by Vanessa Voelker, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves
The 2021 Wildflower Week BotanyBlitz was a huge success, and your enthusiasm for this event massively exceeded our expectations! In all, the community of 110 observers made 3,193 observations of 460 species of wildflowers, blooming woody plants, graminoids, and mosses. Of those observations, an impressive 2,680 (83.9%) reached Research Grade status.
It was a tight race in both winning categories, but our 1st place champions are @ktuttlewheeler for Most Observations (196 observations), and jabrams_foc for Most Species (108 species). In Most Observations, close behind in 2nd place was jabrams_foc with 193 observations, while sekistler and terrikoontz tied for 3rd place, both with 128 observations. For most species, sekistler was another close 2nd place with 104 species, and ktuttlewheeler in 3rd with 90 species. This was an awesome week of intensive botanizing, Kentucky!
Many thanks to the identifiers who helped elevate so many species to Research Grade: vvoelker, jabrams_foc, hbraunreiter, thomashulsey, jkoslow, rynxs, kentuckybotanist, mjpapay, williambee, laurabaird, trscavo, and ktuttlewheeler all helped to identify 50+ observations during the blitz.
A dreamy Dwarf Larkspur, observed by mtwyandell
The most observed species during Wildflower week was Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne) with 68 observations, and filling out the rest of the top 5 were Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) with 66 observations, Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) with 60, Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) with 54, and Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) with 53 observations.
A final note: if this was your first iNat blitz and you enjoyed your experience, we’d like to invite you to join the Kentucky Botanists Big Year 2021 project as well! This is essentially a year-long botany blitz, where you can test your botanical mettle across the seasons. It’s a fun way to learn even more new species, and become more familiar with the ones you already know!
As part of Wildflower Week, we were able to recruit a number of folks to present virtual field trips and tours of their native gardens. Altogether there were 17 short videos, from wonderful natural areas and beautiful gardens across the Commonwealth.
In March of 2018, I moved into my home in Louisville, Kentucky. I had been living in apartments in Virginia for the past decade, taking care of ailing parents. I couldn’t wait to garden again! My new huge yard had three big trees (a white mulberry, a red mulberry, and a silver maple) and four bushes (two azaleas, an Oregon grape holly, and a winterberry), plus almost every kind of invasive, non-native plant.
The lawn was immense. I live on a busy corner and there were no trees or bushes to soften the view. Invasives were everywhere. The worst offender was the more than 20-foot-high bamboo, which had sent out roots everywhere—into all the neighbors’ yards, even coming up through concrete! The two mulberry trees were covered in English ivy, grapevine, and euonymus (winter creeper), as was the side of the house and the chain link fence on the south side. The vines had been there years—they had trunks as big as my arm.
An invasive plant is one that does not belong where it is growing, whose origins are foreign. A native plant, for instance, one that is native to Kentucky, belongs here. Native plants may become aggressive, growing out of bounds, but are never considered invasive. Invasives crowd out the native plants, which support wildlife, birds, and insects. Invasive vines, such as euonymus, can harm trees, pulling down limbs and weakening the tree. I am an environmental educator. It is important to me to support our local insects, the pollinators, who in turn support birds and the ecosystem. I knew I wanted to plant more native trees, plants, and bushes.
My first herculean task was to remove the invasive plants. I found a video from the Olmsted Conservancy about removal of euonymus, grapevine, and ivy, and I followed the instructions. My son and I cut each off at the ground level and pulled down as much as we could. I painted the cut roots with an herbicide—my only use of chemicals. I hired a lovely young man, who later bought a house near me, to dig out the bamboo, digging down many feet to get all the roots. These efforts took up most of my first year. But, wow, did it feel good when it worked and the trees, the fence, the yard were free of these hanging, strangling vines. I also dug up bin after bin of lily of the valley from under the red mulberry. Yeah, they smell great, but they spread by runners and choke everything else out.
