelle are considered so obvious that people call them

the foolproof four). Some people include the shaggy mane

mushroom instead of the chanterelle. Others are quite

difficult, especially the LBMs (Little Brown Mushrooms).

Some species have poisonous look-alikes; others are quite

distinct and have no poisonous relatives. Learn a small

number of the most unmistakable species at first and then as

you become more knowledgeable, try some of the others that

are more difficult to identify.

Join a local mushroom club and go on a few walks or forays.

Trying to identify mushrooms from pictures in a book is

difficult and can be dangerous. It’s best to learn from a

mentor or group. Mushroom clubs are listed on the NAMA

website: www.namyco.org. Visit www.gamushroomclub.org

for information on the Mushroom Club of Georgia.

Mushrooms and Plants: A Beneficial Relationship

Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi.

Underground, below ―blooming‖ mushrooms are thread-like

networks called hyphae. Some of these hyphae attach to plant

roots, creating thread-like extensions that reach far into the soil,

increasing the surface area of the plant roots exponentially. The

fungal hyphae and the plant roots working together are called

mycorrhizae (Greek for ―fungus roots‖).

The vast majority of the plant species that have been

scientifically examined are mycorrhizal. This symbiotic and

mutualistic association between a fungus and the roots of the

plant provides the fungus with access to the carbohydrates

produced by the plant during photosynthesis. The carbohydrates

are translocated from their source (usually leaves) to the root

tissues and then to the fungal partners.

In return, the plant gains the use of the very large surface area of

the mycelium (the collective group of fungal hyphae) to absorb

water and mineral nutrients from the soil, vastly improving the

absorption capabilities of the plant roots for the plant partner,

and often providing resistance to diseases, such as those caused

by microbial soil-borne pathogens. Both physical and chemical

processes contribute to this mycorrhizal relationship.

A beautiful but poisonous Amanita mushroom

Photo Credit: Sharon Parry

13

Walking with Wildflowers By Gina Strickland

Try to imagine cool wooded

valleys with winding roads

beside roaring green-blue

rivers. Broad embankments

of trillium in bloom outside

your car window as you pass.

High mountain top pull-offs

with vistas with no cities in

sight below. A place where

quiet walkways lead you into

the cove hardwood forests

and your fellow travelers are

just as crazy about

wildflowers as you are. Where is this

nirvana to be found? It’s the Spring Wildflower

Pilgrimage in April at the Great Smoky Mountains

National Park (www.nps.gov/grsm) near Gatlinburg

Tennessee.

Smoky Mountains National Park is situated between

Tennessee and North Carolina with rolling hills, wild

rivers and the ancient mountain range of the

southern Appalachians. 800 miles of hiking trails

from easy to strenuous can be found there. The park

is renowned for its biodiversity and the beautiful

wildflowers, more different kinds of which are found

there than in any other national park in North

America. The park is a sanctuary for many species

and offers a rare opportunity to view a wide range of

wildflowers within short distances. Rather than

hiking from point A to point B, I found myself walking

slowly to observe ten, twenty, or sometimes more

different kinds of plants in bloom within a few feet.

Of course the ideal time to visit and bask in the

beauty of so many wildflowers in bloom is in the

spring.

The park’s Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage

(www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org) has been an

annual event for 59 years. More than 1,200 people

visit during the five days of programs usually April 21

through April 25. There is something to suit everyone

from indoor programs, short easy walks to all day

hikes. The hard part is choosing from the over 100

available programs. The

best part I find is viewing

breathtaking vistas and

native plants in bloom on

the same trail. I also

enjoy some non-

wildflower oriented

outdoor programs like the

nighttime bat walk I

attended this year.

I discovered this

wonderful encounter in

the mountains only four

years ago and I still lament having missed so many in

past years. My husband Mike and I eagerly await the

early March announcement of each year's programs.

The best programs fill up quickly so we stand-by

ready for the 9:00 registration the day the website

opens up so we are sure to get the ones we want.

Don't bother to phone us at 8:45 on registration day!

It's that nice of a vacation for wildflower enthusiasts.

