ridgetownrick – The Native Plant Gardener

Wild Leeks aka Ramps (Allium tricoccum)

Posted on January 18, 2026January 18, 2026 by ridgetownrick

As I sit here in the comfort of my office, after an hour or so of shovelling out my driveway after one the biggest dumps of snow we’ve had here in the banana belt of southwestern Ontario in several years, my mind seems to naturally wander to spring and some of the early flowers in my garden. Today I am thinking about one of the first signs of spring here – the broad green leaves of wild leeks (or ramps, in some locales). Anyone who has wandered the early spring forests before the leaves come out on the trees has likely seen them. Their flowers don’t show up till later in the spring – after the leaves have completely died back for the summer – and many folks are surprised to learn that the little ball of white blossoms (think of a tall, onion flavoured lollypop and you’ll recognize them) are the same plant.

Wild Leeks flower shows up long after the leaves have disappeared.

One of the great tragedies of our modern era is the loss of this species in many woodlots to overzealous foragers – especially in those woodlots near large municipal centres. Rather than harvest leeks from the wild, why not encourage more folks to grow these in their gardens. They do take a while to establish, but if they are sustainably managed your family and friends can enjoy this allium in the garden AND the kitchen for many years.

Scientific Name: Allium tricoccum

Common Name: Wild Leek

Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Alternate Common Names: Ramps, Small White Leek

Plant description: Wild Leek features two broad, glossy leaves reaching about 10-22cm long and up to 9cm across. They die back once the trees above them have leafed out, then giving rise to a solitary, leafless flower stalk. The flower stalk reaches up to 30cm high and is topped by a 5cm wide, rounded clump of small flowers. Both flowers and stalk emerge from a green-onion-like bulb. Seed heads often persist into winter months, holding on to their shiny, round, black seeds. All parts have a strong garlic smell.

In the Garden: Wild Leek is a true spring ephemeral as its leaves are some of the first greenery to look forward to in the spring, but die back before the heat of summer sets in. Therefore, it is best planted with other shade tolerant species that will persist later into the season. Clusters of star-like flowers on lanky stems lend a unique look to the garden early summer.

Skill level: intermediate

Lifespan: perennial

Exposure: full to part shade

Soil Type: well drained, rich loose loam with abundant organic matter

Moisture: medium

Height: 30 cm

Spread: 20-40 cm

Bloom Period: Jun, Jul – the leaves die off and disappear before the flowers bloom

Colour: white

Fragrant (Y/N): Y

Showy Fruit (Y/N): N

Cut Flower (Y/N): N

Pests: no serious pests

Natural Habitat: rich, deciduous woods

Wildlife Value: important nectar source for pollinators

Butterfly Larva Host Plant For: none

Moth Larva Host Plant For: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-7

Propagation: Sow seeds as soon as possible after harvesting as they do not store well. They require a period of moist warmth followed by two months of moist cold stratification to germinate. Cover with about an inch of shredded, damp leaves. In the wild, they may take up to two years to break dormancy. Mature bulbs produce offsets, which can be divided in the summer or fall after flowering and planted so that the roots are buried and with just the very tip of the bulb above the surface. These should be mulched with 2 to 3 inches of composted hardwood leaves or natural leaf litter. A very slow grower, so be patient.

Additional Info: This plant is regularly foraged for its delicious leek-like flavour, but one should use only the leaves as it takes many years for the seeds to grow and many more till the plant can reproduce again. The over-harvesting of ramps in the wild has led to its disappearance in many woodlots throughout the region.

Native Range:

December Jigsaw Puzzle

Posted on December 2, 2025December 2, 2025 by ridgetownrick

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Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens)

Posted on November 24, 2025November 27, 2025 by ridgetownrick

During the spring, summer and early fall, it’s not much of a challenge to decide which plants to choose as the Plant of the Month – I just take a look in my garden and see what’s blooming and pick one. By late in the fall and through early winter, when there is little left in the garden, it’s a lot tougher. But this month’s choice just jumped out at me. Perhaps because of its long bloom period. Perhaps because of its quirky name (Monkey Flower). Or maybe because, as winter threatens here in southern Ontario in mid-November, I’m longing for summer – and this is definitely a summer plant. But whatever the reason, if you have a moist, sunny to part shade spot in your garden (it’s an excellent rain garden choice), Monkey Flower is an easy to grow native that is also a butterfly (and moth) host plant.

