Collecting and Cleaning Native Plant Seed
And how to get it to germinate!
As Winter sets in and plants go dormant for the year, we at the Natural Shore office get busy organizing our tools and trucks and cleaning out the shop so we can find all we need again in the Spring. However, one of the most important cleaning and organizing tasks isn’t about vacuuming the dirt from between the truck seats or sharpening our shovels—it’s cleaning and storing seed for the winter.
Insect of the Month
Silvery Checkerspot
(Chlosyne nycteis)

The Silvery Checkerspot is a smaller (1.5-2 inch) butterfly that is mostly active during June-September and is found in many different moist and open habitats such as woodland edges, road ditches, wetlands, and open wet prairies. The orange upper-side of their wings have intricate black and white markings. The underside of the wings show paler orange, tan, and white markings and dots. The larva feed on Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susans), Symphyotrichum (Aster), and Helianthus (Sunflower) species while the adults visit other native flowers for nectar including Asclepias (milkweed) species, Astragalus (vetch) species, and Trifolium (clover) species.
Retail Nursery:
Thank You All for an Amazing Year!

Our retail nursery and online ordering are closed for the season. Thank you so much for visiting us this year and we hope to see you back again this spring!

For more information visit:
Non-native Species of the Month Yellow Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius)-

Yellow Goat's Beard is a biennial from Europe that often encroaches into disturbed areas and competes with native species. It can grow up to three feet and has long, pale green leaves that clasp a branching stem. Their flowers are light yellow with long bracts that surround the flower. This plant can bloom from May-September and grows in areas with full sun. After pollination the flower matures into what looks like an oversized dandelion, with seeds being distributed in the wind. Management strategies include hand pulling the weeds in infested areas, which come up very easily. This should be done before seeds mature.

Native Plant of the Month-
Lance-leaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Lance-leaf coreopsis is an easy to grow, clump-forming perennial with bright yellow flowers. Their basal leaves are deeply lobed to resemble 3 leaflets with the upper leaves entire and lance-shaped. The flowers are generally solitary and 1"-2" in diameter with a darker yellow center. This plant propagates by seeds or divisions and thrives in sunny, dry, and poor soil with good drainage. Bees and beetles visit the flowers for nectar and pollen and caterpillars feed on the foliage. Seeds are also eaten by gold finches. Other common names are lance-leaved coreopsis and sand coreopsis.
We love to read books about our natural world, and want to share our favorites with you! On the last Wednesday of each month we will feature a book discussion and review on our Facebook Page.
Here are next three!
Wednesday January 27th
Wednesday February 24th
Wednesday March 24th
Five Plants For- Nature's Ornaments!
The holiday season might be over but these native plants can remind us of the festive spirit during the growing season! Plant these natural balls and stars on your landscape if you want to keep celebrating all year long!
(Eryngium yuccifolium)
2-6 ft. tall
blooms July-September
dry or moist soils
full sun
(Anemone canadensis)
1-2 ft. tall
blooms May-July
moist soils
full or partial shade
(Allium stellatum)
1-2 ft. tall
blooms July-August
moist or dry soils
full sun or partial shade
(Caltha palustris)
1-3 ft. tall
Blooms April-June
wet soils
full sun to full shade
(Sparganium eurycarpum)
3-5 ft. tall
Blooms June-August
wet soils
full sun
Forager Fix

Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is an easy plant to identify, especially later on in the season when its seeds turn a dark, rusty color. Their leaves can be eaten raw in the early spring, but then later should be cooked as they become more bitter as the season progresses. Their dark seeds are a great source for protein and can be used in granola or made into crackers. The deep taproot can also be used as a source of iron.

Happy New Year from all of us at Natural Shore!
Frosty Barn
Natural Shore Technologies, Inc. | www.naturalshore.com