Hydrangea quercifolia

NativeSCAPE
Published by the Georgia Native Plant Society

October 2011
Volume XVII, Number 4

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants

By Denise Hartline Page 3 A large portion of North America, including Georgia, is fortunate to have conditions that favor great fall color in trees. Denise Hartline and Karen Lindauer share examples, and a table that highlights some recommendations, from trees to groundcovers.

Presidents Message Plant Rescue News Chapter News Upcoming GNPS Events Membership Renewal

2 15 16 17 20

Native Shrubs: Continuing Our Landscape Heritage

By Rick Huffman Page 8 Our July guest speaker returns with a reminder that our native landscapes tell a lot about who we are, and how we see our place in the world. He offers some recommendations for designing your outdoor rooms with native shrubs.

Newsletter Editor David Haimbach Newsletter staff: Ellen Honeycutt, Sharon Parry, and Lisa Betz, Proofreaders NativeSCAPE is published quarterly by the Georgia Native Plant Society. A subscription is included with membership in the GNPS. Copyright 2011 by the Georgia Native Plant Society. All rights reserved. Articles may not be reprinted without permission of the author.

What Lies Beneath

By Sharon Parry Page 10 Sharon shares one womans quest to reclaim a forgotten corner of her back yard, banishing a snake from her suburban garden of Eden, and discovering whats been fighting to survive under the overgrowth of vines and ivy both poison and English. A reminder that reclamation begins at home.

The Miniature Chestnut

By Jim Smith Page 12 Some of us still mourn the loss of our native chestnut, Castanea dentata. Jim shares some information about chinquapins, a species of miniature chestnut found in the eastern United States, including Georgia.

A Chapters Tale: Celebrating Year One of the WGC

By Flo Hayes and Gina Strickland The journey of the West GA Chapter of GNPS. Page 13

Georgia Native Plant Society P.O. Box 422085 Atlanta, GA 30342-2085 www.gnps.org 770-343-6000 GNPS Board of Directors President Ellen Honeycutt Vice President Jacqueline McRae Secretary Kimberly Ray Treasurer Paula Reith Members-at-Large: Charles Brown Susan Hanson Pat Smith Director of Communications David Haimbach Director of Conservation Marcia Winchester Director of Education Julie Newell Director of Membership Jane Trentin
About your membership in the Georgia Native Plant Society Your membership dues and donations help support our mission which is: To promote the stewardship and conservation of Georgias native plants and their habitats By sponsoring meetings, workshops, an annual symposium, grants, scholarships, the native plant rescue program, and this newsletter utilizing an all-volunteer staff of dedicated native plant enthusiasts. We look forward to and appreciate your continued support. Membership renewal forms for 2011 can now be completed online or by completing the form on the last page of this news letter.

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Presidents Message
By Ellen Honeycutt

Cool weather, at last! Nature starts to wind down now, but it is a good time for humans to get things done and take stock of what happened this year. Ive got new plants to put in the ground and new milkweed seedlings to relocate or pot up. I was thrilled to see a Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar rolling himself up for the winter in my Lindera benzoin shrub (Spicebush). This is my first caterpillar on this plant. Hummingbirds have been fighting over my Cardinal flower blooms, and fruit is heavy on my viburnums and buckeyes now. These are just some of the ways that I feel like my native plant efforts are reaping rewards in 2011. I have promised myself to reduce my lawn further in the days ahead and plant more varieties of perennials to add color, nectar, and food. These are exciting times for GNPS: our plant sales are back in full swing with the big sale in April and smaller sales at meetings and at the Audubon tour. I hope we can get the Stone Mountain Propagation team to sell plants on that side of town in the future. A new plant brochure for residents of the Coastal Plain is in the final editing stages. Look for an announcement soon; the PDF version will be posted on the website. We partnered with Coastal WildScapes on this project and hope to continue the partnership to create more resources for our coastal members. This issue contains several important dates for 2012: our annual Symposium in February and the Plant Sale and Garden Tour events in April. Please make a note of them so that you can plan to share these events with us. Its not the same without you. Thank you to all that volunteer for GNPS. We still have areas that need volunteers: Merchandise, Field Trips, Membership, and Propagation. Lets fill those committee vacancies and get more activities going and reach more people; its all a great way to learn more about native plants, how to grow them, and how they fit into the natural communities in which we live. Please contact me or any Board member if you can help. We appreciate your membership in GNPS. Please encourage others to join invite friends to meetings, host them as a guest on a rescue, pass along newsletters with articles of interest or bring them to our plant sales and work activities. After a decline that started with the drought, our membership level has stabilized around 800 members, down from levels as high as 1200 back in 2004. Members are the best source of referrals so your help would be fabulous (and gift memberships are available). Dues are still only $20 a year for Individual/Family and $15 a year for Seniors (including spouse). We have now entered the renewal period for 2012 and would appreciate your continued support. This is my last column as President. I have enjoyed serving as President these last two years. Im not planning to go anywhere so I hope to see you at GNPS meetings and events in the future. I love sharing plants and knowledge with others and GNPS is an excellent way to keep doing that. I hope you feel the same. Keep passing on your knowledge and your support for our organization to others; in doing so you help GNPS to grow just like our plants do.

