Fourth Annual Kentucky Botanical Symposium Videos

“Coming together to discuss current botanical projects, conservation, and collaboration in Kentucky and beyond”

On Friday, February 2, 2024, the Kentucky Native Plant Society and the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves held our fourth annual, virtual, Botanical Symposium. Close to 200 folks were able to attend online to hear and see several presentations about our native plants and plant communities. We know that there are many who would have liked to participate, but were not able to do so. Below are videos of all of the presentations.

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President’s Message – May, 2024

Jeff Nelson – KNPS President
American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)

Hello fellow native plant enthusiasts. I hope everyone’s spring is going well and that you have been able to get out into Kentucky’s natural areas to enjoy our native plant communities. Last week I went down to the Ballard WMA in Ballard, Co. and saw one of my favorite spring natives, American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) in full bloom. Note the long racemes. Wisteria frutescens is generally described as having racemes 2″-6″ long and many of the ones on this plant were longer than that. This likely means that this specimen is W. frutescens var. macrostachya. Some taxonomists consider this variety a separate species, Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya). American wisteria has been sold in the nursery trade for many years and many cultivars are available. One of the most common of these cultivars is sold as Kentucky wisteria ‘Blue Moon’. Regardless of its taxonomic uncertainty, I hope you too get an opportunity to see this beautiful native growing wild in Kentucky.

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Integrated Pest Management Strategies for Protecting Native Plant Species 

By Judith Gallova 

Native plants are great for the environment because they’re not only lower-maintenance, but they also provide shelter and food to local animals and insects. But unfortunately, not all insects are beneficial. That’s why gardeners need to learn to manage insect pests effectively. 

Nevertheless, don’t rush to the nearest store to buy a pesticide. Pesticides are strong chemicals that only deal with the problem short term. They’re expensive, and what’s more, may harm people, animals, and the environment. 

Instead, consider integrated pest management; a broad-based, eco-friendly approach for controlling pests long-term. Here are integrated strategies for protecting your native plants from unwanted intruders. 

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Join Us At Natural Bridge This Weekend for Wildflower Weekend 2024!

Everything is set for KNPS’s 35th Wildflower Weekend, on Friday, April 12th and Saturday, April 13, at Natural Bridge SRP! With more hikes, workshops and kid’s activities than we have ever had, many of the best botanists in Kentucky in attendance, and with beautiful weather forecast, Wildflower Weekend 2024 would be a great destination for everyone this weekend.

In addition to our usual “all things botanical” hikes, we have a hikes concentrating on birds, reptiles and amphibians, geology, fire ecology, pollinators and butterflies. There will also be a couple of workshops, “Non-Native Invasive Species Management” and an art workshop, “Reflecting on Nature through Artmaking”.

We have always tried to make Wildflower Weekend a family friendly event (kids 12 and under attend free). This year we are offering two kid centered activities, a “Junior Botanist Adventure for Kids!” on Saturday morning and then, on Saturday afternoon, the “Kids Activities Table“, a drop-in activity (no registration required), with fun botanical and nature activities designed for the young naturalist. See details in the schedule below.

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Are You On the 2024 Botany Blitz Map?

Each orange square is a location where Botany Blitz observations have been made

The KNPS Wildflower Week 2024 Botany Blitz began on Saturday, April 6th with six Kick-Off Hikes across the Commonwealth; from Hematite Lake in Trigg County in the west, to Lower Howard’s Creek in Clark County in the east. Running through Sunday, April 14th, the Botany Blitz is an effort to document as many plant species as possible within Kentucky during the week preceding Wildflower Weekend. Observers have already recorded more than 1,000 observations of over 300 species of plants in the state.

This is the fourth year for our spring wildflower-focused Botany Blitz, which is hosted on the community science website iNaturalist. Using either the iNaturalist mobile app or website, participants upload photos of budding and blooming plants they observe in local parks, state parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and nature preserves across the state. Like many other plant identification apps, iNaturalist analyzes the visual information in photos and offers identification suggestions. But unlike other AI-based apps, the iNaturalist website is also a robust community of people, from new nature enthusiasts to experienced naturalists and expert biologists. The observations you make can be reviewed by the community, and the identifications you select can be confirmed or corrected by other members.

We encourage anyone interested to sign up for an iNaturalist account if you’re not already a user, and to make sure your observations get counted in this year’s blitz, join the Botany Blitz 2024 project (just click “Join” in the top right corner of the project page), and download the mobile app for iPhone or Android. Then get out and look for native plants in parks and other natural areas in your part of KY and make your observations. If you’re new to the platform, check out this helpful Getting Started guide, and browse the observations made by Botany Blitz 2024 participants (or the view the results from 2021, 2022, and 2023).

Plant shrubs now for vibrant colors this fall

Now that spring is really here, it’s time to start planning for the fall. Right now, is the perfect time to critically review your property for areas that fall flat during the winter. You can still see the empty spots and it’s time to plant! What follows is a list of shrubs that provide a bouquet of fall colors for you to consider.

Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire)

  • Growth: 3 to 5 feet tall.
  • Autumn Colors: Red to orange.
  • Notable Features: This shrub shines with its small cascading white flowers in summer and vibrant fall foliage, making it an excellent alternative to burning bush, an invasive species, although it doesn’t get as tall as burning bush.

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

  • Growth: 9 to 15 feet tall.
  • Autumn Colors: Orange to red.
  • Notable Features: Recognized for its striking color and upright fruit clusters, smooth sumac is drought-resistant and adaptable to various environments.
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Wildflower Weekend 2024 – Registration is Now Open!

Kentucky Native Plant Society’s
Wildflower Weekend 2024
Natural Bridge State Resort Park
Friday, April 12th & Saturday, April 13th, 2024

The schedule is set and registration is now open for Wildflower Weekend 2024, April 12th-13th, at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. Join nature lovers, families, community scientists, amateur naturalists, and professional botanists from across the Commonwealth, as we explore the beauty and diversity of Kentucky’s natural history. Wildflower Weekend is open to the public and family-friendly.

This year we are celebrating 35 years of Wildflower Weekend! That’s right! Naturalists and nature lovers from all across Kentucky have been gathering in the spirit of botanical appreciation, fellowship and education at Wildflower Weekend since May 1989! We are proud to host this year’s event at Natural Bridge SRP, the original location of the very first KNPS Wildflower Weekend.

We are offering over 20 different hikes this year, the most we have ever had at any Wildflower Weekend! In addition to our usual “all things botanical” hikes, we have a couple of hikes concentrating on birds, a couple of hikes concentrating on reptiles and amphibians, and one featuring butterflies. There will also be a couple of workshops, “Non-Native Invasive Species Management” and an art workshop, “Reflecting on Nature through Artmaking”.

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