This year we registered for four days, a mix of short

easy and medium level hikes during the daytime. We

selected some of our past favorites and chose a few

new hikes as well. Clicking on the following link will

take you to a web page with the actual photos taken

on the trails this year:

(http://georgianatives.net/swfp09/swfp09.html).

Day 1

Our morning hike was a Fern Walk at 'the Sinks' near

Metcalf Bottoms and Chestnut top trail. We were led

by Dr. Murray Evans, former University of Tennessee

professor and one of the world's leading authorities

on ferns, author of Ferns of the Smokies. (This book

is available at Sugarlands Visitor Center or on-line

http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/.)

There is an established trail here, but because we

were with the Pilgrimage leaders we went off trail in

a wetland area to view and learn about the ferns in

the area. Highlights included a fern glade of royal

fern (Osmunda regalis) and cinnamon fern (Osmunda

NativeSCAPE July 2009

(Continued on page 14 )

White Wake-Robin (Trillium erectum) Photo Credit: Mike Strickland

14

Walking with Wildflowers Continued from Page 13

cinnamomea), and a cove shaped hillside covered

with granite rocks that sport groupings of maidenhair

fern (Adiantum pedatum) and fancy fern (Dryopteris

intermedia aspleniaceae). Not being a fern purist, I

could not help but photograph the trilliums and Iris

cristata along the way. Mike found both toadshade

trillium (Trillium cuneatum) and Trillium luteum

growing side by side and unusual four leafed and five

leafed specimens.

Our afternoon hike took us to the old Roaring Fork

Motor Nature Trail that overlooks Gatlinburg. Here

there is a pioneer cabin, barn and mill raceway of

Noah 'Bud' Ogle that gives the trail its name. The

nature trail is short and easy walking except for the

last bit which is best described as a boulder field

under a canopy forest of rhododendron. Highlights

here are a large patch of geranium (Geranium

maculatum) near the trail head, showy orchis

(Galearis spectabilis), Clinton’s lily (Clintonia

umbellulata), Iris cristata, Trillium grandiflorum and

bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata).

We saw the remains of American chestnut trees still

lying on the ground as if cut a month ago instead of

more than 80 years ago, felled when killed by the

chestnut blight imported from Asia. It’s a stark

reminder of the devastating effects of accidental

pest importation on nursery stock. Just beyond the

days gone by chestnut tree logs, our guide pointed to

the damage of the woolly adelgid on the hemlock

trees, the latest introduced pest that is having a

devastating effect on the hemlock trees in the park.

The end of the trail brought our spirits back as we

crossed a log bridge over a small branch filled with

brook lettuce (Saxifraga micranthidifolia) in full

bloom and Clinton’s lily just opening its buds.

That evening, although we were done for the day

with our formal programs, it was a warm mountain

evening with plenty of light left for photography so

we decided to visit Ash Hopper Branch, one of our

favorite trails from prior years that is a short driving

distance from Bud Ogle Trail. Here we found some

very nice specimens of maidenhair fern and doll’s

eyes (Actaea pachypoda) growing close by while a

small flock of wild turkey foraged just above us on

the hillside. The white flowered Trillium erectum

was really spectacular this year. The specimens

were particularly large on this trail. We found two

patches of Trillium vaseyi that we knew from prior

years might be in bloom, but both were only in bud.

Day 2

Our second day began with a trip to Kanati Fork Trail

located in North Carolina. We found it to be very dry

in this area of the park. Although the trail areas we

had visited the previous day seemed lush, this part of

the park was obviously still suffering from the

drought of 2008. The wildflowers seemed stunted -

the squaw-root (Conopholis americana) was

completely desiccated and the painted trillium

(Trillium undulatum) a little small in flower size. A

highlight of the trail was purple meadow parsnip

(Thaspium trifoliatum), a new flower for me. I was

sad but not surprised to hear that this area burned

about two days after our walk. Afternoon took us

past Rockefeller plaza and Clingmans Dome back

towards Gatlinburg. We could not resist stopping at

the Chimneys’ picnic area, a cove hardwood hillside

NativeSCAPE July 2009

(Continued on page 15)

Brook Lettuce (Saxifraga micranthidifolia) Photo Credit: Mike Strickland

15

Walking with Wildflowers Continued from Page 14

overlooking a picnic area with a broad rushing creek.