Scientific Name: Mimulus ringens

Common Name: Monkey Flower

Family: Phrymaceae (Lopseed Family) [formerly – Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)]

Alternate Common Names: Allegheny Monkeyflower, Sessile Monkeyflower, Square Stemmed Monkeyflower

Plant description: Monkey Flower has 4-angled, light green stems that are usually branched. Opposite leaves clasp the stem, each measuring up to 10cm long and 2.5cm wide. Leaves are lanceolate in shape with finely toothed margins, pointed tips and rounded bases. Flowers develop on long stalks from the leaf axils (where the leaf meets the stem) and each measure up to 2.5cm long. Each flower has 2 upright upper petals while the lower lip has 3 rounded petals with the middle one arching into the mouth of the flower. You will notice 2 pale yellow marks at the base of the middle petal. All 5 petals fuse at their bases to form a tube that is connected to a 2.5cm long whorl of sepals with 5 long teeth. Flowers mature into rounded seed capsules that contain many very tiny seeds.

In the Garden: Monkey Flower adds a wonderful, refined look to wet sites and will spread slowly by rhizomes to take on a bushy look once mature. Its snapdragon-like flowers have a long bloom time which is great for bees and gardeners alike. The dried seed heads provide great textural interest over winter months.

The seedheads provide great textural interest over winter months

Skill level: intermediate

Lifespan: perennial

Exposure: full sun, part shade

Soil Type: rich loamy soil

Moisture: wet, moist

Height: 30-90 cm

Spread: 20-30 cm

Bloom Period: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Colour: violet

Fragrant (Y/N): N

Showy Fruit (Y/N): N

Cut Flower (Y/N): N

Pests: no serious insect or disease problems

Natural Habitat: wet, often muddy areas such as shorelines, swamps, drainage ditches and wet meadows and is typically found in areas that are prone to occasional flooding or standing water

Wildlife value: Bumblebees are one of the few insects that are strong enough to force their way into the partially closed throat of the corolla as they seek nectar.

Butterfly Larva Host Plant For: Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) and Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)

Moth Larva Host Plant For: Chalcedony Midget (Elaphria chalcedona)

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 (this is the average range – my research revealed that values range from 2, 3 or 4 at the low end to 7, 8 or 9 at the high end, depending on the source)

Propagation: Direct sow in late fall or cold moist stratify for 60 days if starting indoors. The seeds need light to germinate so simply press the seed into the surface of the soil and do not cover. Be patient, as the seeds are slow to germinate. New plants may also be started from stem cuttings.

The very fine seeds of *Mimulus ringens* need light to germinate

Additional Info: Because bumblebee pollinators of Monkey Flower favour Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), it has been shown that where the two plants coexist Monkey Flower populations decline.

Native Range:

Monkey Flower (*Mimulus ringens*) is found throughout the southern Great Lakes region.

It Doesn’t Have to Sting to be Good

Posted on September 6, 2025September 7, 2025 by ridgetownrick

Canada Wood Nettle (*Laportea canadensis*) seedhead. This is the host plant for butterflies and moths. The stinging hairs are very clear in this image – they’re often not as visible when you’re wearing shorts in the forest.

What do Admirals, Commas, Question Marks and Tortoiseshells all have in common? No, it’s not a love letter written by a shipwrecked seafarer on a desert island. These are all butterflies that are commonly found in the southern Great Lakes region and they, along with a few interesting moths, all use members of the nettle family (Urticaceae) as host plants.

Many of us are familiar with that not-so-lovely burning sensation when we inadvertently brush a bare leg or an arm against some Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). This happens because the stems and leaves are covered with a lot of tiny, brittle, needle-like hairs called trichomes that easily break off when touched. At the base of these hairs is a potent mix of histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin and formic acid. And it is this chemical mixture that provides the stinging sensation that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on your sensitivity level and the size of the dose you get.

