Native Spotlight: Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum)

By Robert Dunlap

In March 2022, I was lucky enough to find a new population of Turk’s cap lilies (Lilium superbum) containing about 500 stems in two colonies in McCracken County while searching for spring ephemerals. Additional searches yielded five more colonies containing another 1,700 individuals, all within about 75 yards of each other.

Due to my unfamiliarity with this plant and the lack of blooms, it took a little research to verify they were Turk’s cap lilies and not their close relative, Michigan lily (L. michiganense). Dichotomous keys usually differentiate between these plants using flower characteristics i.e., tepal curvature and anther length, which is not very helpful if you don’t have a flower to examine. Several online sources mentioned two vegetative characteristics to check: L. superbum has smooth leaf margins (not finely serrate), and the bulbs are white (not yellow). The plants I found exhibited both of these features so I’m going with the Turks cap lily. This plant was found by Mr. Raymond Athey less than 10 miles from this site in 1978, so there is historical evidence supporting the L. superbum identification, as well.

That being said, some botanists are reluctant to rely on the vegetative characteristics described above and feel that positive identification requires examination of flower structures. After being moved to more suitable sites in the future, my hope is that some of these bulbs will produce flowers allowing their identity to be determined beyond any doubt.

The species name is pronounced “superb – um” as opposed to “super – bum” and refers to the flowers, which can be translated from Latin as proud, superb, excellent, splendid, or magnificent. Mr. Linnaeus did a good job naming this plant back in 1762!

Ecology

Turk’s cap lilies are classified as threatened in Kentucky by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and probably occur in less than a dozen counties. They are scattered across the state from Black Mountain in Harlan County in the east to Carlisle County in the west. Threatened plants are defined by the OKNP as “… likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant part of its range in Kentucky.” So, the assumption is that their numbers are declining and will continue to do so in the future.

Counties where Lilium superbum occurs in the U.S.

The BONAP map (Biota of North America Project) to the right displays the counties where Lilium superbum occurs in the U.S. Light green counties have stable populations while those highlighted in yellow have populations that are small and possibly declining.

It is generally more common in upland areas along the Appalachian Mountain chain, which includes Black Mountain. So how did they end up in McCracken County and across the Ohio River in southern Illinois? Some botanists have theorized that many southern plant species migrated north and west following the Cumberland River and the Tennessee River, which join up with the Ohio River near Paducah. Perhaps the lilies travelled from the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee along these waterways over the last several thousand years or so.

Continue reading Native Spotlight: Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum) →

Wetland Plant ID Workshops, A Great Success!

By Rachel Cook, EEC

On June 27-29, 2023, the Kentucky Native Plant Society hosted two Wetland Plant ID Workshops at John James Audubon State Park in Henderson, KY. June 27 was a one day workshop for beginners and June 28-29 was a two day workshop for intermediate level participants. The workshops were well attended with 26 participants combined between both workshops, despite some challenging weather.

Instructor Nathanael Pilla with American bur reed (Sparganium americanum)

Participants visited several areas of John James Audubon State Park and nearby Sloughs Wildlife Management area. The workshop instructor, Nathanael Pilla of Midwest Biological Surveys, focused on more difficult taxa such as graminoids and aquatic species. He took students through overarching characteristics of wetland plants, such as unique adaptations for seed dispersal by water and drought tolerance.

Henderson County, where the workshop was located, has been understudied botanically, leading to several new county records being discovered over the course of the three days. These new county records include multiple species of duckweed (Lemna sp.), watermeal (Wolffia sp.), broad waterweed (Elodea canadensis, S3), and joint paspalum (Paspalum distichum). Some other highlights of the workshop were seeing multiple state watch-listed species (S3/S4), including hemlock water-parsnip (Sium suave) and white-nymph (Trepocarpus aethusae).

Image Gallery

  • Beginner class starting on the first day.
  • John James Audubon SP wetlands.
  • Beginner class looking at Lemnas
  • Sloughs WMA
  • Wolffia sp. through handlens
  • Class at Sloughs WMA
  • John James Audubon SP wetlands.
  • Class looking at Hydrocotyle ranunuloides and other wetland plants
  • Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis)
  • Class at John James Audubon SP
  • Water hemlock (Sium suave)

Workshops are one of the ways the Society fulfills its mission of education about our native plants and native plant communities. Workshops generally are narrowly focused, usually with a single instructor. Most workshops involve a mix of classroom instruction and field work, with an emphasis on hands-on experience for all of the participants. We are already talking about workshops that KNPS might offer in 2024. If there are native plant-related topics that you think would make a good workshop or if you would be interested in presenting a workshop (or know of someone who is), please send us an email at KYPlants@knps.org.