Dividing my property into three sections made the task seem more manageable. The lot is about 7,000 square feet with about 936 square feet for the house. There was lawn that needed mowing on three sides, small areas on the east and south, huge area on the north side. I have a side garden on the south, a front garden on the east, and a huge lawn on the north. The bamboo was on the west where my back deck adjoins the neighbors’ property. That neighbor had horrible problems with the bamboo and their patio area. When the dreaded bamboo was gone, they redid their fence and planted some evergreens between their fence and my back deck.
I immediately did away with the parts that needed mowing on the east and the south, planting a native red honeysuckle that I could see from my bedroom window for hummingbird observation. I made the south area, which is fenced, into an herb garden and grew a few vegetables the first year. It was small enough that I could dig up invasives, including massive euonymus all over the fence, and rip up the plastic netting that the previous owners had put down for weed control (which didn’t work and left bits of plastic everywhere!). The front lawn, near the street, was easy to make non-lawn just with digging and mulching what had been lawn by the curb. I planted lavender there (a “comfort plant” for me). I dug up bag after bag, box after box of daylilies and iris from the front yard. I like these and, even though they are not native, they do not cause problems, but they hadn’t been thinned in ages. I gave most of these away to neighbors. I saved the daylilies that were the most beautiful and that were fragrant. And I kept some iris—didn’t everyone’s grandmother grow roses and irises?
The huge, empty lawn on the north side gave me pause; it seemed enormous and required mowing. Lawns do not support pollinators, birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. They are a contributor to climate change, whereas vegetable gardens and plants help the ecosystem and work against climate change. To save my sanity, I decided to divide it into sections and get rid of lawn in increments. First, I extended the skimpy side garden by a huge amount, putting down cardboard and newspaper, then wood chip mulch. The tree company left me an enormous pile of wood chip mulch (free) on the lawn near the curb after trimming a white mulberry. I put down cardboard from the grocery store, filled in any spaces/gaps with newspaper, then covered with a thick layer of mulch. I made a curved section all around the bend in the road, linking the red mulberry with the silver maple near the house, which I planted with trees and bushes to act as a buffer zone. Last year, I finally filled in a large section in the middle, which is going to be a “lawn” made of violets. Violets are one of the only things that grow through the cardboard and mulch! Violets are native and good for pollinators.
The first year I planted many plants that I consider “comfort” plants—ones that remind me of someone or someplace. Some of these were not native, but I was careful not to get anything “exotic” that was invasive, that would spread and cause problems. I planted two rose bushes and some Daphne for fragrance—exotic plants that don’t spread. From here on, though, it was all native plants, trees, and bushes for me and my garden kingdom!
Do you know the online community Next Door? I discovered their free postings and found concrete pavers, rocks, bricks, broken concrete pieces with stone. Using these I was able to mark out section by section that I was converting from lawn into garden. I think it looks great and I feel great using recycled materials for my eco-garden! I even got three free native inkberry bushes from Next Door! I outlined four vegetable gardens using old brick and broken concrete—planting asparagus in 2019. This year I am eating asparagus every day! (And my pee has got that great smell.)
The past three years, I have planted more than 20 native trees and bushes—most I got free from the tree give-away program in Louisville: persimmon, oak, Kentucky coffee-tree, redbud, tulip poplar, inkberry, persimmon, wild plum, etc. I am now on my third huge mulch pile—all free from local tree companies. I bought one native tree, a fringe tree, from a local native plant nursery, and each year I get a selection of plants from this nursery—witch hazel, spice bush, cardinal flower, etc.
Last year I discovered a Kentucky Native Plant Swap on Facebook for this area, started a few years ago by Anne Milligan and Stephen Brown. It is fabulous. We have a seed and plant swap going with mini-swaps for different areas in and around Louisville. They are such a great community of like-minded native plant folks!
I planted river oats where the lily of the valley used to be, and now I can share those seeds with others. I also share beautyberry seeds. I label most of my native trees, bushes, and plants—this is for me (I am 75 and my memory…well…) and because I see this as community education; people are often asking me what a particular plant is.
