If you’re an iNaturalist user (or want to become one!) and a native plant fanatic, KNPS would like to invite you to join the fourth annual Kentucky Botanists Big Year project!
A Botanists Big Year is a personal challenge or a friendly competition to observe and identify as many plant species as possible in a single year. The rules for the challenge are simple: 1) Observations must be of a plant – native or non-native, vascular or non-vascular, everything in Kingdom Plantae counts! 2) Observations must occur within the Commonwealth of Kentucky 3) Observations must be between January 1 – December 31, 2022 4) Observations must reach “Research Grade” status (this is when at least 2/3 of identifiers reach a consensus on a species ID)
The top five participants in the categories of Most Species, Most Observations, and Most Identifications will win KNPS swag, as well as the glory of victory! Naturalists and enthusiasts of any skill level are encouraged to join up: Big Year projects are a fantastic way to document and remember interesting plants you saw, learn how to identify them, and connect with other naturalists in the state. We hope to see you and your observations out there!
Join us April 2nd at 11am EDT as we pull winter-creeper from populations of running buffalo clover at Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate in Lexington following the iNaturalist tutorial hike. To learn more about running buffalo clover, click here. You do not need to partake in the iNaturalist tutorial hike to help pull winter creeper, but you are welcome to! Bring a knee pad and gardening gloves if you have them. We will meet next to the Gingko Cafe. If you wish to join in, please email Heidi Braunreiter, heidi.braunreiter@ky.gov.
By Alicia Bosela, owner of Ironweed Native Plant Nursery
At the nursery, an inquisitive couple wanted native plants for their new cabin home: “We’d like plants that our grandmothers would’ve had.” To their surprise, I asked, “Which grandmother?” meaning a couple generations ago or when most plants at hand were still native?
Ethnobotany is the study of the interrelations between people and plants in the past. Beginning in roughly 1000AD the three sisters: corn, beans, and squash were the primary crops used by indigenous people of North America. They reached the Midwest from Mexico and became the dominant crops. Before 1000AD, during the Woodland period, crops were also grown but they were developed from native plants. These native plants still exist today, though in wild form.
The Eastern Agricultural Complex (EAC) refers to a geographic area centered on the Mississippi River and encompassing all adjoining states. Kentucky is at the core of that geographic area. The EAC is one center of domestication in the pre-historic world in which domesticated native plants were largely abandoned in favor of corn, hence, “the lost crops.”
A handful of native plants were domesticated including little barley, village goosefoot, upright knotweed, marsh elder, and Carolina maygrass. Though special, these plants are not remotely ornamental. Interesting research is being done to understand many questions about their domestication and use. As a tie in, foragers and those interested in wild edibles might enjoy a detailed talk by Dr. Natalie Mueller of Cornell University. A few in the “local food” movement have begun to experiment with these plants in their dishes.
Perhaps these plants have value in Environmental Education, introducing an appreciation of early agriculture to folks, young and old. Might there be a use someday for these plants for those interested in sustainability? Regardless, the inquisitive couple who visited the nursery for native plants used by their grandmother have a colorful array of options and a marvelous starting point to explore on our natural heritage over an expanse of time.
Plants mention in this article
Little barley (Hordeum pusillum)
Village goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri)
Upright knotweed (Polygonum erectum)
Marsh elder (Iva annua)
Carolina maygrass (Phalaris caroliniana)
Alicia Bosela owns Ironweed Native Plant Nursery in Columbia Kentucky, a certified woman-owned business. Before opening her own nursery, she was the Assistant Director of Clay Hill Memorial Forest Environmental Education Center. You can contact her at www.ironweednursery.com.
For over 30 years the Kentucky Native Plant Society, in partnership with Natural Bridge State Resort Park, has held a Wildflower Weekend at the park, offering wildflower hikes, as well as evening presentations. In 2020, due to COVID-19, we were forced to cancel Wildflower Weekend for the first time ever. Last year, with the pandemic still disrupting in-person activities, we all participated in a virtual Wildflower Week.