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants
by Denise Hartline

After the long, hot, and dry summer of 2011, fall is finally here. Weve all been anticipating cooler temperatures and the color changes in the leaves that the arrival of autumn brings. This amazing transformation happens when longer hours of darkness trigger biochemical processes in deciduous trees. These processes prepare the trees for winter by absorbing the nutrients in their leaves and storing them in their roots. As the trees absorb the nutrients, their leaves turn different colors, much to our delight, before they finally fall from the trees to enrich the soil. A large portion of North America, including most of Georgia, is fortunate to have conditions that favor great fall color in trees. Those conditions include large deciduous forests, a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, and a diversity Viburnum acerifolium of tree species in the forests. Forests with more diversity display a broader spectrum of fall colors and, because different trees begin the color change processes at different times, the color season lasts longer. In some parts of Europe and Asia, only a few tree species dominate the deciduous forests. Fall color displays in those areas can be intense, but brief and of uniform color. In tropical rainforests, deciduous trees shed their leaves only gradually, turning from yellow to brown. In a report compiled for The Nature Conservancy, Georgia was ranked as one of the top ten states for plant diversity. From the lofty heights of leaves on trees down to small berries on groundcovers at Lowbush blueberry our feet, there is an abundance of fall color to be enjoyed in Georgia.

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants
Continued from Previous Page

GNPSs own Karen Lindauer, a Master Gardener who is a gardener at Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden, knows a lot about native fall color, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with others. She created and presents a very informative talk with the wonderfully alliterative title Flowers, Fruit, and Foliage for a Fabulous Fall. Karen encourages people to use native plants that produce fall color in various ways. One of Karens favorite fall plant combinations for the garden is purple asters and yellow sunflowers; for example, New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and Stone Mountain Daisy (its actually a sunflower, Helianthus porteri ). Asters may grow too tall and floppy for your garden, and Karen recommends cutting them back to onehalf their height in May and then again in June. This will keep them from getting too tall, and they will produce more flowers. This trick also works with other perennials that grow tall, such as Joe Pye Weed, Helianthus species, ironweed, and others.

Highbush blueberry

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

Sourwood and chestnut oak

Photo: Denise Hartline

I am very grateful to Karen for allowing me to use her talk as a resource for this article. If you would like to hear Karens talk, it will be presented next August or September at Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Gardens Plant Talks. Check their website (http:// gpcnativegarden.org/) next year in late summer for the Plant Talk schedule. There are so many plants that provide us with fall color that a table seemed to be the easiest way to organize them. The table , which begins on page 4, and continues on pages 5 and 6, summarizes only some of the native plants in Georgia that display fall color. The table includes many of the plants that Karen mentions in her presentation, and is loosely organized from trees (at the top) to groundcovers (at the bottom). Unless noted, most plants will develop better fall color if located in areas with more sun. Sassafras in transition Photo: Denise Hartline

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants
Continued from Previous Page

Ideas for Fall Color with Native Plants in Georgia Type of Plant Plant Name Common Name Fall Color(s) Comments

Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree

Acer leucoderme Acer rubrum Amelanchier arborea Carya species Cornus alternifolia Cornus florida Diospyros virginiana Nyssa sylvatica Oxydendrum arboreum

Chalk Maple Red Maple Serviceberry Hickories, many species Alternate leaf dogwood Dogwood Persimmon Black Gum

Leaves scarlet, orange & gold in late fall Leaf color variable from red to yellow Leaves yellow to gold Leaves glowing yellow to gold Leaves maroon to red to purple; Berries dark purple Leaves red in early fall, Berries red Leaves gold to orange in early fall, Fruit orange Leaves bright red in early fall Leaves brilliant deep red in early fall; Flower spikes pale yellow Leaves various colors; depends on species Leaves yellow, gold, orange and red in early fall Leaves orange, red, purple and yellow in the fall; Berries are red Clusters of purple berries along stem length; some have white berries Leaves red, fuchsia, salmon or cream in late fall; Bright red fruit bursts opens to reveal red seeds Leaves yellow, red, or purple

Usually under 25 tall; multi-trunked Usually 40-60 Usually under 30; birds love berries Usually over 50; very dependable fall color Usually under 25 Usually 20-40 Usually 30-70 Usually 30-60 Usually 30-70; spring flowers resemble lily-of-thevalley Fall color may not be as dependable as hickories Usually 35-50

Tree

Sourwood

Tree

Quercus species

Oaks, many species

Tree

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras

Shrub

Rhus aromatica

Fragrant Sumac

Usually 6-12

Shrub

Callicarpa americana

American Beautyberry

Usually 3-9, arching stems

Shrub

Euonymus americanus

Hearts a burstin

Usually 6-12; deer will munch on them

Shrub

Itea virginica

Virginia Sweetspire

Usually under 8

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants
Continued from Previous Page

Ideas for Fall Color with Native Plants in Georgia Type of Plant Plant Name Common Name Fall Color(s) Comments

Shrub Shrub Shrub

Lindera benzoin Vaccinium arboreum Viburnum acerifolium Viburnum rufidulum

Spicebush Sparkleberry Mapleleaf Viburnum Rusty Blackhaw

Leaves golden yellow in early fall; Berries red Leaves deep red Leaves from yellow to pink to magenta; Berries dark blue Leaves reddish purple; Berries dark blue & oval Bright red berries in late fall Leaves orange-red; red, pear shaped berries