It's one of our favorite spots for wildflowers and for

remembrances of eventful encounters during past

visits.

In 2005 there was a bear scare in the parking area

and it then rained so hard while on the trail we were

both completely soaked even with our rain gear on.

That year we spotted an American climbing fern

(Lygodium palmatum) at the top of the trail. But

this year it was very dry and several of the creeks in

the loop trail had no water in them. The flowers

however were still spectacular although changed

from prior wet years. There were no Jack-in-the-

pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) this year but we

enjoyed the Trillium grandiflorum, Trillium

erectum, golden Alexander (Zizia aurea), white

fringed phacelia (Phacelia fimbriata) and several

violet species that were growing together - sweet

white (Viola blanda), common blue (Viola

papilionacea), smooth yellow stemmed (Viola

pensylvanica) and Canada sweet violet (Viola

canadensis).

Day 3

We walked the Quiet Walk Way on Newfound Gap Rd

between Sugarlands and the Chimneys. This was a

new trail for us and we enjoyed the loop trail down a

rocky hillside and across an open field then back up

along a rushing stream. Highlights were a large

patch of Iris cristata in bloom in the field, paw-paw

(Asimina triloba) trees in flower, marsh violet (Viola

cucullata) blooming in the stream, Miami mist

phacelia (Phacelia pushii) and blue cohosh

(Caulophyllum thalictroides) in bloom.

Day 4

We saved the best for last. One of our favorites from

our short 4 years attending the Pilgrimage is the

walking trail called Porter's Creek, near little

Greenbriar. It's uphill but not too steep on a wide,

well maintained trail beside a rushing Porter's Creek.

The swirling waters crashing around rocks in the

creek alone is worth the trip but with the large

diversity of wildflowers in bloom especially along the

lower part of the trail, it is truly a spot that can't be

missed. Highlights of this trail are banks of false

Solomon's seal (Smilacina racemosa), Canada sweet

violet at the trail head, the showy orchis which

blooms in patches all along the trailside, pink lady’s

slipper orchids (Cypripedium acaule) on a side trail

just beyond the old settlers’ cemetery, and almost to

the top of the 3 mile trail just short of Fern Branch

Falls is a boulder covered with painted trillium.

Many hikers, tired by this time, turn around here like

pilgrims having made it to the shrine if you will, but

if you pause for a time just beyond Trillium Boulder,

your eyes begin to notice several more boulders just

down the path covered with lush growths of rock cap

fern (Polypodium virginianum). I like to return more

slowly than I came up to take in the flowers I may

have missed on the climb and enjoy the creek one

more time, pausing on one of several benches beside

the trail, a little sad knowing it will be another year

before I get to see it again. We can't wait for next

year. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Miami mist phacelia (Phacelia pushii) Photo Credit: Mike Strickland

16

Black's Bluff and Wolf Creek Preserve By Ed McDowell

In September of 2008, the board of directors made the

decision to contribute significant gifts from reserve funds

to two specific land management organizations – The

Nature Conservancy, Georgia Chapter, to assist with the

expansion of the Black’s Bluff Preserve in Floyd County and

the Wolf Creek Preserve in Grady County.

Black’s Bluff Preserve, now a 263 acre site, is a massive

natural rock garden consisting of a rich oak-hickory forest

growing on a steep

outcrop of 500 million

year old Conasauga

limestone. Please

read specifics about

the site at The Nature

Conservancy website

at http://

www.nature.org/

wherewework/

northamerica/states/

georgia/preserves/

art20700.html. The

Preserve is home to

many plants that

prefer calcareous soils

such as Indian pink

(Spigelia

marilandica),

showy skullcap

(Scutellaria

montana),

Hydrangea

arborescens, and

many more. The

Preserve is one

of the few open

TNC Preserves

and The Spring

Trail offers a

wonderful hike

to the top of one

of the bluffs.

The images were

taken at the GNPS field trip to Black’s Bluff on May 31,

2009. Field trips are in the planning stage for the fall of

2009 and spring of 2010.