This year we are incredibly excited to be going back to an in-person Wildflower Weekend, April 8th-10th at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. This year’s Wildflower Week will be a hybrid of in-person and online activities. The week prior to Wildflower Weekend, we will be hosting an online, week-long BotanyBlitz on iNaturalist from April 2nd-9th.
Wildflower Weekend 2022 at Natural Bridge SRP
KNPS’ 2022 Wildflower Weekend is scheduled for April 8, 9, & 10. The weekend will offer wildflower hikes Friday and Saturday, led by some of the best botanists in the state. These hikes will explore the region’s rich natural history and resources in the state park and the Red River Gorge. Friday evening there will be a campfire social gathering at the group campsite near the Middle Fork Campground to meet your fellow native plant enthusiasts. Our Saturday night the keynote speaker will be Mike Homoya, former Indiana State Botanist/Plant Ecologist and author of numerous excellent botanical field guides. His presentation is titled, “Rare Plant and Natural Communities along the Ohio River, from Cincinnati to the Mississippi River.”
We are still in the process of lining up folks for the wildflower hikes. We are also looking for folks to help the hike leaders so that we can allow for more people on each hike. If you are interested in leading or helping on a hike, please send us an email at WildflowerWeekend2022@knps.org.
This event is open to the public and kid-friendly. Admission is $10 for adults, $3 for ages 13-17, and free for ages 12 & under.
As COVID-19 will still be a concern, we will be making every effort to minimize potential exposure for everyone:
Pre-registration: attendees will be able pre-register for the event as well as the guided hikes. This will better help us make arrangements for social distancing, as well as reduce crowding at hikes. Pre-registration will be opened online several weeks before Wildflower Weekend. Members of KNPS will be allowed to register before the registration is opened to the general public.
Meet-up locations for hikes: each hike will have a separate designated meeting point outside of the lodge, and we ask that everyone head straight to those outdoor locations rather than congregating together in the lodge lobby.
Social distancing: as much as possible, we will keep our group interactions outdoors. However for the Saturday evening presentations in the Woodland Center, we will reduce the number of chairs and spread them out so folks can easily socially distance.
Masks: in all cases, we will abide by the public health rules of our host, Natural Bridge SRP. To that end, we request that folks wear masks when indoors.
We appreciate your help in keeping this event as safe as it can be!
BotanyBlitz 2022 on iNaturalist
Leading up to Wildflower Weekend will be our week long BotanyBlitz, which will run from Saturday, April 2, through Saturday, April 9, and be hosted on the iNaturalist website. A BotanyBlitz is a community-science event that focuses on finding and identifying as many plant species as possible within a designated location and time period. At the end of the week, the observations of all participants will be tallied and awards given for Most Species Observed and Most Observations.
Beginning on Saturday, April 2, we are encouraging everyone to visit parks and natural areas throughout the Commonwealth, to find and photograph native plants (with an emphasis on those in bloom), and upload them to our BotanyBlitz project. Expert botanists and people with a keen identifying eye will be watching the observations roll in and can help with ID tips and tricks, so if you love wildflowers but aren’t always sure how to identify them, this project is definitely for you!
If you are interested in participating in this community science project but are unfamiliar with iNaturalist, we can help. On Saturday, April 2, at the beginning of the KNPS Wildflower Week BotanyBlitz, several iNaturalist tutorial hikes will be held at parks across Kentucky. These hikes will be lead by local botanizers who are also experienced iNaturalist users, who will demonstrate the basics of the app. Groups will then set out on an easy nature walk to practice uploading iNat observations, troubleshoot questions when possible, and of course, admire the wildflowers. We will open registration for these walks in early March. Members of KNPS will be allowed to register before the registration is opened to the general public. In the meantime, make sure to download the iNaturalist app and create a user account!
We have set up a page for Wildflower Weekend 2022 & BotanyBlitz 2022 where we will post the most current information about the events over the next several weeks. Be sure to visit the page and bookmark it!
If you have any questions about Wildflower Weekend or the BotanyBlitz, send us an email at WildflowerWeekend2022@knps.org Hope to see you in April.
