1. Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 22 Number 4 Summer 2003
Monthly meetings
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Member finds dwarf iris
Visitor Center, 3815 East 80th St.
Bloomington, MN 55425-1600
952-854-5900
new to Minnesota
6:30 p.m. — Building east door opens
by Ron Huber, MNPS member and museum associate, Science Museum
6:30 p.m. — Refreshments, of Minnesota.
information, Room A [Figures 1 and 2 are included as an insert in the mailed copies of this
7 – 9 p.m — Program, society business
7:30 p.m. — Building door is locked newsletter and as PDF files with the e-mail edition.]
9:30 p.m. — Building closes On May 30, 2002, while my wife, Cathy, and I were exploring various
Programs portions of Minnesota Hill in northern Roseau County, we discovered
The MNPS meets the first Thursday in a small patch of a beautiful little dwarf iris that we could not identify.
October, November, December, February, Betsy Betros, our traveling companion from Kansas, took several
March, April, May and June. The next photographs of the overall patch, plus some individual plants, including
meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 2. Check a few nice close-ups of the sepals. Most of the plants appeared to be
the Web site for more information on 10 – 12 inches tall, just barely above the grasstops.
programs.
Robert Dana of the Minnesota DNR Heritage Program examined
Dues for individual the 35 mm slides and identified the iris as the Eurasian Iris pumila.
Figure 1 is a group shot, while Figure 2 is a close-up of a single flower.
members are changed Note the small patch of erect white “beard” in the center of each sepal
At their June 22 meeting, MNPS board in Figure 2, a distinguishing feature of this species. Robert said that
members voted to raise individual dues the iris has been previously reported in Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin,
from $12 to $15. No other categories were
Illinois and Missouri. In Michigan, Voss (1972:431) records it from
changed. Family memberships (two or
more related persons at the same address) two lower peninsula counties, noting, “apparently escapes from
remain $15. Dues for full-time students cultivation or perhaps only persisting where dumped.” The Roseau
and seniors (62 or over or retired) are $8; County record appears to be the first known for Minnesota.
institutions, $20; donors, $25. Minnesota Hill is a deep sandy ridge that runs northeast-southwest
The membership year starts Oct. 1. A and is located roughly 10 miles north and four miles west of the city
member registration form is on page 7 of of Roseau. It is also about four miles east of the little community of
this issue. Pinecreek. Minnesota Hill is apparently a three-mile-long remnant of
one of the beach lines from glacial Lake Agassiz. It is a very interesting
MNPS Web site area, with an amazing floral and faunal diversity. We seem to find
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/biology/mnps something different on every visit. The Iris pumila was in the southeast
e-mail: MNPS@HotPOP.com quarter, Section 30, Township 164 North, Range 40 West, less than
half a mile south of the International Boundary obelisk.
MNPS Listserve
S end a message that includes the word The area immediately south of this boundary marker is being slowly
“subscribe” or “unsubscribe” and your name excavated for sand, and what was once a level, sandy, conifer-studded
in the body of the message to: barren in the 1970s is now, unfortunately, a very large pit some 15 –
mn-natpl-request@stolaf.edu Continued on page 3
2.
3. Fall prairie field trip to be Sept. 6 Iris discovery
Continued from page 1
by Dan Mielke
I will lead a field trip to Peik’s and Mielke’s prairies in McLeod County 20 feet deep and several hundred
on Sept. 6. The first site is a dry prairie; the second site is a wet prairie. The yards across. We are attempting to
field trip will start at 9 a.m. The first site tour should last about two hours, find out who is doing this excavation,
while the second site tour can last into the afternoon. Feel free to bring but it is probably for road
water, snacks, or even a packed lunch. maintenance in the county. On the
From the Twin Cities, go west on Hwy. 212. Approximately 4.5 miles county map, the site appears to be
west of Glencoe the four-lane road becomes two lanes. Continue westward part of the Lost River State Forest,
on Hwy. 212 for approximately four more miles. Ahead and to the west, a and we will make an inquiry there as
long, low, big hill with three clumps of trees on top will be visible. This hill well.