Usually 6-12 Usually 12-15 Usually 4-6 tall; will grow in dry shade Usually 10-20 Usually 6-15; deciduous holly; need male & female plant for berries; prefers sun & moisture Usually 6-12; grows in both wet & dry areas Drought tolerant; blue flowers in spring; cut stems back 50% after flowering for a more compact display in fall Hummingbirds love them Great pollinator plant Shorter than most goldenrods, clump forming Distinctive flattop flower clusters & grass-like leaves Varieties in other colors are available Will grow in shade

Shrub

Shrub

Ilex verticillata

Winterberry

Shrub

Photinia pyrifolia

Red Chokeberry

Forb, perennial

Amsonia hubrichtii

Hubrichts Bluestar

Leaves deep golden yellow; adds great texture to garden

Forb, perennial Forb, perennial

Salvia coccinea Solidago species Solidago rugosa

Fireworks

Texas Sage Goldenrod, many species Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod, Rough Stemmed Goldenrod Flat-top Goldenrod Purple Coneflower Sweet Coneflower, Sweet Blackeyed Susan

Bright red fall flowers Bright yellow fall flowers Bright yellow fall flowers Bright yellow fall flowers Lavender fall flowers w/purplish brown spiny centers Yellow fall flowers

Forb, perennial

Forb, perennial

Euthamia graminifolia Echinacea purpurea Rudbeckia subtomentosa

Forb, perennial

Forb, perennial

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Fall Color with Georgias Native Plants
Continued from Previous Page

Ideas for Fall Color with Native Plants in Georgia Type of Plant Plant Name Common Name Fall Color(s) Comments

Forb, perennial

Helianthus angustifolia Helianthus porteri Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Eupatorium fistulosum Eupatorium perfoliatum Conoclinium coelestinum Actaea pachypoda

Swamp Sunflower Stone Mountain Yellow Daisy, Confederate Daisy New England Aster

Gold fall flowers Profusion of yellow flowers Lavender flowers w/ orange-yellow centers Soft pink flowers Clusters of white flowers in fall Bright blue to violet flowers White berries with black stigma scar that resemble dolls eyes Blue-violet bottle shaped flowers that open only partially Terminal cluster of bright red berries Terminal cluster of deep red berries; yellow leaves Leaves turn reddish purple; berries are red Previous years leaves display mottled silver/ green/purple appearance Scarlet berries Deep pink flower stalks with airy texture Shades of green

Many other helianthus species work well Found on granite outcrops but grows well in a sunny garden Large and showy; larval host for Pearl Crescent butterfly A butterfly magnet; looks great w/ Heli-

Forb, annual

Forb, perennial

Forb, perennial Forb, perennial Forb, perennial

Joe Pye Weed Boneset Blue Mistflower Dolls Eyes, White Baneberry Soapwort Gentian, Harvest Bells Jack in the Pulpit Solomons Plume

anthus

Soft, cloudy texture; Great for pollinators May spread aggressively but is easily pulled up Plant & berries can be poisonous to humans Need wet areas to thrive Hooded flower in spring White bloom in spring; arching stems Leaves have oil of wintergreen scent Needs shade and moisture; less invasive than Asian pachysandra Creeper with small, round, dark green leaves; prefers acid soil Drought tolerant Need moisture; make a great background for colorful fallen leaves

Forb, perennial

Forb, perennial Forb, perennial Forb, perennial Forb, perennial evergreen low shrub to groundcover Forb, perennial, evergreen groundcover Forb, perennial, evergreen groundcover Grass, perennial Evergreen mosses (nonvascular plants)

Gentiana saponaria Arisaema triphyllum Maianthemum racemosum Gaultheria procumbens

Wintergreen, Eastern Teaberry

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny spurge, Mountain spurge

Mitchella repens

Partridgeberry

Muhlenbergia capillaris Polytrichum species and others

Hairy-awn muhly, Pink muhly Haircap moss, and others

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Native Shrubs: Continuing Our Landscape Heritage
By Rick Huffman

Landscapes should reflect the heritage and culture of a region and say something about who we are and where we live in the world. Native landscapes provide what the ancients Greeks called genus loci a sense of place. Of course, North Americas natural landscape has changed quite a bit from the landscapes our ancestors knew. Early explorers, Bartram, DeSoto, Douglas, Michaux, Nuttall, and Townsend documented and described Americas native flora and original landscape composition. The forests were rich mosaics of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Open areas such as prairies and savannas provided wonderful vistas of color and diversity. Then, as now, plants are essential to human survival, providing medicines, tools and food. Is our natural heritage represented in our landscapes today? Is our sense of place? Including native plants and shrubs in landscape design marks a return to 'common sense' gardening, and to landscapes that restore biodiversity and a sense of place. It is a logical choice to use plants that evolved in a region because they are adapted to the climate and will require less maintenance. Although most native shrubs are deciduous, they provide many design options and enhance wildlife (and human) habitats. Native shrubs benefit wildlife by providing cover, food, and nesting habitat. In turn, wildlife helps plants disperse seed and