Mainly, I am planting natives that form “clumps,” as I prefer a relatively neat garden! And I am leaving the sections outlined with rocks for the same reason. One advantage of having no lawn, besides not mowing, is that leaves from trees fall wherever and don’t need raking. This also provides habitat for over-wintering pollinators, increases soil viability, and is generally better for the ecosystem. My goal is to have my “yard waste” only for pulled up invasives!
Besides my online community of native plant admirers, I also include my immediate neighborhood. My third year here began with Covid and quarantine. I worked in the yard and neighbors would be out walking. It was easy and fun to be outside, physically distant enough to be safe, yet to meet each other and talk. Most neighbors have been extremely interested and supportive. Several told me what they had started to do with their front yards. People asked me what different plants were. I put up a sign in the fall explaining the river oats and inviting people to collect seeds for their yards. Sure, there are some folks who are skeptical that this will “work,” and some who are disapproving: “You don’t want any lawn?” One sweet lady asked with a plaintive tone, “But what will it be?” An older man shook his head, “You’re in for a world of trouble, lady.” But most have been admiring, “It’s like a miniature Bernheim Forest,” “It’s like Yew Dell West!” (Yew Dell is a local nursery.) Some neighbors want starts of plants.
Even in winter, a native lawn is lovely and full of interest.
I wrote a small piece, like this one, for my community newsletter, giving my address and inviting people to stop by, which they do. There was one “hate letter,” unsigned, from someone who believes I am deluded about climate change and sees me as an “elitist snob,” but I try to explain to neighbors that I am not telling anyone else what to do and that any small step they want to try with natives is worthwhile and a lot of fun. I love this sense of community, especially during a pandemic and a political scene fraught with tension. Plants and being outdoors are so very healing, in so many ways. I have so much to be grateful for.
Karen Cairns, EdD, MPH, BSN, is an Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher, traveling to India each year for several months to be with her teachers there. After getting her doctorate in Environmental Education at the University of Louisville, she worked in the Department of Urban and Public Affairs. The past decade Karen lived in apartments in Virginia, taking care of parents, so she was very happy to move back to Louisville in 2018 and have a garden once again!
Before I moved to Kentucky, I already knew of the comradery and community spirit of the Lexington chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Their first-Thursday meetings allowed ample time for casual conversations over refreshments in addition to learning from guest speakers. Folks could catch up with old gardening buddies or get to know a new guest who was curious about getting started with native plants.
WildOne members working on a neighborhood project, pre-Covid. Photo by Beate Popkin.
Even as the pandemic shut down in-person meetings, Wild Ones leaders were agile and creative in keeping the community spirit alive. They moved their monthly meetings online and they took a favorite event of the year, the annual plant exchange, and moved it to an online forum.
Give and Receive
Gardens are givers. This time of year, it’s abundantly obvious. Flowers dazzle us with their beauty and fragrance, while giving away nectar and pollen to insect companions. Fruit, seeds, and leaves continue to nourish and protect creatures large and small all year round. The plants are being served as well, through pollination, pruning, and seed dispersal. In this endless system, reciprocity is understood.
So it is with the LexingtonWild Ones Native Plant Exchange Forum. Givers provide a brief description of the native perennials, grasses and sedges, shrubs, trees, vines, and seeds they are offering for free. The receivers do them a favor by thinning where needed and opening space for something new. They also reduce that awful feeling of guilt when a perfectly good native plant gets composted.
Receivers can also request species that they are looking for. Or post a general idea for filling a niche, such as shade-loving ground cover, edible fruit-bearing shrubs for a food forest, or tall, showy plants for a butterfly garden. They may also receive the wisdom and knowledge of the giver who understands the plant’s habits.
Here’s a recent offering posted by Katherine Shaw, an experienced professional landscaper, who generously provided details about a goldenrod: I have a number of Euthamia graminifolia (formerly Solidago graminifolia) to share, aka Narrow-leaved or Grass-leaved goldenrod. This plant really attracts an array of insect visitors and puts on a beautiful display in late summer-early autumn. It is tall ( 4-5′) and cascading, so either needs other tall plants around it, or to be staked. Also, it’s a spreader. In my experience, it’s not terribly so, I would put it in the middle of my aggressive plants list—worth it if you plan accordingly and need an area filled. More moisture = greater spread. To my knowledge, these plants originated from locally collected seed.
