May 2019-Ecological Restoration Step-by-Step!

Learn More about NST's Installation Program!

May Article- Ecological Restoration Step-by-Step

This time of year, with spring finally in the air, our phones can blow up with enthusiastic people looking for native plants and wanting help with restoration and maintenance projects. Many times, folks know what they want – amazing natural shores, incredible prairies, and picturesque woodlands – but they often don’t really know what it takes to produce quality natural areas. How do I get started? What plants will I need? How do I prepare my yard? What weeds should I look out for? What other maintenance activities are important?

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Pollinator of the Month!

Red Admiral

( Vanessa atalanta )

Red Admirals are easily recognizable butterflies with black upper wings that have orange bands and white dots. The lower wings are black with orange margins. The orange margins on the lower wings also have small black dots. The underside of the wings are more mottled and brown. Host plants include those in the nettle family. The adults visit native plants for nectar including Gray-headed coneflower (side picture), aster species, milkweed species, and more!

Retail Nursery News!

Our Nursery is Open!

1480 Cty. Rd 90 Independence, MN 55359

The retail nursery will be open:

Wednesdays-Saturdays

May 29th- June 29th

10am-4pm

For more hours and information:

Visit our nursery website !

Invasive Species of the Month- Henbit

( Lamium amplexicaule )

Henbit is a ground covering weed that looks a lot like creeping charlie. It has similar sized leaves and flowers, but has white spots on the leaves. The flowers are also bigger and are pink and white. The stem is square and branches out from the base. This weed is from Europe and blooms from May to October. It can grow about a foot tall, having many brownish colored stems branching from the base. Management strategies including hand-pulling, weed whipping, and treating with herbicide.

Native Plant of the Month- Wild Geranium

( Geranium maculatum )

Wild Geranium is an easy to grow, clump-forming perennial that grows well in sun or shade. This plant grows from a stout rhizome and has hairy stems. It's leaves are deeply cut with 5-lobes and strong vein impressions on the underside. The showy flowers are pink to rose-purple with a yellow center and the fruit is very distinctive with a beaked capsule. It prefers moist, rich soil and is common in dry to moist woods, shaded roadsides, and thickets. Visited by bees. Used in folk medicine. Another common name is spotted geranium.