Plant of the week: Western Sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis)

Mention native sunflower to almost any urban or suburban homeowner and you are likely to get an earful of dislike, maybe even hatred.  Most of the native sunflowers are aggressive and in some cases invasive.  However, this species is the exception and is very well behaved. This species has a basal rosette up to 1 1/2' wide very hairy oval leaves attached to the plant via long stems although the lower leaves have shorter stems.  There is one central and 2-4 lateral veins in the leaves.  The up to 3" wide flowers, bright yellow in color, occur on top of 2 - 4' stems, which maybe reddish in color.  For this reason it is sometimes called the naked stem sunflower.  In totality, this species superficially resembles a miniature prairie dock.  This is a species that should be planted in full sun and it will not compete with other plants in good garden or fertile soil. It prefers well-drained sandy or rocky soils. It can't handle un-amended heavy clay soils. It will slowly creep from the rhizomes and the plant should be divided about every 3 - 5 years. The flowers are predominately pollinated by bees and a wide variety of insects will feed on the leaves.  It is a host plant for silvery checker spot and painted lady butterflies.  Birds love the seeds.  This sunflower stands out in a patch of little bluestem or broomsedge bluestem, which also serve to prop up the tallish stems of this perennial wildflower.

Will we have a colorful fall leaf season in Kentucky this year?

The questions are already coming into our department about what affect this crazy weather will have on fall leaf color in the state.  We had a very warm spring, followed by summer droughts, and then heavy rainfall in various areas and it is difficult, if not impossible to predict how good the color will be in the trees.  One thing is for certain, we will have some color in the leaves unless the leaves are already brown and the trees are dead.  Why?  The answer lies in the two factors that give rise to good color, warm sunny days followed by cool to cold nights at the time of leaf abscission (when a plant drops a part of itself, in this case the leaf).  Leaf abscission is generally triggered by changing day or night length and in some species leaf abscission can actually begin in August.  Right now the flowering dogwoods, sassafras and black gum are turning scarlet red as their process of getting ready for dormancy has already begun. In those areas where these species occur in the forest, the color has been pretty good.  Generally speaking, a warm wet spring followed by favorable summer weather, and warm, sunny fall days with cool nights produce the best color and drought often delays color change a couple of weeks.  However, the trees will still gradually lose the green pigment (chlorophyll) and the other pigments (carotenoids which give rise to orange, yellow and brown and the anthocyanins which give rise to red) will show their colors as the season progresses.  If we get rainy, drizzly, days in the coming weeks, the color may not be as spectacular as we would like.  Now is a great time to enjoy being outside and enjoy what Nature has to offer before winter sets in.

Plant of the Week: Roan Mountain Goldenrod (Solidago roanensis)

This is one of the showiest goldenrods I have ever encountered in the wild.  I first saw it in the Smokies on top of a bald and what struck me were the very large flower-heads, up to 1/2" wide, which is large for this member of the composite family.  Roan mountain goldenrod is rare in nature and ranges from southern Pennsylvania south to Georgia and Alabama.  It is a mountain species that likes dry, well drained soil.  It grows up to about 2 1/2' tall and has a hairy stem with simple, opposite leaves that are serrated and elliptical in shape.  It usually begins flowering in July and continues through October in most cases and the plant is quite showy when 2 or three of them are grouped together.  In Kentucky, it is a rare mountain species but appears fairly easy to grow in the garden as long as it gets sun and the soil is well drained.  It is not aggressive like some of the other members of this genus and thus makes an excellent garden plant.  As is the case with many composites, this is a good attractor for bees and butterflies.  This has been on trail at the UK horticultural gardens and ranked 4.4 out of 5.

Plant of the Week: White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)

This late summer, early fall flowering perennial gets its name from the individual flowers that resemble the head of a turtle.  This is the most common turtlehead in the state, the two pink species are quite rare.  This one occurs in wet meadows and woods across the state.  It has lance-shaped leaves that are hairless and serrated and for the most part, attach directly to the stem. The central stem, which can reach heights of 2-3' is softly hairy, and 4 angled.  The flowers are quite unique and this species can stay in bloom for 4 - 8 weeks.  The tubular flower is somewhat flattened with the upper lip acting as a protective hood and the lower lips serving as a landing pad for pollinating insects, which are primarily bumblebees.  The flower has no noticeable scent and the entire plant is bitter which means deer generally leave it alone.  This is the primary host plant for a rare butterfly in Kentucky, the Baltimore checkerspot.  This plant can tolerate wet soils and works well in a rain garden.  Good companion plants are pink turtleheads, spiderlily, joe-pye-weed, swamp milkweed, cardinal flower, and great blue lobelia.  All of these make excellent rain garden or polllinator garden plants. It does have a taproot with rhizomes and so it can make a nice, showy clump.  In the past, Native Americans used this to expel worms and to improve appetite (probably because it tastes so bitter you throw up and then are hungry).  Chelone is the Greek word for silence and folklore suggests this plant got its name (because the flower looks like a turtle head) because Chelone was a nymph who made the Gods angry because she didn't attend the marriage of Zeus to Hera.  Evidently, Zues got so mad he pushed her house on top of her and the Gods turned her into a turtle.  Hence from then until eternity Chelone was forced to carry her house on her back and condemed to silence.  So thats the rest of the story.  Until next time, happy gardening!