Wolf Creek Preserve in Grady County, a 140 acre site with

4 acres of solid trout lily (Erythronium umbilicatum) plus

other interesting plants is now protected and safe. Please

see http://www.flwildflowers.com/wolfcreek/ for a

description of the site and the conservation status. A

Georgia Botanical Society field trip was conducted at Wolf

Creek in February

2009 and a GNPS

field trip will be scheduled for mid-late February 2010.

These images were taken during the February 2009 field

trip. Please watch the website and Nativescape for

announcements of future field trips. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)Photo Credit: Ed McDowell

Showy Skullcap (Scutellaria montana) Photo Credit: Ed McDowell

Trout Lily (Erythronium umbilicatum) Photo Credit: Ed McDowell

Spotted Wake-Robin (Trillium maculatum) Photo Credit: Ed McDowell

A recent update from Dan Miller, Wolf Creek Project Coordinator: “ The closing on the Wolf Creek tract was concluded today, Monday 6/15/09!!!!!! The tract was conveyed to Grady Co. with deed restrictions that prohibit, in perpetuity, any activity detrimental to the unique natural assets of the property. Tall Timbers will monitor the property for the first few years. We appreciate all your help and donation. Please convey to The GA NPS organization and members the good news. We hope to see you and them at Wolf Creek in the future.”

17

The Lullwater Conservation Garden Becomes Newest Restoration Site By Judy Keenan

The Lullwater Garden Club would like to thank the

Georgia Native Plant Society for accepting the

Lullwater Conservation Garden and Bird Sanctuary as

your newest restoration project. The garden, which

has always been open to the public, consists of a 6.5-

acre parcel of land in the center of the historic Druid

Hills neighborhood in Atlanta designed by Frederick Law

Olmstead, the father of American landscape

architecture. The Lullwater Garden Club has

maintained the

garden since 1931 and

has owned it outright

since 1964 when we

purchased it from

Emory University. It

consists of a wooded

stretch of park with

Lullwater Creek

running through it and

is part of the Peavine

Creek watershed.

Currently, most of the

park shows the effects

of an exotic species

invasion. With the

exception of kudzu (Pueraria lobata), we have

just about every invasive species you can

imagine. Rather than neglect, the misguided notion in

the 1970s of ―letting it go back to nature‖ has brought

the garden to its current state. Instead of letting it go,

our mission now is to bring it back to a natural state.

We have already succeeded in clearing a half-acre

portion of the park from the plethora of invasive

species that have taken over. With the help of a

Georgia Garden Club ―Let’s Go Native‖ grant we have

installed a native garden, designed by Theresa Schrum,

which demonstrates the use of native species in the

landscape.

Recently we further cleared a large area of privet

(Ligustrum sinense) and mahonia (Mahonia bealei).

Although English ivy (Hedera helix) and liriope (Liriope

muscari) still blanket the terrain, we have seen the

reemergence of many toadshade trillium (Trillium

cuneatum), vast swaths of mayapple (Podophyllum

peltatum), some bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

and even a great white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum).

Since this parcel of land has never been developed, you

also can find many old-growth trees, including an

award-winning tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera),

some of the largest ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana) you

can imagine and countless Carolina silverbells (Halesia

carolina).

Since the opening of the

new native garden, the

garden club has seen a

marked increase in

people strolling through

the park and in children

exploring the creek. In

fact, it is becoming the

kind of place that

Frederick Law Olmstead

intended—a refuge from

the stresses of urban

life. Ask anyone in the

garden club and they

will tell you that they

dream of the day when

the entire park looks as

inviting as the native

garden. Now with your help, we have taken a step

closer to achieving that goal.

We invite you to come see the garden and to join us in

our bi-monthly clean-ups and ivy pulls which will start

up again in the Fall. Dates and times will be listed at

http://www.gnps.org/geninfo/Calendar.html and at

www.lullwatergardenclub.com. The Lullwater

Conservation Garden and Bird Sanctuary is located on

Lullwater Road north off Ponce de Leon. We look

forward to our collaboration with our fellow

conservation-minded friends.

