Another great shrub

Have you been in the woods lately and noticed a beautiful white flowering shrub that does not quite look like a dogwood? This plant is probably Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw or Possumhaw Viburnum).  This native viburnum is very happy this spring, and I have noticed more blooms from V. prunifolium than I have any other year.  This great native woodland understory shrub is definitely one that should be used more in the landscape, especially if you have a shady area that is begging for something to be planted.  It has beautiful reddish leaves in the fall, and gets the white flowers in the spring.  It has a fairly long lasting bloom, and is not prone to deer browse. It produces beautiful fruits that change from a greenish pink to blueish black when they  reach maturity.  The berries attract wildlife to your yard, and can also last through the winter for some extra winter color.

It is also important to note that if you are managing your woodland for invasives V. prunifolium has great similarity to common privet which is one of our invasive shrubs.  I learned early on that this is not a great volunteer day project because the plants do look very similar unless you make yourself familiar with the differences.

Deer Fencing: Pros and Cons

Deer fencing and deer exclosures seem to be buzz words as of late, so I thought I could go over some of the pro's and con's of using this method to assist with deer control.

Pros: The deer exclosures do a reasonably good job of keeping deer out of an area.  Over a period of time the reduction (or elimination) of deer pressure will result in a wide diversity of plants.  The natural seedbank has the ability to remain dormant for a long period of time.  The reduction of deer browse allows these dormant seeds the ability to actually grow.  Another benefit seems to be that the dispersal of invasive plant seeds that would otherwise be disturbed, or carried by the deer seems to disappear.  If you are able to do a good job of removing the invasives from your deer fencing when it is first installed, you should notice a reduction in the invasive species that show up in the area.  The native seed bank is healthier, and does not allow the invasive plants to take as much hold as they would if they did not have the competition from the natives.

Notice the difference on the outside of the fence and the inside of the fence.

Cons:  It may not seem like it, but there are a few cons to deer fencing.  One of the major, and most prohibitive con is the cost of the fencing.  Deer fencing, the installation, and maintenance of the fencing is not inexpensive.   This is an important fact to consider up front.  Another important fact is that while deer fencing is great at ASSISTING with deer control, but should not be the only method that you use.  You should still have a properly managed deer hunt on your property (or talk to your neighbors about coordinating a deer hunt if you are putting an exclosure around your entire property).  The last fact to consider is that while installing a fence will decrease (or eliminate) deer pressure in that area, it will effectively increase deer pressure in another area.  You should be cognizant about this when installing a deer fence and be sure to work with your neighbors, or your surrounding property to continue to manage the deer.  


To sum up my thoughts about deer fencing, I believe that it can be used as an effective management tool, and a learning tool to individuals who may not be aware of how intense the deer pressure is in our area.  If you have a large enough property, it may be prudent to fence off smaller areas of the property to watch the results and keep an active deer management program in place on your property.  Also keep in mind that you must remove the invasives that are in the fenced in area in order to see proper results, and you must stay on top of invasive management while the native plants begin to grow.  If it is properly installed and maintained it can be used as a great accent to your deer management program, however it should never be used as the only type of deer management on your property.

Here are some great examples of the difference between a woodland that has been actively browsed by deer, and a woodland that is in a deer exclosure.  The brilliant white flower: Trillium Grandiflorium (Great White Trillium) is a plant that you rarely see in a woodland with deer pressure.  They are picky to begin with, and if they find a spot they like, they are typically browsed by deer.

Plant Reveal

The plant that was shown yesterday is Aquileg1ia canadensis (American Columbine).  This is a beautiful spring flower that is very showy in it's native form.  You can actually purchase this flower in various colors, but I prefer the natural red and yellow color.  It is a great plant in your garden, and a nice change from the bleeding heart which everyone has in their garden.  Yesterday, I noted that this plant does not like competition, this is important to note when you plant it.  Make sure you pay close attention to what the leaf looks like because this plant will hop around your garden to find a spot where it will not face competition . It is a woodland plant, so it prefers partial shade.   My A. canadensis typically jumps over to very close to where the sidewalk crosses the garden.  Another of my favorite native alternatives to bleeding heart is Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchmen's breeches).   This is the plant that is pictured today.

Whats Blooming right now?

