Preserving and Propagating Native Plants

Diana AlfuthHorticulture Educator, UW-Extension

Why Preserve Native Plants?

• Aesthetics

• Maintenance

• Wildlife

Why protect Native Plants?• Possible medicinal and

therapeutic, or agricultural attributes yet to be discovered especially with DNA analysis and genetic engineering now available.

• Aesthetic connection to our history

Why Protect Native Plants? • Native plants create a sense of

“place” and uniqueness • Natives are part of the ecosystem

with each one playing a role

Why Protect Native PlantsLarger areas of an ecosystem, such as a prairie, can help preserve soil, harbor soil microorganisms, plants, insects and animals, sequester carbon, and more – some benefits may not yet be known!

Characteristics of Native Plants

• Adapted to the area• Supports native wildlife• Checks and balances• Less water, fertilizer, maintenance• Aesthetics• Provides more diversity over

common “overused” landscape plants.

Native Plant Communities

PrairieWoodlandSavannahWetland

Plant communities

Groups of plants that are adapted to the same conditions, including

soilmoistureclimate

What does “native” mean?A plant common in a region prior to

European settlement.

Yet, Native Americans moved plants around long before.

What does “native” mean?It depends!

Some believe a true “native” plant must have been present within 50 miles of the site.

Others use 200 miles as a range.

Native Plants

Wisconsin has many different native ecosystems, often very close to each other.

Native PlantsWe tend to be “phytobigots”, meaning we LOVE some of our native plants, but dislike others!

Box ElderVioletsSumacPrickly ash

Native PlantsEven those natives we love, many are doing great, and are relatively plentiful, despite our human impacts.

Their habitat should be protected, preserved and maintained.

DefinitionsThe Wisconsin Natural Heritage List defines:

Endangered Species

Threatened Species

Special Concern Species

Definitions

Endangered species are threatened with extinction in an area

Smooth PhloxButterwortDotted Blazingstar

DefinitionsThreatened species are likely to become endangered.

Kitten TailsPrairie Indian PlantainDwarf Milkweed

DefinitionsSpecies of Special Concern are those not currently endangered or threatened, but have a unique or highly specific habitat requirement that needs monitoring.

Pale BeardtongueSheathed SedgeMarsh Ragwort

Wisconsin Law“No one may process or sell any wild plant that is a listed species without a valid permit.”

DNR issues “Endangered or Threatened Species ‘Scientific’ Permit or an Incidental Take Permit” under certain conditions.

Collecting from the Wild

• If a native plant is on your property, you can do what you want as long as the plant is not “listed”.

• If it’s not your property, get permission or it’s theft!

• Always collect only a small portion of what’s there

• Do what’s necessary to ensure plant survival

Where to find specifics

• Get current information on endangered, threatened and special concern species at:– www.dnr.state.wi.us/org

Native EcosystemsHow do you know what was in your neighborhood 200 years ago?

•Folklore•Maps•Diaries/stories•Government surveys

Wisconsin Land Survey

The survey of Wisconsin was conducted between 1832 and 1866 by the federal General Land Office.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SurveyNotes/

Spring Lake Twsp. Pierce Co.

Spring Lake Twsp. Section 13

Native Plant Location Info

Wisconsin herbarium“The University of Wisconsin-Madison Herbarium, founded in 1849, is a museum collection of dried, labeled plants of state, national and international importance . . .”

http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora

Native Plants• UWSP Freckman herbarium• NRCS soil maps • Local historical associations or

libraries may have pioneer diaries or other documents

How do we help Native Plants?• Preservation of existing plants

and sites

• Incorporate native plants into our gardens and landscapes

• Re-create ecosystems where native plants can thrive.

PreservationThe goal of preservation is to maintain populations of endemic flora and fauna and to enhance their long-term viability.

Many sites can’t sustain themselves because of their limited size, invasive species, or human activity.

Role of MGVs

• Learn to identify native plants• Identify locations in your area that

contain native plants• Inventory natives, especially

“listed” species

Plant Selection

Start speaking Latin!

