14 acres of park land to be replanted with native plants!

I started a thread about replanting a section of the South Mtn. Reservation in NJ on the Native Plants forum. I was recently asked to add information about which plants would attract which Wildlife so I'd like to continue the thread on this forum but am not sure how to do a hyperlink to connect the threads.
Can someone help?

This message was edited Feb 17, 2008 12:49 PM

I was taught to do a hyperlink two different ways.

First, bring your mouse up to the address bar and left click. That will highlight the whole url and you will see it appear in dark blue. Now depress the Ctrl thread while clicking the letter C. Presumably you are trying to link back to a thread started elsewhere so come back here and place your cursor somewhere in the body of your message and click once to hold your then depress the Ctrl key again while left clicking on the letter V and the whole link will now appear in your message.

The other way to highlight is to place your cursor before or after what ever you want to highlight then drag your mouse over the content which should highlight the text. Once it is highlighted just follow the above.

I understand there is yet another way to do this but I don't know how to do it.

Are you going to need list out why the plants you are selecting benefit wildlife? If so, that's easy enough.

Here is a preliminary list of shrubs:

Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis

Spotted wintergreen - Chimaphila maculata

Sweet pepperbush -Clethera alnifolia

Swamp dogwood - Cornus amomum

Black huckleberry - Gaylussacia baccata

Witch hazel - Hamamelis virginianna

Winterberry holly - Ilex verticillata

Mountain laurel - Kalmia latifolia

Spicebush - Lindera benzoin

Partridgeberry- Mitchella repens

Swamp Rose - Rosa palustris (good replacement for barberry)

Rosebay rhodendron - Rhododendron Maximum

Pinxter flower - Rhododendron periclymenoides

Highbush blueberry - Vaccinium corymbosum

Lowbush blueberry - Vaccinium pallidum

Maple-leaf Viburnum - acerfolium
Arrowood Viburnum - dentatum
The list was compiled from existing lists of shrubs already in the Reservation but if anyone sees something out of place or has any questions please ask.
Besides the best native plants to fit the area I also need to research which animal, bird, insect each choice of plants would benefit.

Fortunately there will be a park wide count of existing flora and fauna in June so we will know what's there- the good and bad. Unfortunately, the 1st planting date will be earlier.

I have to borrow the site map that maps out the soil and conditions in the different planting areas.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/811576/
Thanks Equil, that didn't work but hopefully edit- copy -click- edit -paste did. Ok I think it worked.
So here is the start of the thread.

Ah ha, you did it! I recall the first time I was showed how to do it. I felt like slapping myself up the side of the head and going "Duh". Makes life a lot easier when we learn how to cut and paste.

Gaylussacia baccata is a plant I'd be interested in for myself personally so if you are in a position to share your source for that plant I'd be thankful.

Every plant you listed above has wildlife value and several are multi taskers. Good that the person you are working with picked up on a need to provide plants for insects too. They're definitely a part of the food chain. If you get stuck in your research, let me know and I will try my best to help you fill in any gaps. Just list out any plant you're hung up on here.

Don't worry about the timing of the park wide count of existing flora and fauna, you've got plenty to work with for right now and the list you compiled is impressive.

Here's a nice resource: It's an online book: "Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Consevation Landscaping." Go to "Table of Contents," scroll down to "Shrubs" - lists small, med. and tall ones. Good info on plant requirements and wildlife use.

http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/

Sounds like there are a lot of good natives there already!



This message was edited Feb 18, 2008 12:03 PM

Very nice suggestion CompostR.

There is also a book out there that I actually own called, "American Wildlife & Plants, A Guide to Wildlife Food Habitats" by Martin, Zim, and Nelson that you might want to pick up. Unfortunately, it's not addressing insect associations. Given your current project, you might want to try to pick up a used copy. This is one book I use frequently.

That Gaylussacia baccata I like is stated as occuring as undergrowth in woods or clearings in dense stands which would be of benefit from a cover standpoint but it's multi-tasking in that the fruit is consumed by ruffled grouse, bobowhite quail, wild turkey, catbirds, crossbills, grosbeaks, Florida jays, orioles, tanagers, towhees, fox, squirrels, and white-tailed deer. Although the book isn't listing out insects, I know the plant is used by native bees. Additionally, I learned it has been identified as a nectar source for 1st and 2nd generations of the endangered Karner blue butterfly. This is an extremely important plant.

