michigan woodland natives

what beside trilliums, jack in the pulpits and columbines are wood land natives? I would really love to get some of them for my side yard. Its really looking beautiful. I really need some taller plants for the shade kinda dappled in the afternoon any suggestions? I do have jack in the pulpits, many columbines (on of my favorites)

I think Dutchmans Breeches is a woodland native, usually the first one up in the spring, so I am told.

Spring flowers seem to be diminutive, with the tall ones coming along later in the season.

Star Flower ( treintalis borealis)

Bluebead Lily clintonia borealis

There are a lot of forget-me-nots in the woods near my uncle's house in the UP. They're not big but they sure are pretty.

How about may apples? They're kind of pretty and grow wild in the woods around here. I also have some kind of small flowered black eyed susan type flower and blue iris in the flooded areas. We also get the little white daisy flowers too.

Thanks everyone that really helps me now to find them well I guess I go to Wedels they have a pretty good assortment of "woodsy" type plants!!!

There are so many wild flowers in the woods. I never knew until I started to look. Some are protected of course and should not be moved.
The forget me nots need quite a bit of water. I moved some to an area by our walking path and they did very well. Marsh marigolds are also nice, but need water.
The pink lady slippers are protected, but can be moved if you own the property. Wintergreen is also nice, as well as false lilly of the valley. We have a large parcel of woods here and the wildflowers are one of my passions. A couple of wildflowers are done blooming already, but prime viewing in end of May.
This is purple polygala. It is blooming all over right now and is one of my favorites.

I know Baptisia needs full sun, but they sure are pretty and tall. Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' is a nice one.

Evergreen Soloman's Seal is another nice one.

cpartschick, that is a very lovely wildflower. I don't believe I have ever seen one of those. Thanks for posting.

Cindy

I am looking forward to some more of your wildflowers. Your garden must be lovely. My garden is the woods. Here are some foam flowers and mitre wort from this morning.

those phots are so beautiful thanks so much I really enjoy seeing the plants isnt technology wonderful??? my jack in the pulpits are very tall this year And I do have solomon seals also I forgot that was a wood land native I love how the little flowers hang down you have to lift the leaves to see them how adorable. that polygala is so adorable is that some thing to purchase in the nursuries??? I dont think Ive ever seen it in the woods were we go for walks... Thanks Ronna

cparts, that purple polygala is sure beautiful! Thanks for posting that picture.
toofew

I grew up in Saginaw (in the country) and we went to Gaylord in the summer. I walked the woods in both places all the time. I saw many wildflowers as a kid, but never this purple polygala until buying this property here.
At the hospital they have wildflower photos displayed and one of them is the polygala, so they grow somewhere.
I have never tried to transplant them, as there are quite a few along the trails where I walk. I just gave some to a Master gardner that my daughter knows downstate and he was scared of them, he had never seen them either. He was going to pass them on to his FIL. They grow in shade, sandy soil, bloom for about 2 weeks and come up every year. They even do quite nice in a small boquet in a small vase, with the false lili of the valley.
When they are done blooming it is fast. One day the woods is full of purple, next day...gone.

cparts I don't think I'v ever seen then around here and I love to walk in the woods next time I'm going to have to look harder.
Gloria

Oh, if you haven't seen them, they are probably not there. This is one wildflower, though small, that is easy to see. That purple shows up quite well. I have some near the house that bloom earlier than in the deep woods. I went yesterday to pick some to press and they are already losing pedals, so already on their way out.
I am not sure why they grow here so well, but I sure am happy to see them.

I also have been noticing quite a few of the phlox around here they are very pretty this year. Purples and pinks very tall also. Ronna

I didn't know that columbines are woodland natives! I've got TONS of them springing up all over the place. I have one that is particulary HUGE.

That one is really big. Columbine is a wild flower. I have it in the woods and it is listed in the wildflower books. Sure is a neat flower. Like a cornacopia.

It's my daughter's favorite flower. Last year I dug so many of them up (before they had flowers) and tossed them...I thought they were weeds, lol. They invaded my flower bed!! :)

Your picture is wonderful. Mine are not blooming yet, If they were I would hope that I wouldn't have made the cornicopia mistake. That would be the touchmenot, or spotted jewel weed that is shaped like that. (My brain is not working I guess). Sorry for the mistake.
The columbine does have a really cool shape though that is really hard to discribe. I just love the color of it and the yellow inside. So pretty. It does grow like weeds, but pretty weeds it is.

cparts I'm going to go to Stone cottage gardens ( I think thats the name) in Gladwin tomarrow (Sunday around 1 It's just off of Chapel Dam rd. Is that far from you I 'd love to meet some one from around here
Gloria

I believe that Stone Cottage is closed on Sundays except for special occasions. Ya better check. I was there two weeks ago and it is better than ever !!!

