Feel Good Stories

 

As you drive around, you probably see what many of us see: new construction sites showing Georgia red clay where trees once stood, new plantings of ornamental exotic plants, and prolific stands of invasive plants choking our roadsides. It can be depressing and so I offer a selection of fairly recent stories to help spotlight some good in this area.

Remember that we can also do our part to help improve the plant landscape in Georgia: educate your friends and neighbors; talk to your community (HOA, city, county, schools, churches, garden clubs) about the benefits of native plants and the harm of invasive ones; at all levels, vote for people who support conservation of land and environmental protections; and donate to organizations that educate about these issues, fight for these issues, and that help to conserve habitat.

Okefenokee view: saw palmetto and longleaf pines

In Georgia, Okefenokee land purchase: “Thanks to the incredible work of The Conservation Fund, the site of a proposed mine on the doorstep of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is permanently protected. The Conservation Fund announced the purchase of Twin Pines Minerals’ mine site near the border of the refuge. In addition to the land, the group is also acquiring the underlying mineral rights.” Read the linked article for background and details on why this is such a great achievement. Donations to land conservation organizations make achievements like this possible.

In North Carolina, there is a new promotion effort by the NC Department of Agriculture for native plants. It is part of the support for the NC Native Plants Act. They created point of sale kits that contain a four-foot banner, a yard sign with support, and 50 North Carolina Native Plant plastic plant labels with logo and area for plant name.

Point of sale kit (Photo from link above)

In Alabama, a popular native plant influencer got national recognition for his work. “Kyle Lybarger built a loyal following online by talking about native plants and why biodiversity matters.” The article shares the story of what changed him and some of the other ways he has been able to make a difference, including land conservation.

In Virginia, invasive plants will get the label they deserve. “Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed a bill to require many invasive plant species to be labeled in stores. […] The law will go into effect in 2027.” Gardeners deserve to know what they’re getting into: “The list of plants included in the legislation does not include every invasive species found in Virginia. It does include 39 of the worst offenders and species that can be commonly found in stores like English ivy, Bradford pear trees and periwinkle. Oftentimes, gardeners purchase these plants without knowing the damage they cause to the environment as a whole or the extent of their impact on their property and neighborhood.”

And in West Virginia, there is hopeful news about cleaning waterways polluted by years of coal mining. “Mine reclamation has also historically been more focused on land: moving mountains back into place after surface mining or filling in hollowed-out spaces underground to prevent collapse. Water and biodiversity concerns often went unaddressed, even though acidic runoff can corrode pipes and threaten drinking water for many residents of rural West Virginia who rely on backyard wells.” In addition, some of the efforts allow them to extract some rare earth minerals that can be reused.

Should I Water My Native Garden?

 

Yes! – how much and how often depends on circumstances (read on for what you should consider). Here we are – just barely into summer – and brutal temps are already upon us. Frankly, it feels like most of spring was summer, but that’s another topic. 

As we hide indoors, sipping on cool drinks and running the fans, how are our plants faring and should we do anything for them (after all, they are native plants, right?).

Should we water them? Let’s explore some of several reasons why that answer should be “Yes.”

1.       Are they newly planted? I’ll extend that definition to something you planted this year and within the last 12 months. Plants that grew in pots, tenderly watered until you bought them, may not have had time to establish extensive enough roots to withstand temperatures like 96 degrees. Mulching helps but if they are drooping or crisping up, they need water.

2.       Gardens are man-made constructs and plants don’t always have the support system they might have in the wild – mycorrhizal and fungal networks that help roots function more efficiently – so recognize that our gardens might still need human assistance during hard times.

3.       Plants in pots dry out faster than plants in the ground.

4.       Patterns of rain don’t always reach plants in areas near structures. Evaluate if your foundation area plants are getting enough water even when we get afternoon thunderstorms.

 

This is an afternoon picture; this jewelweed usually perks up by morning.

When to check? Check any time of day, but know that they absolutely need water if they are droopy in the morning. Plants can recover overnight so if they are wilted in the morning then they don’t have enough resources to recover. To ensure that visibly stressed plants get water, I take the time to hand water them rather than chance that the spray from the hose or sprinkler gets there.

When to water? Most people know that watering in the heat of the day is not productive. The water evaporates too quickly and you’ll have a false sense of how much the plants got. Watering in the morning is ideal when soil might be a little softer and able to soak it in; watering in the evening is second best and there is some risk of causing fungal issues due to overnight damp foliage (but if that is the only time you can do it, then just be aware of that and go ahead and water).

And while you’re watering your plants, consider leaving out sources of water for birds and other critters. I recently put my hummingbird feeder back up and was happy to see one young female taking long and refreshing sips at it. Refresh these every other day if you can (I read that sugar water spoils quickly in temperatures over 90 degrees and the spoiled syrup can be harmful).

