This document is the winter 2006 newsletter of the Minnesota Native Plant Society. It provides information on the society's monthly meetings, which are held at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. It also features a spotlight on Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area, a 200-foot bluff area along the Mississippi River that contains several native plant and animal communities. The newsletter also includes the treasurer's report, information on an upcoming symposium and field trips, and the society's board of directors.

1. Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 25 Number 2 Winter 2006
Monthly meetings Scientific and Natural Area Spotlight
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd. East
Bloomington, MN 55425-1600
Pine Bend Bluffs
952-854-5900 By Karen Schik
As the Mississippi River flows toward the Gulf of Mexico, it makes
6:30 p.m. — Building east door opens
6:30 p.m. — Refreshments, a sharp bend to the east some eight miles downstream from the City
information, Room A of Saint Paul. This unique area, named Pine Bend Bluffs by early
7 – 9 p.m — Program, society business white settlers for the many white pines that grew in this area, remains
7:30 p.m. — Building door is locked
a natural jewel nestled along the river in a rapidly developing portion
9:00 p.m. — Building closes
of Dakota County. In the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, a place of
Programs explosive development and urban expansion that continually eats away
The MN NPS meets the first Thursday at the few remaining natural areas, it may seem surprising that large
in October, November, December, tracts of high quality natural areas still exist. A few such gems do
February, March, April, May, and June. remain, and there are several organizations that work together to obtain
Check the Web site for more program permanent protection for them.
information.
Feb. 2: “Jaws: Carnivorous plants Pine Bend Scientific and Natural Area was officially dedicated in
native to Minnesota,” by Jason Husveth, May 2004. It was the result of many years of work and collaborative
Critical Connections Ecological Services. effort between Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), the Trust for
Plant of the Month to be announced. Public Land (TPL), and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The existing SNA was owned by several different private parties, so
March 2: “A Match Made in Humus? the fact that it all came together as one piece of land was extremely
The connection between bolete fortunate.
mushrooms and the roots of trees in
Minnesota,” by Bryn Dentinger, graduate Tens of thousands of years ago, when the last of the glaciers were
student, University of Minnesota. Plant receding, the meltwater formed the Glacial River Warren, which
of the Month. Annual meeting, election carved the current river valley. The vestiges of this mighty river, the
of three board members. Mississippi, meandered uninterrupted through islands and channels
April 6: “Site and Restoration History on its way to the Gulf. In the 1930s, with the construction of a series
of the Twin City Army Ammunition of locks and dams, the nature of the river was changed — and with it
Plant,” by Wade Hammer, wetland the valley landscape was dramatically altered. However, the steep,
ecologist with Svoboda Ecological wooded Pine Bend Bluffs have remained largely in their natural state.
Resources. Today these 200-foot bluffs,
April 22: Symposium, St. Olaf College. dissected by numerous ravines, are In this issue
home to many native plant and
Treasurer’s report..................2
MN NPS Web site animal communities. The steep,
Symposium, field trips..........3
www.mnnps.org south-facing slopes, with their
gravelly soils, are hot and dry and Mississippi Gorge Park.........4
e-mail: contact@mnnps.org
contain prairie remnants, dry oak July patterned peatland trip...5
MN NPS Listserve Nursery law changes.............6
Send a message that includes the word forest, and oak woodland. The
cooler, moister north-facing slopes Field guide review.................7
“subscribe” or “unsubscribe” and your Dutchman’s Breeches (Plant
name in the body of the message to: contain mesic oak forest and white
Lore)......................................7