For more information about this or other GNPS

restoration projects or if you are interested in

becoming a restoration site, please contact David

Zaparanick at Conservation@gnps.org. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Entrance to Lullwater Conservation Garden

Photo Credit: Judy Keenan

18

Native Plant Rescue News By Lynn Almand

Rescue schedule

The plant rescue season is winding down as I write this in mid-May. We are planning rescues for June,

and after that, we’ll only have pop-up rescues in July and August—if the rain and temperatures allow.

Summer is the worst time to try to transplant anything, and it is generally just too hot to be out there

for any length of time to rescue plants. We can come in and cool off, take a shower and recuperate.

The plants can’t.

We’ve had a great year so far for rescues: a

total of 36 rescues from February through

May. How was this possible? They were all

compliments of your rescue facilitators—

without them, rescues just would not

happen. While it may take a lot out of you to

drive to the rescue, dig plants, plant them in your garden or project—take

a minute to think about what the facilitators have done to make this

happen. They scout rescue sites, plan and communicate the rescue info,

keep track of all requests, conduct the rescue, help everyone learn about

natives, and complete follow-up tasks after each rescue. Many times, they

are so busy they don’t have time to rescue any plants for themselves. And

they do it over and over again. Yes, they are a terrific group of dedicated

members. Come September, give them a big hug or a giant thanks on your

next rescue. They do it out of the love for the native plants we are saving

from destruction, and the desire to instill that love to everyone who

participates on a rescue. Thank you, facilitators. You are the face and

voice of GNPS to many of our members, and certainly for many new

members, the first person they meet.

Plant Rescue Committee

We welcome Andrea Greco to our rescue committee as the site procurement coordinator for the east and south areas of Atlanta.

Please let her know about any potential sites at eastprocurement@gnps.org or by phone at 404-606-3654. The west/north coordinator

is Russell Brannon at westprocurement@gnps.org or by phone at 678-493-7229.

Spiders, snakes, chiggers, and ticks, oh my!

I’ve had lots of reports of chiggers and ticks lately from facilitators. Chiggers remind me of blackberry picking as a child—only my

Mother’s blackberry cobbler and jam made it worth the trips we made. We relied on the nail polish remedy. It didn’t work, but if you

used enough bright red polish, you could pretend you had contracted an exotic disease, and that almost helped take your mind off

the itching a little.

I guess the most potentially dangerous critter that finds us on rescues is the tick. It never fails to give me nightmares when I find one

after being in the woods on a rescue or in my own woods, and it sends me into an unnecessary panic. I won’t go any further than

that, but here are two links on how to deal with them. They can sometimes cause serious problems, so while they shouldn’t keep you

out of the woods, it is important to know what to do. The links are http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rmsf/Q&A.htm#tick AND

http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/southern_region/ripm/chap8/ticks/tickmain.htm

The other potentially dangerous things listed above are best dealt with by avoiding them. If you sit down in the woods, the likelihood

that you will get chiggers increases significantly. Wear gloves and other protective clothing, use insect repellant, watch where you

step, wash your clothes and yourself as soon as you get home, and don’t let any of this prevent you from getting out there and doing

what we love to do—save those wonderful plants from the bulldozer.

I hope to see you in the fall or at least know that you’ve registered for a rescue with one of our wonderful facilitators. Keep up the

good work you are doing, and let’s keep Jeane Reeves’ dream alive.

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Scouts: Bob Boushell, Sheri George, Marcia Winchester, Murrel Creekmore, Paul Shivers, Michelle Eifert, Lynn Almand

19

West Georgia Chapter Meeting By Flo Hayes

Members and guests of the West Georgia Chapter of the

Georgia Native Plant Society met for a nature walk on

Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Buffalo Creek Trail adjacent

to the Carroll County Agriculture Center. The purpose of

the walk was to identify some native plants of interest in

their natural habitat. Gina and Mike Strickland,

facilitators for GNPS and amateur native plant

enthusiasts, had previously identified many plants along

the trail and prepared handouts as well as identified

them as we walked. The group also spotted some

additional plants not on the list. The group observed

rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta), phlox (Phlox glaberrima),

red stemmed lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), netted

chain fern (Woodwardia areolata), hawthorn (Crataegus

sp.), viburnum (Viburnum sp.), and many more. Wendell

Hoomes, also a facilitator, helped with questions and

identification. There were some particularly nice plants

and shrubs observed.

