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March 2024 — Volume XXX, Number 2 — Published by the Georgia Native Plant Society
Plant of the Year Artwork Revealed!
It’s here! The 2024 Plant of the Year artwork featuring blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) was created by GNPS member, Laura Qadri. Click here to learn more about our Plant of the Year.
Education and awareness is a main purpose of highlighting a Plant of the Year. Help us spread the word about this awesome native plant by wearing it! Get your Plant of the Year shirt to wear to the spring plant sales. Browse our online store for a variety of styles and colors. Each design has both 100% cotton and 60/40 cotton poly blends available - click on “size and fabric info” on each product’s page for the specific details.
Invasive Species Management (Part 2): Mechanical Methods
Heather Brasell
In the January issue, I wrote about ways to prevent the introduction of non-native invasive plants to our gardens and the natural communities we care for. However, despite our best efforts, seeds and spores arrive by wind, water, or animals. We need to have a plan for dealing with them when they arrive.
Controlling invasive plants is not a case of one size fits all. The most efficient and effective methods depend on the target species, the habitat, the area requiring treatment, and the level of infestation. The recommended Integrated Pest Management (IPM) incorporates several approaches: mechanical, chemical (herbicide), fire (prescribed burning), cultural, and biological. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Many of the prevention strategies described in the previous article are cultural. So too are decisions related to timing (season and weather), appropriate seed selection and planting location, and use of irrigation or fertilizer. This article will focus on mechanical methods – hand pulling, beheading (mowing) or cultivating (disking). This is often our primary go-to method. (continued...)
Deep roots, tiny seeds, and persistent seed pods are discussed in the full article.
Plant Spotlight: Planning for Butterflies with Native Plants
Ellen Honeycutt
Inspired by a recent series that we did on Facebook and Instagram regarding butterflies that need native host plants to complete their life cycle, here are five Georgia butterflies that could find life in your garden. A host plant is the plant on which the caterpillars feed. In some cases, other butterflies can use these same host plants.
Monarch – This is a large migratory butterfly that passes through Georgia in the spring (going north) and late summer (going south). Its host plant is milkweed (Asclepias is the scientific name for milkweed). Monarch butterflies nectar from a variety of flowers but lay eggs only on plants in the milkweed family. Milkweed also supports the Queen butterfly and Milkweed tussock moth.
Monarch
Gulf Fritillary – This is a medium-sized butterfly that migrates to southern Georgia and Florida in the winter, returning to points north in the spring. Its host plant is passionvine (Passiflora) which is also a host plant for Zebra longwing butterflies. To support other Fritillaries like the Variegated and Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies, plant violets (Viola).
Gulf fritillary
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – This is our State Butterfly; it is a large butterfly with tails and may have two color forms. Males are always yellow while the females have a yellow form and a dark form. It has several potential host plants: tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), ash (Fraxinus), and black cherry (Prunus serotina). All of these also support other butterflies too.
Eastern tiger swallowtail
American Lady – This is a medium-sized butterfly that lays eggs on some of our most overlooked plants: pussytoes (Antennaria) and cudweed (Gamochaeta and Pseudognaphalium). Caterpillars weave a protective covering for themselves among the foliage, creating a bit of a mess temporarily. Foliage grows back when they are gone.
American lady
Silver-spotted Skipper – this is one of our largest skippers; skippers are considered a type of butterfly. Its host plants are in the pea family (Fabaceae) and include false indigo (Amorpha), butterfly pea (Clitoria), and American Wisteria (which also supports the beautiful long-tailed skipper).
Silver-spotted skipper
If you’d like to support the life cycle of these butterflies, plan to include host plants in your garden this spring. A great downloadable resource developed by the Georgia Piedmont chapter of NABA is available.
And when you see their caterpillars on your plants, give yourself a pat on the back for helping these butterflies make another generation.
Statewide Opportunities
Planting Workdays at Campbellton Park and RiverLands Park
Birds Georgia is working with Trust for Public Land to remove invasive species and restore native bird habitat at the Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp+Paddle Trail Site near Chattahoochee Hills, GA. Volunteers are needed for upcoming workdays where plants grown by the GNPS Stone Mountain Propagation Project will be installed! Help bring our conservation contributions full circle and enjoy a rewarding day in the field. For more information and to register, please select the links below:
Join the chapter for a fun work day on Sunday, March 10, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at a location TBD. We’ll pot up plants, mix soil and otherwise get ready for our May plant sale. Materials such as pots, soil, and plant labels will be available to members for the plants they will donate to the sale. After our workday, we plan to visit the State Botanical Gardens Dunson Native Flora Garden to see how the spring wildflowers are doing. This workday replaces our regular March meeting.
Creating a Piedmont Prairie, April 10
Join us at the Sandy Creek Nature Center on Wednesday, April 10 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. to hear a presentation by Kate Mowbray, Naturalist at the Nature Center. She will share her experiences with creating and managing a Piedmont prairie restoration on the property. This will be shortly after their spring controlled burn so we will see how the plants recover.
