Despite the prolonged drought, some prairie plants are doing very well and seem to be flourishing. For instance, Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum). This is a species that grows well in…

Our backyard is fairly small, which is good because we spend most of our time working on a 140 acre natural area. However, in her "spare" time Kathie has done…

The wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum) is one of the more attractive prairie plants, but hard to raise. Starting with a seed, the first year one gets only a single tiny…

Yesterday, the hottest day of the year (97 F!), the crew worked (until noon) at Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie finishing up the first major sweet clover work of the year.…

Despite the intense heat and drought, compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) is thriving all over Pleasant Valley Conservancy. Since this species is famous for its long root system (as deep as…

This is peak season for birds foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), a pesky ag weed that won't seem to go away. In contrast to many of the other ag weeds, this…

Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is probably the most "showy" of the milkweeds, and is a species that invariably attracts attention in prairies and open savannas. Probably because of the early…

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Kathie Brock, Ann Thering, and Karl Legler Yesterday the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association (SWBA; a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association) led a field trip to Pleasant Valley Conservancy.…

Sweet clover (Melilotus) is the bane of many prairie restorations. Here are some reasons: The seed bank lasts a long time (>75 years) Fire stimulates seed germination It will invade…