Supply Equals Demand

Serviceberry- a spectacular Ohio native plant!


Supply equals demand: a basic tenet of economics, and it is true in landscape too. If people ASK for native plants at the local nurseries, they will have to start carrying them.

So ASK for serviceberry, elderberry, redbuds, wild cherry, river birch, Ohio native viburnums and dogwoods! And tell those good people working at your local stores about the Wild Ones and our mission to spread the good news according to St. Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners everywhere!

I made a foray to the local plant-yards in Richland county, and the sales people were surprisingly clueless as to actual native plants, or why folks would want them.

Now I know I am preaching to the choir, but let's get out there and ask for these plants that host the moths, beetles and butterflies of Ohio- 'cause the birds of Ohio want to eat them!

And if you aren't sure which plants we are talking about- go to the Wild Ones link above and sign right up for the Midwest Native Plant Conference. I will look forward to seeing you there!

You can't see me...

Camouflage in action:
A Killdeer sits patiently on her nest as I walk by each day.

"Go on nice lady. I know you walk past me every morning, but you can't see me. I am hiding behind this 'bush'."

"OK, maybe you can see me. I am glad you are a birder!"

Film from the Ohio Dragonfly Conference

Dennis Paulson shows Mary Jo White details on a dragonfly. Dennis is not only one of the nation's leading experts on dragonflies, he is a heck of a nice guy too!

Just released on the Division of Wildlife e-Newsletter:

Devotion of Dragonfly Enthusiasts -

Warming temperatures and sunny skies are bringing out the dragonflies, which rank high among Ohio's most interesting creatures.

Click on the blue link to watch an exciting film clip from 2007's Ohio Dragonfly Conference. Be sure to watch the footage of Dr Dennis Paulson, Bob Glotzhober, Larry Rosche, Jim McCormac and others.

Native Water Garden Plants

Fragrant Water-lily, Nymphaea odorata

How could Home Depot improve upon this? A burst of light in the form of a water flower, it is about as close to perfection as a plant gets. Add to its beauty a subtle fragrance and it becomes clear, non-native plants cannot offer any more than the native plants already in our natural areas.

Non-natives bought at stores often escape and create a nightmare in our wetlands. Purple Loosestrife and Flowering-rush are two imports that probably seemed like a good idea at the time, but something went terribly astray. In fact, the plants went astray and have been creating havoc and costing big $$$ in order to eradicate them from native wetlands.

Please- buy responsibly- purchase native plants for your water gardens and leave the invasives where they belong, stuck in a big-box store.

Search for Ohio's Rare Jewels

One of Ohio's endangered species, the River Jewelwing damselfly has only one known population in Northeast Ohio. This beautiful water-born wonder has always captured my imagination with the last third of its wings tinted dark, unlike the Ebony Jewelwing's totally blackened wings.

River Jewelwing photo by Dennis Paulson (used with permission.)

Odonates, damsel and dragonflies, are bio indicators for water quality and interesting insects in their own right. Our featured damselfly is known for the unusual courtship flight by the males, and the mind-blowing underwater egg laying feat accomplished by the females.

Why should we botany types care about insects? There is still much we can learn from studying insects and their adaptations, both physical and chemical. Many have a special relationship with a host plant, and knowing botany can increase our odds of searching out these rare species. Just focus the search in the location of the host plants, i.e. milkweed plants and monarch butterflies.

River Jewelwings are said to lay their eggs on Eel Grass, Vallisneria americana. So if there are other River Jewelwings to be found in Ohio- we might be well to put a botanist on the job. Better yet, a botanist who knows their insects will have a distinct advantage!

For more information about these and other odonates found in Ohio, you'll want to get a copy of the very fine guide, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio which was produced by the folks at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.