Native flora and native fauna go hand in hand. Non-native species of plants simply don't have comparable, if any, wildlife value.

Thanks Equil, I will check that book out.

That's a good point to keep in mind - that some associated plants/critters are in serious decline and deserve more attention. Pennsylvania's Dept of Natural Resources' site maintains a list of threatened species for the state and their habitat requirements.

Semper - NJ probably has a similar site.

I noticed a lot of the species are wetland, swamp, bog, streamside dwellers, or need deep creeks, ponds or lakes (marsh plants and animals like turtles, dragonflies, waterfowl, mussels, etc.). I guess this makes sense because these are habitats that are very vulnerable to human activity (?) Semper - You would probably find similar threatened species in NJ - and I think you said you had one or more water environments in the park (?).

Well, night all.

P.S. Amazon had the book used for $90, but I just found it on eBay for $25 so bought it quick! Couldn't resist. Semper - when I get it I'll be glad to look up the info for your plant list - I'm pretty much going to do it for myself anyway.



This message was edited Feb 18, 2008 9:19 PM

No way! Is the book I recommended out of print or something? $90 is waaaaaaaaaay too high for that and I don't even think I paid $25 for my copy new. It's a paper back for goodness sakes! I'll take it to the library and start copying pages on their printer for her if she's staring down a $90 price tag for the darn thing if she can't find one on eBay. I doubt seriously if the book had all that much interest. It's looking to me as if it was used for a college course at some point in time.

Price tag on my book is $13.95. Looks as if I bought in 2006.

Thanks for the book information CompostR and Equil.

CompostR there are many water sources in the reservation, The Rahway River runs through, there is a reservoir, a waterfall, a few ponds and streams. On this site there is a vernal pond ( spring peepers and box turtles have been sighted.) A small stream runs through and there is permanently swampy ground. I will look up the threatened species list for NJ as suggested so we can add appropriate plants.

Equil - I found the Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry) on a plant list from Redbud Native Plant Nursery Glen Mills PA- wholesale and retail 610 358 4300
www.redbudnativeplantnursery.com

BTW Equil they have Waldsteinia fragariodes (Appalachian Barren Strawberry) listed also if you are still looking for it.

"Bringing Nature Home How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens" by Douglas W Tallamy has wonderful information on insects, and is a fabulous read.

This message was edited Feb 19, 2008 6:37 AM

They're wholesale and retail but not mailorder/online! That looks like a great nursery!

Phooey! I didn't check that Equil. I just assumed because they had a website they were mailorder. I'll keep looking.

This message was edited Feb 19, 2008 8:26 AM

I'm going through DTs right now..................
I already bought the Waldsteinia fragariodes and planted it last spring.

editing to correct spelling- sheesh, DTs not FTs!

This message was edited Feb 19, 2008 8:09 AM

Equil ,

The plant files list the Gaylussacia baccata available by mail order at ;

http://www.shootingstarnursery.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Gaylussacia+baccata&x=9&y=9

Sold to the highest bidder! You know, I've ordered from them before and was happy. I ordered spring ephemerals. Don't know why I didn't think of going back to their site for a woody.

Did you get the images of the books for your owl babies?

Yes I did , I meant to thank you earlier but my computer has been up and
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It was properly repaired yesterday hopefully . Also that other thread that I did here on wildlife forum with all the nurseries listings . The last post that I did there was a site that supposedly listed plants by state that claim to have at least a portion of thier inventory in native plants for thier area . I am familar with a number of the Arizona nurseries listed and it seems that the claims are legitamate . Here it is again ;

http://www.plantnative.com/nd_altoar.htm

I was very pleased with myself when I ran across those books that covered plants for your owl babies.

You've really got to be careful with that particular list of "native" plant nurseries. I don't think they're updating their lists with any regularity and they certainly aren't checking up claims made by some of the nurseries. I've checked out quite a few of those just last year and found many weren't even differentiating between native and non-native and some had upwards of 50% non-native species but were capitalizing on calling themselves a native plant nursery. A few were listed as being a "native" plant nursery and they only had 5% native plants for sale.

By the way, the first nursery up at your link to Alabama was Biophilia. I know her, she's an awesome lady and when she says she has natives for sale, she has natives for sale. She also offers educational programming on site but she did get hit hard by one of the last hurricanes and went without power for a considerable length of time and damage to her property was supposedly pretty bad. I bet she's at least partially recovered by now.

