#native plants in winter

[whatnext10]

Winter Solstice is a Beautiful Time in Florida

Solstice Sumac Many people consider the period around the winter solstice to be a beautiful time of the year. They have fresh snow (or the hope of fresh snow) on the ground and covering the trees and shrubs. But down in central Florida, we don’t get snow but it is cool enough to keep our colorful wildflowers from growing and our grasses and tree leaves from being green. It tends to be a rather…

[summerwages]

high bush oregon grape...solstice spirit

[noseysilverfox]

Unripe berries of common ivy, European ivy, or King's Choice ivy (lat. Hedéra hélix). The berries of this plant ripen in winter — January-February. Soon they will turn black and become food for birds, but they are inedible for humans.

There is a common misconception that ivy drains the juices from the plants it climbs. In fact, it is not a parasitic plant. Ivy has a regular, well-developed root system for absorbing water and minerals, and its adhesive roots serve only as anchors☘️

You can see some more photos and facts about ivy in the previous post at the link✨️

Несозревшие ягоды плюща обыкновенного или вьющегося (лат. Hedéra hélix). Ягоды данного растения созревают зимой — январе-феврале. Вскоре они почернеют и станут пищей для птиц, но для человека они несъедобны.

Существует расхожее заблуждение, что плющ высасывает соки из растений, которые оплетает. На самом деле, это не паразитическое растение. Для снабжения себя водой и минеральными солями у плюща есть обычная, хорошо развитая корневая система, а корни-присоски выполняют лишь роль крепежей☘️

Ещё немножко фотографий и фактов о плюще можно посмотреть в предыдущем посте по ссылке✨️

[the-habitat-ring]

Spent my solstice afternoon dreaming of the sun and cutting up old blinds into plant markers. Shout out to the local state park’s nursery for introducing me to the idea (I volunteer every spring in their greenhouse where they grow native plants for restoration projects across the state)

Tomorrow the plan is to get the first milk jugs out for winter sowing (yes, later than I wanted, but my body is uncooperative) and I wanted to avoid last year’s issue of the sharpie washing off and leaving me guessing as to what was what, so this year’s plan is using a paint pen and putting the markers inside the jugs🤞🏻

I went ahead and wrote out the labels for all the seeds I’ll be planting for next year, which is . . . A lot. (I never have understood the concept of moderation) But it’ll be fun! And hopefully I’ll have a bunch to share with the neighbors and maybe the community garden since I’ll be getting some connections there this spring

[nuheyenuh]

Dudleya sp. and Philotes sonorensis

[pastafossa]

Been a bit since I showed the whimsical Native Plants Only yard we put in two years ago, but I'm happy to say that, save for one lil evergreen tree that didn't make it, all the rest of the plants are doing quite well!

[aisling-saoirse]

Plant Profile: American Witch Hazel - Hamamelis virginiana

Today's plant is better known for its use as a facial toner but this year I've witnessed a mass-bloom (the yellow dots in the image above) so I want to re-introduce you my ultimate late fall favorite!

Witch-Hazel refers to members of the Hamamelis family, containing about five species, 3 of which are found in the eastern US and the other two in Asia. Our species of focus is the American Witch Hazel, a wide growing, often dominate understory shrub/tree common throughout forests of the American East. The plant has a lovely arching growth habit (Image 2 above), alongside trails in older-growth tall mountain forests, one always can spot witch hazel by a tunnel effect along the trails framed by its branches.

For a quick technical analysis, Witch Hazel has oval alternate leaves that are asymmetrical and have rounded lobes along the sides (image 3 of pressed leaf). The bark is a grey or reddish brown with small lenticels (image 4 of 'trunk') and typically grows in clusters sprouting from deep roots. Typically the plant reaches about 20' in height and 20' in width, as I usually only see specimens this large in very old portions of woodland my assumption is that it takes many decades to achieve this stature.

The flowers themselves are divided into 4 portions with yellow ribbon-like petals present from October-December (image 5, 6, 9). The flowers are extremely fragrant in wet weather and mornings, the scent usually fades in drier conditions. Flowers lose their ribbons and recede into this hardened portion connected to the stem called a calyx (it looks like a rounded pod which can have about 4 seeds in it). The seeds actually shoot out of this pod as a dispersal method around the next fall.