is immediately south of Peik’s prairie. As you see this hill, Hwy. 212 will We thank Betsy Betros for
bend towards the south and then come back to the west. At the bottom of permission to scan the slides, Robert
this curve is a gravel road named Nature Ave. Turn right (north), cross the Dana for the identification, for
railroad tracks and the country road intersection. The prairie is on the left. checking the literature and Web sites
Park on the right side of Nature Ave. This site is about 45 miles from Chaska. and for doing the scans, and Deb
Directions to the second prairie site will be given out at that location. Schoenholz, science publications
Please feel free to bring a walking stick, as at this time of year there may specialist, Science Museum of
be a few spiders in the grassland. Wood ticks will be non-existent. If we are Minnesota, for printing the two-sided
lucky, we may be in the middle of the monarch butterfly migration. One color inserts.
year I saw as many as 250 butterflies clinging to an old willow tree on a References:
windy day. Let’s all hope! Voss, E.G., 1972, “Michigan Flora,
I will try to limit this tour to 20 participants. If you have any questions, Part 1, Gymnosperms and
please contact Dan at wildmentha@yahoo.com. I am looking forward to monocots.” Cranbrook Institute of
this tour. Science, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
USGS Plants Database: http://
Friends of Springbrook rally to plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi
[IL, ME, MI, MO, WI]
save the Fridley Nature Center Wisconsin: www.botany.wisc.edu/
wisflora/hand/IRIPUM.gif
Supporters of Springbrook Nature interpretive center with live animal
Center in Fridley are in the midst of displays, hiking trails, wetlands, The campaign to save the center is
a campaign to save the 127-acre native prairie and oak forests. It being conducted by Friends of
nature center. On June 23, City attracts about 150,000 people each Springbrook. This organization was
Manager William Burns year, according to Siah St. Clair, formed after Burns proposed the
recommended closing facilities at the director of the center. budget cuts. About 300 people
center and cutting its staff of three attended a one-hour rally in front of
full-time employees and one part- In 2002 the center began a wetland Fridley City Hall July 10 to voice
time maintenance worker. This restoration process with the their support for saving the center.
would save the city about $300,000. assistance of grants from the On July 14, about 250 people
A second threat is coming from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, attended a city council meeting. The
council members who have proposed the Metro Council, the McKnight golf course proposal was on the
turning the park into a golf course or Foundation and neighboring cities. agenda that night, but no decisions
a housing development. Springbrook Creek enters the were made.
Mississippi just above the location
Burns said that if the budget cuts Friends of Springbrook is selling T-
are made, the center would remain a where Minneapolis and many of its
suburbs take their water. As a result, shirts, accepting donations and
passive recreational area. There distributing lawn signs and bumper
would be no programs in the Springbrook Nature Center’s
drainage and water quality problems stickers. Their mailing address is
buildings, but trails would be P.O. Box 32722, Fridley, MN 55432.
maintained. affect residents of these
municipalities. That restoration Information on the campaign is on
Springbrook has hosted nature project is on hold until the fate of the the nature center’s Web site,
programs since 1982. It has an center has been determined. www.springbrooknaturecenter.org
3
4. It’s no surprise that Gockman plans
Orchid infatuation: to study botany in college. “My
dream job would be to discover new
orchids in the rain forests around the
Teenager’s tiny hobby world,” he said.
For now, the Como Park High
creates a big impression School junior is working part time
at Orchids Limited in Plymouth,
by Lynn Underwood, Star Tribune “A white one that was so small and watering, repotting and helping in the
Staff Writer different caught my eye,” he said. He lab. “I like being surrounded by
[This article was printed in the June ordered the tiny Ornithocephalus orchids and I’m continuously
18, 2003 issue of the Star Tribune. inflexus and it launched his exotic learning more about them,” he said.
Otto Gockman is a member of the orchid collection.
MNPS.] “Otto has a great enthusiasm for
Miniature orchids thrive in the plants,” said owner Jerry Fischer.
Otto Gockman uses typical teen mountain forests of South and “Sometimes he gets side-tracked and
expressions to describe his atypical Central America, and many grow on stops to admire their beauty and
hobby — growing orchids. But the moss-covered trees. The diversity. Then it’s ‘where’s Otto?’”