The WGC-GNPS offers an opportunity for folks in the West

Georgia area to participate in GNPS activities such as

plant rescues, restoration, outdoor walks and education

about native plants, shrubs and trees. Membership is

open to anyone interested in native plants. The next

meeting is planned for August 18, 2009 at McIntosh

Preserve; the public is invited. A small parking fee is

charged for vehicles from outside of Carroll county. It

will include a potluck picnic and a nature walk of the

trails led by local native plant experts. If you would like

to be associated with WGC-GNPS or simply want more

information please contact us at:

wgachapter@georgianatives.net or write to WGC-GNPS at

PO Box 635, Carrollton, GA 30112. N

NativeSCAPE July 2009

Meeting Attendees Ready for a Hike Photo: Mike Strickland

Wendell Hoomes points out Whorled Coreopsis (Coreopsis major) Photo: Carol Hight

Mike Strickland talks about Alder (Alnus serrulata) Photo: Carol Hight

20

Upcoming GNPS Events

NativeSCAPE July 2009

July 14: Member Meeting

The July 14th member meeting will be in a different location. This change in location is for this meeting only and is in response to the member survey comments about varying the location of the meeting to increase attendance. Based on response to this meeting (and the September one which will be held elsewhere and on a different day of the week), we will evaluate whether these changes offer more members a chance to participate and should be continued in 2010. The November meeting, which is our annual business meeting, will be held at ABG as usual. Details for the July 14th meeting (still a Tuesday evening): Topic: Native Edible and Medicinals Speaker: Jerry Hightower, Environmental Education Coordinator, National Parks Service Chattahoochee River Environmental Education Center 8615 Barnwell Rd. Alpharetta, GA 30022 Please note this facility is NOT the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Meeting schedule: 6:30-7:15 Social time 7:15-7:30 Announcements 7:30-8:30 Presentation

August 18: West Georgia Chapter Meeting

The next meeting is planned for August 18, 2009 at

McIntosh Preserve; the public is invited. A small parking

fee is charged for vehicles from outside of Carroll

county. It will include a potluck picnic and a nature walk

of the trails led by local native plant experts.

If you would like to be associated with WGC-GNPS or

simply want more information please contact us at:

wgachapter@georgianatives.net or write to WGC-GNPS at

PO Box 635, Carrollton, GA 30112.

GNPS 2010 Garden Tour

On a sunny Sunday in April, five gardens abundant with

native Georgia plants were open for GNPS members to tour.

The only problem was that there was too much to see in the

eight hours allotted for the tour! Many people certainly

spent many hours rescuing and planting many of the plants

that looked so happy in the natural settings of the tour

gardens. Thanks to the Kohlbachers, the Taylors, Eco

Addendum, Heritage Park and McFarlane Park for

participating in this year's GNPS Garden Tour. And thanks to

the photographers who kindly provided photos of the

gardens they visited.

Now that we are once again getting good rains, I am hoping

for more people to agree to have their gardens on the 2010

tour! If any members would like to nominate a garden they

saw and liked this Spring to be on next year's tour, please

notify Jane Trentin at Garden_Tour@gnps.org.

GNPS Annual Plant Sale Coming in April 2010

The drought is over and it is time to get our beloved natives

back into the gardens of the community! Please begin

potting up native seedlings and divisions from your garden

and when the rescues begin again in the fall, dig extra for

the plant sale.

Where? McFarlane Nature Park. The Master Gardener

Volunteers of Cobb County, with donations from the GNPS

Rescue Program, have turned the area surrounding this

1940's farmhouse into a native plant showcase. The park is

conveniently located, has lots of parking, plenty of space to

sell our sun and shade plants, and easy access to water.

(Check out the GNPS Garden Tour page on the web site to

see a glimpse of what McFarlane Nature Park has to offer.)

We will have more details at a later date, but for now, just

know we need everyone's talent and help to make the GNPS

Plant Sale a success!

-Sheri George, GNPS Plant Sale Chair

(Oh, my goodness...is it too late to change my mind?)