I brought up flowering because like many species in the northeast, there is never a consistent year for these things, while I see witch-hazel flowers every year I don't encounter blooms prolifically unless it's exposed to a lot of sun light. From my experience, a mass-bloom (in which every tree has noticeable blooms like image 1) occurs every 5 years about, I've noticed this in my forest since childhood but others may have more frequent encounters than me.

American Witch Hazel has a large range and is found throughout the Eastern US. The Northern limit of its range is Nova Scotia to Wisconsin staying mostly east of the Mississippi River south until its South Western Limit in East Texas and Northern Florida to the East. Allegedly disjunct populations also exist in Lost Maples Texas and the Eastern Sierra Madres of Mexico but those are fairly isolated from the main range.

There are two other Hamamelis species located within the same range. H. vernalis: Ozark Witch-hazel, which is a common horticultural specimen due to its reddish yellow blooms coming out just before spring and is naturally restricted to the Ozarks. H. ovalis: big leaf witch-hazel is a new species discovered in 2004, found only in one watershed in Mississippi and Alabama; this species has much larger leaves and red mid-winter blooms. Most people are unlikely to encounter these in the wild at all.

Hamamelis virginiana can grow in both acidic and alkaline conditions, though I tend to find the densest populations on protected north facing slopes in mature forests near where water travels. I've also found it on pure rock on mountain top balds in New York before (image 7 above). This is because in the North, American Witch Hazel isn't as limited in habitat as in the Southern portion of it's range where it's generally restricted to only cove forests and bottom lands. generally there is an association with the Witch Hazel and decent moisture.

Speaking of moisture, Early English settlers (shown by Native Americans) used witch hazel branches as dowsing rod to find underground water sources. Sticking branches in the ground, and watching which portion bent upon encountering streams. It's likely the name 'Witch' in Witch Hazel derives either from Middle English 'Wiche' for 'lively' or Anglo-Saxon 'Wych' for 'bend' describing this use. [Info from US Forest Service].

Witch Hazel is also a protector of the forest following disturbance. In a Canadian Journal of Forest Research Study by Taylor Benton, analysis found that where large scale canopy loss was present H. virginiana was found to increase it's basal area growth (think spread) by over 300%. This indicates that in the presence increased light and nitrogen, the dominate understory species are able to protect seedlings by increasing canopy shade!

In my own forest I've noticed this where Ash has died back, the Witch Hazel flowers more prolifically and frequently as well as becoming denser (Image 8 Witch-hazel in flower above a stream)

Now what are the ecological relationships associated with American Witch Hazel? This species specifically provides one of the last insect oriented pollen sources prior to winter (other witch-hazel species often bloom in early spring), so species like the owlet moth which are active in winter, and late season bees get a food source from it. The leaves are occasionally predated by a gall wasp which forms many odd tents on the leaf in favorable conditions.

Propagating Witch-hazel for those crazy like me should be aware it is not an easy plant to start. The seeds require a period of moist cold stratification, then warm, then another cold (think 90 days of fridge, 90 days in warmth, 90 days in fridge) then it'll begin to germinate. If you have a full specimen you can attempt layering (which is covering a low branch in soil allowing it to root). You can take softwood cuttings in spring but they have to be kept frost free the next winter.

Finally Landscaping advice! Witch-Hazel is best utilized in partially shaded non-south facing or moist areas in partial sun. While it loves total shade in its natural environment it really preforms much better in a garden with some sunlight. American Witch-Hazel also is a better performer in the scent category rather than a showy floral display, most horticultural specimens are derived from hybrids between Chinese, Japanese, or Ozark Witch-hazel (image 10 of possible H. vernalis cultivar above) as their coloring is much more interesting compared to our local powerhouse. However it must be said that American Witch-hazel is resilient and has some flower color variation (oranges and pinks) which are absent in other species.

