Volume 9, Num- THE TURK’S The Newsletter Of The Delaware Native Plant Society Autumn 2006 In This Issue Page 1 Natural Quotes New Members m DNPS Vision Page 2 Thoughts From The Edge... Event Highlights Resources and Reviews Page 3 Feature Article Resources and Reviews Page 4 Gardening With Native Plants Resources and Reviews Page 5 Feature Article continued Resources and Reviews Page 6 Plant Sale Announcement Page 7 ■ Upcoming Events Natural Quotes “In order to care deeply about something important, it is first necessary to know about it.” Edward O. Wilson How Can I Get Involved? The Delaware Native Plant Society is open to everyone ranging from the novice gardener to the professional botanist. One of the primary goals of the society is to involve as many individuals as possible. The DNPS is working on some significant projects at this time. We have completed four refor- estation projects in the Prime Hook area, at Black- bird Creek in New Castle County and Cedar Creek in Sussex County where we have installed tree tubes around newly sprouted seedlings, and are perform- ing annual management of the sites. Help is also needed at our native plant nursery at the St. Jones Reserve with the monitoring and watering of plants along with many other nursery activities. For more information, E-mail us at dnps@delawarenativeplants.org. Or visit our web- site at www.delawarenativeplants. org. Our website will have all of the past issues of The Turk’s Cap along with a large section on native plants, as well as links to other environmental and plant related organizations. A Spicy Pumpkin Pie Welcome To Our Newest Members July through September Marilyn Crank Deborah Koerner Kathyrn Rogers Liz & Jeff Gordon The DNPS Vision T he purpose of the Delaware Native Plant Society (DNPS) is to participate in and encourage the preservation, conservation, restoration, and propagation of Delaware’s native plants and plant communities. The Society provides information to government officials, business people, educators, and the general public on the protection, management, and restoration of native plant ecosystems. The DNPS encourages the use of native plants in the landscape by homeowners, businesses, and local and state governments through an on-going distribution of information and knowledge by various means that includes periodic publications, symposia conferences, workshops, field trips, and a growing statewide membership organized by the DNPS. The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Thoughts From The Edge Of The Garden Plant rescue efforts When proposed development projects are reviewed by the Del- aware Natural Heritage Program of the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, there will be language in the reviews of cer- tain projects that will offer developers the opportunity to con- tact the DNPS to have us come out and “rescue” native plants on development sites before the bulldozers enter the property. The plants will then be taken back to the DNPS nursery to be used for our reforestation sites and to be sold at our plant sale. Volunteers are also welcome to take plants home with them. Thus far we have not gotten any leads on suitable sites to do rescues. If any members know of forested sites that are going to be developed, please contact us. We have a new secretary In the last issue of the Turk’s Cap, we were calling for a brave soul to become our new Secretary to replace the tiring Rick Mickowski who did a fantastic job for over two years. We had a taker, and her name is Nancy Davis. We’re glad to have Nan- cy with us and it’s especially exciting that we have a new per- son in our core group of volunteers. We hope that trend continues! surveying, and a whole host of other things. Between the people who actively pursued this idea, we decided on adopting the newly created wetlands at the newly created Big Oak County Park, just east of Smyrna on Big Oak Road. We are currently in the process of drafting a management plan for our wetlands and we will have more details on it later. Big oak county park & wetland dedications As a result of the DNPS adopting the wetlands at Big Oak County Park and perfect timing, we were invited to a dedication ceremony on 30 Sep 2006, where Big Oak County Park was unveiled to the public with a ribbon cutting and speeches by local dignitaries. The DNPS was also presented with the Adopt- A-Wetland sign that will be mounted in the park recognizing the DNPS as the adopters of the parks wetlands. Our own Rick McCorkle gave a short acceptance speech. Thanks go out to both Carl Solberg, DNPS member and integral player in the parks creation, and Marlene Mervine for helping the DNPS with the adoption process and figuring out the details of what the future holds for our wetlands, Event