 

Eastern Monarchs – Two Paths through Georgia

Monarchs continue to be an iconic butterfly, and their large size and bright colors make them a favorite of children and nature lovers. The message of planting milkweed for their survival is still so strong that seasonal plant sales almost can’t stock enough of it. Those of us who give pollinator presentations try hard to convince people that a bunch of other native butterflies also need their host plants.

Spring migration monarch 

Fall migration monarch

Last year I represented the Georgia Native Plant Society in a collaboration with Monarchs Across Georgia and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to update a brochure about using milkweed in Georgia. The goal was to make the brochure easier to use for average gardeners, ensure that it represented all of Georgia’s native species, and to give caution about milkweeds that we should avoid in Georgia. We also added more text about the support that adult monarch butterflies need: 

“A good rule of thumb is that, for every milkweed, you should provide 8-10 nectar plants. Excellent choices for early spring (April-May) include several native species of coreopsis, phlox, salvia, bluestar and butterweed. Plants producing nectar in September and October are critical to fueling the monarchs’ migration to Mexico! These include native asters, goldenrods, ironweeds, bonesets and blue mistflowers.”

If you haven’t seen the brochure or you’d like a digital copy for yourself, you can find it on the GNPS website as part of the Society’s educational resources.

I recently found a single tiny monarch caterpillar on my poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata); actually I was showing the milkweed to a visitor and she noticed the caterpillar first. I’m sure that the adult must have laid other eggs – there was evidence of light nibbling on foliage – but this was the only one left.

Source

Georgia is fortunate to be a part of both the spring and fall migrations of Eastern monarchs. This map by The Xerces Society illustrates that my area (metro Atlanta) supports the butterflies that come up from Mexico but you’ll notice there is also a Coastal path in Georgia from the presumed Florida resident population (a path that is still being confirmed – report your sightings to help with documenting this population).

We don't have to grow this but we should leave it for them

We’ve got to continue to get the message out about providing nectar plants for butterflies (a message that benefits more than just monarchs) as well as conserving natural habitat and roadside flowers (yes, those huge stands of goldenrod are supporting them!). We’ve also got to get the message out that pesticide use (I’m looking at you, mosquito sprayers) is contributing to the decline of pollinators, including butterflies.

One of the best things we can do in addition to our yard, is to educate others. From the Xerces link: “Help other people learn about monarchs and how they can get involved! Talk to your friends, neighbors, and online communities. Every little bit of awareness and habitat helps, and for monarchs to really recover, they will need a lot of us to pitch in.”

June 2025 Moment in Nature

A few moments of extra special this week: an owlet appeared in the driveway out of the blue. This Barred Owl is familiar in this area - we hear the adults calling often and the neighborhood's abundance of large trees in woodland areas is perfect for them.

We spent several hours observing it. It changed its location once so it seems as if it wasn't hurt. A thunderstorm came through while it was next to a bench so my husband rigged up an umbrella. After the rain, it got active again and ran through the puddles to another area. About that time, one of the parents appeared in a tall pine overlooking the driveway and we took that as a hopeful sign.

Barred owl in location #2 by the bench 

Later in the day, I tried to guide it with a stick back to the woods and it fell down, revealing a bloody wound under the wing. It was too late to take him to a care facility so we put it in a box with a mesh top for overnight safety but he didn't live through the night. This was quite the sad #momentinnature for June.

Landscape Spotlight: Beebalm (Monarda)

In my travels, I occasionally come across a particularly nice display of a native plant in a designed landscape. I usually take a photo of it, but I don’t always have a chance to work that into a blog. This week a bright spot of red flowers caught my eye as I was out running errands. I was pleased to see that it was a robust planting of scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma).

Two colors of Monarda and a Coreopsis cultivar

Beebalm is a native perennial that does best in full sun (6 hours or more) and good moisture. The flowers are popular with native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The foliage is pleasantly aromatic, a trait that has led to another common name of Oswego tea and its usage as an herbal tea.

I am not sure if the purple flower flanking the scarlet beebalm is a cultivar of the same plant (M. didyma) or one of the wild bergamot cultivars (Monarda fistulosa). When it comes to Monarda, all the cultivars I've seen affect flower color or height but still provide good support to native insects seeking pollen and nectar.

If you are in need of a bright perennial and can provide sun and moisture, consider adding beebalm to your list. Need other ideas? Have a look at my Native Summer Perennials post from earlier.

Wild Bees for the Win in Georgia’s Blueberry Crops

 

Penstemon smallii

A couple weeks ago I wrote about my garden’s new Penstemon species. They are still blooming – along with several other species of beardtongue – and the bumblebees are having a blast. Soon my St. John’s wort (Hypericum) shrubs will be in bloom and they’ll move on to it, following seasonal bloom cycles as if their life depended on it.

