Author: Ruth Oldenburg

Natives to Know: Speckled Alder

Speckled Alder Alnus incana, Subsp. Rugosa Compiled by Wild Ones member, Joyce Tuharsky Speckled alders grow mostly as a multi-trunked tree, 15–25 feet tall, with a broad-rounded irregular crown. In the Birch family (Betulaceae), these trees are native to the cold and temperate regions of North America from Hudson Bay and Newfoundland, south to Minnesota, […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Speckled Alder"

April 2026 Program Recap

Tips and Tricks from a Wild Gardener In-person program presented by Marty Arnold, Author, former Wild Ones River City President. Recap by Sue Cassidy, Communication Co-Chair April 20 was the Wild Ones’ first in-person meeting of 2026. Marty Arnold’s presentation shared one gardener’s 50-year journey from traditional landscaping to native plants and, eventually, full-on habitat restoration—sparked […] Continue reading "April 2026 Program Recap"

March 2026 Program Recap

Wet, Wild, and Rare: Understanding Michigan’s Fens and Bogs Recap by Sandra Bergh, Wild Ones River City Vice President and Programs Chair Our March program, “Wet, Wild, and Rare: Understanding Michigan’s Fens and Bogs”, was held on March 16 as a Zoom Webinar. Our speaker, Ben Botwinski, is the director of the Lansing Public Schools’ Ebersole […] Continue reading "March 2026 Program Recap"

Natives to Know: Yellow Trout Lily

Natives to Know: Yellow Trout Lily, Erythronium americanumCompiled by Joyce Tuharsky, Wild Ones Member When Yellow trout lilies start blooming on the forest floor, it is a quiet sign that spring has begun. These flowers are cherished for their lily-like shape with 6 bright yellow tepals that curve elegantly back, exposing 6 prominent brown stamens […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Yellow Trout Lily"