The Coneflower is a very important plant to grow for pollinators, providing pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies, and other insects. Purple Coneflower grows in prairie areas throughout the southwest quarter of Ohio, and occasionally in open woodlands. In home gardens, these plants prefer full sun to partial shade. New plantings may need to be watered until established. The nectar is a favorite of the migrating Monarch butterflies. In the fall, the seeds of this plant are a

The Northern Spicebush is a member of the Laurel Family (Lauraceae) along with our native Sassafras tree. The leaves of both plants are a favorite food of the Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar. Bright greenish-yellow flowers appear before the leave in the spring, providing food for small bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. In the fall, the foliage turns a beautiful warm yellow that brightens the garden and woodlands. This woody shrub grows 5 to 12 feet tall, in full sun

Source: Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative

Throughout the month of April we will share with you 4 great native plants in Ohio. Each blog will contain descriptions and images provided by Ohio Native Plant Month, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. A Very Large Canopy Tree: Bur Oak (Quercus Macrocarpa) The Bur Oak can grow to be an extremely large tree, up to 90 feet tall and almost as wide. It is best known for its bold, majestic, dark branches, and its acorns with fuzzy caps. Because of the unique acorns, this tree i

Early People Pawpaw trees are often the dominant understory vegetation in native forests. Being the largest native fruit in America, Native people relied on pawpaws for a source of nutrition in their late summer diets. As European settlers migrated to America they soon discovered the tasty fruit and began using it as an ingredient in everything from liquor to bread. During the great depression the fruit was dubbed the "poor mans banana", being used as a substitute to other tr

Safe drinking water is important to your health. Testing your private well's water quality on a regular basis is necessary to maintain a safe and reliable source of drinking water. As an individual water system owner, it is up to you to make sure that your water is safe to consume. Unfortunately, there is no single test that tells you if water is safe. There are many waterborne contaminants that can cause illnesses if enough are present in your water. Unless a specific contam