Stinging Nettle is not native to our region – it is naturally found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Fortunately, we have several members of Urticaceae that are native to the southern Great Lakes region that we can grow in our gardens as host plants, and some of these are even non-stinging if you really don’t want to get stung.

Nettles and Relatives in the Garden

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Let’s start with the non-native Stinging Nettle. You COULD choose to grow this though personally I find it pops up unwanted in my garden without any help. (Apparently it makes a great cooked green, tasting a lot like spinach and loaded with vitamins A and C – the sting is removed with cooking – but always read up on the potential side effects before eating any wild plants). If you really want this plant, consider growing it in containers to help prevent its spread as it grows vigorously from rhizomes and can quickly overtake a garden. Deadheading can reduce the likelihood of seeds, which can remain dormant in the soil for decades.

This plant typically grows from 3-7 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide. It thrives in full sun, but will also tolerate a fair bit of shade (in my garden, it happily grows in full shade under large walnut trees). It’s not fussy about soil type and likes anything from very moist to relatively dry soils.

Canada Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis)

There are many similarities between our native Canada Wood Nettle and Stinging Nettle – including the sting they both give when you brush against them. One of the easiest ways to tell the two apart is that Canada Wood Nettle has alternate leaves whereas the leaves of Stinging Nettle are opposite. Also, Canada Wood Nettle prefers moist, shady woodlands and doesn’t like hot, dry sunny sites.

Canada Wood Nettle grows 2-4 feet tall with a 1-3 foot spread. It will tolerate deep shade if sufficiently moist. Self-fertile, separate male and female flowers are inconspicuous and appear in the summer. Male flowers are shorter, less than 1/8″ across, with 5 white to green petals. Female flowers are loose and lacy with 4 green sepals that resemble curly leaves in longer clusters. These are clustered at the top of the plant. Like Stinging Nettle, this plant spreads readily by rhizomes.

False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica)

Also sometimes referred to as Smallspike False Nettle, Swamp Nettle or Bog Hemp, this is our stingless native. It has opposite leaves (like Stinging Nettle) and gets up to 5 feet tall in full to partly sunny, damp to average soils.

Because it doesn’t have stinging hairs, this is a great choice as a filler plant in moist, shady gardens as it remains green and leafy well into the fall.

Clearweed (Pilea pumila)

One of my personal favourites in the nettle family, Clearweed gets its name from its smooth, translucent stems, which to me are almost jewel-like. Also called Canada (or Canadian) Clearweed, Dwarf Clearweed, Coolweed and Green-fruited Clearweed, this short(ish) cousin of nettles ranges from 6 inches to 2 feet tall – in my southwestern Ontario garden in sandy loam soil it usually tops out at around 1 foot in height. It prefers part shade, but I’ve seen it growing in full sun to full shade as long as the soil is at least moderately moist. Like False Nettle, it also has no stinging hairs.

A Note on Urticaceae

All the plants listed here are wind pollinated, so you won’t see much pollinator activity around them. And all are purportedly edible, though with varying degrees of palatability. Some sources claim, for example, that neither Clearweed nor False Nettle are edible, while others suggest they are. If you decide to try some on your plate, do your research first. For me, I’ll just leave all mine for the caterpillars.

Spicebush and Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by ridgetownrick

This month’s article is the second in a series of articles on host plants for butterflies and moths that I began last month. I started with two common butterflies in my garden, the Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) and the Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes). In today’s article I will look at two more swallowtail butterflies that I regularly see in my southwestern Ontario garden. As before, I will provide photos of the butterfly and its caterpillar (and egg, if I have a photo), as well as photos of some of its host plants along with some basic facts about growing these plants.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on Cup Plant (*Silphium perfoliatum)*

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Often (and easily) confused with last month’s Black Swallowtail, the Spicebush Swallowtail is a rare visitor in my garden, despite my having two large Spicebushes, a couple of Tulip Trees and a Sassafras tree, all of which are its host plants in the southern Great Lakes region.