mn-natpl-request@stolaf.edu Continued on page 3

2. Treasurer’s report for 2005 MN NPS Board
Assets
Checking
Dec. 31, 2005
$14,900.44
Cash flow Jan. 1 - Dec. 31
Income
of Directors
Flora ID CDs 0.00 Insurance refund 4.00 President: Jason Husveth,14758
Refuge project 38.92 Ostlund Tr. N, Marine on St. Croix,
Book sales 146.55
Think Native 441.07 MN 55047; 651-247-0474;
Flora ID CDs 2,292.00
Total checking 15,380.43 president@mnnps.org
Donations 692.00
Interest on checking 14.51 Vice-President: Scott Milburn,
CD #10061266 1,063.40 vp@mnnps.org
Membership dues 3,470.00
CD #95851478454 1,000.00 Symposium 5,992.00 Secretary: Karen Schik,
Cash on hand 55.00 Plant sale 871.50 secretary@mnnps.org
Total assets $17,498.83 Other 70.00 Treasurer: Ron Huber,
treasurer@mnnps.org
Total income $13,552.56 Ken Arndt, board member,
Prairie Smoke to be karndt@mnnps.org
Conference host Expenses Mary G. Brown, board member,
Renew CD $1,000.00 mbrown@mnnps.org
Prairie Smoke will host the 2006
Insurance 436.00 Daniel Jones, board member,
conference/banquet of The Prairie
Enthusiasts (TPE) March 11 at Eagle Printing 1,123.64 djones@mnnps.org
Bluff Environmental Learning Center Postage 920.10 Shirley Mah Kooyman, board
in the southeastern Minnesota bluff Sales tax 144.00 member, skooyman@mnnps.org
country near Lanesboro. Their target Supplies 64.33 Sandy McCartney, board
audience includes TPE members, Symposium 2,512.97 member, smccartney@mnnps.org
landowners, and all persons interested Think Native 200.00 Program Coordinator: Linda
in practical management and Refuge project 565.52 Huhn, 612-374-1435
preservation of native prairies. Flora ID CDs 1,725.00 Listserv Coordinator: Charles
Overnight lodging will be available Boundary Waters Fndtn. 50.00 Umbanhowar, ceumb@stolaf.edu
in Eagle Bluff dorms Friday and Web site 512.65 Field Trips:
Saturday nights. For more information, Honoraria 50.00 fieldtrips@mnnps.org
or to be considered as a speaker or Total expenses $9,304.21 Memberships:
exhibitor, contact Andrea Mueller at memberships@mnnps.org; 651-
andreaHillTopArts@msn.com Net income $4,248.35 739-4323
Historian/Archives:
Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose president@mnnps.org
Technical or membership
(Abbreviated from the bylaws) inquiries: contact@mnnps.org
This organization is exclusively organized and operated for educational Minnesota Plant Press editor:
and scientific purposes, including the following: Gerry Drewry, phone, 651-463-
8006; plantpress@mnnps.org
1. Conservation of all native plants.
2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences. Society has new
3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant
life. mailing address
4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to The MN NPS has changed its
Minnesota. mailing address to a post office box.
5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation and ecosystems. It will be checked at least once a
6. Preservation of special plants, plant communities and scientific and week, speeding processing of
natural areas. membership applications and
7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural answers to your questions. The
resources and scenic features. address is:
Minnesota Native Plant Society
8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through
P.O. Box 20401
meetings, lectures, workshops and field trips. Bloomington, MN 55420
2

3. up, contact Katie Galloway at
Pine Bend SNA Friends of the Mississippi River Symposium on
Continued from page 1 (651-222-2193 ext. 14, or
pine-hardwood forest. Along the kgallowa@fmr.org). Driftless Area
river, are black ash seepage swamp For additional information, visit:
and floodplain forest. These natural www.fmr.org/pbptnrs/
www.fmr.org/pr03112003.html
is April 22
communities contain populations of “The Land that Glaciers Forgot: the
seven rare plant species, of which w w w. d n r. s t a t e . m n . u s / s n a s /
Ecology of the Driftless Area” is the
four are listed as state-endangered. sna02030/index.html subject of this year’s symposium. It
Pine Bend was an important will be Saturday, April 22, from 8:30
location for Native Americans and Group explores a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Olaf College
was one of the earliest sites of winter botany at Science Center, Northfield.