Clethra

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

pollinate. Its wonderful to smell Clethras (Clethra alnifolia) sweet fragrance and to see hummingbirds dancing around the plants flowering panicle, or watch butterflies visit Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica). These experiences, and a thousand others like them, remind us of the reality of where we are and of our part in natures system. DESIGNING WITH NATIVE SHRUBS As with any landscape project, begin by identifying your landscape needs and understanding a bit about the plant community that suits the physical site. Plant communities are groups of plant species sharing an environmental niche. The goal is to capture the essence of the community model and project that into the design. The key is matching the correct species of shrubs to the sites environmental and physical conditions. The first basic questions relate to the physical conditions of the site. What is the projects geographic area or region? Is the site sunny, shady, wet, or dry? What are the soil conditions? Is the soil pH acid, alkaline, or neutral? Do you need screening, foundation plantings, accents or erosion control? Once these parameters are determined, design and plant selection can begin.
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Kalmia

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

NativeSCAPE October 2011

Native Shrubs: Continuing Our Landscape Heritage
Continued from Previous Page

Native shrubs can fill design needs for flower, fragrance, fall color, and define spaces as outdoor rooms. Designing with native shrubs allows you to create something different and unique while working within tried and true design principles. Instead of traditional foundation plantings, focus on loose groupings of several species. This design approach breaks the monotony of the evergreen mustache and offers a variety of colors, textures, and forms. Some of my favorite species (for

Fothergilla

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

native azaleas. These are just a small sampling of the many choices, so be sure to investigate your own regional options.

Sweetshrub

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

use in Southern gardens) are Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra), Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica), Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia), Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii), Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) and Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). These are very hardy, versatile and cost-effective shrubs. In our urban landscape, there is often a need for a privacy hedge. Some great evergreen choices are Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera), Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum), and Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) which can serve as a large shrub or small tree. The cultivar 'Brody' is a great smaller version of the Eastern Red Cedar. A sampling of large shrubs for shade to part shade is Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense), Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia), Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum), and all the

Native shrubs can offer new frontiers for American gardeners while returning our landscapes to a more natural form. Next time you plant, think about breaking the mold -and doing the right thing - by landscaping for wildlife, helping preserve our regional heritage, and enhancing our understanding of and respect for nature.

Viburnum

Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

What Lies Beneath
By Sharon Parry

When we moved in to our home 23 years ago, we decided to let the back corner of our odd-shaped lot go natural. Even though the area represents almost a quarter of our half-acre suburban lot, we decided it was too dry, too shady and too far from the water faucet for planting anything; we would just enjoy the existing trees: several large hickories (Carya spp.), tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera), and loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) from a distance. We did remove the poison ivy vines (Toxicodendron radicans) that were climbing the trees, several of which were the size of a wrestling champions biceps, but other than a few more poison ivy pulls over the years, weve pretty much left it alone. What happened? Mostly native vines covered the forest floor. Grapevine (Vitus rotundifolia), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), and briar (Smilax spp.) grew in abundance, along with the ever-present poison ivy, which provided lots of green during the summer and cover for a lot of visitors over the years.

viper is not something I want to stumble over or step on while traipsing through our overgrown woods. I understand that their venom is rarely fatal, but Im quite certain I would die of cardiac arrest should I ever suffer from one of their bites. Knowing that they prefer habitats with lots of vines, vegetation and/or debris (www.snakesandfrogs.com), I decided it was time for a major cleanup.

Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) Photo: Allen Bridgman, S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org

From Top left then Clockwise: Poison Ivy, Smilax, Grapevine, Virginia Creeper, More Grapevine, and a bit of English ivy.

Chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits have all set up housekeeping, and are most likely here to stay. Rat snakes, opossums, raccoons and even a fox have been spotted on occasion, and I was OK with all of these. I was not OK with our most recent visitor though, a copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix). The copperhead is a beautiful snake, but a venomous pit

It wasnt easy to make the decision to pull out the native vines which are quite useful to a variety of wildlife. But after a little research, I decided that it was OK to remove the vines by hand pulling which leaves bits and pieces of the vines behind. This would give any other native plants that were discovered during the process a chance to grow, while allowing the vines a more controlled return. It was a good compromise, and hopefully a logical plan.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

What Lies Beneath
By Sharon Parry

Where did I start? I needed access. I thought of Is the result going to be worth all this effort? Tarzan movies jungle paths hacked out with machetes. Absolutely! Take a look at some of the treasures Ive But I figured the trusty old Weed Eater would have to do. discovered so far. Who So my stronger half cleared a footpath around the knows what else lies perimeter of the area, and a couple more through the beneath, ready to center. (He also collected grass clippings from the front surprise us in the spring lawn to spread over these paths to help keep the paths obvious.) Then I had to figure out what kind of jungle gear I needed. Head to toe: floppy canvas hat to keep the mosquitoes from biting my eyelids and earlobes (they love me), surgeons mask to prevent an allergy attack from all the leaf mold attached to the vines, longsleeved shirt and pants, leather gauntlet gloves to protect my arms from briars and poison ivy, and leather boots just because they make me feel better when I cant see where Im walking. (I pretended they were snake proof.)
Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica))

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Of course, I picked the hottest month of the year American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) to start work on this project, but I was determined. I committed the first two hours of several mornings each week to this project. After coffee, I suited up and off I went. I was careful with this suiting up process wearing clothes and gloves that had been laundered well to prevent the spread of poison ivy oil. (Did you know that urushiol can stay potent for years?) And I was also careful not to put any of the debris into our burn pile. Smoke from poison ivy vines is a very dangerous thing. I learned that lesson long ago. And what did I find tangled up with all the vines I Heartleaf Ginger (Hexastylis arifolia)) removed? There were lots of small trees that had been strangled to death by the grapevine and had to be pulled out, but there were some that were in good shape still. I also discovered herbaceous plants that had managed to survive the competition from the vines, and I expect them to flourish with the increased light and moisture. Over time, I plan to add rescued plants that like dry shade, and I hope to keep the sure-to-return vines under control.
Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)

Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americana)

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

The Miniature Chestnut
By Jim Smith

Some of us still mourn the loss of our native chestnut, Castanea dentata, that was such an important and imposing component of the forests we remember from our childhood. There were still a few living specimens in the 1930s on farms in upstate New York and the durable chestnut posts were intact on those same farms into the 1960s. We are hopeful for the projects to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut through successive hybridization with the blight resistant Chinese chestnut. Even now, I frequently see small chestnut trees that sprout from the stumps of the original trees and have marked some of them as possible contributor to the blight-free projects. Sadly, all of these have succumbed to the virulent chestnut blight, Endothia parasitica. Recently, I have received several queries from people who think they have found a chestnut tree bearing fruit. In a way, they have. What they have found is Castanea pumila, the miniature chestnut best known as the Allegheny Chinquapin. It and several other similar species of chinquapin, such as Castanea alnifolia a shrubby species of the coastal plain are found as understory shrubs or small trees in the dry deciduous forests from Florida to Pennsylvania in the eastern United States. American chestnut and the Chinquapins are not difficult to distinguish from one another. American Chestnut leaves are glabrous (smooth) on both surfaces and more than 6 inches long. Should it have fruit, the spiny bur will have more than one nut per bur and the nut will be flattened on one side. The bur will usually be two to three inches in diameter. By contrast, the Chinquapins leaves will be less than 6 inches long and be pubescent or hairy on the underside. Should it have fruit, each bur will be about less than two inches in diameter and have a single nut that is not flattened. Should you find the Chinquapin, the nuts will ripen in September or October, and the sweet nuts are edible and reminiscent of the scarce American Chestnut.
Chinquapin flowers Photo: Ellen Honeycutt

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

A Chapters Tale: Celebrating Year One of the West Georgia Chapter
By Flo Hayes and Gina Strickland In 2007 the GNPS Board of Directors amended the Society by-laws to permit regional Chapters to form. There were few restrictions placed on the requirements in order to encourage Chapters and grow the organization by serving remote areas of the state. Several residents from Carroll County who were GNPS members desired to try forming a Chapter and sought the backing of other local residents, garden enthusiasts, members of Carroll County and Douglas County Master Gardeners and some small business persons in the area. Filled with enthusiasm, several residents from the 5 county area offered their expertise and experience to help form the chapters. Flo Hayes, current President of the West GA Chapter of GNPS, set up the first meeting at the Villa Rica Senior Center. Thus began our story. The Beginning Flo arranged a first meeting, with interested people, about forming a Chapter and invited individuals who she knew had skills to help. She invited people with organizational skills, with experience serving on committees, or as Board Directors or officers of other organizations. As we look back on that first meeting, it was full of great suggestions, excitement about the potential Chapter and lots and lots of questions! We each took away assignments: Calling and compiling lists of people and contact information from anyone who expressed interest; running notices in local papers; making announcements at local clubs; speaking with officers and board member of GNPS; researching how to become a non-profit and get 501c (3) tax exempt status based on education of the public (both of which are requirements of becoming a Chapter); researching costs; researching requirements for a P.O. Box, Sales Tax, and opening a bank account; identifying people who were interested in serving as the Officers and Board. After the initial meeting we formed a feasibility committee whose purpose and function was to identify all of those details and determine if there was enough community support both for participation and financially to form the Chapter. We met several more times in the next weeks and it appeared there was indeed lots of support and our first public meeting was held at the Carroll County Agricultural Center in Carrollton on August 20, 2008. Forty eight people from the community attended from the nearby 5 county area, along with representatives from GNPS who came to support us that evening. A slate of officers was presented and accepted by the attendees and the first officers and Board were installed that evening. It was a great beginning. Next Steps It was a longer journey than we expected, being the pioneers of the first Chapter. From start to receipt of official recognition took 18 months. However, it was a learning experience and overall we look back on it as a great time. This is due to strong support from the Presidents of GNPS, Marcia Winchester and Ellen Honeycutt, the Chapter Liaisons Mary Lou Cannamela and Jane Trentin, the Rescue Committee Chair and Regional Coordinator Lynn Almand and Sheri George, the Treasurer Paula Reith and other members of the GNPS Board of Directors. Our own board of directors and officers worked very hard to bring topics of interest to the public meetings, form a rescue committee and host workshops.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