Use botanical names to be sure you have the right plants.

Role for MGVsBring the existence of these natives to the attention of others

Research needs of the species to better educate municipal authorities (i.e., if in a ditch, how will mowing affect the plant)

Role of MGVs• Stay aware of development

projects in your area• Look for native plants (rare ones)

in the path of development– Educate developer of existence– Organize plant “rescues” and get

any necessary permits

Role of MGVsRemove invasives to maintain sensitive sites and to reduce competition with existing natives.

Role of MGVsGo searching for rare/endangered plants in sites that, based on what you know about communities, would support them. Often these plants are small or ephemeral

Landscaping with Native PlantsAnother way to preserve native plants is to incorporate them into our landscapes.

Natives can serve the same purposes as exotics such as:

OrnamentalScreeningSeasonal interestWindbreakEtc.

Are Natives Always Better?

Yards and landscapes are not always “native” conditions.

Soil conditions/compactionHeat islandsHydrology changesOther vegetation including

exotics

Native Landscaping

Create your native landscape to be as authentic as possible, within your existing conditions.

Choose your plants based on* Design principles* Site conditions* Wildlife benefits* Overall goal

Design: Authenticity

Will you use species only?

Are varieties or cultivars acceptable to you?

Landscaping with NativesNot everyone appreciates natives! Respect differing opinions.

Consider the location when deciding which native plants are appropriate.

One person’s wildflower is another person’s weed!

Landscaping with Natives– Choose native plants to design

attractive beds the SAME way you would chose exotic ornamentals

– Use paths to access different areas and plants.

Inform NeighborsTo keep neighbors happy, • Grow lower growing prairie species• Choose plants for color and

nectar/pollen sources• Plant in groups and masses, less

randomly than in an actual prairie

Native and Natural Design

Provide plenty of variety to attract the most types of wildlife

Remnant vs. Restoration

Remnants were areas never disturbed, such as:

Railroad rights-of-wayPioneer CemetariesSteep hillsidesRocky sitesSome pastures

Restorations are man-made

Definitions• Reconstruction = reestablishment

of an ecosystem on a former site where native species have beeen mostly or wholely extirpated.

• Restoration = returning an existing site to it’s original condition. – May be as simple as removing exotic

and overbearing plants to help the site recover

Plant Community - WoodlandIt’s difficult to plant a native woodland community.

– More likely to do a restoration– Reintroduce natives to an existing

woodland– Remove invasive species, such as

buckthorn and garlic mustard which outcompete native plants

Plant Community - WoodlandsWoodlands –

– Often native plants can come back from seed bank or the few natives that have survived

– Can supplement existing plants by planting specific natives into existing plants

Woodlands

• Woodlands consist of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, with understories of herbaceous plants

• Woodland flowers typically like less than 2 hours of sunlight/day

Plant Community - Wetlands• Usually talking about a

restoration.• ALWAYS work with DNR before

doing any kind of restoration or work with native plants in wetlands.

Plant Community - Wetlands• Many forms, including marshes, bogs,

ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, each with it’s own collection of species

• Provide habitat for LOTS of species, filter ground water, and protect major water bodies

• Wetlands previously drained for farming – can be easy to restore

• Lakes need buffer zones, including shoreland and submerged plants

Plant Communities - Wetlands• Sometimes the hydrology needs

to be restored first.• In some cases, natives will

reappear depending on how long the area was dry

• Some wetlands need removal of invasives

Savannah• Typically called “oak savannah”,

because fire would destroy other woody plants

• Savannah means 1-2 trees per acre in a prairie setting

• Savannahs provide perching and nesting sites for bids who eat insects in the prairie.

• Native savannahs are more rare than native prairies!

Plant Community - Savannah• Mostly prairie, but with the

occasional tree • Often involves removing invasive

species such as honeysuckle and other woody plants.

• Re-seeding or transplanting in prairie plants to supplement what exists.