European settlement in the region. Presenters will discuss the geology
Vestiges of the town of Pine Bend Nature Center of the Driftless Area and its plant
are still visible south of the SNA, by Ken Arndt communities, rare plants, and
near the Flint Hills Resources On Saturday Nov. 12, MN NPS conservation issues. Speakers and
refinery. Individual parcels at the President and Botanist Jason their topics are posted on the MN
SNA have more recent human Husveth and Board Member and NPS Web site, www.mnnps.org.
histories. At the property owned by Urban Forester Ken Arndt led 16 Members will also receive a brochure
the Burgers, for instance, you can still amateur and professional plant in the mail. Space will be limited,
see remnants of a Boy Scout cabin, enthusiasts on an enjoyable walk so register early.
built there by hand in the 1930s from through the Maplewood Nature
logs that were floated to the site in a Center property to learn about winter Two Winter Field
raft. Not far from there is the Old botany. With a lack of snow cover
Military Road, which ran parallel to and comfortable temperatures that Trips are planned
the river. And from the McGill morning, we encountered many Join MN NPS members Saturday,
property, you can find arguably the different plants along the trails. Feb. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to noon for
most spectacular views of the We began inside the nature center, a tour of the University of
Mississippi River in the metropolitan where we had a brief overview of the Minnesota’s herbarium. Dr. George
area. (View photos at: www.fmr.org/ aspects of winter botany and how to Weiblin, curator of flowering plants-
sna_addition.html) begin identifying plants by Bell Museum, will take us through
One of the former property owners, characteristics outside of the growing the herbarium and give us an up-
the late Dwight Malcolm, not only season. We started our plant walk at close look at what it takes to maintain
donated his parcel to the state for a small landscaped area dominated a herbarium at a major university. A
permanent protection, but also by native trees, shrubs and demonstration on plant specimen
provided significant funding to FMR perennials. A paved trail took us mounting will be included.
for habitat restoration work at that around a large open-water pond, On Saturday, March 11, from 9
parcel. In partnership with the DNR where we passed through a wooded a.m. to noon, MN NPS Board
and the National Park Foundation, area of green ash, silver maple, and Members Ken Arndt and Scott
which also donated funds to the site, black willow. We moved on, to a Milburn will lead a field trip at Boot
FMR has undertaken extensive small prairie restoration area and into Lake Scientific and Natural Area in
exotic woody plant removal from the an upland of white and northern pin northern Anoka County. From the
oak forest and has initiated a seven- oak. Here, a buckthorn removal tamarack swamp through the stately
acre oak savanna restoration. Over project has opened up the understory, white pines and into the woodlands
the last two years, nearly 200 welcoming back the true natives. On and on to Boot Lake, we will identify
volunteers have helped haul and the north side of the pond, a large woody and herbaceous plants found
stack large amounts of brush, collect stand of pagoda dogwood was at this great SNA.
prairie seed, and prepare the growing along the trail, just above Go to www.mnnps.org for
woodland for a prescribed burn. the wetland edge with hackberry and information on signing up for either
Events planned for 2006 include silver maple. of these field trips, detailed
brush burning on Saturday, Jan. 28, Maplewood Nature Center is also directions and parking lots.
garlic mustard pulling on June 3, and a great get-away for a quick family Participation will be limited to 25
seed collection in the summer and hike through scenic woodland and people for each trip. Field trips for
fall. For more information or to sign wetland plant communities. this spring will be posted soon.
3

4. A gorgeous view: Plant communities of
the Mississippi Gorge Regional Park
by Karen Schik, Friends of the While the native Minnesota plant flooding and drought, and severe
Mississippi River; and Carolyn Carr, communities have been largely erosion and sedimentation. One
Ecological Strategies. This is an altered since the time of European adaptation to injury that many
abstract of their presention at the settlement, first by logging and more floodplain tree species have is to send
Nov. 3, 2005, meeting. recently by invasive species, the up new shoots, forming multiple
entire corridor has been identified by trunks, a common floodplain forest
The Mississippi River Gorge is an the DNR as having moderate or high feature.