Highlights Serpentine barrens field trip Seed collecting In the last issue of the Turk’s Cap we enclosed a set of guide- lines to be used for seed collecting. We are always looking for volunteers to collect seeds for the nursery, as that aspect of the nursery is one of the most important if we are to uphold our conviction of selling local collected and grown plants at the annual plant sale. If anyone does collect seeds and would like to donate them to the nursery, please contact Eric Zuelke. DNPS ADOPTED A WETLAND In the Spring 2006 issue of the newsletter, we announced that we were seeking out a wetland to adopt as a result of the great presentation that Marlene Mervine gave at our March bi-monthly meeting on the Delaware Adopt- A- Wetland Program (AAWP). The AAWP is a volunteer effort where any person or organization can “adopt” a wetland in the state, then perform management tasks on it such as hash removal, non-native and invasive plant removal, animal and plant On September 23 rd 2006 we had a fantastic field trip to the ser- pentine barrens at Nottingham County Park in Chester County, PA. At 20 people, we had the best attendance we’ve ever had to a DNPS field trip. And all of us, under the guidance of our lead- ers, Janet Ebert & Jack Holt, were treated to glimpses of some very rare, special plants that only grow in this unique habitat. Serpentine is a light green-colored rock formed beneath the ocean floor and thrust to the surface during ancient shifts in the Earth's crust, and are very low in nutrients and high in toxic chemicals. This scenario sets the stage for some great botaniz- ing. Under the common canopy of pitch pine ( Pinus rigida ), Virginia pine ( Pinus virginiand) and post oak ( Quercus stellata ), some of the most rare species of plants that we observed were St. Andrew’s cross ( Hypericum stragulum), striped gentian (' Gentiana villosa), lion’s foot ( Prenanthes serpentaria ), rock sandwort ( Minuartia michawcii), round-leaved fame-flower ( Talinum teretifolium ), prairie dropseed ( Sporobolus heterole- pis ), purple needlegrass ( Aristida purpuras cens), scrub oak (' Quercus ilicifolia ), large-purple false-foxglove ( Agalinis pur- purea), and whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). Resources & Reviews Autumn: A Season Of Change Authored by Peter J. Marchand. There is much more to the fall season than meets the eye, as Marchand demonstrates in this gracefully written introduction to the science and natural processes of autumn with respect to plants, animals, and the land itself. Dotted with fall observations by famous naturalists and ending with an interesting account of the term "Indian summer," Marchand's work will impress autumnal admirers. The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Resources & Reviews Fall Colors Across North America Authored by Anthony Eaton Cook and Ann Z winger. This book takes you on a magnificent journey from the Alaska tundra in the Far North, through Canada and the northern United States, all the way to the bald cypress swamps of Louisiana in the Deep South for a stunning, artistic look at this most magnificent of seasons and how the fall colors explode into life and why they so strongly affect people. Feature Article History of the dnps reforestation projects 0 Editor's note: This is a two part article). Part 1 At its inception, one of the primary aspirations of the Delaware Native Plant Society was to do its part in curbing the loss of forest in Delaware. The principal method we wanted to use to achieve this objective was through the reforestation of fallow fields that were already retained in conservation status. Over the years, many people have contributed, and many hours have been spent in the implementation of this goal. This report is a summary of our efforts up to this point. The First Exploratory Steps A letter was written on 24 April 1999 by then DNPS President Keith Clancy on behalf of the DNPS to Mr. Andy Manus, the then Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), explaining our interest in doing a reforestation project and requesting the assistance of DFW in selecting a site for a reforestation project in a state wildlife area. Another letter was written on 8 July 1999 by Keith Clancy to Mr. Nick DiPasquale, then Secretary of DNREC discussing the possibility of undertaking a reforestation project on state lands. Keith requested that this topic be an item on the agenda for the 14 July 1999 meeting with the State’s conservation groups. Keith Clancy attended this meeting and secured a positive endorsement from Secretary DiPasquale for our reforestation plans. Prime Hook State Wildlife Area, Sussex County This reforestation site was our first project, and is located in the State Wildlife Area on Prime Hook, just