Rachel Cook is a botanist at the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves.

Kentucky Pollinator Protection and Monarch Conservation group hold stakeholders meeting 

By Michaela Rogers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Tammy Potter, Kentucky State Apiarist with Kentucky Department of Agriculture 

Kentucky Department of Agriculture stakeholders with the Kentucky Pollinator Protection and Monarch Conservation group met on July 20th at the Louisville Zoo and Botanical Gardens. This group meets annually to discuss pollinator conservation topics and projects dedicated to improving pollinator habitat and public knowledge on the plight of pollinators in our state. Members include representatives from a variety of sectors: agriculture, education, transportation right of ways, state and local government, federal government, nonprofits, private and public nature preserves, garden clubs, beekeepers, private businesses, and interested members of the public.  

This July, 65 attendees came together to learn about the Louisville Zoo’s pollinator work and hear updates from various stakeholders including the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Cave Hill Cemetery, and the Waterfront Botanical Gardens.  

This photo shows participants at the pollinator stakeholders meeting.
Photo: Joe Omielan 

After a tour of the zoo’s gardens, led by Matthew Lahm of the Louisville Zoo, participants in this year’s meeting heard from several experts:  

  • Tony Romano, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves: Roadside Remnants and Pollinator Habitat 
  • Katie Cody, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves: Pollinators in the Forest 
  • Michaela Rogers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Shelby Fulton, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves: State Wildlife Action Plan Insect Update and Partner Engagement 
  • Christy Wampler and Nathan Lind, United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service: USDA-NRCS Updates 
  • Michael Higgs, Cave Hill Cemetery: Cave Hill is More than a Cemetery 
  • Kat Rivers, Waterfront Botanical Gardens: Planning for Pollinators 

Stakeholders made connections with others pursuing pollinator projects throughout Kentucky and learn about resources offered through various programs highlighted by presenters. Columbia Gas and Roundstone Native Seed Company have worked to convert natural gas rights-of-way to pollinator habitat, and the Transportation Cabinet and the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves are working on similar projects.  

This year, members of this group also learned about the Pollinator Protection Program Web App, which allows farmers and other chemical applicators to communicate via text or email with beekeepers when a label requires​ communication. This app assists with EPA compliancy and is free to farmers, applicators, landowners, beekeepers, etc. 

This photo shows participants at the pollinator stakeholders meeting.
Photo: Joe Omielan 

This group meets annually and tries to find a new site each year.  Last year, they met at James Audubon State Park.  The Kentucky Pollinator Stakeholders group plans to meet again in Berea Kentucky in 2024, with a date and location to be announced later.  

Michael Rogers, Kentucky Dapartment of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Michaela Rogers is an Environmental Scientist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. She serves as the Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator for the agency and manages implementation of the Kentucky Monarch Conservation Plan. 

After working for six years with coal companies to establish pollinator habitat on former surface mine sites and working in the queen bee season in the winters, Tammy Horn Potter became Kentucky’s State Apiarist in 2014. She collects honey bee samples for the USDA Honey Bee Health Survey and has worked extensively to improve genetic diversity of queen bees with the Kentucky Queen Bee Breeders Association. She has also worked to improve honey label information with the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association. She is particularly proud of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Pollinator Protection Plan both for its diversity of stakeholders and for the department’s creation of an app, which coordinates spray information between applicators and beekeepers. 

Landscaping with native plants: how to plan your garden

By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Native plants are gaining in popularity, especially with so many gardeners interested in supporting pollinators and other native insects and wildlife. So how can you landscape with native plants? You first have to plan your yard, and we’ll show you how.

Know your land

Before you can decide which native plants you want in your Kentucky native plant garden, you have to know your growing conditions. Is the area in full sun or shade? Does the soil stay wet or is it dry? Is the soil alkaline or acidic?