eight-mile stretch of river between biodiversity significance. Mesic oak
St. Anthony Falls and the confluence Structurally, floodplain forests are
forest is the dominant community not very diverse, with sparse or
with the Minnesota River. This along the river, but a number of other
steep-sided ravine is the only gorge absent shrub layer. The ground layer
plant communities can be found, is also sparse and may be absent in
on the entire length of the river and including floodplain forest, maple
is a result of the only falls on the an active floodplain until mid-
basswood forest, black ash seepage summer. Then it is composed of
river. The story of how the falls and swamp, and mesic prairie.
the gorge came to be began millions early-successional, opportunistic
of years ago, when ancient seas Mesic Oak Forest class consists species, especially annuals. Stinging
covered the region. Deposits of sand of mesic forests on gravelly moraine nettle is common, as well as
and calcite exoskeletons of tiny or outwash deposits, and on slopes clearweed, goldenglow, touch-me-
organisms formed thick layers of with thin soil over bedrock along the not, honewort and bur marigold. A
sandstone beneath limestone. Long Mississippi River bluffs. They distinctive feature of floodplain is
after the seas receded, the landscape developed on moist to somewhat that there are many vine species.
was dramatically altered by drought or fire-prone sites. Red oak, Black Ash Seepage Swamp is a
glaciation. The most recent glacial white oak, bur oak, and pin oak rather uncommon plant community
period, about 10,000 years ago, dominate mesic oak forests. These that is most often found on level river
carved many of the present-day stands typically did not burn as much terraces at the base of steep slopes.
stream and river valleys and exposed as drier oak forests and were In the gorge, it exists below
the bedrock layers along parts of the probably always forest, rather than Minnehaha Falls. The community
gorge. The geologic history can savanna. The trees are tall and consists of wet hardwood forests on
easily be viewed at the exposed cliff straight, with narrow crowns. Fire- muck or peat soils in areas with
faces in many places along the river. sensitive species are common, continuously flowing cold
especially basswood, green ash, groundwater. The canopy is patchy
The gorge came about as a result
butternut and aspen, as well as to interrupted and is dominated by
of erosion and recession of St.
hackberry, bitternut, walnut, elm and black ash, sometimes with basswood
Anthony Falls. About 8,000 years
sugar maple. This community often and American elm, and rarely with
ago, the falls was located in
succeeds to maple-basswood forest. green ash and yellow birch. Skunk
downtown St. Paul. Water flowed
over the limestone shelf of the falls The shrub layer is sparser than in cabbage is a common ground layer
and eroded the soft sandstone dry forests because the canopy is species, and the shrub layer is
beneath it. The undercut limestone denser. The forb layer is typically sparse or absent.
would eventually break off, causing subsequently more dense and diverse Maple Basswood Forest is found
the migration of the falls upstream and has more grasses and sedges, as in moist, fire-protected areas such as
and leaving behind the present-day well as tree seedlings. An abundance ravines and north-facing slopes. In
gorge with 100-foot bluffs. Geology of prickly ash and other spiny shrubs the gorge it can be found on the west
forms the basis for plant are indicators of past grazing. side of the river, near 44th St.
communities and strongly influences
the other factors that shape the Floodplain Forests are made up Only about 2 percent of maple
communities: soils, topography, of a particularly hardy group of basswood forest is left in the state.
aspect, climate, hydrology and species, adapted to disturbances of Although the loss has been primarily
disturbance regime. opposite extremes, such as prolonged due to farming, logging and
4

5. development, remaining areas are were brought here by European Patterned peatland
now threatened by invasive species. settlers and have since spread from
The community is characterized by
gardening and fishing. field trip planned
a dense, continuous canopy Referred to as “ecosystem for July weekend
dominated by sugar maple and engineers,” earthworms seriously Jason Husveth will lead a northern
American basswood, though red and alter the soil structure in native Minnesota field trip Saturday, July
white oak, green ash, slippery elm, forests. By consuming the duff or leaf 15, and Sunday, July 16, to a
and paper birch are also common. litter, they convert the loose, rich, and patterned peatland he surveyed last
The trees are tall, straight, and spongy native soils to a hard, mineral summer. The trip will be open to all
narrow-crowned. Because the soil with no duff, thereby removing MN NPS members.