21

Recycling in the Garden By Bill Bellknap

I have been composting for over 30 years, and after trying

several different methods, have settled on two: sheet

composting and the bin method.

Sheet composting is done by putting organic matter in

contact with the soil to decompose it into compost fairly

rapidly. I use this method in my vegetable garden which I

till once a year in the spring. Basically, I use wide rows for

planting vegetables which minimizes space for paths. In

order to increase the depth and richness of the soil, I dig

the paths out and spread the compost I’ve removed onto

the planting beds. After digging out the path I am left with

a trench about 10 to 14 inches deep. This I fill with organic

matter. Some of the matter I get from removing the organic

matter from the beds that did not decompose over the

winter, usually just the top couple of inches. To this I add

all the organic debris collected from removing annuals,

from trimming, from removing the dead material from

perennials, and from weeding.

I put very few leaves in the paths not because they do not

make good compost, but because I use the leaves for

composting in bins, which I'll describe later. Over the

spring, summer and fall all organic matter except leaves,

twigs and branches is put on the paths. This year I have

added organic matter from kitchen scraps. The result does

not make for a very pretty vegetable garden, but it does

provide excellent humus and I do not compact the soil in

the beds. It is amazing to me how fast the piles of organic

matter decompose, usually taking only two to three weeks.

In the spring I also collect grass clippings. The grass piled

in the rows also helps neaten things up a bit. Having done

this all spring, summer and fall I am left with a path of

organic matter for next year. The following spring, I till the

garden to mix in the new compost with the soil and then re-

dig the paths and start over.

This has significantly improved the garden soil every year,

and, therefore, improved the productivity of the garden

and its ability to retain moisture. I also mulch the garden

well and the mulch is also tilled into the garden soil. It is

not necessary to till the garden, however. Next year, I plan

to remove the top couple of inches of organic matter from

the planting beds that has not decomposed and add the

organic matter from the paths on top. This will, I believe,

actually aid decomposition since all the worms and other

critters will not be killed by the tiller.

The other method I use for composting is the bin method.

To make a bin that minimizes loss through the sides I use

1/2‖ hardware cloth. To reduce the effort of getting the

compost from the bin I use 3' high hardware cloth. I

purchase 25' rolls and cut them into two pieces, making two

bins about 4' in diameter. I use five to six small pieces of

insulated solid copper wire (12 or 14 gauge) which I twist to

hold the hardware cloth in place overlapping about three

inches. This is a very fast, inexpensive way to make the

bins.

There is one secret for getting good compost from bins:

reduce the size of the organic matter. In the fall, I spread

several bags of leaves on my driveway and then run the

mulching mower over them several times. This reduces the

size of the material significantly and allows the pile to

contain a significant amount of air. In addition to going

over the leaves with a mower, I also use a chipper-shredder

which makes for a still finer and more even particle size.

The mulched leaves can then be put into bins to make

compost in about 8 to 12 months. (It is not necessary to use

―green‖ and ―brown‖ ingredients, although using both

together speeds up the process.) I remove the compost

when the height of the compost is about one-third of the

original height.

The chipper-shredder also allows me to shred fallen or

pruned branches from trees and shrubs to about 1/4‖

particles or less. In general I keep this material separate

from the autumn leaf matter in order to provide two kinds

of compost. The leaf compost is rich and almost like loam,

while the compost from the branches has both a fine

texture and some less fine particles from the wood which

has not completely broken down. The latter I find helps

aerate the soil in addition to providing humus.

Since there is not easy access to the pile, it is difficult to

turn the pile in these bins so I do not. During dry conditions

I try to have the material around the edges of the bins

slightly higher than the rest. This allows the bin to collect

rainwater. Water is a very necessary ingredient, so if

necessary, I water occasionally to aid decomposition. I

have also found it is a good practice to put a layer of leaves

on the pile. This helps to insure that all the debris breaks

down, even at the very top of the pile and helps to retain

moisture.

By using both of these composting methods, I retain almost

all of the organic matter in my yard. But I also enjoy the

benefits this ―recycling program‖ provides. Good luck with

either of the techniques. Happy composting! N

NativeSCAPE July 2009