Like the Giant Tiger swallowtail, the young caterpillar of the Spicebush Swallowtail looks a lot like a bird dropping, thus discouraging predation by birds. However, as it outgrows its skin and gets larger and larger, it takes on a bright green colour and develops two large eye-spots, supposedly mimicking a snake. In its final instar, it tends to be bright yellow or orange, sometimes even a reddish orange colour.

The adult Spicebush Swallowtail nectars on a wide range of flowering plants, including asters, milkweeds, Purple Coneflower, and thistles. It is a large butterfly, with a wingspan of 3¹/₂to 5¹/₂”.

Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Lindera benzoin, sometimes called Wild Allspice, is a shrub in the Laurel family. It is typically found in moist, rich forests as an understory shrub, growing from 5-15 feet tall (in my gardens, the height seems directly correlated to average soil moisture). This lovely shrub has early spring yellow flowers around the same time as the non-native – and useless to our butterflies – Forsythia. You supposedly need a male and a female plant to get fruit, but both of my shrubs produce berries yet I have yet to find another Spicebush in my neighbourhood!

If you have part to full shade and moist to average soil, this shrub is a must for your garden. The leaves have a lovely spicy fragrance when crushed, and a tea can be made from the twigs and leaves. Both green (unripe) and red (ripe) berries offer distinct tastes: green berries are sharp, lemony, and peppery, while red berries are sweeter, reminiscent of allspice. The berries can be used fresh or dried, with drying intensifying the flavor and prolonging their shelf life.

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Liriodendron tulipifera is a magnificent tree – in the forest it grows tall and straight and can reach heights of 60-90 feet. Open-grown, it makes a wonderful shade tree. But probably its most notable feature is the large, yellow and green tulip-like flowers it produces each spring.

Tulip Trees prefer full or partial sun, mesic conditions, and fertile soil that is loamy or silty. It is a fast grower and can produce flowers in less than 10 years. (In my mesic, silt-loam soil in part shade, my tulip tree reached about 40 feet tall and 18” across (dbh) in less than 15 years!) But, as with most fast-growing trees, the branches are a bit brittle and susceptible to ice and windstorm damage.

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

A medium-sized tree (50-65 feet tall), Sassafras albidum is probably best known for it historic use for flavouring root beer. However, its use for this commercially was banned when it was shown that large doses of the active ingredient (safrole) caused liver damage and was linked to some cancers.

The leaf shape can be quite variable, from a simple leaf to a “mitten” to a “trident”, and the leaf shape and their beautiful red and gold fall colours make this an interesting specimen in the garden. Like the Spicebush, this tree is typically dioecious, having male and female flowers on separate trees. This is a colony forming tree and, if allowed to grow unchecked, will send up root sprouts and soon form a grove.

Sassafras Flower (c) James Steakley CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

It will grow in just about any loose, moist soil but it needs full sunlight for good growth. It seems to be a favourite of the invasive Japanese beetles in my garden, which often do a lot of cosmetic damage to the leaves, though it hasn’t seemed to impact the health of the tree.

Invasive Japanese beetles find my Sassafras tree every year, but despite the lace-like leaves, the tree seems to be doing OK.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is the most common swallowtail butterfly in my garden, but they are quite territorial so I usually only see one resident – any other Tiger Swallowtails that pass through are harassed until they move on. They will even chase off other species of butterfly, and I once saw one chase after a sparrow (a move I thought rather brave – or foolish – as the bird could have quickly turned the tables).

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail eggs on Tulip Tree leaf

An early instar Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar

These large (up to 5¹/₄” wingspan) bright yellow butterflies are hard to miss. Their preferred host plant is the Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), but they will also use the Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata). If neither of these is available, they have also been known to use cherry trees (such as the Wild Black Cherry – Prunus serotina) and ash trees (Fraxinus spp.).

