Prairie Garden - New Part - Early April

The most recent portion of the Prairie Garden is too new to offer much of interest.  This area was sprayed twice with glyphosate herbicide last October and was seeded in November and December.  I always try to plant seed at the same time of year that it is naturally being dropped by the plant.  I figure that should give the seed the right combination of cold, heat, wet or dry conditions necessary for germination.  It’s more successful and much easier than packaging seed and storing it for periods in the freezer.

The glyphosate spray got rid of many of the late season grasses and forbs, but left plenty of seeds from those early flowering species.  The bulk of the green plants now showing are non-native species typically found in disturbed areas around the house and yard.  This is Corn Speedwell, a low growing plant that has no fear of lawn mowers.

The only plants of any height are the Hairy Bittercress.  These little weeds forcibly propel the ripe seeds from the pod, so you don’t want to make a close examination without some eye protection.

Whitlow Grass, Draba verna, has petals that are split down the middle, so the regular four petals often appear to be eight. The split petal easily distinguishes this non-native species from the native Drabas.

Many years ago I excitedly thought these narrow leaved seedlings to be those of a Blazing Star.  I was really disappointed when they turned out to be English Plantain.

Mouse-ear Chickweed is a rather interesting looking plant, but it’s also one of those weedy non-natives.

Purple Dead Nettle often forms a solid mass in crop fields and other disturbed ground.  Fortunately, I don’t have to deal with that type of infestation.  Many of these non-native plants will persist indefinitely in the Prairie Garden, but their vigor will be reduced by competition with the prairie natives.

Many of the native seedlings won’t become evident until later in the season.  There are a few that show themselves early in the spring and they give me hope that my seeding will be successful.  Gray-headed Coneflower is a rapid grower that can often flower in its first year.

Several Purple Coneflower seedlings are appearing.  Besides being a great attractor of butterflies, the Purple Coneflowers help convince the more confused individuals that this is an actual garden and not a weed patch.

Wild Petunias are one of the few natives that readily volunteer in the yard.  It’s nice to know that the lawn hasn’t been completely taken over by alien species.

Gray-headed Coneflower

Gray-headed Coneflower, Ratibida pinnata, is just starting to bloom at Blue Jay Barrens. Today there are only a few blooms per acre. By next week there will be hundreds and the show will continue for the next couple of months. I can’t help but think prairie when I see the drooping petals and raised disk of this flower.

These flowers have been growing right along with the tall prairie grasses, but have remained unnoticed. These flower heads are just days away from revealing their presence with a bright flash of yellow.

There may be a couple of dozen flowers per plant, but the blooming period will be extended over a long period. As the last of the flowers bloom, the first bloomers will have nearly developed mature seed.

This is a wonderful plant if you like to see narrow stems soaring into the sky above your head. Of course, these plants only get about four feet tall, so you have to put your head quite near the ground to get this effect.

These flowers provide food for a wide variety of prairie wildlife. About 5 percent of the young flower heads had a resident fly. Some flies were busy probing the flowers with their mouths, while other flies just sat quietly.

A little weevil has tucked itself into the space at the base of this flower. These weevils seem to feed on pollen, which is still a few days away here. Maybe it pays to stake out your territory early.

Some nice plum colored aphids have begun a colony on this flower stalk.

The ants again. This time they're getting honeydew from a couple of bird-dropping colored leaf hoppers.

These beetles are being quite rough on this flower. When predators are about, it doesn’t pay to be the first to come out.

Here is what’s left of last year’s seed head. Still an interesting feature in the prairie landscape.