Here's a thread that I started a while ago mostly for myself but for anyone else who was interested in native plants. I actually went and picked through their inventories-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/669828/
If you've got any nurseries that you know are really selling natives and not slipping in invasives or exotics like Butterfly bushes and such... just d-mail me and I'll add them to the first thread so they're all together. I kind of died down adding to that list when the new Go Gardening Forum was created. Although that forum is great, it doesn't have a category for nurseries that specialize in or focus exclusively on native plants.

I had to scarf up "American Wildlife" which I should have left for semper. My punishment: I paid too much! : ( karma Instead of buying "Bringing Nature Home," I think I'll use the "free" info such as:

MI State site: from "Plant Fact Sheets" you can get detailed info the insects that utilize each plant.

http://nativeplants.msu.edu

It seems like a site Equil might have recommended (?). If so, sorry to repeat.

lonediver - checked out your "planting dead trees" thread. I'm trying the same thing here by having lots of brush and rock piles. We are surrounded by manicured lawns, so the neighbors think we're just lazy. Oh well ...

Another good idea for the reservation - plenty dead stuff lying around.

I generally rely on publications and papers that accumulate over here but do realize most rely upon the Internet. Quality links, such as the one you posted to The Michigan University site, can do nothing but benefit the lurkers every time they appear in a thread.

I have to tell you that I now have Tallamy's book "Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife". It had been my intent to read it cover to cover while traveling but I didn't receive it until after we were home. The book was recommended to my by another subscriber and I have to tell you it's going to be a top recommendation quite possibly up there with Sara Stein's "Noah's Garden". That being said, recommend away. It's sure to be one of the top publications out there for those who garden for wildlife.

Yes, good idea for the reservation to leave plenty of dead stuff around. Exception being any plant that is allelopathic. You don't want those laying around continuing to interfere with regeneration of native species.

CompostR - Don't worry about the American Wildlife book. I recall seeing it at one of the local nature center shops, I just have to remember where. I did see it online for $9.

Wonderful information and projects, lonediver.

After a walk through with an expert (unfortunately I wasn't present) with a crash course on identifying existing natives visible now, our shrub plant list was approved. BTW our planting date was moved, so we have more time.
What they want us to do is mainly plant understory small trees and shrubs and add herbaceous plants later.
They don't use the weed wrench any longer because when the invasive shrub is removed they find the disturbed area becomes covered with garlic mustard. We thought we'd use the weed wrench and plant immediately in the hole left and heavily mulch the surrounding area ( the mulching technique is suggested in Bringing Home Nature: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife).
Any thoughts on this?

It has also been suggested to hand pull the Japanese Stilt Grass and plant the Spicebush immediately and just keep the area weeded. Will this work in your experience?

Our next step is to find the nursery that has most of the plants we want that will also deliver.

We would also like to add vines to cover the interior fence of the dog park. Bittersweet is out. I like the idea of Lonicera sempervirens but don't find it on the list of plants found in the reservation already. In fact all the vines on that list are invasive. Any thoughts on this? I will try to do more research on the vines next.

Anytime you disturb an area you leave it vulnerable to invasion but that includes walking or working in it too so might as well go with your original plan. GM does leave behind a seedbank that lasts 7 years. That seedbank is going to have to be dealt with at some point in time so might as well deal with it now while there is interest at this site and they have the volunteers. I always choose the weedwrench over chemicals when possible.

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/mivi1.htm
excerpt from above-
I'd still hand pull it and wouldn't worry about the seedbank. You've got people who are involved who evidently know how to identify the plant and your only other viable option is chemicals because you don't have time to solarize or smother it. JS pulls out of the ground every bit as easily as GM.

Is L. sempervirens a native to that county? If it is, plant it without batting an eyelash. You don't have the time or the resources to go for a pristine revegetation project and you're dealing with an area that is a public park that's going to get a lot of foot traffic anyway so why not? That particular plant has many intangible benefits so I'd go for it. Do consider planting it on the outside of the dog enclosure as opposed to the inside as that vine is a hummer magnet and when hummers get busy they are often oblivious to their surroundings. I currently have one dog that must be walked on a leash at all times otherwise he grabs frogs and chipmunks and baby bunnies and I can assure you if he thought he could get close enough to a bird he'd grab it and he's fast about it too. He keeps them in his mouth until he drops them inside my house and I have to get them out. Makes for some interesting experiences but my dog is not alone in snatching critters... the only difference is that he doesn't eat them.