A Chapters Tale
Continued from Previous Page The most important work was done behind the scenes as we raised money, got the state and federal paperwork done, started a website and opened a bank account and PO Box and documented our activities. Local support came from residents of 5 counties who donated time and funds. Without these persons it would not have been possible. The first board included: Gina Strickland, President; Flo Hayes, Vice President; Vickie Lloyd, Treasurer; Gail Woody, Secretary; Mike Strickland and Wendell Hoomes, Rescue Committee, James Dickinson, Program Director, and Kathy Howell, Education Committee. Our thanks go out to them for their service and always pleasant enthusiasm throughout the process. With their support and volunteers from outside sources we were able to host educational presentations at our meetings and on our hikes. We were able to host fall workshops on topics like landscaping with native plants, attracting butterflies with food source plants, identifying plants and shrubs in the fall and winter, container gardening with native plants, invasive plants in Georgia, trilliums of the southeast, azaleas of Georgia and native plants and trees of McIntosh Reserve. The Chapter held educational field trips with guided hikes to Buffalo Creek, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Kaul Wildflower Garden, Sweetwater Creek State Park and McIntosh Reserve, during which attendees learned about the native plants, shrubs and trees on those trails. Our small group has also provided speakers to local schools, community groups and events always with the purpose to educate and raise awareness of the great diversity of native plants that are found in our state. The end of the journey and beginning of the rest In June 22, 2009 we became a non-profit in Georgia and then we received our letter from the IRS with our Tax Exempt approval as of June 26, 2009. We had a nice celebration at our next public meeting and officers from GNPS attended. It had taken 18 months and many things were learned along the way about what had to be done and what order it should be done in. We have worked with the current GNPS Board and Officers to compile these steps into a Chapter Start-up Manual that will be available for download on the GNPS Website. I know it will make the next Chapters experience easier. If I had only one piece of advice to offer it would be, do your research, dont spread any one persons time too thinly and have great people to work with who love native plants, love teaching people and love the out of doors. Remember its all about your community and education. Our future as an organization will depend on the continued support of volunteers in our community and groups like the Boy Scouts of America and Master Gardeners who have supported us with volunteers in our restoration project at Buffalo Creek Trail and have ties to the trail. This project has been all about the volunteers who have been just terrific. A lot of Invasive plants and shrubs have been removed, the trails are being restored and volunteers have started to replant the forest floor adjacent to the trails. This spring hundreds of plants were installed on the work days run by Flo Hayes and a native plant bed was established in the Master Gardeners demonstration garden. We have more projects that need volunteers, and need people who would like to server as future officers and committee chairpersons. We cant do it without the on-going community support. The future is bright for next year and we look forward to the growth of the West GA Chapter of GNPS as a supporting organization for restoration in our communitys green spaces and as a resource for education on native plants.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Native Plant Rescue News
By Lynn Almand

Fall, where have you been all summer? After an incredibly long, hot, dry summer, cooler weather is here and so are native plant rescues. There were nine rescues on September's schedule; we are busy planning October rescues--followed by more in November and December. Then we will pause during January (brrrrrr) and by February we will restart rescues as we see the signs of the early spring ephemerals. Time does fly, doesn't it? As I write this, fall is definitely in the air, and one of the first signs in my garden is the Tulip poplar (Lirodendron tulipifera) leaves beginning to fall, adding a nice layer of leaves to the woodland floor. One of my favorite garden pastimes (really) is raking, and right now, I am putting that precious pine straw from my driveway to good use around shrubs. Yes, I confess, I love to rake. I am also reducing my lawn, and I have found that if I do it by a foot or two at a time, it is a much more manageable task. There is a bonus, too, because I will have just enough room to add a few more rescued plants. What is your favorite fall plant? At the moment, mine is Goldenrod. (I'm very fickle when it comes to favorites.) I have the good old stand-by, Solidago altissima, standing tall in my perennial bed, and the lovely and unassuming Wreath Goldenrod (S. caesia) in my woodland. Two more of my favorites are both selections of native species. 'Golden Fleece' (Solidago spahacelata 'Golden Fleece') is a selection by Dr. Dick Lightly, former director at Delaware's Mt. Cuba Center. It grows to only around 20 inches, so it is a great groundcover. Solidago 'Fireworks' (S. rugosa 'Fireworks') may be more familiar to you as it has been around since 1993, introduced by Ken Moore of the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. It tops out at around three feet tall with 18-inch long arching spires of bright yellow flowers. It is appropriately named, for sure! All of the goldenrods are attractive to many insects and hummingbirds. While you will not see 'Golden Fleece' and 'Fireworks' listed on our rescues, do not pass up the species as just an ordinary 'weedy' roadside plant if you find it on a rescue. Just find a sunny spot, and you won't be disappointed. The Beautyberries (Callicarpa americana) are just spectacular right now as are the Sumacs (Rhus spp.) and Chokeberries (Aronia spp.). Don't you love watching the birds find all the berries? There are some left on my Dogwoods. The red berries of the Cornus florida, the purplish black berries of the Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), and the almost porcelain blue berries of the Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) are disappearing fast. I have saved the best for last. We have six new facilitators eager to help on rescues. They are in training now with an experienced facilitator-mentor, so please welcome them when you see them on a rescue. Once they complete their field training, you will see them wearing the familiar (and coveted, sometimes rusty) yellow facilitator name badge. Jeff Barrett 'Reds' Broadhead Lola Halpin Denise Hartline Carol Hight Dave Saunders If you are a new member or just never tried our plant rescues, now is the time. Fall is the perfect planting season, and there are plenty of plants that need saving. The rescue schedule is on our website, www.gnps.org. Just click on Plant Rescues and select Rescue Schedule.