17-year-old isn’t cultivating the big- orchidarium built by his dad, Terry,
bloomed phalaenopsis and cattleyas Gockman said it’s easy for him to
re-creates the environment in his get carried away with orchids,
that sit on many coffee tables. He’s basement with a mister, grow lights
enamored with pleurothallids, which especially the under-appreciated and
and a humidifier. less-cultivated pleurothallids. “I’m
are miniature – almost microscopic
— orchids that he grows on cork or But Gockman’s orchid obsession doing my part in keeping the
in tiny pots inside his basement started much closer to home. When underdog plant around,” he said.
orchidarium. he was 13, he discovered native Copyright 2003 Star Tribune.
orchids growing in Minnesota’s Republished with permission of Star
“This one has hairs that dangle and woodlands and bogs. Hiking trips Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul. No
blow in the wind,” Gockman said, to photograph birds turned into further republication or
gently touching the minute brown hiking trips to photograph wild redistribution is permitted without
petals of a Pleurothallis ornate. An orchids. Today, yellow lady’s the written consent of Star Tribune.
orange and yellow Lapanthes slipper, showy orchis and green
pecunialis resembles “a little jewel,” adder’s-mouth are among the native
he said. The long Latin names of the orchids he grows in his back yard.
Dakota County project
tiny orchids flow easily off his Gockman also rescues wild orchids receives award
tongue, like the lyrics to a favorite by moving them from areas where The successful Dakota County
pop song. new housing developments are being Farmland and Natural Areas Project
“Every species of orchid is so built. received the 2003 Merit Award from
different in some way,” Gockman the Minnesota Chapter of the Soil
A mother knows and Water Conservation Society “for
said. “It’s hard not to be intrigued
His mother, Jeanne Schacht, knew partnerships formed to accomplish
by them.”
early on he was a budding naturalist. perpetual conservation easements on
Like larger, more common orchids, He was bird-watching by the time he farmland and natural areas in Dakota
the pleurothallids boast long-lasting, was in kindergarten. And there were County.”
vibrant colored blossoms in other- early symptoms of orchid fever
As a result of this project, voters
worldly shapes. But you may need during a 1999 trip to Canada.
in November 2002 approved a $20
a magnifying glass to see them; most
“We were looking for elk in a bog,” million bond issue to preserve some
are smaller than a thumb nail.
she said. “All of a sudden Otto saw of the most significant areas in the
Gockman credits a photo in an a tiny pink orchid and started county. Applications to preserve
American Orchid Society magazine crawling around on his hands and farmland are now being accepted.
for igniting his passion for knees looking for more. We were Applications to preserve natural
pleurothallids. there for three hours.” areas will be received this fall.
4
5. Field trips feature wide variety of flowers
Spring Prairie tour Wildflower Weekend and Louisville Swamp Walk
by Dan Mielke by Doug Mensing
On June 29 I led a field trip to two Whitewater State Park
prairie sites in central Minnesota. One The weekend of May 9 through 11, the MNPS sponsored a spring
is a dry prairie owned by my uncle, wildflower weekend at Whitewater State Park in beautiful southeastern
Walter Peik. It consists of a three- Minnesota. Jason Husveth did much of his graduate school research in
acre sandy hilltop and 25-acre dry this part of the state, and he has explored some of the area’s less traveled
prairie restoration. The second site is nooks and crannies in search of rare native plants. His knowledge of the
a 20-acre wet prairie with ponds and park and the adjacent wildlife management area ensured that all who
sedge and cattail marshes, with semi- attended were rewarded with a fun and informative (albeit damp) weekend.
mesic wet areas next to a shallow mud A small clan of native plant enthusiasts gathered at the group campground
bottom lake. I own this prairie. Friday evening. Immediately we were identifying orchids and other native
At Peik’s prairie we saw meadow wildflowers. Some of us even stalked a secretive woodcock.
garlic, ox-eyes and wild turnip in Saturday morning additional folks brought the group to about a dozen
bloom. In the restoration area I have people. Our first outing was into the Beaver Creek ravine. Starting in its
been hand-broadcasting seed from headwaters, lush green spring vegetation blanketed most of the ravine slopes
surrounding prairie remnants. Some, and bottomlands. Wood anemone, false rue anemone, spring beauty, Jacob’s
like the wild garlic, blue bottle ladder, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lilies, squirrel corn, toothwort, bishop’s
gentian, and fragrant giant hyssop, cap, bellwort, ferns, and sedges created carpets of color and texture,
have taken hold readily. Others, such interspersed with gray limestone outcrops and bluffs. After returning to
as the blazing star, side oats grama, our campsite and following a mild hailstorm, we braved a goat prairie.