So this has been my plant profile on American Witch-Hazel, please go into the woods and smell the haunting yellow blooms while the mass-bloom is still occurring. Happy Hunting to my Eastern American followers :)!

[growingwildgardens]

Winter Gardening Week - WHAT?

What are the pros and cons of Fall and Winter Gardening?? ❄️☃️🍂

Pros ✅️✅️✅️

-Fresh greens and herbs year-round

-Cover crops like beans increase Nitrogen in the soil

-Having something growing in the plot year-round keeps soil from being compressed or washed away, and keeps the microbiome intact which leads to stronger & faster growth in the Spring

-Crowds out weeds and invasives to make for far less weeding in the Spring

Cons ❌️❌️❌️

-Growing something year-round means the soil doesn't have a season to lie fallow, so adding compost and nutrients back to the soil in the Spring is essential

-Cover crops that aren't killed by freezes or snow need to be crushed or trimmed to make space for Spring growth, and allow the nitrogen in them (especially the roots) to return to the soil

-The few pests that aren't killed off or sent underground by the cold, like certain caterpillars and slugs, will also have food through the winter, so try to switch around what is planted where in the Spring planting

[oliviarosaline]

Ozark Witch-Hazel

Hamamelis vernalis

This species of witch-hazel requires a winter freeze to bloom and is endemic to the Ozarks in Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of eastern Oklahoma.

Feb. 6th, 2023

Augusta, St. Charles County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

[los-plantalones]

Def not thrilled to see them this early, but was still heartened because… spring comin’.

[thesingingbullfrog]

[pixiestein]

i’ve really been hoping that g3 Venus would be Indigenous bc venus flytraps the actual plant are exclusively indigenous to coastal areas in north & south carolina usa so it would make sense & be cool to see venus be part of an Indigenous nation in the same area. it’s looking like in this gen she’s going to be black/black coded but afroindigenous ppl exist so maybe i’m still holding out hope lmao

[summerwages]

white oak..

[noseysilverfox]

January 2025

Green hellebore, bastard hellebore, or bear's foot (lat. Helléborus víridis). One of the early bloomers whose leaves stay green even through winter. 🌱😌 In the mountains, I was pleasantly surprised to find entire meadows of hellebores, as I had only ever seen them in flower beds before. How lucky the locals are—they’ll get to witness its beautiful blossoms as early spring arrives!😃

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, my friends, and may the flowers bloom to bring you joy!🪻☀️

Моро́зник зелёный, рождественская или снежная роза (лат. Helléborus víridis). Один из первоцветов, чьи листья не опадают даже зимой🌱😌 В горах растут целые поляны морозника, что меня очень приятно удивило, потому что ранее он встречался мне только в клумбах. Везёт же местным жителям, которые ранней весной увидят его цветение!😃

Приятных выходных, друзья, и пусть цветы распускаются вам на радость!🪻☀️

[the-habitat-ring]

Winter sowing time! We’ve started on our collection of native seeds and will continue to add more containers as we get them.

The “milk jug method” allows for stratification (exposure to cold, wet conditions for a month or two) which many native seeds here in the Midwest need. Once spring comes, the containers act like a mini greenhouse to keep seedlings moist and warm until they’re ready to transplant.

[birdbrainweekly]

Pennsylvania, this holiday season lets remember our roots.

Fuck peppermint and spearmint (not actually), but!

lets replace our peppermint extract desserts with teaberry (American Wintergreen) extract!

give me teaberry mints, teaberry bark, teaberry fudge, etc...

I was buying this for my mom as a surprise to make mints (because we both really love the flavor) only to find it was extremely hard to find, and I got this feeling of just, not wanting to lose this flavor to time because it is regional and not like... industrialize-able.

If you need sources of places to obtain this magical flavor,

LorAnn oils makes an artificial flavor version of this: here

All Star makes an extract that uses artificial and natural flavors: here

And I found this place on etsy that does all natural flavors: here

If you have a known patch of this and you want to make the extract yourself, I will also link a recipe on how to do that here

if you want to try this flavor before committing to buying an extract, I used to buy teaberry gum as a kid. and apparently there are some hard candies you can buy as well!