Helpful Websites:
Native Lawn Guide through the City of Stevens Point
Soil Testing for Lawns and Gardens
Upcoming Webinars through UW Extension (Often free and online, but registration required)
Wild Ones Central Wisconsin Chapter Facebook Page
Wild Ones Native Garden Designs
WI Native Plant Nurseries List
Member-Created Guides and Documents:
Resources to Learn More about Native Birds
June: A field of lupine creates a spectacular sight in spring. Found in oak savannas, meadows and hillsides along roadways, wild blue lupine is the only host plant to the federally endangered Karner Blue butterfly. It is also the host plant to seven other butterfly and moth species. Not producing any nectar, this plant supplies pollen for many bees such as Bumblebees, Mason, Small Carpenter and Mining Bees. Wild Blue Lupine has recently undergone a common name change to Sundial Lupine to differentiate it from the larger and more aggressive native western blue species, Bigleaf Lupine, (Lupinus polyphyllus) which not only has the possibility of outcompeting our native eastern lupine (Lupinus perennis) but is poisonous to the Karner Blue butterfly larvae. Also, our native Wild Blue/Sundial Lupine can easily hybridize with Bigleaf Lupine and Russel/Garden Lupines leaving the resulting plants unsuitable as a host plant for the Karner Blue larvae. This is why it is important to plant only local natives that attract our local native butterflies and bees. Wild Blue/Sundial lupine is best planted in dry, sandy soil and looks quite stunning in a mass planting. In a garden setting, combine Wild Blue/Sundial Lupine with native Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa), native columbine or prairie dropseed.
Wild Blue or Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
May: Found in moist woods and prairies, shooting stars (Dodecatheon meadia) are striking plants that are as delightful as their name. Flowers dangle from stalks that shoot up from a cluster of oblong leaves growing at the base of the plant. Although Shooting Stars attract bumblebees and other small bees with its pollen, these plants do not provide any nectar. Bees use buzz pollination to extract pollen by vibrating their flight muscles to release the pollen from the plant. This plant blooms at a critical time when queen bees are establishing their nests. Shooting stars do best in a moist partly-shaded area when given some space in the front of your garden where it will not be crowded. Companion plants are dutchman’s britches, spring beauties, columbine, trillium, and woodland phlox. Plant will become dormant midsummer but reappear in the spring.
Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon meadia)
April – Also known as Old Man’s Whiskers, Prairie Smoke (Guem triflorum) is named not for its pretty nodding pink flowers but for its wispy seedhead. Prairie Smoke is drought resistant and grows about 12” tall in dry to medium soil that is well drained. It provides a valuable nectar resource for queen bees emerging in the spring while its pollen is fed upon by tiny sweat bees. Prairie Smoke makes a nice landscape plant when planted in mass in front of taller growing plants or in a rock garden. It provides continuous garden interest with its flowers and seedheads. In the fall, the leaves turn from a blue green to red. Plant this in a dry sunny spot along with columbine, harebells, wild blue lupine and blue grama grass.
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
Chapter Library:
Did you know that our chapter has a library open to our members? We have a variety of books ranging from plant and insect identification to helping design your garden! Books can be picked up and checked out at our monthly meetings. All books are due back at the final meeting of the year in November. List is arranged by alphabetical order according to their title.
- A Guide for Eastern North America Wasps by Heather Holm
- Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation) by David Mizejewski
- Bees, An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide by Heather Holm
- Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy
- Gardening with Prairie Plants by Sally Wasowski
- Half-Earth by Edward O. Wilson
- Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest by Elizabeth Czarapata
- Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin by Lynn M. Steiner
- Monarchs and Milkweed by Anurag Arawal
- On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole (Children’s Book)
- Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West
- Plant a Pocket of Prairie by Phyllis Root (Children’s Book)
- Plants for Stormwater Design by Daniel Shaw and Rusty Schmidt
- Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm
- The Bees in Your Backyard by Joseph S. Wilson and Olivia Messinger Carril
- The Living Landscape by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy
- Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region by Merel R. Black and Emmet J. Judziewicz
- Wildflowers of Wisconsin Field Guide by Stan Tekiel