Visit us at the Georgia Bird Fest Summit, April 20
The Athens-East Piedmont Chapter will provide a table at the Birds Georgia Bird Fest Summit on Saturday, April 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. More information is at Birds Georgia website.
Spring Plant Sale, May 4
The Athens-East Piedmont Chapter is holding its first plant sale on Saturday, May 4 at Sunrise Nursery from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The sale will take the place of our regular May Chapter meeting. The nursery is located at 550 Athens Road, Winterville, Georgia.
Augusta's River Region
Chapter Meeting, March 12
Augusta’s River Region Chapter will hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. Contact augustacsra@gnps.org for more information.
Coastal Plain
South Georgia Native Plant Symposium, March 20
Registration for the South Georgia Native Plant and Wildflower Symposium is open. It will be held on Wednesday, March 20 at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture, Tifton, GA. The event is co-sponsored by the Coastal Plain Chapter and the Camellia District of the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc.
Program theme: Gardens for All Reasons: Establishing and maintaining a healthy native plant garden for multiple objectives. Presentations address plant selection, landscaping, maintenance, and insects for a healthy garden.
Registration is $50, including lunch, if registered by March 7th. Registration can be completed online or by using a mail in form. If registering by mail, please allow time for delivery by March 7th. Click here for more information.
At the end of the symposium, the Coastal Plain Chapter will have their annual spring chapter meeting at 3:00 p.m. (are people allowed to show up free for the meeting?)
Out Planting Pitcher Plants
In August 2023 the Coastal Plain Chapter was contacted by DNR and GDOT about rescuing Sarracenia minor (hooded pitcher plants). These were located on each side of a road widening project along a South Georgia highway. Over 400 hooded pitcher plants were rescued over several days. The first week in February 2024, 100 pitchers were out planted in a conservation area within 60 miles of the road project. Plans for the rest of the rescued pitcher plants include out planting in nearby state parks and a WMA.
Out planting rescued hooded pitchers.
National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year
Heather Brasell, Coastal Plain Chapter member, has recently been selected as the National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year by the American Forest Foundation. The award will be presented in Vancouver, WA at the 2024 AFF National Leadership Conference in March 2024. The award is from the American Tree Farm System, which promotes effective stewardship of privately owned forests and woodlands. Congratulations, Heather!
Heather was recognized on the floor at the Georgia State Capital by District 170 State House Representative Penny Houston on Forestry Day in the Capitol for being the National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.
Day in the Woods, Saturday, April 20
Save the Date for the eighth annual Day in the Woods event at the Gaskins Forest Education Center on Saturday, April 20. This is a community event for everyone of all ages to enjoy lots of activities and demonstrations of wildlife, forestry and traditional crafts using natural materials. There is no entry fee and no vending. Events include demonstrations for prescribed burning, nature walk, sampling of venison, live animals, BB range and archery, native plants, etc. The Coastal Plain Chapter gives away native plants and educational materials as part of our sponsorship of this program.
Fringed Campion
Native Plant Sales, March 9 and April 13
The Fringed Campion Chapter will be holding native plant sales at Wesleyan Market on Saturdays, March 9 and April 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Invasive Plant Removal Workdays, March 2 and March 5
Join us for some invasive plant removal Saturday, March 2 at Selma Erwin Nature Trail in Milledgeville from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday, March 5 at Amerson River Park in Macon from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Wildflower Walk, March 23
A wildflower walk is planned to be held during the Flannery O'Connor Birthday Celebration at Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville on Saturday, March 23, time TBD.
Oaky Woods WMA Wildflower Hike, April 25
Join us for a wildflower hike at Oaky Woods WMA in Houston County on Thursday, April 25 at 9:00 a.m.
Check our Facebook page for specific times and links to sign up for these events. Questions may be directed to Linda Bratcher at linda.bratcher@gnps.org.
Join the Intown Atlanta Chapter at Hawkins Hall Legacy Park in Decatur (200 Memorial Terrace SE, Atlanta, GA, 30316) on Saint Patrick's Day to learn about the Piedmont’s native ferns. If you thought only 🍀four-leaf clovers were lucky, you'll be interested to know that ferns have long been considered lucky as well.
Connie Gray, our speaker, teaches classes about native ferns in the Native Plant Certificate Program at UGA and has decades of experience protecting and restoring natural areas in Georgia’s Piedmont region. She has worked with government agencies, nonprofits, and private businesses as a native plant professional.
Despite there being over 100 species of ferns native to Georgia, this fascinating group of plants is often overlooked. They are some of the oldest plants, dating back hundreds of millions of years, and can thrive in many places that other plants can't. Join us to learn more!