Silly question but what are you all doing about brush piles? Those make for great habitat and vines can easily be trained over them to provide additional cover.

editing to change the word restoration to revegetation as well as to add additional comments about hummers.

This message was edited Feb 21, 2008 12:44 PM

Here are some vines native to Maryland. I think most of them can serve as ground covers too.

My favorite is Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The berries are eaten by birds, but are toxic to mammals (high oxalic acid). Georgeous fall foliage.

Leather flower (Clematis vioma) - I think this is in the buttercup family.

Virgins bower (Clematis virginiana)

Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) - some say this one gets out of hand, but I have never seen that situation. Hummingbirds like it. Blooms in summer.

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) - related to trumpet vine and looks like it, but it blooms in the spring.

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) - May not be native to the northern areas of Maryland.

Oh oh oh, if you love Parthenocissus quinquefolia (I do too) you gotta get your hands on some P. vitacea!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=2988658

Here is one for you equil . virginia creeper does not do to well out here but this one does . Maybe It will suit others : hacienda creeper ;

http://www.mswn.com/Plant%20Info%20Sheets/Parthenocisus%20sp%20Hacienda%20Creeper%20tm.pdf

Thanks, Equil - I didn't know there were these two kinds - I'll have to check mine!

sempervirens,

On the original thread you had posted about this, I'd mentioned the Audubon sale in Basking Ridge. I received their catalogue, so if you're interested you can give them a catalogue. I'm having some fun trying to decide what to order.

-- Lori

Hi Lori,
Eventually we went with the large wholesalers of natives that would deliver to the site. I'd love to know what you are ordering. I usually make a spring trip to Well Sweep Herb Farm for a few of the smaller natives.It is worth while to get the catalog because they do mark which are natives, in fact they are very rigid about only marking species as native not cultivars. They are largely a herb source and do carry many exotics so you really have to pour over the catalog to find the gems. I would also recommend actually going there to pick out what looks good. Last year I was thrilled to get 2 birds foot violets which bloomed happily all summer.

sempervirens,

I suspected wholesale would be much less expensive for the project, but figured I'd mention the catalog anyway.

My list is probably going to get smaller, although it'll be hard to decide what to cut. Right now even though I got one of each at Bowman's Wildflower Preserve last fall I'm thinking of Carpinus caroliana (American hornbeam), and Sambucus canadensis (Common Elderberry). I was looking up about the plants in Cullina's books. I wanted the hornbeam just for the looks, but the books says the nuts are eaten by birds and mammals, and it's a host plant for white admirals, tiger swallowtails, and striped hairstreaks. I know elderberry is supposed to be very popular with birds.

The rest of my list:
- Lobelia cardinalis (Red Cardinal Flower) - for hummingbirds and it is beautiful

- Dicentra eximia (Native Bleeding Heart) - supposedly for hummingbirds, but I haven't seen the hummers use the one I have. I have only had it for about a year though

- Filipendula rubra (Queen of the Prairie)

- Helianthus microcephalus (Small-headed Sunflower) - for insects and birds. I'm hoping for goldfinches in particular

- Pycnanthemum muticum (Broad Leaved Mountain Mint) - Nectar plant and I'm hoping since I've seen mint listed as a host for Painted Ladies a couple of times (not sure how accurate), maybe it'll work that way

- Matteuccia struthioperis (Ostrich Fern)

So far even though I have some host plants, I haven't noticed caterpillars using them, but I'll keep trying.

Lori

Lori,
Nice list.
Last year when the lonicera sempervirens was blooming in a partially shaded spot one humming bird came daily to visit it. The surprise was the hummer also repeatedly visited the near by Bowmans root, Gillenia trifoliata( I've never seen that one on a hummer list). I imagine adding the dicentra eximia nearby would be perfect.
I'm losing track of what information I posted since I down loaded so much for this project so forgive me I'm being repetitive, or if you recommended the info to me, but the NJ Native Plant Society Site has a list of NJ native plants, host and nectar, with the butterflies they attract.
I also remember Sara Stein (Noah's Garden) recommending NJ Tea, Ceanothus americanus for the little flies it attracts and hummers eat.



This message was edited Mar 12, 2008 6:27 AM

Thanks sempervirens. I have NJ Tea which young and haven't bloomed for me yet. I didn't realize realize they might attract hummers, and just got them as nectar plants, and because I like how they look.