Nectaring on Blue Lobelia (*Lobelia siphilitica*)

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) – see above

Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata)

The Hop Tree goes by many common names – Wafer Ash, Stinking Ash, Swamp Devil’s Bit, Water Ash, Wing Seed and even Shrubby Trefoil. This is a small tree/ large shrub, getting 15-20 feet tall and spreading just as wide. It likes just about any kind of soil in full sun to full shade. It even makes a good potted shrub – just make sure your pot is large enough. The Hop Tree is monoecious, often producing male, female, and perfect (bisexual) flowers on the same shrub.

The first time my Hop Tree flowered (in June), I couldn’t figure out where the lovely fragrance was coming from. Once I did, I regularly altered my path so I could come near the blossoms for a whiff of perfume. But it must be one of those fragrances (like the taste of Cilantro for some) that you either love or hate – how else would it get the common name Stinking Ash?!?

If you’d like to know more about the differences in our Swallowtail butterflies, there are two great sites with lots of comparison images at https://www.butterfliesathome.com/swallowtail-butterflies.htm and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=684652250358733&id=100064418930419&set=a.558096469680979.

August Jigsaw Puzzle

Posted on August 3, 2025November 27, 2025 by ridgetownrick

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The Host with the Most – Hosting Moths and Butterflies in Your Garden

Posted on July 24, 2025August 11, 2025 by ridgetownrick

Giant Swallowtail nectaring on *Echinacea purpurea* (Purple Condeflower).

Who doesn’t love to see a majestic butterfly flit through the garden, alighting on newly opened flower buds for a sip of nectar, then watch as it explores what else you have to offer. If you’re really lucky, you may even get to see it lay an egg or two on the underside of a leaf. Although most folks do know by now the relationship between Monarch Butterflies and Milkweed, surprisingly I met someone a few weeks ago that saw monarchs nectaring on his Purple Coneflower and wondered why he never saw them laying eggs on it! He didn’t realize that they ONLY lay their eggs on members of the Milkweed family.

Male Mondarch nectaring on Liatris cylindracea (Cylindrical Blazing Star) flowers

Monarchs aren’t the only butterflies (or moths, for that matter) that have very particular tastes. Although some species of Lepidoptera are generalists – meaning their caterpillars will eat many different kinds of plants, what a lot of folks don’t realize is that most butterflies and moths do not lay their eggs on just any plant. They require very specific species of plants if they are to successfully multiply their numbers.

This month’s article will be the first in what I hope will be a series of articles about host plants – which plants host which butterflies and/or moths – and a brief description of what you need to grow those plants to make your yard a nursery for many beautiful butterflies and moths. I shall start with my own favourite butterflies, the swallowtails.

Swallowtail Butterflies

In the southern Great Lakes region, we are home to 9 species of Swallowtail Butterfly, according to Rick Cavasin (https://www.ontariobutterflies.ca/families/Papilionidae) one of which – the Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail – he indicates has only recently been described. In today’s article I will cover the two most common ones that I regularly see in my southwestern Ontario garden. I will provide photos of the butterfly and its caterpillar, as well as photos of some of its host plants along with some basic facts about growing these plants. Over the coming months I will look at a few more of the swallowtails, then perhaps go on to some of our other butterflies, if sufficient interest exists.

Giant Swallowtail (left) and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (right) “puddling”

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

This black beauty is a challenge to photograph because it rarely sits still. Even while nectaring its wings are constantly aflutter. The caterpillar of this butterfly feeds on plants in the carrot family. Many vegetable gardeners are accustomed to seeing it on their dill and parsley plants, and even on their carrots or celery, and if you don’t mind sharing your produce, this is a great way to attract them.

The native host plants for Black Swallowtail Butterflies include Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea), Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum), Purplestem Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea), Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonia) and Canadian Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis).

Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)

Zizia aurea is a full to part sun perennial that likes moist to dry, sand to clay soils. It is an early flowering plant in the garden, with blooms starting in early May and often blooming right through to the end of June. (On a personal note – the first year I grew just a single Golden Alexander plant, I had 7 Black Swallowtail caterpillars on it!)

Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

Heracleum maximum is the tallest member of the carrot family in North America, often reaching heights of 6-8 feet. It is a relative of Wild Parsnip and Giant Hogweed, and like those plants its sap can cause sun rashes or blisters. It grows in full to part sun, in just about any moist but well drained soil.

Heracleum maximum Bartram. — Berce très grande. — Poglus, chez les Hurons de Lorette. — (Cow parsnip).

Purplestem or Great Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea)

Angelica atropurpurea is another giant in the garden, often getting up to 7 feet tall or more. This short-lived perennial likes full to part sun and wet to moist clay or loamy soil, or sandy soil with lots of decaying organic matter. As with Cow Parsnip, if you choose to grow this plant be careful to avoid getting the sap on your skin.

Laval University, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), Aniseroot (O. longistylis)

Osmorhiza claytonia and O. longistylis are plants for full to part shade. They tolerate most soil types and like average moisture soils. They get about 2 feet tall and bloom in May and June.

Canadian Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Another shade plant, Cryptotaenia canadensis, starts flowering in June and can continue right through to September, and though its flowers are quite small and delicate they often put on a lovely show because of the sheer number of blossoms. This perennial can get up to 2 or even 3 feet tall in average moisture, rich, loamy soil.

Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

The Giant Swallowtail gets it common name for a good reason – with a wingspan up to 4½ inches (113 mm) – it is the largest butterfly in Canada. Its caterpillar, unlike the colourful caterpillar of the Black Swallowtail (which the uninitiated often confuse for a Monarch caterpillar), looks exactly like a bird dropping on a leaf. Its disguise is so convincing that these caterpillars don’t even bother to hide under the leaf. You will almost always find them sitting on the top of the leaf, as if the bird had just pooped and flown on.

The Giant Swallowtail’s host plants are mostly members of the citrus family – the leaves of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit trees. Fortunately, we have two species that it uses here in the southern Great Lakes region – Hop Tree and Northern Prickly-ash (both of which member of the citrus family). The fact that Prickly Ash is related to oranges is obvious as anyone who has tasted the berries can tell you – it’s like biting into concentrated orange rind.

Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata)

The Hop Tree goes by many common names – Wafer Ash, Stinking Ash, Swamp Devil’s Bit, Water Ash, Wing Seed and even Shrubby Trefoil. This is a small tree/ large shrub, getting 15-20 feet tall and spreading just as wide. It likes just about any kind of soil in full sun to full shade. It even makes a good potted shrub – just make sure your pot is large enough. The Hop Tree is monoecious, often producing male, female, and perfect (bisexual) flowers on the same shrub.

The first time my Hop Tree flowered (in June), I couldn’t figure out where the lovely fragrance was coming from. Once I did, I regularly altered my path so I could come near the blossoms for a whiff of perfume. But it must be one of those fragrances (like the taste of Cilantro for some) that you either love or hate – how else would it get the common name Stinking Ash?!?

Northern Prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Northern Prickly-ash is a very thorny shrub that can get 15-20 feet tall, though the only place I’ve seen it in the wild (the alvars of Prince Edward County, near Kingston, Ontario) the shrubs were typically around just 5-7 feet high. Not a great choice for a small yard as it can spread aggressively by root suckers, but these can be controlled by either pruning them as they appear, or by planting the shrub in a barrel sunk into the ground.

A. Barra, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Prickly-ash does best in full sun, in well drained, average soils. It produces small, inconspicuous green flowers in the spring, but these are beautifully aromatic and attract many bees. Even the leaves have a lemony smell when crushed. In late summer, the fruit ripens to a reddish orange. Another common name for this plant is Toothache Plant, because eating the berries will numb your mouth, but you will need both a male and a female plant to get berries. `

Next time: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail

July Jigsaw Puzzle

Posted on July 14, 2025July 14, 2025 by ridgetownrick

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The Midwest Native Plant Primer: 225 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden

Posted on June 30, 2025July 1, 2025 by ridgetownrick

By Alan Branhagen

Publisher: Timber Press, July 2020

Paperback‏:‎ 256 pages

ISBN-10: 160469992

Dimensions: 8” X 9”

Price: $35.74 (Amazon.ca); $19.42 (Amazon.com – currently a 22% discount)

At first glance, Branhagen’s The Midwest Native Plant Primer looks like a great book for native plant gardeners. It has almost 45 pages in the introduction alone that covers topics like Why Cultivate Native Plants, and goes into some detail on what defines the Midwest, looking at the various habitats (grasslands, forests). And it is chock full of beautiful photos.