Katherine’s motivation for sharing includes education. “Even though goldenrods are so important, people are not as into them. They don’t know which ones to avoid and which ones to try. I don’t want people to be surprised,” she said.
Katherine has participated as both a giver and a receiver. About a year ago, she took up Beate Popkin’s offer of shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum frondosum)and smooth beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis). Beate’s passion for sharing these plants continued this spring. About the beardtongue, she said, “If I could give away every single one, I would do nothing else. It should be in every garden.” Beate Popkin is President of the Wild Ones’ Lexington chapter.
Hypericum frondosum, shrubby St. John’s Wort. Photo by Beate Popkin.
The side benefit from picking up the plants from Beate’s house was the chance to visit with her in her well-designed and beautiful garden. Beate, also a native plant professional, and Katherine discussed the struggles and joys of their projects. “We have different knowledge and styles, ways of addressing problems, and can all learn from each other. It’s important that we pass information on,” Katherine said.
Whether it’s a beginner learning from a pro, or two colleagues commiserating, the sharing extends beyond plants. “That’s what it’s all about,” said Beate.
Penstemon digitalis, smooth beardstongue. Picture by Beate Popkin.
Inspired to Start Your Own Plant Exchange Forum?
The structure is simple and can be customized to be public or private. Wild Ones uses Groups.io for their plant exchange, and Google Groups is another example of an online forum. Emails are sent to those who sign up to receive them, and they can choose the frequency of updates. Administrators select other settings for the group, such as whether posts must be approved or not.
Here are a few tips gleaned from Wild Ones’ online adventure:
1. Lay the ground rules. Be specific about the purpose of your group. For example, the Lexington Wild Ones Native Plant Exchangeis not intended to be a plant identification forum and emphasizes that the plants offered should not be collected from the wild. There is no expectation that a receiver will provide a direct trade, and no money is exchanged.
2. Don’t compete with sellers. Before surfing the forum, buy what you can from your local native plant nurseries and landscapers whose livelihoods depend on growing and selling plants. Katherine said she posted a wish list of plants that she has a hard time finding for sale, which are only a fraction of the plants that she buys.
3. Givers, pot it up. It’s easier to give away plants that have been dug up and potted. Beate suggests making sure you have extra potting soil and pots on hand. Seeds that are easy to collect, like wild indigo (Baptisia australis) are also good giveaways.
4. Receivers, work for it. Some givers have posted on the Wild Ones forum that their offerings are still in the ground. Receivers can come to their yard and dig, and sometimes that makes for a more interesting experience. However, Beate reminds gardeners that some native perennials have deep taproots. What looks like a tiny plant can lead to more work than expected. Come prepared.
Stay Connected
The plant exchange forum is only one way that native plant enthusiasts in Lexington have been staying connected during this year of pandemic and isolation. Mother Nature hasn’t canceled her scheduled events, and many opportunities continue to draw us outdoors. Reforest the Bluegrass, Tree Week, Master Naturalists, and stormwater grants are making strong comebacks, or never took a break. Dedicated volunteers have been removing invasive plants from Hisle Park, Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, Preston’s Cave Spring Park, Raven Run, and local neighborhoods throughout the pandemic.
Lexington WildOne members help with invasive honeysuckle removal, pre-Covid. Picture by Beate Popkin.
A great way to find these opportunities is to check the Community Nature Calendar, hosted by TreesLex: https://www.treeslexington.org/community-calendar
Other organizations can add their events and volunteer workdays, and also post the calendar on their own website. It’s a one-stop shop for connecting with the native plant community.
Karen Lanier is a writer and educator living in Lexington, Kentucky. She earned degrees in photography, French, and environmental documentation, along with a certificate as a professional environmental educator. She worked as a park ranger in national and state parks from California to Maine, and spent off-seasons printing photos, caring for animals, attending school, working in non-profit administration, and leading photography classes for youth. She now owns KALA Creative, which offers nature connection through writing, images, and workshops. Visit http://kalacreative.net/.
