Prairie Notes

What Do Pollinators Need?

It hard to believe that spring is coming as I sit here and await sub-zero temperatures tonight.  This extended period of cold weather with ice and snow is hard to embrace but I know “this too shall pass”.  Anyway, this cold weather has me hunkered down doing some reading and planning for spring.  While reading […]

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A League of Their Clone

We get a lot of questions about what exactly it means for a plant to be a cultivar or a variety, and if that is “good” or “bad” for pollinators or ecological value. There are are a lot of strong opinions on the matter, but to really answer that question it is important to know […]

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Plant Profile: Aronia

Also known as chokeberry, Aronia is a North American native fruiting bush that is sorely underused in the ornamental landscape. Often confused with chokeCHERRY, chokeberries also have a white spring bloom, dark summer fruit, and gorgeous fall color. There are many Aronia varieties available, but it can be hard to keep them all straight! I […]

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New Plants around the Grounds

I recently spoke at the Oklahoma Native Plant Network fall festival in Oklahoma City. They had a day full of speakers, including representatives from Tulsa Botanic Garden, the Xerces Society and Bat Conservation International. But the real treat of course was the plant market outside the presentation hall. So many great native treasures were available […]

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Messy Trees

I love this time of year. Cool mornings and warm afternoons are a welcome break from the heat of summer. This time of year also reminds me that not all trees are the same. Some have beautiful fall colors of orange, red, yellow and purple while others shades of tan and brown. Once the leaves […]

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