HERBACEOUS PLANTS OF WILDERGARDEN

Herbaceous Plants

Herbaceous plants at Wildergarden are green-stemmed plants in the form of woodland wildflowers (also known as forbs), and grasses and sedges. We have photos that show the progressing inventory of these plants. In the early rescue stage after disturbance, herbaceous plants that volunteered, such as purslane, were temporary. The next stage was prairie, in which sun-loving plants (forbs and grasses) thrived. They immediately drew pollinating insects, and a specific set of birds. As succession continued, eventually a volunteer tree canopy began to form. At this point wildflowers, grasses and sedges shifted into shade-loving and edge of forest species that utilize partial shade. Insect and bird populations noticeably shifted as well.

We believe that allowing succession to reach the forest level provides more habitat for pollinating insects and other beneficial wildlife than maintaining the landscape at the wildflower prairie level. Holding forested soil in a prairie system prevents a complete seasonal successional habitat from forming and limits wholistic biodiversity from occurring.

Early Rescue

Here are grasses we had earlier in the succession:

Early crabgrass response to tillage disturbance

Early responding crabgrass and purslane

Prairie

Most of these photos of sun-loving wildflowers we had earlier in succession come from Julia’s book A Diary of Wildergarden: My Wild Yard in the City:

From Julia’s book A Diary of Wildergarden: My Wild Yard in the City

A concrete path leads to the Wildergarden house with plants from the prairie stage to the left and right of the path.

From Julia’s book A Diary of Wildergarden: My Wild Yard in the City

Jerusalem Artichoke

Jerusalem Artichoke is a native sunflower that was a signature plant during our grassland stage of succession

Jerusalem Artichoke seeking sunlight

Jerusalem Artichoke is a native sunflower that was a signature plant during our earlier grassland stage of succession. It is nearly shaded out now. But here it is seeking sunlight in our northern exposure.

Forest

Here are our shade-tolerant grasses and sedges:

Oak Sedge

Bur sedge

Bur Sedge

Pre-bloom Bottlebrush grass

Bottlebrush grass

Bottlebrush grass seeds

Bottlebrush grass re-growing in springtime

Bottlebrush grass in winter

Beak grass next to Hackberry tree

Beak grass in winter

Beak grass in autumn

Beak Grass

Here is a partial inventory of our forest-established wildflowers and grasses:

Planned cup plant bed competing with native volunteer poke and goldenrod plants

Downy Skullcap

Wild Violets

Wild Geranium

Cup Plant

Virginia bluebells

Woodland Knotweed during summer

Downy Skullcap emerging in springtime

Woodland Knotweed in Spring

Although it emerges in April with variegated leaves, it isn’t until August that it forms long flowering stalks that feed pollinating insects. Therefore, the land steward must enjoy spending a long period of perception to observe and identify its cycle of characteristics.

Variegated Solomon’s Seal

Can you identify this native wildflower?

It looks like phlox flowers but what about the leaves?

Honewort

Wood or Celandine Poppy

Wild Stonecrop

Wild Geranium in maple key ground cover

When herbaceous plants are removed from the soil, we lay them on the ground where they were pulled, to rot back into the ground.

Unidentified herbaceous plant. Sometimes we don’t name a plant to respect its autonomy. most people want to identify a wildflower in order to know which herbicide product to use on it. Therefore, especially on smaller, more obscure wildflowers that are usually singled out for spraying, I honor/protect them by leaving unnamed. Humans claim dominion by naming.

Poke plant stems in autumn

Poke spent flowers

Poke berries

Northern sea oats emerging from ground

May Apples

Lambsquarter

Jerusalem Artichoke

Jacob’s Ladder

Herbaceous flowers after wilting

After upright flowering, herbaceous wildflowers wilt into a nutritious ground cover for the soil.

Downy Skullcap

Downy Skullcap in fall

Violets