The Intown Atlanta Chapter is hosting its native plant swap on Sunday, April 21st, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Walker Park (200 Memorial Terrace SE, Atlanta, GA, 30316). Please bring 5–10 native plants to swap. Or if you have more to share, bring them for people just starting out with native gardening!
How to get ready for the plant swap:
1. Pick your favorite Georgia native plant(s) and begin digging and dividing them as soon as possible to give them time to recover and acclimate. For more information on digging and dividing, refer tothis video. Be careful when digging not to mix in any non-natives!
2. Use potting soil (peat-free is best!) or soil conditioner to pot each plant into individual containers.
3. Label each plant with the botanical name and its ideal growing conditions. Any additional information is appreciated!
4. Keep transplanted plants in a shady spot and water as needed.
Plants can be dropped off the day of the swap at the corner of Burgess St. and Monument Ave. before parking. Street parking is available along Burgess St., Memorial Terrace, and East Side Ave.
If you would like to volunteer or if you are vendor who would like to be present at the plant swap, please email jeremiahgwood@gmail.com.
Pollinator Garden Planting at Lullwater Conservation Garden
The Intown Atlanta Chapter will partner with the Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour for a Habitat Helpers activity. Children will help create new butterfly habitat in the Lullwater Conservation Garden by planting species that support Georgia butterflies like the Zebra Swallowtail and the endangered Monarch. Participating children will also take home seed packets to start their own butterfly gardens!
Plantings will be held on Saturday, April 27, at 10:00 am and 11:00 am. Space is limited, so reserve your spot soon! Register Here
City Nature Challenge in Atlanta, April 27
Meet with us at 9:30 AM on Saturday, April 27th, for some on-site citizen science at the Lullwater Conservation Garden (834 Lullwater Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30307)! Each year, as part of the national City Nature Challenge (April 26th to May 5th this year), Fernbank Museum staff helpnature lovers all over Atlanta contribute observations via iNaturalist to help us better understand and document the health of our local ecosystems. This year we will partner with them at Lullwater to contribute to the effort. No experience required, just have your cell phone handy. Trained volunteers will help you observe,photograph, and upload snapshots of Lullwater's lush surroundings via the iNaturalist app. Click here to learn more.
North Georgia Mountains
Chapter Meeting, Saturday, March 9
Join us at the Union County Public Library in Blairsville for a presentation by Jess Riddle of the Wilderness Society.
Save the Date and Prep Your Plants for Saturday, June 1
The North Georgia Mountains Chapter will be selling plants at the Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville. Anyone considering contributing stock to the sale should be starting the preparations now.
North Metro Atlanta
Special Workday at Old Rucker Park Nature Trail Restoration Site, Saturday, March 9
On Saturday, March 9, 2024, the City of Alpharetta is hosting a privet clean up at Old Rucker Park in Alpharetta for a large youth group with help from ReForest ATL. We need volunteers to guide the clean up efforts. If you are interested, please contact Richard Lebowitz at richard.lebovitz@comcast.net.
Old Rucker Farm Native Plant Habitat Workdays
Join us for a workday at the habitat on the farm! We will be weeding and mulching the garden. If you plan on attending, please sign up with the links found on the event description:
Habitat restoration work continues at Heritage Park in central Cobb County with tasks including invasive removal, native plantings and garden maintenance. Learn more about each workday at these links:
Join us at The Grove at Wills Park (175 Roswell St, Alpharetta, GA, 30009) on Saturday, April 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (rain or shine). The North Metro Atlanta Chapter will be offering native plants for sale at the 23rd annual Garden Faire, hosted by the North Fulton Master Gardeners and the City of Alpharetta. This event will also feature edible plant sales from Alpharetta’s Community Agriculture Program. Click here for more details on Garden Faire.
The chapter’s spring native plant sale will be held on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and will feature at least six commercial nurseries as well as plants propagated by chapter members. This is a unique opportunity to shop multiple vendors in a single convenient location. Offerings will include many types of native flowers, ferns, vines, ground covers, shrubs, and trees, including some hard-to-find species. The sale will be held rain or shine, under cover at the Carroll County Agricultural Education Center in Carrollton. Enter through the rear of the Ag Center, where there is plenty of convenient parking. Please pay each vendor for the plants you purchase from them, and volunteers will watch your purchases in our holding area while you continue to shop.
Buffalo Creek Trail Workdays
Weekly work sessions on the Buffalo Creek Trail have changed to Monday mornings, weather permitting. Everyone is invited to join us as we remove invasive plants like Chinese privet to create more favorable growing conditions for native plants, including wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, cane, and others. Work is currently focused on the areas adjacent to the Carrollton Greenbelt, including the pollinator garden and The Nest (bird sanctuary). Please watch the Chapter’s Facebook page for details about work schedule and activities.
Georgia Native Plant Society PO Box 422085 Atlanta, GA 30342 (770) 343-6000 Unsubscribe