off Little Neck road. The site is a previously farmed field that is approximately 1.0 acre in size and is bordered by mature forest, and another refor- estation site that was planted by wildlife area staff with 2-3 year old hardwood seedlings. Delaware Native Plant Society members Rick McCorkle and Keith Clancy met with Rob Gano, manager of the Prime Hook State Wildlife Area, on 12 January 2000 to look at a site for reforestation within the Wildlife Area borders. Mr. Gano detailed out the area that would be flagged off for our reforestation efforts and the area was surveyed for nut availability. Armed with only pocket knives and buckets, seed collecting and reforestation began on 15 October 2000. On this day ap- proximately nine volunteers collected seeds in the forest adja- cent to the reforestation plot in the morning and after a lunch break, directly seeded the reforestation site. The method used to plant the seeds was one that was devised by Keith Clancy, DNPS President at that time. His methodology consisted of using flags that were placed in the ground in a randomized fash- ion and then four seeds per flag were planted (one seed in each of the cardinal directions, N, S, E, and W around the flag) approximately 12 inches away from the flag. This method was used in each one of our four reforestation sites. Most of the seeds collected and planted were various oak species (primarily white, red, and, southern red) with only a small percentage that included hickories, tulip poplars, and other hardwoods. Lynn Parks of the News Journal, wrote an excellent article on the DNPS and this project, which appeared in the 18 October 2000 issue. We planted approximately 1800 nuts at 450 flags this day. Society member Eric Zuelke and another DNPS member inven- toried seedlings on 20 May 2001. The seeding effort at this site was quite productive, as nearly 300 seedlings had sprouted. Tree tubes were installed on various dates in June and July 2001 by Rick McCorkle and Keith Clancy around approximate- ly 200 seedlings, and some of the volunteer sweet gum seed- lings were removed. On 28 May 2003, Eric Zuelke and another DNPS member cut down non-natives and invasive plants in a three-foot radius around each seedling to give them room to grow and compete. Eric Zuelke and Angel Babb (2005 DNPS intern) removed tree tubes from some of the larger oaks on 10 May 2005 and cut down non-natives and invasive plants in a three-foot radius around each oak seedling. Approximately 60 oaks and hickories were discovered this day, of which at least 50 were from seeds that were planted in October of 2000. This was clear because tree tubes were still around them. There were also numerous tulip trees, most of which are presumably volunteers. By far the most numerous tree species on the site is the sweet gum, with a ratio of approximately 15:1 to the oaks. The site is becoming a dense pole forest, which can be a typical scenario for this type Continued on page 5 The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Gardening With Native Plants White oak (Quercus alba) NATURAL HISTORY Hardly anyone does not know of the majestic White Oak. In fact the White Oak is so popular for it’s beauty, stately pres- ence, many uses, and abundance, that it is the state tree of Con- necticut, Illinois and Maryland. Now with fall approaching as the air cools and leaves begin to turn, the value of the White Oak to all of nature becomes apparent. Take a walk in most any mature forest throughout the Eastern United States and in a good year you will feel the crunch of acorns under your feet. Acorns are a valuable source of food for more than 1 80 birds and mammals. They are a favorite food of turkeys, ducks, pheasants, grackles, jays, nuthatches, thrushes, woodpeckers, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, deer and many others. Handsome and sturdy, the White Oak is named for its whitish bark and gray twigs. They may be found in pure stands but most often occur in mixed hardwood forests usually with other oaks, hick- ories, sweetgum, yellow poplar, maple and often conifers such as loblolly and Virginia pines as well. The west slopes of the Appalachian Mountains, and the Ohio and central Mississippi River Valleys have optimum conditions for white oak, but some of the largest individuals have been found in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Wye Oak on Maryland’s East- ern Shore was the honorary state tree of Maryland and was probably the oldest living White Oak until it was felled by a thunderstorm on June 6, 2002. The largest White Oaks in Delaware are found in New Castle County. WHERE TO GROW The White Oak is one of the most spectacular of oaks and when grown in an open landscape without competition will spread into a magnificent shade