Jonathan O.C. Kubesch*, Lindsey Barbini, Connor Doyle, John Fike, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
A technical publication for dual submission to the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and the Kentucky Native Plant Society with the permission of Tara R. Littlefield.
Introduction
Kentucky clover (Trifolium kentuckiense) is a recently identified addition to Kentucky’s flora (Chapel and Vincent, 2013). The plant is known to two sites in the Bluegrass region, and the small population sizes put the species at risk for extinction in the wild. The species initially had been considered buffalo clover (T. reflexum), but the species complex was revised after considering ecological and morphological discrepancies (Chapel and Vincent, 2013).
The Woodford County site suffers from poor grazing management (Kubesch, 2020). Cattle move from the adjacent pasture into the shaded habitat. In part, this semi-natural state supports the encroachment of red clover (T. pratense) into the habitat. Minimizing grazing at the seedling stage will be crucial for protecting this species, which looks very similar to T. pretense during early stages of development. Thus, discerning between the critically endangered Kentucky and common red clover at the earliest stage is critical.
The Franklin County site does not appear to have any nonnative clover species, though a nearby powerline right-of-way or adjacent farmland might facilitate encroachment over time, which further justifies early comparisons of these similar species. Red clover is a biennial to short-lived, crown-forming perennial forage species that is the agricultural analogue to buffalo and Kentucky clovers in the same way that previous work has compared white clover to running buffalo clover (Vincent, 2001; Ball et al., 2015; Kubesch, 2018).
As part of ongoing propagation efforts, seedlings of red, buffalo, and Kentucky clovers were compared in a common garden greenhouse experiment in order to ascertain potential distinguishing characteristics for the native clover seedlings. The chronological and developmental period at which plants could be identified was sought on the basis of visual keys and some growth measurements.
Materials and methods
All three species were started on germination paper in plastic germination boxes on a lab bench in Smyth Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Multiple sources of germplasm were available for the red and buffalo clover, though the Kentucky clover seed had a sole origin (Table 1).
Table 1. Clover accessions used for the common garden greenhouse experiment.
Species
Accession/variety
Year
Source
Red clover
Kenland
2006
John Fike
Red clover
Cinnamon Plus
2006
John Fike
Red clover
SS-0303RCG
2020
Southern States
Buffalo clover
Cincinnati
2020
Dan Boone
Buffalo clover
Georgia
1978
USDA
Buffalo clover
Texas
1956
USDA
Kentucky clover
Woodford County
2017*
Julian Campbell
*seed was produced from plants 1 generation removed from wild population
Figure 1. Germination procedure for the first weeks of the experimentFigure 1b. Buffalo clover (Cincinnati-West Fork Woods) at first trifoliate leaf.Figure 1c. Buffalo clover (Georgia) at first trifoliate leaf.Figure 1d. Kentucky clover (Woodford) at first trifoliate leaf.
An additional accession of buffalo clover from Clarks River, KY, was started but did not germinate until after the study period began and was thus excluded from the analysis. After the germination period, seedlings were moved to the greenhouse and potted up into 6-cell packs in trays. The growing medium was a 2:1 mixture of calcined clay and commercial potting mix (Miracle Gro). Plants were watered regularly using catch trays and liquid fertilizer (0.5-2-1; Buddha Bloom root organic, aurora innovations, Eugene, OR) was used to supply macro and micro nutrients. Plants were maintained between 21-27 ℃ under supplemented natural light.
Plants were inspected at approximately 2-d intervals to identify the emergence of distinct morphological characteristics. Observations occurred once plants developed the first trifoliate leaves. Based on a priori information, plants were specifically examined for differences in pubescence, growth in terms of leaf size and number, and crown of reproductive stems. Visual assessments of morphological differences among and within accessions were augmented with the use of a 14 X hand lens.