canopy is so dense, the shrub layer the substrate from beneath the native
is sparse, and the ground layer is woodland plants. Earthworm The location is 12 miles southeast
diverse and abundant. Woodland infestations result in bare forest of Ely along Minnesota Hwy. 1, in
wildflowers must take advantage of floors with a very depauperate the Superior National Forest and on
the bright light in spring before leaf- species assemblage. state forest land. Participants will
out to flower and set seed, so spring camp in a national forest camp-
It is not yet clear if forest ground Friday night.
ephemerals are common. communities can recover from the
This site is within a large complex
Maple-basswood is a late- altered condition. The problem is of patterned peatland, rich fens, poor
successional community that compounded because exotic plant fens, black spruce swamps, and
succeeds mixed oak forest and other species such as garlic mustard and tamarack swamps. In addition to rare
forest types on mesic soils. It is a self- buckthorn readily invade the species, participants will see
perpetuating community because disturbed soils. And native woodland carnivorous plants, numerous
seedlings of the dominant tree plants that do survive are orchids, sedges, rushes, grasses, and
species are very shade-tolerant. The preferentially eaten by an overly native wetland wildflowers. The trip
forest can develop into old-growth abundant deer population. will require hiking across the
forest because catastrophic Mesic Prairie comprises a very peatlands along a “winter access
disturbance is rare and dominant small portion of the gorge, but an road.”
species are long-lived (250 years or intensive restoration project at the
The hike will be approximately one
more). “prairie bowl” at 36th St. and West
to two miles each way on a saturated
River Road has been on-going for
Sugar maple plays a key role in soil cushion of peat moss over a
many years. Successive burning,
formation. It is sometimes referred consolidated peat deposit and will be
woody removal, seeding and
to as a nutrient pump, because it pulls somewhat difficult to difficult. “The
planting efforts are helping to restore
nutrients from deep in the soil to payoffs will make all of the efforts
the native composition and structure
make massive numbers of leaves. In worthwhile,” Jason said. “I hiked
to this small remnant.
most tree species, nutrients from the into this complex three times last
leaves are returned to the tree trunk While degraded in many areas by summer, and it was one of the most
in the fall, prior to leaf fall. In sugar historic land uses and exotic invasive fascinating sites I have ever surveyed
maple, the nutrients are not returned species, the river gorge has been the in Minnesota.”
to the trunk but fall with the leaves, target of intensive restoration Jason will announce the trip at the
thus returning high levels of calcium, activities for many years and an February meeting and will post
phosphorus and magnesium to the amazing collaboration of local details, including costs, on the
soil and creating a very rich duff residents working with many other society’s Web site.
layer. groups. The Minneapolis Park
Minnesota grass key is
One of the most serious threats to Board, Friends of the Mississippi
on herbarium Web site
this and other hardwood forest River, Great River Greening, the
Anita Cholewa has placed an easy-
communities in Minnesota is the Department of Natural Resources to-use grass key online at
invasion of earthworms. Since and the National Park Service are www.umn.edu/herbarium/Grasses/
earthworms did not survive some of the entities that have been grass%20text/contents%20Lpage.htm.
glaciation, plant communities that working with neighborhood groups She is curator of temperate plants, J.
evolved after glaciation did so in the to restore and maintain the natural F. Bell Museum of Natural History,
absence of earthworms. Earthworms features of this local treasure. University of Minnesota, St. Paul.
