Blog Posts

  • Senna marilandica

      Senna marilandica, “Senna” Fabaceae Glabrous leaves, upright habit, leaflets are on the largish side. Useful as a laxative due to the antraquinone content. Popular species for pollinator gardens, forms colonies and bares spectacular yellow flowers. I think that first pic was actually taken at Hot Springs National Park, the second is just below the…

  • Carya illinoiensis

      Carya illinoinensis, “hardy pecan” Juglandaceae Gregory Ormsby-Mori of the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry posing with a wild pecan tree at HARC in New Franklin, MO. Right picture is of seedlings coming up on loess-capped River Hills pasture, on top of a ridge, near the Missouri River. Dr. William Reid wrote a good…

  • Tripsacum dactyloides

      Tripsacum dactyloides, “Eastern Gamma Grass” Poaceae A premier native forage species for domesticated ruminants, this warm season grass also has maize-like edible seeds. Until the government told them they couldn’t slaughter their own animals onsite (and it is pretty onerous to have to load bison in a truck and take them anywhere, they’re huge…

  • Ceanothus americanus

      Ceanothus americanus, “New Jersey Tea”, “red root” Rhamnaceae First pic from roadside at MOFEP (outside of Winona, MO), second pic from my the buffalo clover patch in Mount Airy Forest (Cincinnati, OH). In my experience, this plant likes some sun. Shrub to 3 feet. Leaves broadly egg-shaped, with 3 prominent veins arising  from base.…

  • Hydrastis canadensis

    Hydrastis canadensis, “Goldenseal” RannunculaceaeTook the first picture on a toe slope near the Little Piney River (South of Rolla, MO). It shows how extensive a clonal colony can get. The second picture is from one of my masters research plots at HARC in New Franklin, MO- you can see this is a very shade tolerant…