MCTG News

Leaves of three, let it be… but leaves of three are not always a sign of danger!

There are many beneficial native plants with trifoliate leaves that are completely benign. Speaking of beneficial native plants, poison ivy IS extremely beneficial for wildlife. The flowers are visited by bees, the leaves are hosts for several moth caterpillars and browsed occasionally by mammals, and probably most importantly, the white berries feed dozens of bird species. Of course, the birds are then responsible for its wide distribution, much to the dismay of all who react to the irritating urushiol oil, present in all parts of the plant.

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) can form a bush, creep along the ground, or grow as a climbing vine. It can be recognized by the glossy, toothed, trifoliate leaves. New growth sometimes has a reddish tinge. Fall coloring is often a brilliant orange. The vines are often covered in course hairs and aerial rootlets that allow them to cling to trees, fences, etc.

(Click on images to open larger format.)

Two weeks ago we suggested several Earth Day stay-in-place activities you can do while observing physical distancing. Last week we covered the first suggestion on the list, to plant something– flowers, veggies or a tree, with the post  If something is not eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem!  In that post, Alana explained how important it is to plant native species that support the pollinators and other critters that form the balance of nature we all depend on.

On that note, the Native Plant Conservation Campaign has made available Douglas Tallamy’s video presentation of his latest book, Nature’s Best Hope. Tallamy is a leader in advancing our understanding of how individual homeowners can help local wildlife, support vital ecosystem services such a water purification, and fight climate change all by gardening with beautiful local natives!  

We hope the video gives you inspiration as you plan your post-Covid-19 garden and landscaping projects! Enjoy! And, share! 

Nature’s Best Hope with Doug Tallamy 3-3-2020 from NCTV 79 on Vimeo.

While perusing Pinterest a while ago, I came across this great sign:

For a long time, the ideal garden plants were ones that were “pest resistant.” That often meant plants that were not native to our region, plants that had not evolved with our native insects and were less palatable to them. In recent years, concerns about plummeting insect populations and overall loss of biodiversity has led to a new garden ethic, a movement to use our gardens to support wildlife rather than repel it. Planting native plants is a very important part of this strategy and something I hope you will consider! Continue reading “If something is not eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem!”