There’s a whole chapter on selecting native plants – how to choose your plant and what to avoid (i.e. right plant, wrong place), with a short section on gardening for birds and one on gardening for butterflies. He talks about the aesthetics of native plants in the garden (form, colour, fragrance, etc.), then devotes a chapter to Designing with Native Plants.

With lots of beautiful photographs and some great information in the lengthy introductory section, at one time I would likely have found this book delightful. But maybe my collection of books on native plant gardening is just getting too big. I found that the actual plant information is quite limited so it is unclear who its target market is or even what the overall purpose is. This book might make a great introductory book to native plants, but there are several overview books in print already and this one doesn’t really offer anything new. What’s worse, it misses out in a number of areas to be of any great value to a native plant gardener.

For starters, by the author’s own admission the “Midwest” is a very large region and he states that plants that do well in one area may not even survive in another, yet nowhere does the author let the reader know where any of the suggested plants will survive, let alone thrive. The need for accurate range maps is crucial for native plant gardeners who, more so than other gardeners, want to know what is native to their location.

The next issue is the alphabetization of the plants by common name. As with other books that use this strategy, the fact that there are often many common names for a plant, but typically only one currently accepted scientific name, means that locating a plant of interest in this book can be a challenge. For instance, I searched the index high and low for Wild Columbine, then for Wild Red Columbine, then Red Columbine and even just Columbine – all names that I am familiar with – but none of these were in the index. Fortunately I knew the scientific name was Aquilegia canadensis and could look that up, only to discover the plant was listed as Eastern Red Columbine. No wonder I couldn’t locate it. Another advantage of listing by scientific names is that similar plants (i.e. plants of the same genus) will be grouped together. For example, the milkweeds (Asclepias) will be grouped in one area, the goldenrods (Solidago), in another, etc.

This book does group the plants into the following separate sections: trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and perennials and vines, but within each grouping you need to know the sometimes very locally-known common name to find it.

I do appreciate the attempt at colour coding each of the sections of the book with a different coloured bar at the top of the pages. However, a greater differentiation of colours might have made separating the sections easier – they are all shades of purple and telling where the section on shrubs ends and the one on groundcovers begins, for example, is almost impossible.

I did have one problem with the section on ground covers, though. It is rather confusing when it includes things like Chasmanthium latifolium (called river oats in the book, but more commonly known as northern sea oats) which grows up to 3′ high, or Phlox paniculata (garden phlox) which often grows 4′ tall. Not what I would think of as ground covers.

Even more confusing, though, is the entry for Bugbane (Cimicifuga racemosa) – known more commonly as Black Cohosh, Black Baneberry, Black Snakeroot, or even as Squawroot in some regions. For starters, Bugbane is normally reserved for the species Actaea simplex (formerly Cimicifuga simplex), a native of Russia and China. In addition, most sources now accept the genus name Actaea rather than the older Cimicifuga for this plant. And there are lots more similar examples in the book.

And although there are lots of beautiful photos in the book, they are only somewhat useful to help you identify the plants, as they typically show a photo of the overall plant without much detail. As a result, they don’t help you a lot in identifying whether the plant you have is what is shown in the book. And in some cases, as with Eurybia macrophylla, or large leaf aster, they don’t even show a picture of the flowers, just of the leaves.

Limited details on each plant, and pictures that only show one small aspect of each plant reduce the usefulness of this book, in my opinion. Also, the colour bars at the top of these pages are so close to the same colour, yet represent different sections in the book.