This plant is one that I have probably mentioned,  but keep an eye out for it in the woods near you. The bloom is probably starting to pass, though most years it would just be peaking at this moment.  This is a great spring ephemeral, and I would recommend planting it in your garden, though once I identify it, I'll tell you what to pay attention to when planting this plant.

The hint is that this plant does not like much competition, so it is typically found in a spot where little else is growing.

Rookery

Look into the Sycamore trees and check out all of the large nests. There are at least thirty five nests throughout the grove of Sycamores (though not all are pictured here!)

Can you spot the bird in the nest?

 This is a blue heron rookery above an old quarry site.  Some days you can see the heron's standing tall on the nests.  The herons will return year after year to the same site which is typically chosen for it's proximity to food sources and protection from predators.  They will travel up to nine miles to forage for food. This is a great time to see the nests before the trees leaf out.  If you do spot a rookery (or any other nest for that matter), remember to observe it from afar as to not disturb the nesting birds!




While we are on that note, I cannot tell you the location of this rookery, but just keep your eyes open when you see a clump of sycamore trees that are surrounding some water, this is prime location to find a great blue heron rookery.

Happy Friday the Thirteenth

Reason's why Chester County is my favorite place on earth is because of days where you see a sight like the one in this photograph.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this to me is the reason that I work in the field of conservation and live in Chester County.  There are not too many more beautiful places on earth in my opinion.

My soapbox

Though pretty this shrub is INVASIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED!!

I'm surprised that I have not yet climbed up onto my soapbox, but I have heard and seen so many mentions of this plant over the last week the time has come.  Contrary to popular belief, Butterfly Bush (or Buddleia davidii) IS NOT A GOOD PLANT FOR BUTTERFLIES.  It is highly invasive though I have heard so many of my friends say, "as long as I keep it under control it does not spread." I assure you it spreads as one showed up in my garden last spring, and there is not a single butterfly bush on my property! 

Check the nearest open area that is not mowed, and you will find a butterfly bush growing happily and continuing to spread.  I will concede that the flowers are pretty, and that it seemingly attracts butterflies and moths.  However, this plant does not support the larval stage of ONE of the sixty plus Lepidoptera species that are native to PA.  To these insects, this is just a pretty smelling plant that gives them little to no nutritional or life value!!! Please do not perpetuate this myth by planting this plant on your property.  If you have been talked into planting it on your property, I recommend replacing it with another plant.  

If you are really offended by this plant, or at least you have become offended after you have read this blog, please help me on my crusade to stop magazines, and nurseries from selling this plant.  Once a year, I submit my woes of Butterfly Bush to Birds and Blooms and repeatedly ask them to stop touting the plant.  As a general rule of thumb, the Birds and Blooms magazine has many great articles with the exception of the invasive plants that they continue to tout.  Stop in your local nursery and ask them to stop selling the plant.  If you as a buyer stop buying the plant, the market for the plant will disappear.  If you are a homeowner who uses a landscaper, make sure to tell him that you do NOT want butterfly bush on your property.  

Some awesome alternatives that will support the larval stage of different butterflies include:

Asclepias Tuberosa

Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed (or as I call it THE MONARCH FLOWER)  This beautiful orange flower will grow in full sun and reaches about 1 foot in height. It is a member of the Asclepias family, which is the only family of plants that will support the larval stage of the monarch butterfly.   Depending on  your area all of the Asclepias are wonderful plants!

Asimina triloba Paw-Paw.  This great fruiting tree has a neat brown flower and produces some of the most amazing fruits once it is approximately seven years old. It is also one of the two native species that supports the larval stage of the zebra swallowtail.  

Some great nectar plants: 

Clethra Alnifolia

Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet clethera or sweet pepperbush) This is a great alternative for butterfly bush. It is a shrub with white flowers that can be grown anywhere from sun to shade but prefers moist soils.

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) or Cornus amonum (Silky dogwood) are both plants that can be grown in sun to shade and dry to wet soils.  They are also great alternatives to butterfly bush. 

There are many great native alternatives to butterfly bush, and there are many great upcoming native plant sales in our area.  

Check your local papers for a full listing, but a few in our area: London Grove Meeting Plant Sale (May 12--not all native, but typically has a great selection); Brandywine Conservancy Native Plant Sale (May 12 and May 13), Bowman's Hill Native Plant Sale (May 6th and May 7th) and Delaware Nature Society Native Plant Sale (April 28 and April 29).