Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog. We’ glad you chose now to visit.
Here we share about plants of the USDA Zone 4 – 5a region and the people who grow them. Our stories center on South Dakota and Nebraska, but do venture further sometimes. We post weekly, often on Friday. Many topics are found by category on the right side of the page.
You are welcome to share your plant experiences by comments or let us know what you especially enjoy.
Some refer to the time now as the “dead of winter” in this cold, snowy region but here we are beginning to think about next season. A summer event I look forward to each year is the annual Northeast Nebraska wildflower tour. It’s held about mid summer and is hosted by Northeast Nebraska Resources Conservation and Development (RC&D) and coordinated by Jan Jorgensen who works part-time there.
She has arranged for the biologists who lead the tour to different locations each year. They help her choose the sites in the six county area of Northeast Nebraska to see native wildflowers and grasses and share about best conservation practices for native plants of the future. Farmers, teachers, college students, business owners and workers and everyday people sign up to explore the natural beauty of region. Today you get the chance to join us on this tour.
See the article and join us on the tour at this link:
http://www.yankton.net/river_city/article_c9066d7e-3a29-11e4-857a-4fb098961c93.html
The tone of this day is mellow July. One of the tour participants collected a few wildflowers on her walk and then wore her favorites that she collected in her purse.
The purple flowered plant with fine leaves is commonly called leadplant. It is an indicator plant of quality native grassland. The leadplant was photographed in the tallgrass hay meadow of the landowner, Jerry Koch. You will read about this meadow in the article.
Not all thistles are noxious weeds. This is a tallgrass prairie pasture thistle that is a favorite for some pollinators. This plant is a hardy wildflower in dry conditions of recent years.
Here’s the article link again if you decide to read it. Have a happy day, where ever you are!
http://www.yankton.net/river_city/article_c9066d7e-3a29-11e4-857a-4fb098961c93.html
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