5

6. Agriculture (MDA), including Geir
Nursery Law amendments Friisoe, manager of the Plant
Protection Section, Mark Schreiber,
affect rules for plant sales supervisor of the Nursery Inspection
& Export Certification Unit, and Gail
by Dianne Plunkett Latham Broadly speaking, there are two Ryan, MDA attorney. Also
This is part of an article Dianne, a groups eligible to sell nursery stock participating were Mary Maguire
former MN NPS board member, without obtaining a nursery stock Lerman, City of Minneapolis
wrote for the Federated Garden grower certificate (exempt nursery horticulturalist, and Myk Hamlin of
Clubs of Minnesota Newsletter. sales). These two groups are not-for- the Minnesota Hosta Society. The
On June 30, the Minnesota profit sales and occasional sales. Not- consensus was that if a garden club
Legislature passed a bill to keep for-profit sales applies to an hosted or advertised a plant sale with
organization or an individual who
portions of our state government plants provided by its members, and
offers for sale certified nursery stock
running. The bill not only managed (from any certified nursery, from any the total sales of nursery stock
to keep the Departments of Natural state) if sales are conducted on 10 or (defined under 18H.02 subd. 20)
Resources and Agriculture less days in a calendar year, and if were under $2,000, the club need not
operational, but it also had quite a the proceeds are used for educational, track sales to individuals. If total
few other things in it, including scientific, charitable or religious sales of nursery stock were over
changes to 18H.06, Exempt Nursery purposes. There is no dollar limit on $2,000, however, the garden club
Sales. The new Nursery Law the amount of nursery stock that can must record each individual
amendments went into force on July be sold under the not-for-profit member’s sales so that the garden
1, 2005. statute. However, all the stock must club can demonstrate that no member
be certified in the state of origin prior sold more than $2,000 worth of
The new amendments removed the to sale. nursery stock at their sale.
words “Nursery Hobbyist” and
The second category under exempt Representatives of the Minnesota
“organization,” leaving only the nursery sales is occasional sales. The Department of Agriculture said that
word “individuals.” Thus, any rationale for the occasional sales the occasional sales classification is
individual, as a private citizen, and/ statute on low volume sales ($2,000 an option available to low-volume,
or as a member of a garden club, can per year limit) of Minnesota-grown infrequent plant vendors. The choice
sell up to $2,000 of Minnesota- nursery stock to customers who will is up to each individual; plan sales
grown nursery stock to customers plant the nursery stock in Minnesota, dates carefully and stop selling when
who will plant it in Minnesota, but is that such nursery stock presents a $2,000 is reached, or get a nursery
the number of days of allowable sales low risk of plant pest spread from stock grower’s certificate. Once the
was reduced from 14 days to 10 days. seller to customer. The occasional plants are certified, you can sell your
sales category is the part of the statute
Under 18H.02, Subd. 20, nursery plants on as many days as you wish
that is generally the most applicable
stock is defined as “trees, shrubs, to garden club plant sales. and without a limit on the amount of
vines, perennials, biennials, grafts, money you make. Each individual is
The old statute allowed an responsible for keeping personal
cuttings and buds that may be sold individual, company or organization
for propagation, whether cultivated records of their nursery stock sales
such as a garden club to sell up to to document that their total sales of
or wild, and all viable parts of these $2,000 per year of uncertified
plants.” As before, members who nursery stock do not exceed $2,000
nursery stock, for example, stock in a given year, and that sales do not
have the above-defined plants, which grown in members’ back yards, in
are grown out-of-state, cannot sell occur on more than 10 days during
addition to certified stock purchased the year.
them at a Minnesota club’s plant sale from Minnesota vendors. All stock
under the occasional sales statute. had to be Minnesota-grown and Technical changes were also made
As before, the nursery certification planted in Minnesota. Sales could to Minn. Statutes 18H.18,
requirements do not apply to annuals, be conducted up to a maximum of Conservation of Certain
bulbs, tubers, vegetable plants or 14 days per calendar year. Wildflowers. The changes were
ornamental indoor plants, among What does a garden club have to made to eliminate redundant plant
others. These categories of plants do to prove that no member is selling names, establish consistency within
may be grown by members in over $2,000 worth of plants under the the statute and clarify plant species
Minnesota or out-of-state and sold at new statute? To determine this, on covered by the statute. No species
a Minnesota club plant sale without Sept. 22, I met with representatives were removed or added as a result of
need of any certification. of the Minesota. Department of this most recent revision. Questions
6

7. about the wildflower statute or guides are very affordable and can
nursery laws can be directed to Mark be purchased at Minnesota’s
Schreiber or Steven Shimek at the Bookstore.
