COLUMN: Ramblings: Wildflower or native plant?

I haven't been doing much rambling lately. The weather and health issues have prohibited me from enjoying the rural landscape up close. However, this is the perfect time for our minds to ramble through the gardens we will have come spring.

Late January and early February are perfect for rambling through seed catalogs and planning what new beauty we will create.

Years ago, when my mom ran a small business selling garden plants, this was a busy time. We spent hours in the hot, damp greenhouse, planting tiny seeds. Aha, the excitement when the tiny green shoots appeared.

This spring, as you plan your gardens, I urge you to consider planting some native plants. There are several reasons why I am promoting native plants. The first is so simple – they are easy to grow here, even in the hard red clay of Owen County. They also attract our native pollinators.

Hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, bees and wasps will visit native plants. Native shrubs provide cover and food for birds, as well as adding beauty to the landscape. They add color and beauty, without a lot of work.

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite wildflowers was Queen Anne's Lace. The delicate blossoms fascinated me. Imagine my horror when as an adult, I discovered this plant was not a native and was quite invasive. Each blossom spreads hundreds of seeds. That is how it has become so ingrained in our landscapes.

Another flower that many consider a 'native' is the Oxeye daisy. That familiar flower is also native to North America in the 1800s from Europe. They have spread rapidly and are considered invasive because they crowd out native species. There are several places to get information to help identify native plants.

Every county has a Purdue Extension office, most counties have a Soil and Water Conservation District office. Both places will have information to help you identify natives. Don't forget the library; there are many books to help you identify natives. One of my favorite books on the subject was written by a Hoosier several years ago. Carolyn Harstad is the author of "Go Native." The book has many line drawings and a wealth of information on planning native gardens.

For early spring color, I suggest planting Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica). The tiny five-petal flowers are pink or white and last several weeks. Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) are another of my favorites. It is easily confused with Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis). Both have finely divided fern-like leaves and grow in similar environments. May apples (Podophyllum peltatum) are hard to miss when walking through the forest.

The little umbrella-shaped plants with white blooms cover the forest floor in late spring. All these spring ephemerals thrive in the dappled shade of the spring forest. They join Cut-leaved Toothwort and Wild Geranium in a wild profusion of color to welcome visitors out for a spring stroll.

There are many places to purchase these plants, so don't try digging them up from the side of the road. Some are difficult to transplant and perish at the hands of well-meaning gardeners. Look to your local garden clubs and native plant organizations or seed catalogs for sources.

Next month we will explore wildflower meadows.

'til next time,
Annie