One of my favorite plants in the shade garden is Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis. Native to most of eastern North America, including southern Wisconsin, it is found in shaded woodlands on rich soil of moderate moisture. In the garden it is easily grown, rapidly reaching a height of 10 to 15 inches. The plant produces a …
In Love With Bloodroot
If you walk the nature trails along Cedar Creek in April and May, you are likely to come across the wildflower known as Bloodroot, also known as Indian Paint, White Puccoon or Red Puccoon. Botanically, it is known as Sanguinaria canadensis. This member of the poppy family emerges with a single flower bud on a …
Goldenrod is a Harbinger of Autumn
Today we'll step onto the prairie to talk about a plant which is prominent in the autumn landscape, the goldenrod (species of the genus Solidago.) While one goldenrod species may look like the next to the average person, taxonomists have identified around 100 species native to North America. The rest of the world can claim …
Silphium – King of the Prairie
Having lived in Illinois for 32 years, I became very aware of prairies and prairie plants. Illinois is synonymous with the prairie, which is about the last thing that comes to mind when you think of Wisconsin vegetation. Historically, however, prairies and oak savannas (widely spaced trees with prairie between) were found in the Southwest …
Linnaea borealis (Twinflower)
Sometimes its name can tell a lot about a plant. So it is with Linnaea borealis, Twinflower. Both the common and botanical names are descriptive of this petite native groundcover. Twinflower is found throughout the northern hemisphere in circumboreal habitats, meaning that it occurs from Siberia to Sweden and throughout the northern latitudes of North …
Mayapple: Queen of the Forest Floor
A commonly seen associate of the forest trees is the mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum,) regionally know as American mandrake, raccoon berry, hog apple, or wild lemon. It belongs to the barberry family and is found in the woods with sugar maple, white ash, Virginia creeper, black cherry, white and red oak, and basswood. Other colleagues of …
Wisconsin Irises
It's hard to find a garden in which there isn't at least one iris growing. It is a highly versatile and variable group, starting with the bulbous Reticulated Iris (Iris reticulata) in early spring, peaking with the Tall Bearded Irises in May, and continuing with additional species irises into July. Some irises will even rebloom …
Pepper Anyone?
When spring arrives in the Wisconsin woodlands most trees have yet to leaf out, but the forest floor is alive with action. Taking advantage of this short interval of sunny conditions under the barren trees is Cutleaf Toothwort, Cardamine concatenata. Cardamine is from the Greek word kardamon, which refers to its close relative, cress. Concatenata …
A Woodland Beauty
Ephemeral (adj.): Lasting for a very short time. This definition clearly describe a group of plants found in wooded areas in early spring, the woodland wildflowers. In this and subsequent articles I'll introduce you to a number of plants that make an early walk in the woods an experience of discovery. They are wonders of …
Orchids in Wisconsin
Even though we usually think of orchids as tropical plants, they are very versatile and can be found in virtually all climates, except for extremes of cold or dry. Of the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 species found in more than 900 genera worldwide, over half are non-tropical. Greater than 70,000 hybrids and cultivars have been …
The Cottage Gardener 