Kick-off BotanyBlitz with an iNaturalist Tutorial Hike!
Have you ever struggled to identify plants outdoors or ever wanted a second opinion? The phone app iNaturalist is a great tool for all levels of plant and nature enthusiasts! It is an online social network for amateur naturalists and professional biologists around the world. Posts of plant photos, also known as observations, made on iNaturalist are not only informative for you, but for many professional biologists who use this app to track plant and animal species. The app will suggest plant identifications based on your photos and other users can help determine if that ID is correct.
As a lead-up to KNPS’s Wildflower Weekend and the 2022 BotanyBlitz, there will be kickoff tutorials at Taylor Fork Natural Area and Raven Run Nature Sanctuary on April 1st, followed by a number of iNaturalist tutorial hikes held across the state on Saturday, April 2nd. These tutorial hikes will led by experienced iNaturalist users. The hikes will be geared towards beginner iNaturalist users and will teach you how to make observations and navigate the app. You will need to have the app iNaturalist downloaded to your phone and an account created beforehand in order to participate and learn. Hikes will vary in length from 0.5 mile to 3 miles.
We will be asking folks to register for the hikes so hike leaders will know how many participants to expect. As we are still in the process of setting up the hikes, registration will open in early March and will be announced in the March Lady Slipper.
Sky Bridge Loop Trail, Red River Gorge, Pine Ridge KY
Barbara Graham
St. Anne Woods and Wetlands, Melbourne KY
Dr. Maggie Whitson, Kendall McDonald, and Vanessa Voelker
lf you are already an experienced iNaturalist user and are interested in leading a tutorial hike in your area, please contact: WildflowerWeekend2022@knps.org.
By Vanessa Voelker, Botanist with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves
While you’re admiring the usual spring flora during the week leading up to Wildflower Weekend, here are a few infrequent to rare native plants to watch for across Kentucky. In past years, iNaturalist observers have helped to document new populations of these seven uncommon to rare native species in the state. With a little luck and a sharp eye, you may be able to help us document even more!
Spotted mandarin (Prosartes maculata, Special Concern)
Spotted Mandarin range in Kentucky
Blooming period: April
Where to find it: High quality mesic forests in the eastern part of the state. Most iNaturalist observations of Spotted Mandarin in Kentucky come from the Red River Gorge area, however it is known to occur in a number of counties throughout the Cumberland Plateau ecoregion.
What it looks like: This perennial species is in the Lily Family, and like its relatives, its leaves have parallel venation. When in bloom, Spotted Mandarin can be easily distinguished from its more common cousin Yellow Fairybells (Prosartes lanuginosa): both species have similar foliage and nodding flowers, but the blooms of Spotted Mandarin are white with purple speckles, while those of Yellow Fairybells are greenish-yellow.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Spotted Mandarin in Kentucky.
Spotted mandarin: Photo by @wildflowerenthusiast5Spotted mandarin: Photo by @pbkelly
Sweet pinesap (Monotropsis odorata, Threatened)
Sweet Pinesap range in Kentucky
Blooming period: March-April
Where to find it: Scattered counties of eastern Kentucky. Sweet pinesap is usually found in upland woods with dry, acidic soil under oaks and pines, often in areas where Rhododendron species and Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) also like to grow.
What it looks like: If it seems familiar, you may be noticing its family resemblance to the more common Ghost Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) and Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys). Like its relatives, Sweet Pinesap lacks chlorophyll and is parasitic on underground fungi that associate with tree roots. It is an inconspicuous perennial that stands no more than 4 inches tall, sometimes not even rising above the leaf litter, and its flowers and fleshy stems are violet to rosy, covered by bracts that turn brown. The common name derives from the sweet, delicate fragrance of the flowers, which is described as being similar to cloves, nutmeg, or cinnamon. The lovely, unusual flowers and sweet fragrance make this species a real treat to behold, although you may actually smell Sweet Pinesap before you see it.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Sweet Pinesap in Kentucky.