MsKatt, Aquilegia canadensis - Wild Columbine is the one that is a Michigan native. It has red blooms with a yellow center. But what the heck, all of the Columbines are pretty. I've seen a few of the wild columbine in the woods.

Up at our cottage in Alpena, across the street really, there is a huge patch of yellow lady slippers. I can't remember what month they show up, but I love to go look at them.
They grow in a wet meadow.
toofew

toofew, the yellow lady slippers are supposed to bloom in late spring. I think around our family property in Presque Ilse county it's more like June. We also have the Michigan lily, Lake iris, pitcher plant, blueberries, wintergreen, bearberry and so much more up there. When I was growing up in the Troy area, when there were woods, before all the houses, they were covered with spring beauty, dog tooth violet, jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium, blue flag, marsh marigold, may apple and herb robert. Now there's hardly anything left. Over at Cranbrook they're trying to maintain a wild area with plants rescued from construction sites. It's a wonderful place to visit.

When we farmed near St. Johns the roadsides where covered with Dam's Rocket. They bloomed for weeks. We moved to the Lexington area last summer and have a small pine woods on the corner of our 2 1/2 acres. This area was once farmland and the trees were planted many years ago, but I haven't seen much in the way of native wild flowers here. I'm trying to figure out what would be native to this area. Here we have boneset (Eupatorium) growing along the roadsides. Marsh Marigold along the creek across the road. But I, too, would like to reintroduce Michingan native plants to our little woodland area. What growns up north may not grow here. So will have to research the area. Our climate seems to be somewhat tempered by Lake Huron only 1 mile away. Our soil is a silty sand - something new for me. Will have to figure out what will grow in it. At least the columbine I moved seems to be coming back.

Many years ago I picked up a copy of "Michigan Wildflowers" by Harry C. Lund (bought it at the Presque Ilse light house!) But I think all the major book stores have it now. Have found it to be a great resource for identifing native plants when in bloom.

Is marsh marigold the same thing as cowslip? Here in the ditches in the spring this shortish bright yellow flower blooms in clumps all over. I really love it and would love to get some to grow in my ditch in front of the house. It seems to almost grow in the standing water. You can't miss it. It's is neon yellow and so pretty. Down my sons' road about 7 miles away there is tons of it. I keep hinting I'd like him to dig me up some but he doesn't seem to take the hint. Ha ha ha. I don't think I could get into that muck to grab it. I can't seem to find a resource to buy it either.

What is the difference between a weed that blooms and a wildflower? We have a lot of yarrow that grows wild in the field and wild strawberries that bloom. There is also the small purple iris and some flower that is small and bright orange. Not sure what it is.

I have no idea what is blooming in my woods. 20 acres of our property is woods but it is so wet in the spring I stay out of there. The mosquitos would eat you alive. One of these days I'll don some boots and a mosquito net and go exploring. Ha ha ha.

Hi,
Don't get inside on the weekends much and DH is home today, so won't ck in till tommarrow again.
Want to touch on a few things. Cow slips and marsh marigolds are not the same thing, but the locals here call marsh marigolds cowslips, so those ditch flowers are probably MMs. I see them all over, they are on the downslide now.
The pink lady slippers are in bloom now, but the yellow ones bloom about a week or two later.
What is the difference between a weed and a wildflower? Nothing, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you look in wildflower books, rag weed, yarrow, dandilion, are all listed.
Glev, I live only a couple miles from Stone cottage. I will Dmail you.
Sure is some wonderful info on this thread. Nice to hear from wildflower lovers like me.

I dont think we have wild ladies slippers around here if we do I dont know what it is then. But I know in cataloges they can sell for 99.00 and more. What are marsh marigolds? There are tons of wild columbines around here they are the yellow and red ones like too few said they are so dainty do you think saving seeds from the would work? I dont save seeds never really thought about it duh. But I going to try it anyway I just love all the item I have learned I have more dinosaur bumps (that what my daughter said when she was small) Loon, just wanted you to know that my oakleaf hydrandea is covered with blossoms I cant wait until it busts out. All the direction you gave me worked. thanks Ronna. cpartschick what are cowslips? Has anyone else been seeing a whole lot more of the wild phlox? They are so pretty this year and very tall. Wow I am so excited with all of the info I now have anote book full of wild michigan natives. Thanks so much now for the buying part
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Thanks again Ronna

Ronna,

I'm so glad that your hydrangea is doing well. It is one of my favorite perennials.

Ok here is a picture of a couple of pink lady slippers. There are also yellow and showy (which are pink and white)

This is marsh marigold, what we call cowslip around here. I do not know what real cowslip looks like, but Resin told me it was really different.

