 |
| Lakeside Daisies Courtesy ODNR |
April is Ohio's Native Plant Month. In 2019 Governor DeWine penned the act into law. The initiative was begun by Ohio's former First Lady Hope Taft and Nancy Linz as a project in the Heritage Garden at the Governor's Residence. Ohio became the first state to recognize native plants for the entire month. Since then all but two state governors have joined Ohio in recognizing April as native plant month.
 |
| Hepatica Courtesy ODNR |
According to Mac Arnold, the Toledo Blade's outdoor editor, Ohio has more than 1,000 miles of trails within its state parks, giving Ohioans plenty of opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of wildlife around us.
 |
| Trillium Courtesy ODNR |
In northwest Ohio, Oak Openings and the Lake Erie Islands, including the Marblehead Peninsula, one can find some of Ohio's most endangered species: Lakeside daisy, narrow leaved blue-eyed grass, and balsam groundsel. At Oak Openings lyre-leaved and Missouri rockcress, and plains puccoons can be found.
Baxter's and birdfoot violet, early buttercup, rock sandwort, and northern blue-eyed grass are some of Ohio's threatened wildflowers.
Loss of habitat, deer, fewer pollinators, and non-native invasive plants such as Amur honeysuckle (which tried to get a stranglehold on my lilac bushes) and garlic mustard.
Rick Gardner, botanist at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, maintains a weekly bloom report of wildflowers seen along Ohio's trails and beaten paths. Go to ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/see-the-sights/wildflowers.
 |
| Spring Beauties Courtesy ODNR |
No comments:
Post a Comment