Finally, the most confusing part of the book has to be the fact that the author mentions both USDA plant hardiness zones and AHS (American Horticultural Society) heat zones in the introduction AND in a table at the back of the book. However, since he does not provide the relevant ranges for any of the plants in the plant descriptions, I’m not sure why this information is even in the book. This seems to be a major oversight.

These tables would have been of value if the plant descriptions had contained the corresponding zones

Some of these oversights and problems may not be soley the author’s fault. I have talked to other authors who have published with Timber Press who told me the publisher left out what the author believed were important parts, simply to save money.

All in all, this is a pleasant book to look through, especially if you are new to native plant gardening and just want an introduction to the topic. And since you can never have TOO MANY books on the topic, this might make a good addition to your collection. Especially if you live in an area that might be considered part of the Midwest. But for me the book was rather disappointing.

Hairy Beardtongue

Posted on June 14, 2025June 14, 2025 by ridgetownrick

Scientific Name: Penstemon hirsutus

June is typically a quieter time in my gardens, with the rush of spring ephemerals long done and the riot of summer colours not quite upon us yet. Perhaps that is why I find Hairy Beardtongue so appealing. It starts its long blooming period, with its soft, powdery purple and white flowers, when most of my garden is still rather green.

As usual, the Plant Description and In the Garden sections are courtesy of Shawn Booth from In Our Nature. The content of this article is excerpted from our book The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region (Firefly Books), available wherever you buy your books.

Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Alternate Common Names: Hairy Penstemon, Dwarf Hairy Penstemon, Eastern Penstemon, Northeastern Beardtongue, Pride of the Mountain

Plant description: Hairy Beardtongue features green to reddish brown, hairy stems. Along the stems are opposite, lance-shaped leaves with pointed tips and toothed edges. Leaves clasp the stem. Stems terminate with clusters of slender, tubular flowers. Flower stalks also emerge from upper leaf axils. Each flower is purple to violet with white tips and has 5 petals with a protruding lower lip. You will notice that the flowers are hairy inside. Flowers turn into brown, teardrop-shaped seed pods. They split open when ripe to release many small irregularly angled seeds.

In the Garden: Hairy Beardtongue transitions the garden into early summer with a fantastic display of tubular, pink flowers. It maintains a well-behaved, clumping habit and adapts to a wide range of growing conditions. The seed heads provide reliable winter interest. Plants may suffer from a reduced lifespan if grown in rich soil.

Skill level: beginner

Lifespan: perennial

Exposure: full sun to full shade

Soil Type: thin, well drained soils

Moisture: medium wet to dry

Height: 45 cm

Spread: 25-30 cm

Bloom Period: May, Jun

Colour: pink, purple

Fragrant (Y/N): N

Showy Fruit (Y/N): N

Cut Flower (Y/N): Y

Pests: no serious pests

Natural Habitat: fields and open areas

Wildlife value: attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and native bees

Butterfly Larva Host Plant For: Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)

Baltimore Checkerspot – Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Moth Larva Host Plant For: Chalcedony Midget (Elaphria chalcedonia), Verbena Bud Moth (Endothenia hebesana), Sparganothis Leafroller Moth (Sparganothis sulfureana)

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9

Propagation: Direct sow in late fall through to late winter, pressing seeds into the surface of the soil without covering as seeds need light to germinate. For starting indoors, germination is enhanced with 60 days of cold, moist stratification. Slow to germinate and will spend its first year getting established, then flower in year two. Plants seem to germinate best in cool soil. Penstemon readily self seeds. Mature clumps of plants can be divided in early spring or late fall. Plants may also be propagated by layering (pinning the stem down and covering the leaf nodes with soil, which will then root) or by stem cuttings using sections of stem with 2-4 nodes.

The very small seeds of Hairy Beardtongue require light to germinate.

Additional Info: This low maintenance plant blooms in my southwestern Ontario garden in the early summer, after the spring ephemerals are done and before the bulk of the colour of my other natives begins, providing a wonderful splash of colour during the “quiet” period before the blooms of summer reach their peak. As a result, it has become one of my favourites.

Native Range:

Further Reading