Two years ago we had a daily hummingbird, but not last year. I'm hoping this will be a good season for us.

-- Lori

I just wanted to update this thread and let everyone know how the reforestation project is progressing and thank everyone who has helped.

After a number of walk throughs with environmentalists we have mapped our site into 5 sections of different environments. We have decided to start with the sunny meadow site and have already flagged invasive species and will begin on April 20th removing some by hand. After the meadow is treated with a herbicide, killing off the invasive cool season grasses, we will start planting native grasses and flowering plants in the central area . Along the edges and leading to the wooded wet area we will add shrubs and vines.
Through the spring and summer there will be a monthly volunteer crew removing invasives leading up to a more intensive planting of understory shrubs in the fall.

The bad news is we have a very sick forest with no real understory left. The trees are aging and although they are still seeding the area no new saplings can grow. The erosion problem is extreme. In the whole 2,000 acre area a small herd of 30 deer can live harmoniously and after the cull we have about 250. We are using this large exclosure (fenced off area) and eventually 200 smaller exclosures to try to reseed and revegetate the area.

The good news is we did hear spring peepers singing and skunk cabbage was growing along with a few sedges.

This thread is loaded with wonderful information, thanks for posting, gang.

sempervirens,

I was wondering how things were going with this. Thanks for the update. Do they have a plan yet for trying to deal with the forest yet?

Lori

Hi Lori,
In the fall 200 mini exclosures will be placed through the forest. The plants in these exclosures will be the source of future seed banks and will spread through the forest if the deer count can be maintained at about 30.
Right now the count is 250.

This has been tried in another forest in NJ and after 12 years the plants are starting to grow outside of the exclosures. It all depends on the deer count per sq. mile if this is to be successful.

doccat5,
Good luck with your project. It sounds like you are off to a good start. You should be able to get a list of native wholesale nurseries in your area and buy plugs of many plants for a fraction of the cost of larger plants.

Thanks sempervirens, I'm know our extension agent has the plans and plants all planned out. We're just waiting for copies of the plans, so we have something to work with. I think its' going to be great fun and that bunch is great to work with. None of us are "spring chickens" but we work smarter not harder. LOL
It sounds like your project is going wonderfully. Good luck with that. Do you have pictures? It's just so very, very interesting!!

This is a terrific thread. I am trying to find native plants for a wooded area in my backyard that had been taken over by honeysuckle. I need native deep shade shrubs that will attract wildlife. Is that too much to ask?

happy_macomb,

If you're talking about really heavy shade with no reflected light, or dappling it is a hard order from what I know. If the shade is less extreme that'll expand your options. I just made a pass through the information I have on my plants and came up with the following:

Lobelia cardinalis (red cardinal flower) – I have seen hummingbirds use this in my yard

Eupatorium fistulosum (joepye weed) and probably some of the other Eupatorium - this
is a very good nectar plant for butterfly and serves as a host plant for some. I’ve actually seen evidence that something was eating the leaves on mine

Dicentra eximia (native bleeding heart) – per Cullina’s book nectar for bumblebees. I’ve seen it mentioned as a hummingbird plant. I believe the fruit is also used (One of its common names is turkey corn). So far I haven’t seen mine used by anything but I really like the look of it.

I’m linking to the UConn Plant DB which will let you search by different criteria including that plants have wildlife value. I prefer using native plants and this site includes non-natives including invasives, but does give the status of the plants for Connecticut in terms of invasiveness. The “find records” button at the bottom doesn’t work, so use the one on top.

I don't usually see these mentioned, but I saw ferns and moss used in the nest the chickadees built in the nest box we put up.

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/fmi/xsl/search.xsl

Here's a link to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center search. It doesn't let you search by wildlife value but includes the information in the details.

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/

Maybe after the holiday weekend, more people will be around to give their experiences.

-- Lori

Thanks, Lori. Your suggests are great, but for starters, I want to put in shrubs. If I get to the point of perennials, it will need to be plants that can take care of themselves and that don't need extra water, because I have my hands full with my regular perennial border!

I do have dappled shade. I like Equilibrium's suggestion of Gaylussacia baccata. I am hoping I can get it to propagate, because I can't afford as many as I need!

Sorry. I missed the word shrubs. The 2 links I gave should be able to help you since both will let you include the habit in the search.

-- Lori