Sweet pinesap: Photo by @tararoselittlefieldLarge cluster of sweet pinesap: Photo by @hbraunreiter
False mermaidweed (Floerkea proserpinacoides)
Blooming period: April
False Mermaidweed range in Kentucky
Where to find it: This species is absent in most of Kentucky, and is restricted to the counties of the Cincinnati Metro area. On iNaturalist, it has been spotted at Gunpowder Creek Nature Park in Boone County, as well as St. Mary’s Cemetery and Lincoln Ridge Park in Kenton County. However, it might be found in any suitable habit in that area. Look for it in low woods near springs or small streams, as it prefers higher quality woodland habitats with consistently moist soils.
What it looks like: The first leaves to emerge are distinctively 3-parted. As the stem elongates, later leaves are 5- to 7-parted compound, and its 3-parted flowers are miniscule and greenish. Although it can be locally abundant, this diminutive annual is quite inconspicuous, and can be mistaken for a variety of dainty, similar-looking wildflowers, such as Catchweed Bedstraw (Galium aparine) and Harbinger of Spring (Erigenia bulbosa). Check it out “hiding in plain sight” in front of Sessile Trillium in this observation from Grant County.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of False Mermaidweed in Kentucky.
Three-parted young leaves of false mermaidweed: Photo by@kemperLater leaves, photo by @micahfreedmanFalse Mermaidweed in full glorious bloom: Photo by @jackstenger
Forkleaf toothwort (Cardamine dissecta)
Blooming period: March-April
Where to find it: Forkleaf Toothwort prefers oak-hickory forests and rocky calcareous woods. In Kentucky, this species is found in the lower center of the state, with several populations having been observed on iNaturalist in the Mammoth Cave area. It is one of the less frequently encountered Toothworts, and there are currently only 14 observations of this species in Kentucky on iNaturalist!
What it looks like: Flowering stems have two highly dissected leaves, with lobe segments that are very slender and untoothed. The whole plant is hairless, and like related Toothworts, the flowers are white to pinkish with four petals. Forkleaf Toothwort may be most likely to be mistaken for the very common Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), which has three whorled stem leaves that are moderately dissected with coarsely toothed lobes.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Forked Toothwort in Kentucky.
Forkleaf toothwort: Photo by @thomashulseyForkleaf toothwort: Photo by @vvoelker
Glade Violet (Viola egglestonii, Special Concern)
Blooming period: March-April
Glade Violet range in Kentucky
Where to find it: As the common name suggests, this species is at home in the dry rocky soils of limestone glades and barrens. In Jefferson County, this species has been spotted in open glade areas along hiking trails at McNeely Lake Park.
What it looks like: Glade Violet is a “stemless” blue violet: the lobed leaves and flower stalks arise from the base of the plant at ground level, rather than branching off of a stem. The flowers are blue-purple with a striped white throat. This species might resemble other lobed-leaf violets like Early Wood Violet (Viola palmata) or even Arrowleaf Violet (Viola sagittata), but its strict preference for dry, open glade habitats can help to distinguish it from similar violets that prefer shadier, woodland settings.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Glade Violet in Kentucky.
Lobed leaves of glade violet: Photo by @tararoselittlefieldGlade violet: Photo by @heididam_b
Where to find it: Moist soils in wooded floodplains, forested streambanks and ravines, in the westernmost corner of the state. On iNaturalist in Kentucky, this species has been spotted in Land Between the Lakes, and on loess bluffs along the Mississippi River including at Metropolis Lake State Nature Preserve, just west of Paducah.
What it looks like: Carolina Silverbell is a large shrub or small understory tree. The simple, ovate leaves may not necessarily draw the eye, but while in flower this species is quite noticeable: the clusters of 2-5 white, bell-shaped flowers drooping from its branches are highly ornamental. This species is endangered in Kentucky, and any new observations of it would be a very exciting find during the BotanyBlitz.
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Carolina Silverbell in Kentucky.