This photo shows a soil test submission form.

A good first step is to take a soil test. (You can contact your county extension agent for more information.) This determines the pH of the soil and identifies the minerals and nutrients it has or is missing. The results have recommendations on how to correct any problems. Info like the pH (acid or alkaline soil) also guides your plant selection.

Learn which USDA Zone your plot of land is in. Most of Kentucky is in Zones 6a and 6b. Small sections of the southwest are in USDA Zone 7. These zones tell you which plants are hardy enough to survive our Kentucky winters.

Pay attention to the sun. As the sun moves through the season, the amount of light that hits the ground changes. What starts out sunny in spring could be dense shade by summer as trees leaf out.

Look at the competition other plants may present for your Kentucky native plant garden. Will tree roots be a problem? They win when it comes to sucking up nutrients like water. Plus, digging through them can damage or kill a tree. Some conifers tend to be messy, dropping needles, which can make plants underneath unsightly.

Put pencil to paper or use a landscape app

Make a rough sketch of the shape of the garden you want. Note where sidewalks and structures are and where trees and shrubs are. Is there a water source nearby?

Look at how the light moves through the space – is part of a section in full sun while a portion stays in shade? That garden bed may need a mix of shade- and sun-loving plants.

Start small

Designing and planting a new garden bed can be a lot of work. The biggest job will be the soil preparation. You can always extend a bed every year or two until it’s the size and look you want. Besides saving energy, starting small also conserves cash.

Select your native plants

Some native plants are more garden-worthy than others. Although they may have all the benefits gardeners want in native plants, such as attractive leaves and colorful fruit, they may be aggressive and spread beyond their space. Others may be prone to disease, adding to the maintenance and worries about the plants.

The Kentucky Native Plant Project has a comprehensive listing and descriptions of plants, from spring ephemerals to trees. The Kentucky Native Plant Society has a list of plant suppliers and service providers.

Select perennials that provide a sequence of flowers through the seasons. Start with spring-blooming perennials such as columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), followed by summer-blooming garden phlox (P. paniculata), followed by asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) in fall.

Many native shrubs, such as Viburnum, will have spring flowers, attractive summer foliage, fall color, and fruit that persists into winter. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) has round balls for flowers, colorful fall fruit, and leaves. Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), a deciduous holly, has red fruit that stands out in the winter landscape.

For trees, look at the Kentucky coffee bean (Gymnocladus dioicus), river birch (Betula nigra), honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), red maple (Acer rubrum), and white oak (Quercus alba) as good shade tree selections. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), and downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arbora) are excellent native ornamental trees.

Design tips for a native plant garden

Once you have plants selected, follow a few basic design tips.

  • Avoid planting perennials as singles. Rather, plant them in groups of three or five for the best show.
  • Put tall plants in the back of the bed, with medium-height plants in the middle and short plants in the front.
  • The plant placement can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Maybe a stand of garden phlox at one end will be balanced at the other with a stand of ornamental grass, such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium).
  • Texture and form are also important. Flowers last only for a short time compared to leaves and the form of a plant.
  • Make sure plants will fit in the garden space once they’ve reached their mature size. It’s hard to cram a 6-foot-wide shrub in a 4-foot-deep bed. Planting for the mature size reduces long-term maintenance.

Other considerations

A lot of people think native plants will survive with little or no care, but that’s not true. Plants are living things and need a little TLC to thrive, bloom, flower, fruit, and shade as you want.

Water newly planted specimens at least once a week. New plants need roughly 1 inch of water every week to 10 days. Most native perennials do not need a lot of fertilizer. Too much fertilizer or soil that is too rich will cause perennials to flop. During exceptionally dry periods, water trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Soil prep is probably the hardest part of planning a garden, especially if you’re a beginner. You’ll need to remove any grass and weeds and add compost, chopped leaves, or other natural amendments to the soil.

Digging the soil for a new bed may unearth decades-old weed seeds, which will grow once exposed to light and water. Consider bringing in a planter’s mix from a local landscape supply company.

A lot of gardening is trial and error. Sometimes plants work out and sometimes they don’t. Don’t be afraid to pull out what you don’t like and plant something new. The more experience you have the better able you’ll be to select plants that work in your beautiful landscape design of native plants.