Remember, never dig native plants on public property, or on private property without the permission of the owner, and ONLY if the plants will be lost to development. Join a GNPS rescue instead and help us save the plants legally with other people who love native plants.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Chapter News
By Flo Hayes, President, West Georgia Chapter

About 14 members and guests met at Sweetwater Creek State Park at 9:00 on August 20 for our field trip. We started the morning with Ellen Honeycutt talking about tree identification. She spent a few minutes showing us how to look at trees, their bark and leaves to help with initial identification. She had some wonderful pictures and illustrations. Ellen explained our initial survey of the tree can often rule out many species and help narrow down our identification options. Then we followed Ellen on about a three mile hike as she pointed out trees and let us put our identification skills to use. We were treated to a wide range of trees that helped us distinguish many trees and tree families. We also toured the ruins of a mill that was destroyed by Sherman's troops during the Civil War. James Dickinson was with our group and very knowledgeable about the mill and how the water wheel worked to provide power for the mill. Ellen made the tree identification understandable and useful to each of us. When we returned to the Visitor Center we were met by Phil Delestrez, the Park Manager. Phil walked us around the visitor center and talked about some of the beds they are planting. He showed us the roof top planting currently looked after by the Douglas County Master Gardeners. This is part of the green building that comprises the Visitor Center. Phil then showed us some of the native grasses he has planted. WOW. Some of them are so beautiful. I think we have all ignored those grasses as we don't recognize them. What a mistake. Some would be beautiful additions to our gardens. Phil also talked about his wish list of plans for the visitor center area. One plan is to have volunteers to plan, plant and maintain a native plant area. The area he pointed out offers many possibilities as it has both sun and shade areas. He has asked WGC-GNPS to consider adopting this area as one of our projects. This would be a wonderful way for us to help reach the public with the beauty and use of native plants. The day ended about noon just as the temperature was climbing toward the 90's. We all agreed it was a wonderful day and look forward to putting our new knowledge to work.

The group pauses for a photo before embarking on a day of adventure and newfound skills. Photo: Mike Strickland

To learn more about the West Georgia Chapter and our programs and projects, please visit WWW.wgawildflowers.org.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Upcoming Events
October 15, 2011: West GA Chapter Fall Workshop
The Chapter will be hosting a Saturday morning workshop on pollinators October 15th from 8:30 to 12:00, at the Carroll County Ag Center. Come browse the native plant sale table and ask questions of Mike Strickland and the Coweta County Beekeeper, Merry Cagle. A $5 donation to the chapter is requested of attendees. Athena Rayne Anderson will be giving a guest presentation about pollinators and pollinator gardening. She is a doctoral student in ecology at UGA, and the author of a new blog designed to teach folks about the importance and beauty of pollinators! Visit www.pollinators.info to learn more! Master Gardener Gail Woody will be giving a guest presentation about local Carroll County gardening for pollinators, her experiences with butterflies, hummingbirds and bees, and showing her fantastic photo collection of pollinators at work.

October 15: Deadline for Plant of the Year Nominations

GNPS members may nominate any plant which is native to Georgia until October 15. You may nominate online using our Nomination Form or send your nomination via email to gnpspoy@gnps.org. Include the common name, scientific name and the reason for your choice. This program promotes the recognition of outstanding native plants and encourages deeper appreciation of desirable native plants.

November 8: Meeting
Wet and Dry - Tuesday, November 8, Steve Sanchez will present "Wet and Dry" Two topics of concern in commercial landscapes are storm water management and landscapes that require little or no irrigation. This presentation will show design tools and native plant options for these two environments.

February 11, 2012: GNPS Symposium

The next GNPS Symposium is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2012. The event will be held at Southern Polytechnic State University's facilities in Marietta, GA. We have an exciting group of speakers for the event, including Doug Tallamy, author of "Bringing Nature Home." As some of you many remember, Dr. Tallamy spoke at our 2009 Symposium. For this event, he will be presenting from material being gathered for his second book, and the topic will address maintaining curb appeal while using native plants. As always we will have lunch included and there will be plant vendors, a book vendor and several other vendors. Please make a note of the date so that you can spend the day with us. Registration information will be mailed to members in November.

GNPS membership dues for 2012 can be paid now, starting October 1. Please refer to our website for current information on project workdays and times.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Upcoming Events
Spring Garden Tour Set For April
The GNPS members only Garden Tour for 2012 has been scheduled for Sunday, April 15, 2012. Mark your calendars now to see the gardens of Linda Fraser, Charles Hunter and others yet to be selected. Linda Fraser is the creator of our Oakleaf Hydrangea logo and a frequent exhibitor of her native plant inspired art at our bimonthly meetings and symposium. Her property is in Northwest Atlanta. Charles Hunter has lots of native azaleas, trilliums and other spring blooming natives in his west Cobb County garden. Come learn how he has met the challenge of removing invasives from his property. If you know of a place in the Atlanta area that needs to be seen in Spring because of its bounty of native plants, please let any member of the board know. We still need at least two more gardens for our members' viewing pleasure.

Hemlockfest 2011 November 4-6

Near Historic Dahlonega Ga. on 40 private acres. A three day awareness and fund raising event to help save the hemlock trees and their dependent ecosystems. Includes lots of great live music & primitive camping options! Help save the hemlock trees from the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Most of Georgia's hemlock range is now infested and the clock is ticking down as we are in our final years of being able to save these keystone trees, some of whom are centuries old. This effort goes far beyond just the concern for the hemlock trees themselves, but reaches into the many aspects of the ecosystem that will be affected by their loss.