Plant Community - Prairie

• Much of the Midwest including southwestern Wisconsin was originally some sort of prairie– Wet prairie– Wet meadow– Mesic prairie– Dry mesic prairie– Dry prairie

Less than 1% of original prairies are left – they make great farmland!

Plant Community - Prairie• Prairies are the most likely native

community to be started from scratch.

• Existing prairie remnants may need removal of invasives/weeds and woody vegetation.

• Mowing or burning can jumpstart existing natives

Plant Community - PrairiePrairie remnants can be found:

– Along railroad rights-of-way– In unused portions of old cemetaries– In large wetland areas that have dry

areas/prairies in the center and couldn’t be accessed by machinery or cattle.

– In areas too steep to plow or graze (hill or goat prairies)

– Where farmland is poor (sand plains near Mississippi)

Plant Community - Prairie

True prairies were mostly grasses with some forbs

We tend to plant “wildflower meadows”

Plant Community - Prairie• Prairie plants can rebuild soil,

along roadsides, on abandoned farms, etc.,

• Hold and improve slopes where farming has allowed topsoil to erode

• Many prairie plants thrive on low fertility soils

• Many prairie plants arelegumes that fix nitrogen

Plant Community - PrairieBecause of the complex web in a prairie, it would take hundreds of years to fully restore or create a prairie.

Plant Community - PrairieSmall prairie plantings (<10 acres) are great, and very worthwhile for establishment and reproduction of plants and some animals. Woodland edges, however, provide cover for predators of prairie birds and other species

Plant Community - Prairie• 10 acres or more are needed to

get a truly effective prairie ecosystem consisting of birds, reptiles, small mammals and insects.

• 200 acres will really get an effective a habitat

• Need 1000 acres if you want the authentic prairie, complete with bison and fire!

Plant Community - PrairieIf doing a prairie reconstruction, establishing native plants in a former farm field, check herbicide history.

Establishing a Prairie• Check soil before selecting a site. • pH is best if between 6 and 7.5 for

prairies, but many plants will tolerate as low as 3 or as high as 8. Because a prairie is long-term, adjusting pH is not realistic as pH will revert back to original levels.

Establishing a Prairie

• Best time is June, but later summer is okay

• Remove existing vegetation, especially perennials

• Work soil as needed to ensure seed/soil contact

• Don’t fertilize! That encourages weeds.

Establishing a Prairie• Species selection

– Create list of grasses, sedges and forbs for each area.

– The more species, the better.• Natural prairies often have 40-50

different species per acre• Grass to forb ratio varies. Forb seed is

more expensive, but we like the look of wildflowers. 75 to 25 is a good percent to shoot for.

Establishing a PrairieAs MGVs, work with your county’s NRCS office, Land & Water Conservation office, and local DNR, as well as local chapters of:

The Prairie EnthusiastsWild OnesOther groups

Establishing a Prairie• Plant grass and forb seed, or seed

grasses and transplant forbs in• Takes 3-4 years to establish a

prairie, during which weed control is a major issue

• Maintain established prairie by burning or mowing

• Some prairie plants have roots that go 15-18 feet deep.

• Plant randomly!

Plant Community - Prairie• Prairie fragments are not self

sustaining like the original vast and complex prairie system was. Preservation requires management.

• Prairie remnants may “degrade” because of exotic species invasion, woody vegetation infiltration, etc.

Gardening with Prairie Plants• Prairie plants make great garden

plants• Most are ornamental, some more

than others• Drought tolerant• Should not fertilize

Propagation of Native PlantsDepending on your needs and access, you can get your plants from:

Local nurseriesDNR programsCollecting and planting

your own seed or plants

Propagation• Natives are rarely propagated by

division, but it’s possible• Woodies are usually propagated by

seed, but cuttings are possible• Be sure to take cuttings from many

different plants to encourage genetic diversity in the new site

• Some natives don’t always set viable seed• Seed collecting is the most common

way to propagate native plants.

Purchasing Plants

When you acquire your plants, shop local.

