For education-related questions email education@rivercitywildones.org
Educational Links
Follow the links below to find out more about your favorite native Michigan plants and related topics and also a list of Michigan native vendors. Some are downloadable PDFs.
Gardening-for-Life-Doug-Tallamy
Getting Started with Native Plants
Michigan Native Plant Vendor list 9-06-2019
WORC Chapter’s Recommended Resources
An in-depth book list compiled by the WORC Chapter Education Committee that includes:
• a description of each book
• beginner or advanced level
• number of copies at Grand Rapids Public Library
• number of copies at Kent District Library
• download site/comments
PLANT LISTS
Native Shrubs and Trees for Backyard Biodiversity
50 Plant Species Common to southern Lower Michigan (a starting point)
NATIVE PLANT FINDERS
Audubon Native Plant Finder (enter zip code to do a search of native plants in your area and the birds attracted to them)
National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder (BETA) (enter zip code to do a search of native plants and the butterflies attracted to them based on the research of Dr. Doug Tallamy)
SPRING EPHEMERALS
Michigan Spring Woodland Wildflowers
PRAIRIE SEEDLING GUIDES
Prairie Seedling and Seeding Evaluation Guide
Central Region Seedling ID guide for Native Prairie Plants
PLANTING
Ten Steps to Successful Wildflower Planting
Could you please tell me what native plants I can plant on the drain field?- MSU Extension
How to tastefully prairie a small garden bed.
NATIVARS (cultivars of natives)
Nativars-Statement from National Wild Ones
Wild Ones Journal Best of 2017 Yogurts Lessons on Nativars
How Effective are Nativars? video with Doug Tallamy
INSECTS & POLLINATION
Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native Flowering Plants
Plant Fact Sheets also with Attractiveness to Insects
Monarch-Butterflies-Eastern-US-brochure
The Mystery of Milkweed Pollination by Dana Visalli
NATIVE PLANT SPECIES INFORMATION (More to be added)
IDENTIFICATION
| SOURCING | VIEWING |
“Seed Library” at Kent District Library
Do you have extra native seeds to share? The Kent District Library staff is very excited to accept native seeds from Wild OnesRiver City Chapter (WORC) members to make available to their patrons through their seed exchange. If you have extra seeds that you are willing to share, you can drop seeds off at any Kent District Library location (but not at Grand Rapids library locations).
The seed should be within an enclosed container (bag, envelope, etc.), labeled with name of species (common name and scientific), and limited planting instructions (wet/dry soil type, sun/shade). You can include brief germination instructions such as “stratification required.”
Provide your name and contact info in case library staff have questions for you. Please state that you are a member of WORC. Library staff will repackage the seeds in their own packets and put the planting info in a catalog for patrons to consult.
Download a PDF with a list of native species that are considered easy to germinate and a form that you can fill out to use with your seed.
Questions? WORC Contact Joyce Tuharsky joycercwo@comcast.net
Library contact: Julia Hawkins (616) 784-2016 ext. 2096, jhawkins@kdl.org.
