Plant of the Week: Penstemon grandiflorus
Plant of the Week! A stunning plant in a dry prairie, Penstemon grandiflorus, Large-Flowered Penstemon, has beautiful waxy, blue-green leaves, a grand stature, and large, deep lavender blooms. On a cloudy day, it is almost electric when viewed against shorter prairie grasses. This plant provides food for a number of pollinators, including bumblebees who crawl... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Goodyera pubescens
Plant of the Week! Goodyera pubescens, Downy Rattlesnake-Plantain, looks like a designer plant that propagators took years to develop. In fact, it is a naturally occurring, native perennial whose native range extends from Eastern Canada down to Florida, and as far West as Oklahoma. Its leaves are evergreen and have intricate white veins. In mid... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Medeola virginiana
Plant of the Week! A small yet beautiful woodland perennial, Medeola virginiana, Cucumber-root, forces observers to pause and come down to its level in order to be fully appreciated. The plant is about a foot tall and consists of one or more whorls of leaves. The upper whorl is smaller and holds flowers just above... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Campanula rotundifolia
Plant of the Week! A delicate-looking, yet tough native forb, Campanula rotundifolia, Harebell, can be found on rocky outcrops and bluffs, as well as sandy prairies and open woods. The names “Campanula” and “Harebell” might make you cringe, but this plant is not the invasive Campanula rapunculoides that enjoys taking over our yards! The native... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Potentilla palustris
Plant of the Week! You’re probably familiar with Potentilla fruticosa, commonly referred to as just “Potentilla”, (or the McDonald’s shrub! 😆), but there are other Potentilla species here in Wisconsin. One of these is Potentilla palustris, or Marsh Cinquefoil. As its name suggests, this plant can be found on wet sites such as “shallow, often... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Cornus canadensis
Plant of the Week! One of the smallest Dogwoods, Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry, is a rhizomatous groundcover found in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests in the northern U.S. and Canada. It is a circumpolar species, meaning it inhabits a pole, in this case the northern pole, and thus can be found in Asia as well. A... Learn More
Plant, er, Fungus, of the Week! Morel Mushrooms
Plant…er, Fungus, of the Week! Morel mushrooms are not a single species but are made up of many species in the Morchella genus. The part of the mushroom that is seen, and sought after, is the fruiting body of the organism. Underground, the hyphae have a fascinating life of their own. Some species are saprotrophic,... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Sanguinaria canadensis
Plant of the Week! Another lovely woodland spring ephemeral is Sanguinaria canadensis, Bloodroot. A short-statured, rhizomatous plant, its bright white flowers are a welcome sight among the duff on the forest floor. It produces only basal leaves, which are wrapped around the flower stalks. The leaves slowly unfurl while the flower fades away. The blooming... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Allium tricoccum
Plant of the Week! Gaining in popularity for their culinary use, Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are as attractive as they are tasty. Their large, lush green leaves are some of the first foliage on the spring forest floor, but they don’t last long. By early to mid-summer, the leaves will have withered and been replaced with... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Hydrophyllum virginianum
Plant of the Week! Hydrophyllum virginianum, Virginia Waterleaf, gets its name from the tiny white spots that appear on its leaves, resembling water marks. It is a native mesic woodland perennial with a range that extends from Quebec south to Tennessee. It is relatively short in stature, up to 2 ft tall, and spreads through... Learn More