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp is an award-winning Indianapolis-based garden writer, editor, and speaker. Known as a “hortiholic,” she frequently says her eyes are too big for her yard. She blogs at hoosiergardener.com.

Find native plants at Native Roots Nursery pop-up events  

By Susan Harkins  

Contact Native Roots Nursery via their Facebook page and email.  

This photo shows a beautiful butterfly on a buttbush bloom.
Photo: Lizzie Darling

Lizzie Darling started her native plant adventure in 2021, when she and her husband moved into a new home in Louisville. She noticed that many of the plants growing in their neighborhood were cultivars and even invasives, such as Japanese honeysuckle and winter creeper. After researching their origins, she learned that these plants prevented a more robust natural ecosystem from developing. Lizzie wanted a native habitat for wildlife and insects to thrive.  

There are many reasons to plant natives Lizzie says. They’re beautiful, low maintenance, and hardy. They’ve adapted to the region, so nature supplies what they need. That means they need no fertilizer and little to no supplemental water once established. Natives provide food and shelter for wildlife thanks to their symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem. Consequently, natives require no pesticides to support good health. Finally, natives usually have deep roots that prevent erosion and water runoff, while enriching the soil for life beneath the surface. It’s a win for humans, flora, and fauna alike.  

Yes, you’ll see the occasional insect having lunch, but in a balanced system, plants withstand the picnickers quite well.

 In 2022, she began transforming her Louisville property, but was disappointed to find few natives at neighborhood nurseries. Dropseed Native Plant Nursery and Ironweed Native Plant Nursery proved to be excellent sources to meet her needs. But still looking for options closer to home and finding none, she decided to grow natives herself.   

This photo is of Lizzie Darling, owner of Native Roots Nursery.
Lizzie Darling, owner of Native Roots Nursery.

This past winter, she began growing native plants from seed and removing nonnative invasives and improving her wildlife habitat.  

She joined several gardening groups this past spring and found many local gardeners looking for natives. That’s when she began growing them to sell, after acquiring her nursery license. Now, she supplies plants for local companies, such as Native Oasis, who designs and maintains native plant landscaping.  

Native Roots Nursery is sold out for the 2023 season but watch for their pop-up events come spring. They also sell at local markets throughout the Louisville area. To keep up with her pop-up and local market events, like her Facebook page.  

President’s Message – August, 2023

Liz & I enjoying the shade of a massive pecan (Carya illinoinensis) on a hot day at Ballard WMA.

Hello fellow native plant enthusiasts. I hope everyone’s summer is going well and that you have been able to get out into Kentucky’s natural areas to enjoy our native plant communities. August is definitely a good news, bad news month. The good news is that many species of native plants are in full flower and the butterflies and other pollinators are taking full advantage of the bounty. The bad news is that August can be brutally hot and humid, making enjoying the extensive blooms a bit difficult. Whenever I can in August, except for those days when the heat index is in triple digits, I brave the heat, get out early, bring plenty of water, find shade when I can, and enjoy the beauty and diversity of Kentucky’s native plant communities. I hope you can as well.

Cup plant
(Silphium perfoliatum)
Dense blazing star
(Liatris spicata)
Hollow Joe-Pye weed
(Eutrochium fistulosum)

I am absolutely thrilled by the success of KNPS’s two Wetland Plant ID workshops at John James Audubon SP at the end of June. The workshops were well attended with 26 participants, despite some challenging weather. Be sure to read about the workshops and see images from the field, also in this month’s Lady Slipper: Wetland Plant ID Workshops, A Great Success! An enormous thank you has to go out to Rachel Cooke who conceived, planned, and organized this great event. And thanks also to Nathanael Pilla of Midwest Biological Surveys who did such an amazing job of teaching.

Workshops are one of the ways the Society fulfills its mission of education about our native plants and native plant communities. Workshops generally are narrowly focused, usually with a single instructor. Most workshops involve a mix of classroom instruction and field work, with an emphasis on hands-on experience for all of the participants. We are already talking about workshops that KNPS might offer in 2024. If there are native plant-related topics that you think would make a good workshop or if you would be interested in presenting a workshop (or know of someone who is) please use the comment form at the bottom of this article to let us know.

John James Audubon SP wetlands.