and wild onion, will be noticeable Layers of clouds were blowing three different directions as we hiked up a
later in summer. There is a broken steep slope to find bird’s-foot violet, puccoon, and other bluff prairie species.
tile area in which I have managed to
put a few wetland plants. Great blue On Sunday we ventured into the lower reaches of Beaver Creek where
lobelia thrives here. I added plugs of we saw many of the same species we saw on Saturday, but were also treated
cord grass, which are now spreading to marsh marigold, sweet cicely, wild ginger, and large patches of wild
out. But the overwhelming features leek. Some of the rare plants observed in this ravine included twinleaf,
of this restoration are the stands of big false mermaid, squirrel corn, and a rare sedge (Carex careyana).
bluestem and Indian grass, which had Louisville Swamp
come into this area naturally. These On May 31, the MNPS sponsored a spring wildflower walk at Louisville
grasses will be just grandiose in the Swamp, one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s units in the Minnesota
fall tour. There are also woody type River Valley. Jason Husveth and Doug Mensing led about 22 people on an
plants. Wild prairie rose, false wild informative walk through restored prairie and savanna, floodplain forest,
blue indigo, and lead plant are taking and native oak woodland-brushland.
hold. Blooming species on the restored prairie and savanna included prairie
We moved to the wet prairie site, violet, prairie plum, blue-eyed grass, and false Solomon’s seal. One
where we lost one person to participant identified a patch of kittentails, a state threatened plant. Common
bobolinks. Swamp milkweed, wild buckthorn had recently been removed from the woodland’s understory as
field mint (native), and many types part of the savanna restoration work. Buckthorn resprouts, Virginia
of sedges were in bloom. In somewhat waterleaf, and poison ivy were seen in much of the restoration area.
drier areas were white camas, hedge The floodplain forest contained silver maple and cottonwood trees, with
nettle, and false Solomon’s seal. a dense groundcover of wood nettle. Canada anemone and several sedge
White camas is a member of the lily species were near the edges of this forest. The native savanna and oak
family, with the stalk rising one to two forest contained Pennsylvania sedge, black raspberries, wild geranium, and
feet above the ground, covered with woodland phlox. Several patches of kittentails (previously unknown to
10 to 30 white blossoms. Hedge the Minnesota DNR and the Refuge) were also found in this area. A small
nettle has lavender colored flowers depression in this area contained yellow star grass and several sedge species.
blooming at the top of the main stalk.
We continued down to the edge of the Louisville Swamp is a fantastic place for the nature enthusiast, and if you
lake. I am looking forward to fall, and were unable to attend the spring wildflower walk, we would highly
I hope you can join the Sept. 6 tour. recommend you visit during the late summer and fall months.
5
7. Bell Museum has artwork sales will go to the Scientific Wildflowers and native
and Natural Areas Program of the
exhibit of nature art Minnesota Department of Natural grasses can still be
More than 80 works of art inspired
Resources. planted by highways
by threatened land and water sites in Vera Ming Wong, a member of the Transportation departments may
Minnesota and Wisconsin are on MNPS, is founder of Project Art for continue to plant native grasses and
display at the Bell Museum of Nature. Inspired by a 1999 Bell wildflowers along Minnesota
Natural History at the University of Museum exhibit, 16 local artists highways. An effort to forbid
Minnesota. Entitled “Project Art for banded together to formed PAN to planting these seeds was thwarted,
Nature: Close to Home,” the exhibit promote stewardship of threatened and that amendment was removed
opened June 21 and will continue natural areas in Minnesota and
until Aug. 31. from the transportation bill in the
Wisconsin closing hours of the 2003 session of
The exhibit features the works of For additional information about the Minnesota Legislature.
17 Minnesota and Wisconsin artists the exhibit, call the Bell Museum
and includes prints, book arts, Several MNPS members talked
Information Line at 612-624-7803 or
textiles, drawings, paintings and about the folly of this “money-
visit www.bellmuseum.org
sculpture that depict areas of natural saving” measure at hearings at the
beauty and the threats they face. The museum is located on the Legislature and personally contacted
Participants include Vera Ming Minneapolis campus of the legislators. Roy Robinson monitored
Wong, Barbara Harman, Mimi University of Minnesota at the progress of the measure. Speakers
Holmes and Wendy Lane. At least southwest corner of 17th Ave. at the hearings included Roy, Dianne
20 percent of monies raised from (Church St.) and University Ave. S.E. Plunkett Latham and Deb Anderson.