Plant of the Week: Blue Wood Aster (Symphotrichum cordifolium)

As we think about which species of wildflowers can tolerate dry conditions, this is an excellent choice for part-sun to shade.  It can grow from 1 to 4' tall depending on soil fertility and flowers best when given at least 3 hours of full sun daily.  The central stem is slightly reddish and somewhat hairy and it has 5" long x 2" wide leaves with a stem that are alternate.  During dry times the lower leaves will drop off the central stem. The ray flowers are typically lavender to blue and sometimes white and the central disk florets are usually yellow but turn to purple to red as they age.  There are 7 to 13 rays per flower head.  It is rhizomatous and can spread slowly via this method and also reseeds easily.  The best location is at the edge of the shade woodland garden and it works well with blue-stemmed goldenrod.  Like many of the asters, this species is a host plant for the Silvery checkerspot butterfly and bees are the primary pollinators.  It has no significant disease or insect pest problems and while not completely deer resistant, deer do not particularly like the plant.  This species makes an excellent cut flower for use in arrangements.  This is also a species, that when pinched back in the spring, will reward the gardener with an absolutely gorgeous flower show in the fall.

 

Feeding Wildlife During the Drought: Should I or Shouldn’t I?

Drought is tough on wildlife.  Water sources dwindle and food sources may become in short supply as plants do not grow vigorously or do not produce seed or fruit.  In times like these, such as the droughts we have been having, and will continue to happen, you feel like you should feed wildlife to keep them alive and healthy.  We all know that healthy wildlife go into breeding condition better, can withstand the long and cold winter better, and are generally better off. But and here is the big one: it is probably unwise to feed wildlife, particularly things like quail and turkey and even deer during droughts.  Why?  There are a myriad of reasons, but you have to have a general understanding of wildlife population dynamics and consider that this is part of the normal cycle and by artificially keeping wildlife in good condition through feeding, you could be potentially setting yourself up for a huge population crash in the future when food supplies dwindle or other factors bring the population back to what the environment can support, something we call carrying capacity.  Of a more immediate concern with the drought this year is feeding corn. Drought increases the possibility of aflatoxin poisoning in wildlife.  Alfatoxin, I never heard of it and why is it a concern for feeding wildlife?  Aflatoxins are fungi, usually Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, that are associated with grain, particularly with corn (although it also occurs in wheat, millet, and peanuts and other crops), and it most often associated with wildlife problems in the southeastern United States.  It is usually present more during drought and with the corn harvest just beginning in Kentucky, we are already seeing some corn going to poultry facilities that cannot be used because the aflatoxin levels are too high.  When aflatoxin levels become elevated and can't be fed to domestic animals, where can producers sell this grain?  One source may in the form of wildlife or deer feed corn.  A study done about a decade ago in Texas found that 44% of corn bagged and sold as deer or wildlife feed had aflatoxin levels that would be considered hazardous for wildlife.  In addition, storage also affects aflatoxin levels and corn stored with a moisture content of 14% or more, relative humidity of 70% and temperature greater than 70 F can increase concentrations of aflatoxin.  Aflatoxicosis occurs primarily in the southeastern states and generally waterfowl, ducks and geese, are affected the most when they get into corn fields that have residual seeds from harvesting that are remaining in the field.  However, wild turkeys, quail and songbirds have also been shown to be affected and  field symptoms in birds include lethargy, blindness, inability to fly, tremors, wing flapping and quite often the birds are simply found dead.  Affects in deer are typically manifested by not eating becoming weak and anorexic, fidgety, uneasy demeanor and easily excited, diarrhea, and ultimately death.  Because aflatoxicosis appears more during drought years, landowners, hunters, and bird feeding enthusiasts should be cautious when deciding to feed corn or other grains.

Plant of the Week: Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

This is one of the most popular herbal medicines used today and part of its popularity is that it is widely believed that taking it can mask a positive test for illegal drugs.  There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back this claim up.  Native Americans originally used this plant for treatment of digestive disorders, skin treatments and a wash for sore eyes.  Today it is used as an antibiotic or immune system booster, for hay fever, allergies, colds and the flu, and as a wash for minor scrapes or wounds, and for urinary tract cleansing.  The active ingredient is a chemical called berberine that can kill bacteria in studies done in the laboratory.  It appears to have some anti-bacterial properties for killing things that cause diarrhea, yeast infections, e. coli, and even some tapeworms and Giardia.  It has also been used to treat heart failure.  While it does appear to have beneficial properties, like all medications, it has drawbacks and has negative interactions with cyclosporine, digoxin, tetraclycline, and blood thinners.  Pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with liver or heart disease or high blood pressure should not use goldenseal, nor should children.  This plant is considered poisonous when consumed in large quantities. As with all herbal medicines, be sure to consult with your doctor before consuming any goldenseal as it may pose significant hazards to your health.  In the garden this is not a very showy plant and usually has a pair of five lobed leaves with a single or solitary white flower (it is in the buttercup family and thus it loses its petals and sepals with just showy reproductive organs which constitute the flower).  This time of the year it has a raspberry like red, inedible fruit that is easily identified.  The root or rhizome is a bitter tasting bright yellow or brown and twisted or wrinkled in appearance.  This is best planted in rich, organic soil in the shade and is useful as an accent plant, mostly in the fall with the red berries. It will not grow in typical urban clay soils because the soil requires good drainage. It is fairly easy to grow from seed or rhizome cuttings.  It takes 5 to 7 years to grow from seed and 5 years to grow from rhizome cuttings.  The best time to plant seeds or rhizomes is in the fall and if growing from seed, the best germination rates will be obtained by gathering seeds and quickly de-fleshing the seeds from the fruit and storing at 70 F in moist sand until planting in late fall.  If planting from rhizomes, the rhizomes should be at least 1/2" long with visible, healthy roots and ideally a bud. It should be planted 2 - 3" deep.  This is one native plant that benefits from mulch and after planting a 2 - 3" layer of mulch should be applied and then every year or two afterwards depending on how much mulch is remaining.  Goldenseal is relatively free from pests and disease except for slugs which can eat the crown of the plant and the fruit.  If slugs are a problem, do not mulch the plants and attempt to control them.