Plant Lore
by Thor Kommedahl
MDA at 651-296-8507. What is Dutchman’s breeches?
The Laurentian Mixed Forest
I have been appointed by Geir Province guide provides easy-to-use Dutchman’s breeches is Dicentra
Friisoe to represent garden clubs at keys for identifying native plant cucullaria in the fumitory (bleeding
future deliberations on proposed heart) family.
communities, along with well-
amendments to the nursery laws. If What do its names mean?
you have any comments on the written information on the various Dicentra comes from dis meaning
nursery laws do not hesitate to ecological systems described for the twice and kentron meaning spur,
contact me at 952-941-3542. Laurentian Mixed Forest Province. referring to the double-spurred
It includes detailed fact sheets for flowers. The specific epithet
Book review each described native plant cucullaria means hooded. And, of
community. I have found the fact course, the flowers resemble
Field guide for sheets to be very valuable, with an
pantaloons or breeches.
abundance of very interesting What does the plant look like?
Laurentian Mixed information that users will It is a perennial with roots
consisting of a cluster of many small
Forest Province appreciate. These fact sheets are also
white tubers. White flowers hang
available online on the MN DNR
by Scott Milburn from an arched stem (raceme), and
Web site.
Recently, the Minnesota each bloom has two inflated spurs
Department of Natural Resources The guide itself provides an resembling legs of tiny pantaloons.
revised its system of classifying enormous amount of information, Leaves are highly dissected, almost
native plant communities in some of which is technical. That fern-like. It flowers in April and
Minnesota. The native plant should not, however, intimidate May, then goes dormant.
communities defined in this effort are anyone interested in learning more Where does it grow?
based not on plant species about the plant communities of It is found as a native plant in rich
composition alone, but also Minnesota. The guides are not just woods, in full or semi-shade, in most
considerations of hydrology, for professionals, but are for anyone of the state except the northwest. The
landforms, soils, and natural who is interested in understanding seed is difficult to harvest; as soon
disturbance. how our landscape is shaped by as it ripens, it falls quickly from
ecological processes. For a link to plants.
This information is being
the MN DNR Native Plant Is it poisonous or medicinal?
published in a series of three field It may cause a skin rash. It contains
Community page, visit our Web site
guides. The first, Field Guide to the the alkaloid protopine, which acts as
(www.mnnps.org) and look under
Native Plant Communities of a depressant to the central nervous
links.
Minnesota: the Laurentian Mixed system. Cattle grazing on this plant
Forest Province, was published in Information about the second book, tremble and stagger, and sometimes
2003. The second field guide, for the Field Guide to the Native Plant the plant is called staggerweed. Root
Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province, Communities of Minnesota: the tea has been used as a diuretic and to
has just been printed. The third Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province, promote sweating.
guide, for Prairie Parkland-Aspen will be available on the Minnesota’s Has it other uses?
Parklands is to be available soon. Bookstore’s Web site, Not economically. The Menominee
www.minnesotasbookstore.com. Indians regarded it as a love charm.
The guides are small in size, to
The price is $10.95, plus sales tax and A suitor would throw the plant at a
enable the user to easily carry them potential mate, who then felt
$3 for shipping.
on a short hike or a long camping trip. compelled to follow the suitor. If a
These guides are also field-hardy, Mail orders can be sent to root was nibbled by a man, it was
printed on water-resistant paper, Minnesota’s Bookstore, 660 Olive believed that his breath would attract
enabling the user to have one less St., St. Paul, MN 55155. The retail a woman, even against her will. A
worry when perhaps crossing an store is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. different species, Dicentra
extensive peatland or waiting out a Monday through Friday. Call 651- spectabilis, is bleeding heart, and it
summer storm. Price-wise, the 282-5077 or 1-800-657-3706. is cultivated in gardens.
7

8. Minnesota Native Plant Society
P.O. Box 20401
Bloomington, MN 55420
Winter 2006