Local ecotypes may be better suited to your area

Local expertscan help

Purchasing PlantsThere are many nurseries around Wisconsin that sell or specialize in native plants.

DNR has list on their website

Talk to them about their philosophy, local ecotypes, etc.

Purchasing Plants• Find out source of plants and/or

seed. • Avoid “wildflower” mixes which

often have exotics, cultivars, or inappropriate combinations.

Plant SelectionWith property owner permission,

you can collect seeds and plants from the wild.

Always leave behind more than you take.

Seed collectingNever collect without permission from landowner or a permit for public land.Never collect threatened or endangered species without a permit.

Seed CollectingNever collect more than 25% of seed of any species at a site, or 10% of annuals (annual seeds may be important food source)

Be sure the plants or seeds will survive

Seed Collecting• Environmental conditions will

determine when seed is ripe and ready to harvest.

• Some species project seeds so should harvest when fully formed; put in a container to “explode”

(prairie phlox, flowering spurge, violets and lupine)

Seed Collecting• Seeds usually turn dark and hard

when ripe.• Fruity seeds change color• Cones turn brown

Get them before they disperse or critters get them

Seed Collecting• Prairie plants may not set viable

seed if moisture, heat and sunlight are not ideal.

– Vigorously rub seeds in hands, blowing away lighter chaff; good seeds feel like grains of sand, bad seeds disintegrate

– Break a few apart and look for embryo

Seed CollectingPrevent molding of seed; don’t store in plastic bags or closed containers

– Dry by spreading on newspaper in warm dry location, indoors

– Or put in paper bags and hang in warm dry location.

– Fleshy seeds should be driedso they don’t rot

– Store at 40 degrees

Seed Collecting• Shake dry seeds vigorously in

paper bag to separate chaff from seeds

• Some seeds can be “screened” –placed on a screen and rubbed so seed falls through

Planting Seed

Dormant – Viable seed that is not ready to germinate even in proper environmental conditions.

Quiescent – Ripened seed, ready to germinate, waiting for the proper environmental conditions.

Planting SeedStratification – a period of moist, cold conditions needed before a seed will germinate.

• Provide stratification outdoors with seeds in pots protected by wire mesh or tins with lids

• Indoors in refrigerator/freezer

Seed Treatment• Scarification – The breaking of the

hard seed coat.

• Scarify with method appropriate to the seed:- Rubbing between sandpaper- Blender- Knife/file- Hammer- Boiling water

Planting SeedPure Live Seed is the percent of seeds that are viable

Check packageor source if purchasing seed

PLS = % purity x % germination 100

Planting Seed

Research conditions needed for plants you are seeding

– Germination time– Best time of year– Soil temp

Planting Seed• Plant in patches, especially

prairies• Mix smaller seeds with sawdust

for easier sowing• Can use machines (drills) or by

hand

Planting Seed• Sow about 30 live seeds per

square foot in prairies.• Keep tall grasses to not more than

30%• After spreading by hand, use

roller or cultipacker to press seeds into soil

Planting NativesCan also start seeds and transplant to site

Especially useful for restoration projects

Planting Seed• Seed starting same as any other

seeds• Sterile seed starting mix• Keep moist until germinated• Grow in appropriate light and

temperatures• Harden off

Planting SeedsResearch needs of seed you are planting.

• Some need light

• Seed depth usually 2x diameter

Planting Seed• Some prairie plants don’t

germinate their first year• Many plants don’t bloom until

their 3rd or 4th year– Trilliums take 8-12 years from seed

Role of MGVsOther ways to help preserve and protect native plants

• Join/support groups like The Prairie Enthusiasts, Wild Ones, Botanical Club of Wisconsin, and local nature groups

Role of MGVs• Do educational displays/programs

to others of the significance of remnants or rare native plants, and the need to protect them.

• Create display gardens of native plants to educate people and show the ornamental qualities

Role of MGVs

LEARN as much as you can about the perils facing native plants to best address their protection and preservation.

Role of MGVsMGVs – include native plants in

your plant sales and advocate for the preservation of our native

plants!