tree, with an exceptionally wide spread and almost never dropping limbs. It bestows a special elegance to parks and large lawns. There is no finer shade tree for eastern North America and the rich brown fall color often persists for several weeks. Normally not a tall tree, typically 60 to 80 ft. at maturity, it nonetheless becomes quite massive and its branches tend to reach far out parallel to the ground when given sufficient room to grow. The White oak is fairly tolerant of a variety of habitats, and may be found on ridges, in valleys, and in between, and in dry and moist habitats, and in moderate- ly acid to alkaline soils. So, regardless of the condition of your landscape the White Oak might just be the perfect tree given sufficient room and time to grow. PROPAGATION AND CARE Most White Oak propagation is from seed. The White Oak will begin to produce acorns usually around its 50 th year although a well-grown specimen in an open area may produce acorns by its 20 th year. Acorn production will vary from year to year and from tree to tree, but in a good acorn production year (every 4 to 6 years), a healthy specimen may produce up to 10,000 acorns. In a poor production year it may be difficult to find viable seeds, as the competition among wildlife for food can be intense. Seed will begin to fall in early October and will soon germinate and are best harvested before wildlife or insect damage can occur. Select large healthy, light brown, blemish free seeds and remove the cap carefully inspecting for holes in the shell that might indicate the presence of borers - discard if holes are evident. Finally, check for seed viability by flotation in water: acorns that sink are sound; those that float should be discarded. White Oak acorns do not store well, so they should be planted as soon as possible after collection. A light medium is preferred so that the taproot can develop unimpeded. Prepare a mix of equal parts peat moss, sand, fine pine bark mulch and rotted leaf compost and place in a large (6 to 8 inch) pot. Add a layer of acorns spaced approximately 1 inch apart and cover, water well and place in a cold frame. I have found that an insu- lating layer of fresh leaves inside the cold frame is great for protecting from any freeze/thaw cycle and improves root devel- opment. After germination, root growth continues until inter- rupted by cold weather. Root and shoot growth will resume in the spring and a large taproot will develop. In early summer pot up the seedlings into individual pots and continue to grow for one year before setting out into the landscape. Keep young seedlings well watered until established. Once established, transplanting is hard because of the deep growing taproot! LORE In addition to being an outstanding tree for the landscape, the wood, bark and fruit of the White Oak have long been valued by the earliest Native Americans to present day furniture mak- ers and artisans. Native Americans used acorns of the White Oak as a food - they are much less bitter than the acorn of red oaks. Native Americans ground acorns into flour, a technique they shared with early European settlers. The acorns were either boiled in water or soaked in a lye solution to remove the tan- nins, then pounded and ground to make a flour that was made into mush or used to thicken soups. In Native American medi- cine the bark was brewed into a tea for treating diarrhea and hemorrhoids. Modern herbals still specify White Oak as an as- tringent for external use on wounds open sores and insect bites. Of course, where would the furniture market be were it not for the White Oak? The wood is tight grained, hard and tough mak- ing the finest furniture and flooring, support timbers, railroad ties and pallets. It was used in ship construction and extremely popular for barrel making for its watertight grain - hence the name stave oak. Bob Edelen, DNPS Member Resources & Reviews The Colors of Fall: A Celebration of New England’s Foliage Season Authored by Jerry and Marcy Monkman. This gorgeous collection of photographs celebrates this most iconic of New England seasons. The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Resources & Reviews Autumn: A New England Journey Authored by Ferenc and Candace Mate. This reissue of one of New England's most beloved books is more spectacular than ever. Ninety color photographs, by turn meditative and passionate, capture New England's fiery colors and pastoral tranquility. What makes this book unique is that it contains a practical tour-planning guide. An appendix with hand-drawn maps outlines ideal autumn excursions and treks, and also includes short descriptions of the most beautiful and interesting sites in New England. Feature Article j From 31 July-7 August 2004, approximately 75 volunteers Continued from page 3 and 4 Refuge employees installed 1,316 tree tubes. of reforestation project. Eric Zuelke and Lauren Lyles (2006 DNPS intern) removed tree tubes from some of the larger oaks on 14 May 2006 and cut down non-native and invasive plants in a three-foot radius around each oak seedling. Approximately 60 oaks were again discovered, of which at least 50 were from seeds that were planted in October 2000. There were also numerous volunteer tulip trees, and sweet gum is quite numerous and outnumbers the oaks. These results were similar to what was found in 2005, except all the plants are just a couple of feet taller now. The tallest oak that we observed was approximately 15 feet tall. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2005, the Wildlife Area mainte- nance crew mowed strips in over 2/3 of the reforestation area. They did not realize that this site was a DNPS reforestation site. The mowing did help to clear out many of the sweet gums, but also mowed down many of the oak seedlings that had probably reached heights of 3 to 6 feet based on the size of cut bases. Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Site, Sussex Count! This reforestation site is located east of Deep Branch Road (north of the Route 16/Route 1 intersection, east of Waples Pond) on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The .site is approximately 1 8 acres in size and is part of a long-term project by the Refuge in establishing a “legacy, or centennial forest.” Field work for this site took place over a five-week period (5 October 2003-16 November 2003) and resulted in the plant- ing of 14,740 seeds at 3,685 flags. Most of the seeds planted were oaks and hickories, but we also planted flowering dog- wood, and tulip poplar. Seeds were collected in the forested areas within the borders of the Refuge. Approximately 25 vol- unteers helped with seed collecting and/or planting. To make things fun, we had our first day of planting during the refuge’s Annual Waterfowl Festival which also was part of the hun- dredth anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge system. During a light drizzle we planted the field as it and our efforts were blessed by a chief of the Lenape tribe. On 21 May 2004, Keith Clancy and George O’Shea (Refuge biologist who spent many hours on his own collecting and planting seeds) performed independent surveys of the germina- tion success and each came up with results that averaged out to a germination success of 1 to 4 seedlings at 71% of the flags. There were approximately 600-700 tree tubes still in place on 23 April 2005 and no direct management efforts were conducted this day. This number of tree tubes is only approxi- mately half of what was installed in 2004 and it’s not clear what happened to the other tree tubes. The following description of the field work in 2006 may be part of the answer. Other reasons for the decline in the number of tree tubes located could be human sampling error, gusts from storms blowing them away, or perhaps even animals carrying them away. After an inspection of this site on 9 September 2006, it appears the area is showing signs of maturing. However the northern half of the site is having some problems, but the southern half is in good shape. The northern half is densely populated with sweet gum. This half is adjacent to surrounding forest and is further away from the grassy access road leading to the site. Because of its location, fewer volunteers ventured this far into the site to install tree tubes and because of that, and the density of the sweet gums, it was very difficult to locate any of our seedlings. Undoubtedly, some there are still growing, but it is not known how many. Sweet gum is also well established in the southern half of the site but there are fair fewer than found in the northern half and they are young enough that the oak seedlings can compete. Of the 600-700 tree tubes located in 2005, approximately 200 were located on this date. Most of those tree tubes were left in place, but tubes that had fallen over, or were otherwise impeding the growth of a tree were removed. Only a small percentage of the tubes still standing lacked seedlings, so the majority of the tubes had a healthy tree still inside them. There were also a handful of oaks and hickories located that did not have a tree tube around them and they were surviving just as successfully as individuals with tree tubes. There were just about as many hickories as there were oaks growing (about 50% each spp. ). There are also a moderate number of loblolly pines glowing here, which will ultimately make this a more diverse forest. There are a large number of tulip trees and sweet gum growing at this site (particularly the north half), and it is on its way to becoming a