Be sure to save the date for the KNPS 2023 Fall Meeting at John James Audubon SP, in Henderson County, on Saturday, October 28. There will be a KNPS member and friends meeting in the morning, with informative talks and updates about the Society. After a break for lunch, there will be hikes, led by experienced botanists and naturalists that know the park, to explore the plants and plant communities that occur at the state park. Along the bluffs of the Ohio River is mature, almost old growth forest with some trees more than 200 years old. Along the Ohio River the 650-acre Audubon Wetlands allows visitors to explore the forest and wetlands of the The Wabash–Ohio Bottomlands ecoregion. This will be the first time since 2012 that one of KNPS’ annual meetings will be hosted in the western end of the state. As a resident of this end of Kentucky, I’m looking forward to welcoming KNPS friends and members from all over the Commonwealth to western Kentucky.

Everything that the Kentucky Native Plant Society does, such as Wildflower Weekend, the Fall Meeting, workshops, field trips, symposiums, and more, happens through the efforts of volunteers giving of their time and creativity. You can help KNPS accomplish our mission, of promoting education about, appreciation for, and conservation of our native flora. If you have ideas for new things that the Society could be doing or thoughts about doing old things better, we want to hear from you. If you want to be more active in areas such as organizing events, leading field trips, helping with membership, writing and editing articles for the Lady Slipper, helping with the website and social media, and more, we want to hear from you. Let us know if you want to help using the comment form below.

Starting this month I am adding a comment form to the bottom of these President’s messages. Please use this form to ask questions, make suggestions, volunteer to help the Society, or just vent if you need to. Your comments will go directly to my email account. Thanks.

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View native plants and wildlife at KDFWR WMAs

By Geoff Roberts, KDFWR

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages tracts of public land throughout the state for recreational use. These Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are largely managed for hunting and fishing, although many of them also offer opportunities for hiking and wildlife viewing. In total, the 88 WMAs that stretch the commonwealth from Paducah to Pikeville and many stops between account for over 500,000 acres of public land.

This photos shows a F&W boundary sign on a WMA.
You can view native plants and wildlife on WMAs. Photo: KDFWR

Kentucky’s WMAs are likely not foreign to many sportswomen and men throughout the state as an estimated 19% of Kentucky hunters utilize these lands during various hunting seasons. Those individuals who do not hunt or fish may not be as familiar with the opportunities that these areas present and are encouraged to explore the possibilities at their local WMA or plan a trip to a management area of interest.

While virtually all of Kentucky’s WMAs can be explored on foot, nearly 60 offer hiking opportunities with defined trails, many of which occur in conjunction with Kentucky State Parks. An additional 15 management areas offer specific wildlife viewing opportunities for those hoping to catch a glimpse of land mammals, waterfowl, songbirds, and birds of prey. Many WMAs have a blend of terrain and habitat types, offering the chance to explore woodland, grassland, and wetland areas with varying degrees of ruggedness.

This photo shows a F&W employee viewing a field in a WMA.
Fish and Wildlife staff maintain WMAs. Photo: KDFWR

Fish and Wildlife staff implement specific management strategies for different WMAs. Some offer wildlife food plots and pollinator plantings while others serve as important habitat for migratory songbirds and waterfowl.

A listing of Kentucky’s WMAs, including detailed descriptions and pertinent info for visitors, can be found on the KDFWR website at www.fw.ky.gov. Specific features, including hiking trails, wildlife viewing, horseback trails, and picnic areas, can be filtered to allow individuals to search for a specific management area that offers desired amenities. An interactive map allows for easy and strategic planning.

Outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts may also be interested in Kentucky Wild, a KDFWR program that supports conservation of Kentucky’s native species not hunted, fished for, or trapped. Kentucky Wild is a membership-based program in which funds from paying members contribute to conservation projects aimed at helping vulnerable wildlife including songbirds, raptors, freshwater mussels, bats, and pollinators. More information can be found at https://app.fw.ky.gov/kywild/.

This is a headshot of Geoff Roberts, with KDFWR.

Geoff is a program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources who loves sharing his passion for wildlife and the outdoors with others. A lifelong Kentuckian, Geoff enjoys birding, hiking, bass fishing, and exploring the state’s many outdoor opportunities in his free time.