Carolina silverbell in bloom: Photo by @jeff85Carolina silverbell flowers and foliage: Photo by @jeff85
Nodding Rattlesnakeroot (Nabalus crepidineus, Special Concern)
Blooming period: August-September
Nodding Rattlesnakeroot range in Kentucky
Where to find it: Low woods near forested streams, uncommon in the state but scattered throughout. On iNaturalist, populations of this species have been discovered in Louisville area public parks such as Cherokee Park and Harrod’s Creek Park. In the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area, it has been spotted at St. Anne Woods and Wetlands in Melbourne and Devou Park in Covington.
What it looks like: Ironically, although Nodding Rattlesnakeroot blooms in late summer, it is far more likely to be observed in the spring. This species forms large, densely vegetative colonies, but plants without sufficient sun exposure don’t often don’t flower, and all or most of the plants in those colonies typically senesce by June. A cousin to Lactuca (lettuces), a lush colony of Nodding Rattlesnakeroot in April can look like a forest floor covered in salad greens. Although there are a few similar-looking Rattlesnakerootspecies in the state, a key differentiating feature of Nodding Rattlesnakeroot’s spring foliage are its broadly “winged” petioles (leaf stalks). Because it is most visible during a narrow window of time early in the year, this species is somewhat overlooked throughout its range, so keep an eye out – you may be the next botanizer to make a new county record!
Click here to view all iNaturalist observations of Nodding Rattlesnakeroot in Kentucky.
Young “salad greens” foliage: Photo by @vvoelkerThe broadly “winged” petiole as seen on a larger leaf: Photo by @owenkathriner
Vanessa Voelker is a botanist with the Plant Conservation Section at the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves. Originally from central Illinois, Vanessa worked as a lab tech for the USDA before fleeing the lab for the woods and honing her skills as a botany technician in Missouri and Indiana before coming to Kentucky in 2020. When she isn’t in the field, Vanessa is active on iNaturalist (@vvoelker) and is always happy to help with plant identification and offer pro-tips for differentiating between tricky species.
When asked how to design a new garden, my favorite response is: Keep your camera with you everywhere you go. When you see something you like, take a picture of it. Later, match the looks you love to your property while considering sun, water, soil, and grading. It’s the best advice I can give because someone with no idea what to do needs a bit of inspiration before they can start buying plants.
If you’re thinking of restoring your property to nature—using native plants—and you need encouragement or inspiration, then Let the Earth Breathe should be one of your first resources. It will complement your stack of pictures because you’re following the authors on their journey while you start your own. This isn’t your ordinary gardening book with lots of information on culture, botany, and so on. The book does include a lot of information about the native plants they chose, but plant culture isn’t the focus of this book. Instead, this book chronicles one family’s journey back to nature.
The book starts with an introduction to the importance of using native plants and why you should avoid invasives. The rest of the book shares the route they took to return their new property to nature using native trees, shrubbery, and wildflowers. Throughout the book, you’ll see patches of gorgeous plants and some hardscapes. In fact, this book has inspired me to assess my yard for hardscape and that intention quality that appeases neighbors. Every fall and winter, I plan better paths but somehow that just hasn’t happened. After working my way through Let the Earth Breathe, I’ve decided that this is the year!
Their journey begins in 2010 when they put in a rain garden filled with native plants that love moist soils. Their reason for the rain garden was to help retain runoff. The book ends in 2016, but trust me, their journey has just started.
You gain the benefit of their decisions and as you turn each page, you get the joy of viewing beautiful swatches of their rebounding yard. So, back to what I said at the beginning—this book will inspire and encourage you. I know that I said, “Ooooo, I want to do that…” every time I turned a page.
Read how the authors did it knowing that you can do it too.
Anne Milligan is a former Clinical Social Worker, an artist, singer/musician, and landscape designer. She and her husband, author and historian Stephen A. Brown, live in Southeast Jefferson County. Their Kentucky native plants sanctuary has been featured in The Louisville Courier-Journal and the Louisville Magazine.
Susan Harkins is the Managing Editor of The Lady Slipper. In real life, she is a technical journalist with 35 years in the IT industry, but her passion is native plants. A long-time member of the Capital Area Extension Master Gardener Association, she enjoys using her publishing skills to share her love of Kentucky’s native flora and fauna.
