NATIVES TO KNOWShagbark Hickory, Carya ovata By Joyce Tuharsky, WORC Member I once had a neighbor who thought she should remove a tree that looked sickly, because the bark appeared to be falling off in strips. I said I thought that the tree was a Shagbark hickory and looked very healthy. I was correct, the tree […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Shagbark Hickory"
American Searocket, Cakile endentula Compiled by Joyce Tuharsky, WORC Member After several years of high water levels on the Great Lakes, water levels have fallen recently, exposing wide sandy beaches in many areas. These barren beaches are prime places for pioneer plant species to take root—one of which is the American searocket. A member of […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: American Searocket"
NATIVES TO KNOWIndian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans By Joyce Tuharsky, WORC Member Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans is a showy native perennial that grows 3–7 feet tall and is noted for its upright form and broad blue-green foliage. Its alternate blades grow to 2′ long and 1⁄2″ across, are flat and hairless, yet rough in texture, and […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Indian Grass"
Bear Corn, Conopholis americana By Joyce Tuharsky, WORC Member In Michigan, if you are hiking through in a deep shady oak or beech forest, you may stumble across a strange growth poking its creepy “fingers” out from around tree roots. Upon closer look, you will find thick fleshy spikes with no leaves, but with brown scales, […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Bear Corn"
Natives to Know: Hoptree, Ptelea trifoliata By Joyce Tuharsky, Wild Ones member Hoptrees are fairly common, small understory trees or shrubs, that are native to the eastern U.S and southern Canada, including Michigan. The trunks are slender and crooked; the branches are interwoven. Hoptrees can grow up to 25 feet tall, with a broad, rounded 15–20-foot […] Continue reading "Natives to Know: Hoptree"