sweet gum/tulip tree pole forest, much like the Prime Hook Wildlife Area site. Other species encoun- tered were cherry trees, sumac, and eastern red cedar. To be continued with Part 2 in the Winter 2006/2007 issue of the Turk’s Cap. /T' When: Saturday, 4 November 2006, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Where: DE Native Plant Society’s native plant nursery. Directions: The nursery is located at 818 Kitts Hummock Road, at the St. Jones Research Re- serve in Dover. Take Route 1 13 to the Dover Air Force Base. Kitts Hummock Road is directly at the southern border of the air base at the three way intersection of 1 13, Route 9, and Kitts Hummock Road. Kitts Hummocks Rd. only goes east, and if you go almost one mile you'll see a large sign for the St. Jones Reserve. Turn right onto the gravel road and the nursery is all the way in the back to the left of the parking lot. What’s for sale: Hundreds of trees, shrubs, herbaceous species, ferns, vines and grasses will be available at very reasonable prices. Here’s a sample of what’s available (not a complete list): walnut azaleas pawpaw ink-berry and teaberry hickories winterberry holly American holly sweet pepperbush tulip tree butterfly milkweed many species of oaks cardinal dower viburnum conedowers red chokeberry ferns Come early, some quantities are limited-a line will form early and we’ll open the gates at 10 AM For more information: Call 302.735.8918, email ezuelke@juno.com, or on the web at w w w . dela warenati veplan t s . org . We had a great sale last year and hope to have an equally great sale this year. Plenty of free food and beverages will be available also as our sale is getting well known for the food! The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Upcoming Events Wednesday, 18 October 2006 — Planning meeting for the plant sale. Details to come soon. — Saturday, 21 October 2006 — Autumn At Abbott's Mill Festival. Events include Encounter Na- — — _ , ture, Demonstrations & Exhibits, Children's Activities, Sales, guided tours, guided walks, canoe RIDES, REFRESHMENTS AND FOOD. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 302.239.2334, OR ON THE WEB AT HTTP:// WWW.DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG/lNDEX.HTML — — Saturday, 28 October 2006 — DNPS native orchid symposium at Bombay Hook National Wildlife _ Refuge from 10 AM to approximately 3 their habitats, a presentation on growing orchids, lunch, a PLANT & BOOK SALE, AND A FIELD TRIP. — Various dates in October 2006 — Nursery workdays to prepare for plant sale. Details to come — SOON. Saturday, 4 November 2006 — DNPS annual native plant sale. — Saturday, 11 November 2006 - Fall Family Festival at Adkins Arboretum. Activities include — - _ HAYRIDES, WALKS THROUGH THE ARBORETUM WOODS, MUSIC, AND AN ARRAY OF LUNCHTIME TREATS. PARTICI- _ PANTS CAN ALSO PLACE ORDERS FOR HOLIDAY WREATHS MADE FROM FRESHLY CUT LOCAL GREENS THAT WILL BE DELIVERED AT THE ARBORETUM’S HOLIDAY GREENS SALE. CALL 410.634.2847 FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO ~ REGISTER BY PHONE, OR ON THE WEB AT http://WWW.ADKINSARBORETUM.ORG. — _ Tuesday, 21 November 2006 — DNPS bi-montly meeting. We will be having a presentation by Bill Pike on porcelain berry eradication in Delaware. ~ DNPS Bi-monthly meetings for 2006 — are currently scheduled for 17 JANUARY, 21 March, 6 May “ (ANNUAL MEETING), 18 JULY (AT BOMBAY HOOK), 19 SEPTEMBER, 4 NOVEMBER (NOT A MEETING, BUT THE —— __ ANNUAL PLANT SALE) AND 21 NOVEMBER. ALL MEETINGS ARE ON THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY OTHER MONTH at the St. Jones Reserve at 7 PM, unless otherwise noted. The 2007 meeting schedule will be PUBLISHED IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THIS NEWLETTER. „ Tuesday, 16 January 2007 — DNPS program and field trip on the winter identification of trees. More details to come later. ’ Saturday, 10 February 2007 — DNPS seed propagation workshop: A reprise of our popular 2005 — workshop. More details to come later. The Turk’s Cap, Volume 9, Number 3 Page Membership Application g L ». ». ». ». _ , Member Information Delaware native Plant Society Name: Business Name or Organization: Address: City and Zip Code: Telephone (home/work): E-mail address: " Full-time Student $10.00 " Individual $15.00 " Family or Household $18.00 " Contributing $50.00 " Business $100.00 " Lifetime $500.00 " Donations are also welcome $_ Membership benefits include: * The DNPS quarterly newsletter, The Turk’s Cap * Native plant gardening and landscaping information * Speakers, field trips, native plant nursery and sales Total Amount Enclosed: $ Make check payable to: DE Native Plant Society P.O. Box 369, Dover, DE 19903 Delaware Native Plant Society P.O. Box 369 Dover, Delaware 19903 Complimentary Copy