Minnesota Native Plant Society
Member Registration
Name __________________________________________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
City __________________________________________________ State ________ Zip ______________
Phone (work) _________________________________ (home) __________________________________
E-Mail ________________________________________________________________________________
Membership category (New ______ Renewal _______)
$15 Individual
$15 Family (2 or more related persons at same address)
$8 Student (full time)
$8 Senior (62 or over or retired)
$20 Institution
$25 Donor
Please fill in the form above and check the appropriate membership category. Your check should be made
payable to the Minnesota Native Plant Society. Mail the completed form and your check to the Minnesota
Native Plant Society, University of Minnesota, 250 Biological Sciences Center, 1445 Gortner Ave., St. Paul,
MN 55108.
7
8. Minnesota Native Plant Society
University of Minnesota
250 Biological Sciences Center
1445 Gortner Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Summer 2003 Issue
![Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 22 Number 4 Summer 2003
Monthly meetings
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Member finds dwarf iris
Visitor Center, 3815 East 80th St.
Bloomington, MN 55425-1600
952-854-5900
new to Minnesota
6:30 p.m. — Building east door opens
by Ron Huber, MNPS member and museum associate, Science Museum
6:30 p.m. — Refreshments, of Minnesota.
information, Room A [Figures 1 and 2 are included as an insert in the mailed copies of this
7 – 9 p.m — Program, society business
7:30 p.m. — Building door is locked newsletter and as PDF files with the e-mail edition.]
9:30 p.m. — Building closes On May 30, 2002, while my wife, Cathy, and I were exploring various
Programs portions of Minnesota Hill in northern Roseau County, we discovered
The MNPS meets the first Thursday in a small patch of a beautiful little dwarf iris that we could not identify.
October, November, December, February, Betsy Betros, our traveling companion from Kansas, took several
March, April, May and June. The next photographs of the overall patch, plus some individual plants, including
meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 2. Check a few nice close-ups of the sepals. Most of the plants appeared to be
the Web site for more information on 10 – 12 inches tall, just barely above the grasstops.
programs.
Robert Dana of the Minnesota DNR Heritage Program examined
Dues for individual the 35 mm slides and identified the iris as the Eurasian Iris pumila.
Figure 1 is a group shot, while Figure 2 is a close-up of a single flower.
members are changed Note the small patch of erect white “beard” in the center of each sepal
At their June 22 meeting, MNPS board in Figure 2, a distinguishing feature of this species. Robert said that
members voted to raise individual dues the iris has been previously reported in Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin,
from $12 to $15. No other categories were
Illinois and Missouri. In Michigan, Voss (1972:431) records it from
changed. Family memberships (two or
more related persons at the same address) two lower peninsula counties, noting, “apparently escapes from
remain $15. Dues for full-time students cultivation or perhaps only persisting where dumped.” The Roseau
and seniors (62 or over or retired) are $8; County record appears to be the first known for Minnesota.
institutions, $20; donors, $25. Minnesota Hill is a deep sandy ridge that runs northeast-southwest
The membership year starts Oct. 1. A and is located roughly 10 miles north and four miles west of the city
member registration form is on page 7 of of Roseau. It is also about four miles east of the little community of
this issue. Pinecreek. Minnesota Hill is apparently a three-mile-long remnant of
one of the beach lines from glacial Lake Agassiz. It is a very interesting
MNPS Web site area, with an amazing floral and faunal diversity. We seem to find
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/biology/mnps something different on every visit. The Iris pumila was in the southeast
e-mail: MNPS@HotPOP.com quarter, Section 30, Township 164 North, Range 40 West, less than
half a mile south of the International Boundary obelisk.
MNPS Listserve
S end a message that includes the word The area immediately south of this boundary marker is being slowly
“subscribe” or “unsubscribe” and your name excavated for sand, and what was once a level, sandy, conifer-studded
in the body of the message to: barren in the 1970s is now, unfortunately, a very large pit some 15 –
mn-natpl-request@stolaf.edu Continued on page 3](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/vol22num4summer2003-121028112911-phpapp01/85/summer-2003-minnesota-plant-press-1-320.jpg)