Information at: www.lumpkincoalition.org

Mark Your Calendars for the 2012 GNPS Annual Spring Plant Sale! When: Where: Sale Day: Saturday, April 14, 2012 Set-up Day: Friday, April 13, 2012 McFarlane Nature Park 280 Farm Road SE Marietta, GA 30067

Please plan to volunteer and/or shop the plant sale as it is our major fundraiser of the year plus volunteering (and shopping) is a lot of fun! Follow the GNPS Archive Page link to see pictures of past plant sales and other activities of GNPS.

http://gnps.org/indexes/Archive_Index.php

Please refer to our website for current information on project workdays and times.

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NativeSCAPE October 2011

Upcoming Events
Trees Atlanta Announces 12th Annual Trees Atlanta Tree Sale & Festival
More Than 1,000 Trees and Plants Offered at Annual Non-Profit Fundraiser Trees Atlanta announced details for the 12th Annual Trees Atlanta tree sale. The nationally known non-profit is hosting the event at their Platinum LEED certified headquarters, the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center, located at 225 Chester Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30316. The tree sale is scheduled for Saturday, October 8th, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Trees Atlanta donors of $500 or more are invited to attend a preview shopping night the evening before the sale. Each October, Trees Atlanta offers more than 1,000 plants including 200 species of trees, shrubs, and tree-friendly vines for purchase by the public. This years sale, sponsored by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., focuses on shade trees and native trees that will be planted on the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum. Trees Atlanta is a nationally recognized citizens group that protects and improves Atlantas urban forest by planting, conserving and educating. For more information about Trees Atlanta or the 12th Annual Trees Atlanta Tree Sale, visit www.treesatlanta.org or call 404-522-4097.

Muirs Walk through the South

John Muirnaturalist, prolific author, co-founder of the Sierra Club, and the Father of the National Parksis an iconic figure in the United States. His name instantly draws us to the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and Yosemite National Park. A mere two years after the close of the Civil War in 1867, a 29 year old Muir left his Indiana home and rambled through the woods of the Southeastern United States: I have long been looking from the wild woods and gardens of the northern states to those of the warm south and at last all drawbacks overcome on the first day of September 1867 I set forth joyful and free on a thousand mile walk to the Gulf of Mexico. With his pocket map spread before him, Muir planned his journey on the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky. Muir traveled light, carrying only a small satchel, Miltons Paradise Lost, a New Testament, a book of poems by Robert Burns, and a plant press. He admired the great caves filled with ferns and the lordly oaks in Kentucky and then encountered the lush flora of the Cumberland Mountains. He later descended into the Tennessee Valley and stopped at Kingston to send plant specimens home to his brother David. He swam across the Chattahoochee River, where dark water oak and muscadine grape vines filled the banks. He traversed rattlesnakes near Athens, saw the long-leafed pines near Augusta, and then arrived in Savannah almost penniless and camped in Bonaventure Cemetery for almost a week. After funds came from his brother, he booked passage to north Florida. As throughout his journey, the plant life and climate continued to offer new surprises: A new cane-like grass, or big lily, or gorgeous flower belonging to tree or vine would catch my attention and I would throw down my satchel and press and splash through the coffee brown water for specimens, frequently sinking deeper and deeper until compelled to turn back . . . sometimes tangled in a labyrinth of armed vines like a fly in a spiders web. Now climbing a tree for specimens of fruit . . . overwhelmed with the vastness and unapproachableness of the great guarded ocean of tropic plants. Muir made his way to Cedar Keys where he contracted malaria, convalescing among the live oak, resurrection fern, and yucca, and sailed for Cuba after his recovery. His, at times, challenging journey fed his passion for plants that formed the underpinnings of Muirs lifelong pursuit to conserve the great outdoors in the United States. You can learn more about Muirs love of botany by visiting the traveling exhibition Natures Beloved Son: Rediscovering John Muirs Botanical Legacy, hosted by Cherokee Garden Library of the Atlanta History Center, October 12 to December 4, 2011. The Atlanta History Center will be the only Southeastern venue for this outstanding exhibit. More information is available at atlantahistorycenter.com or 404.814.4046. Submitted by Staci Catron, Cherokee Garden Library Director, Atlanta History Center

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Georgia Native Plant Society Membership & Renewal

Memberships are effective for one calendar year, beginning January 1st. Hydrangea quercifolia

Choose membership level: (Select one) ___Individual/Family ($20) ___Full-Time Student ($15) ___Lifetime Individual/Family ($250) ___Senior, 55 and older ($15) ___Corporate/Commercial/Educational ($50)

Affiliation: ___No Chapter Affiliation ___West Georgia Chapter

___Check here if in addition to my membership renewal, I have included ______ to be distributed as follows: ___Education ___Jeane Reeves Memorial Grants and Scholarship Program Total Enclosed: ____________ ___Conservation/Propagation/Restoration ___Unrestricted Check # _______________

Trade Name (if applicable):

_______________________________________________________________________

First Name: ______________________ Middle Initial: ____ Last Name: __________________________________ If Family, list additional names: ____________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Home Phone: ___________________________________ Work Phone: ____________________________________ Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ (Email address is required if you wish to receive the Listserv and/or Electronic Newsletter.)

___ Check here if you prefer NOT to receive emails from our list server which contain information about meetings, plant rescues, work parties and other items of interest to the membership.

The full-color newsletter will be sent electronically. If you require a print version, which will be black and white, check here: ___

Please mail completed renewal form to the following address: GNPS, PO Box 422085, Atlanta, GA 30342-2085