Pubescence, or hairiness, was assessed both in relative amount and position on the plant (stems, leaves, midveins). Leaf morphology was assessed in the appearance on venation on leaflets as well as subtle differences in leaflet shape. In addition to measuring the days required for each species to reach specific growth stages, comparisons were made between developmental stages (first true leaf, second true leaf, etc.).
Results and discussion
Table 2. Potential key characters and their utility at varying developmental stages in red, buffalo, and Kentucky clovers.
Life Stage
Leaf pubescence
Chevrons
Stem pubescence
Crown development
Other notes
1st true leaf (V1)
Tops of leaves
On red clover but not on Cincinnati and Kentucky
Only between red and Kentucky clovers
Figure 2. Visual differences between red clover (left) and Kentucky clover (right), 64 days after planting. March 30, 2021.Figure 3. Bud development in 2 plants of TX-400 accession. March 23, 2021.
Potential key characters
During the extension of the first trifoliate leaf, some potential differences were seen in terms of vigor in a common garden between red and Kentucky clovers. Red clover had larger leaves on longer petioles than the native species. However, in the field these differences in growth might be confounded by factors such as soil fertility, available rhizobacteria, and seedling density.
Of the morphological traits considered, leaf pubescence was particularly distinct between species. Unlike red clover, Kentucky clover lacked pubescence on the top of the leaves. Red clover was much more pubescent than Kentucky clover both in terms of hair density and length. Breeding efforts for the removal of pubescence led to the creation of ‘Freedom!’ red clover. This low-hair variety was developed before the discovery of Kentucky clover, but its introduction to the Woodford County site is unlikely. Buffalo clover accessions were not consistent in terms of pubescence. Plants from the Cincinnati population were noticeably less pubescent than plants from the Georgia accession. The Georgia accession also expressed noticeable venation not present in the other accessions.
Stem pubescence was relatively unreliable as a distinguishing trait for the 3 species investigated. The northern accessions of buffalo clover gradually developed pubescence to levels expressed in southern accessions from early in development (V5-9). Individuals had similar levels of pubescence along petioles as plants grew. Similarly, crown development was quite similar for all species, with the first trifoliate leaf emerging from the same position near the cotyledons on all plants.
Buffalo clover pubescence has been suggested to change over the lifecycle, though to what degree it remains uncertain (Vincent, 2001). In a life history assessment of Texan plant material, the pubescence was relatively consistent over the lifespan, though further comparative studies are needed (J. Kubesch, unpublished data).
Petiole length differed noticeably between red and Kentucky clovers by about 60 days after planting. Petioles were ≤5 cm for Kentucky clover but well in excess of 5 cm for most of the red clover. Kentucky clover had fishbone venation in comparison to the Cincinnati buffalo clover accession, which had less notable venation.
Developmental timing
Until trifoliate leaves start developing, the genus Trifolium is extremely difficult to identify. Even in agricultural experiments the results can be challenging (Tracy et al., 2014). Grown under common environmental conditions, the native clovers reached developmental stages at a pace similar to red clover varieties.
Growth rates diverged over the period of March 10-23, 2021. At around 57 days after planting, red and Kentucky clover could be discerned by morphology. Red clover was visibly bigger and much more pubescent than Kentucky clover. A Texas accession in the comparison was producing a reproductive stem at 57 days after planting, highlighting the morphological and developmental variability within buffalo clover.
Figure 4. A preliminary seedling key for Kentucky and red clovers.
Seedling keys will only be useful within a certain period of development. Given that clover seedlings are susceptible to hoof traffic damage during establishment, preventing cattle access around high densities of clover seedlings and then screening these clusters for Kentucky clover might be more effective than waiting to exclude cattle until clusters are screened.
Conclusions
A seedling key for red and Kentucky clovers is presented for field usage. The key complements ongoing recovery efforts to support recruitment from the seed bank at natural sites as well as planting the species where herbivory can be managed.