The bees are not just here to amuse me, they have a role to play. An article published this week by UGA CAES highlighted a study of the role of Georgia’s bees in our blueberry crops. Here are a couple of quotes from the article:

“The study, published in Environmental Entomology, recorded more than 5,000 wild bees, identifying 72 species across 26 genera — the most comprehensive survey of wild bees conducted in Georgia blueberry farms.”

“As part of a broader USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) project aimed at boosting blueberry yields by establishing pollinator- and predator-friendly flowering plants around fields, Sarah Rezende focused on how wild bee populations shift across space and time in southeast Georgia blueberry farms.”

This kind of data gives us an important tool to convince farmers and policy-makers that native plants and the insects that they attract can be significant contributors to their crop success. According to the article, “Georgia ranked third nationally in blueberry production.” The study also emphasizes that having flowering plants across all 3 growing seasons is important to maintain a robust population of those native bees.

“The most important thing farmers and residents can do is support a wide variety of flowering plants that bloom throughout the year. This not only helps sustain a diverse range of bees but also ensures their populations remain strong across seasons. Because different solitary and specialist bee species forage at different times, continuous blooms are essential.”

I've written about native bees before and you might find some of these previous posts helpful. They include resources such as books and lists of plants. And I’ll close with a photo of our spectacular specialist bee, the Southeastern blueberry bee. Georgia's farmers and gardeners can’t afford to lose her.

Native Plants for Native Bees

Save the Wild Bees

Bee Welcome - a post about a really useful book!

Southeastern blueberry bee

Common Names – What are they good for?

 

For those of us who talk about plants a lot, common names can be as vexing as they are useful. Common names for the same plant can vary, they can also be used for more than one plant, and they can be confusing as they apply to different groups (coneflower, anyone?).

Redbud, is it? Looks purple to me.

Latin or Scientific plant names haven’t been around as long as common names. I mentioned in an earlier post that Carl Linnaeus proposed the binomial Latin-based structure only 300 years ago. As I said then, this was a far better system than before:  It’s incredible to think that Magnolia grandiflora was once called Magnolia foliis lanceolatis persistentibus, caule erecto arboreo by one person while another called it Magnolia altissima, flore ingenti candido. Common names included “Greater Magnolia” and “Larger Laurel leave’d Tulip Tree.” According to the author, names grew longer as new but similar species were discovered and “some names ran to half a page.”

Scientific names can also be difficult to pronounce, hard to remember, and every now and then the taxonomists change them. I get that. Yet, they give us a name to use around the word, across all languages and common names. I have been to gardens in other countries and the use of the Scientific name allows me to recognize the plant without knowing the local language or common name. Recently I went to the Ghent University Museum in Belgium and found some of our native plants there.

Our native spicebush and many others were in the garden

Let’s get back to common names, because they can be interesting in their own right. My favorite is the collection of names for Carpinus caroliniana. Common names for this Georgia native include: musclewood, ironwood, American hornbeam, blue-beech, water-beech, and leantree. The first 3 are super common and you almost have to mention them all to get someone to recognize what you’re talking about.

Common names might reference the location where the plant was first named, such as Canadian goldenrod for Solidago canadensis. Even that can be inconsistent such as American elderberry for Sambucus canadensis. A comment on a recent GNPS Facebook post implied that a Canadian was outraged that the USA had claimed the plant as American when it was native to Canada (another person clarified that Canada was part of the greater area called North America so the name was still valid).

We shouldn’t have to explain common names. They are just that: a common name that was applied by someone and picked up by others as an easy way to reference the plant. Like Scientific names, some common names recognize people, or denote places, or describe characteristics of the plant: Small’s ragwort, Georgia aster, tall thistle. Many of our natives have been saddled with ‘weed’ in their common names which seems to imply that they are inferior. Others are just plain amusing, perplexing, or even archaic. Here are some of the strange ones I’ve found:

• Flyr's nemesis (Brickellia cordifolia) – more info on that one here.
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis) – so often people ask why it is not ‘purple bud’ instead.
• Fleabane (Erigeron) – named for its usage as a flea deterrent in medieval homes and beds.
• Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia) – alas, the Barbara referenced is unknown, an example of how common names can lose their point of reference.
• Tread-softly (Cnidoscolus stimulosus) – are we afraid to call it what it is? It stings you!
• Turkey tangle fogfruit or frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) – yes, people spell it both ways, even more confusing! Don’t get me started on farkleberry which is also called sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum); just admit you said it wrong!
• Hairy balls plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) – hard to disagree with this one but do people really say it? By the way, don’t plant this exotic in Georgia.
• Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) – overly cautious name there, it only means that the seed pod will explode.
• Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) – named not for staying put in the ground (ironically it is an aggressive spreader) but because you can move the flowers and they stay put.

Marshallia mohrii

Cnidoscolus stimulosus

I could go on and on (and will likely think of some great ones right after I hit the publish button). Post in the comments some of your favorites!