Here is a closer look of the marsh marigold.
Forgot to say about the pink lady slipper.
Bear in mind that lady slippers are a protected wildflower. They must not be transplanted unless you own the property they are on. I have moved some that were in our trail with pretty good results, but this year my transplants are doing poorly (after several years) and some other nice ones are not blooming either, or even coming up. In another area they are at their best this year. I don't know why.

That is the plant that I admired so and want so bad. It is all over the ditches by my son's house but none on this side of town that I've observed. Is it protected too? I would think it would love it here since I'm wetlands and it grows in water in the spring.

Is there a source for plants or seeds you can buy? I'd love to plant it all across the ditch in front of my house.

Thanks for all the information on the lady slippers. They are pretty plants too. I don't think we have any of those around my property that I've noticed. You are lucky to have some at your place.

My friend who lives about 5 miles from me told me that the government is paying the farmer across the road from him to plant it all in wildflowers. It has something to do with stabilizing the soil or something . I forget how many acres will be planted in wildflowers. It should be really pretty I think. I can't wait to see it. I'm not sure if he has to buy the seed or if they provide it.

Sounds neat. Something to see.
I do not believe the marigolds are protected. There are so many. The lady slipper was in threat years ago and that is why they are protected. Also if picked, they die instantly. They reproduce by an ensyme in the soil as well as spores, so it is recommended they be left alone. I have seen some in the same area for years spread, others never come up again, some others just leaves for years. It is a delicate plant, unlike the marsh marigolds that seem much more hardy.
I have transplanted the marsh marigolds with some success. I moved them to a like area (very wet) and a couple are doing well, these seem to be the ones that get some sun as well as lots of water. They are hard to dig up, seems the roots go deep and also sideways. I ruined quite a few in the process of digging, I am afraid. The forget me nots that I moved have gone crazy in the same area, taking it over like weeds. They love the new spot. It is nice to see these flowers in an area that we walk every day. They are so pretty.
I have tried buying seed of mixed wildflowers and have not had alot of results. I think it is easier for me to move plants, that I find here. Guess it makes them easier for the deer to find.

Loon.......a tip about Marsh Marigolds........which I just found out this year.....went to this seminar and Nancy Slezberg was one of the speakers.......I know I have got her last name spelled wrong, but I think you know who I mean........she writes a column for Detroit Free Press on Saturdays.......anyway......she said that the reason people have failure when digging up wild flowers are......many plants need this fungi that is indigenous to native soils and the fungi is what the root system needs for the plant to survive......

Deann

Thanks Deann for the explantion. That makes sense according to what cpartschick said. I guess I'll just have to drive over by my son's house to admire the cowslips or marsh marigolds when they are in bloom in the spring. I never knew that about wildflowers before. I have bought trilliums at garden club plant sales and they transplanted well. I even dug some up and moved them up here when we moved. I guess they aren't as fussy as others can be.

Good to see you around Deann. I've missed seeing you on Dave's Garden.

hey where is the stone cottage? Is it a nursury youcan purchase or is it a cottage garden? Ronna

Retail Nursery and lovely gardens to walk thru. I like it when you can purchase plants after seeing them in a garden setting.

http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/3316/

Good morning all, Loon & Deann we had a speaker at our garden club (Lakeshore Garden Club) last night from up your way (Tawas). Tacy Raymalcey, who does really interesting dried flower jewelry and art. She had a method of drying the flowers in the microwave I've never seen before. She then preserves them in clear polymer. Really intricate and complicated process with beautiful results.

Deann, Nancy's last name is spelled Szerlag. If anyone wants to google her. She has several books out as well as the column. The information on the fungi is interesting. I'd considered soil structure and minnerals, but not much about what's growing in it to support the plants. It makes sense. I'll have to find out more about it when I start cleaning out the grass (& trash) and try establishing native plants in our woods. See if there's some way to introduce it without disturbing a native area. Don't really think I can make a midnight requisition to "borrow" soil from the creek bed across the road!

If anyone is going to be in my area our garden club is having my friend Gail Morrell from Michigan School of Gardening come speak on "Weeds" on June 10th at 11:00 at the Methodist Church in Lexington. She does an excellent presentation. Some of our members heard her talk in Port Huron to the Master Gardeners group there a couple months ago and thought it was well worth having her give it here. Tickets are $5 which goes to support the many gardens the club maintains.

Jeane........Yes ofcourse I know Tacy.....she is a member of our Garden Club.....Tawas Bay Garden Club.......and Tacy does interesting things with flower pedels....

Thanks for the correct spelling on Nancy's name......

Deann