Red clover and Kentucky clover are difficult to discern on the basis of morphology until approximately 60 days after planting.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to fiancé, Sarah Grace Holland for her encouragement in Kubesch’s clover research. Thanks to Joe Lacefield for discovering this species. Appreciation to Dr. Julian Campbell for contributing the Woodford County seed of Kentucky clover. Appreciation to Dan Boone for contributing the Cincinnati seed of buffalo clover. Posthumous appreciation to Norm Taylor for preserving the Georgia and Texas seed of buffalo clover. The present work was supported in part by the Bee-Friendly Beef team: Raven Larcom, Parry Kietzman, Velva Groover, and Dr. Ben Tracy (Virginia Tech).
References
Ball, D. M., Hoveland, C. S., & Lacefield, G. D. (2015). Southern Forages. Peachtree Corners, GA: International Plant Nutrition Institute.
Chapel, K. J., & Vincent, M. A. (2013). Trifolium kentuckiense (Fabaceae, Papilionoideae), a new species from Franklin and Woodford counties, Kentucky. Phytoneuron 2013-63: 1–6.
Kubesch, J.O.C. (2018). Edaphic and morphological factors affecting running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) ecology. Ohio State University. Columbus, OH.
Kubesch, J.O.C. (2020). Native Clover Conservation in the Bluegrass: An Agronomic Perspective. https://www.knps.org/2020/03/24/native-clover-conservation-in-the-bluegrass-an-agronomic- perspective/.
Vincent, M.A. (2001). The genus Trifolium (Fabaceae) in Kentucky. J. Ky. Acad. Sci. 62(1):1-17.
Sustar, E. 2017. The effects of scarification on germination rates of running buffalo clover. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Unpublished Research Report.
Tracy, B. F., Schlueter, D. H., & Flores, J. P. (2014). Conditions that favor clover establishment in permanent grass swards. Grassland Science, 61, 34-40. doi:10.1111/grs.12075.
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences; Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Clover Seedbank and Propagation Coordinator for the Kentucky Commonwealth.
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, exploring the region’s rich natural history and resources in the state park and the Red River Gorge, as well as evening presentations. Last year, due to COVID-19, we were forced to cancel Wildflower Weekend for the first time ever.
This year, with the pandemic still disrupting in-person activities, KNPS is hosting a virtual Wildflower Week! This will include virtual events from April 10th through April 17th, including a week-long, statewide BotanyBlitz on iNaturalist. This is an opportunity to broaden our spring wildflower scope to the entire state of Kentucky and allow us to highlight natural areas across the state! In addition to the BotanyBlitz we will have virtual field trips, led by naturalists from around the state, online workshops, a wildflower trivia contest, and more.
With so many activities, be sure to check out the Wildflower Week 2021 homepage for details and summaries of our events. In particular, refer to the WW Schedule at the bottom of the page.
Wildflower Week 2021 is shaping up to be an amazing series of native plant related activities. The centerpiece of the week will be our community science project, the 2021 BotanyBlitz. From Saturday, April 10, through Saturday, April 17, we are encouraging everyone to visit parks and natural areas throughout the Commonwealth, find and photograph plants, with an emphasis on natives in bloom, and upload them to the KNPS Wildflower Week 2021 BotanyBlitz project.
xxxxxxxxAn example of an iNaturalist observation
A botany blitz is an event where anyone who joins the project on iNaturalist can use a camera (or cellphone) to snap a picture of a plant, in a given area (in this case all of Kentucky), during a given time frame (in this case April 10-17), and then upload the image (called an Observation) to their iNaturalist account. At the end of the week, we will have a gallery, a map showing the locations, and totals by numbers, species, and by each person, of all the great plants we found! Expert botanists and people with a keen identifying eye will be able to add comments to your specimens on why they agree or disagree with a certain identification, so we can all learn better ways to ID plants in the future.
If you do not have an iNaturalist account, please consider setting one up and then joining the BotanyBlitz project. It’s easy and fun and each observation contributes to our knowledge of the plants of Kentucky. Nick Koenig recently wrote an article showing the simple steps to join iNaturalist and the BotanyBlitz project and a short video of how to make and upload an observation. Check it out HERE!.
We are hoping that we can get at least one observation from every county in Kentucky. Won’t you join us and show the rest of us what native plants are blooming in your county?
