Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. By definition, a weed is a plant that is not valued where it is growing. Chicory is commonly called a weed by many people, while others regard it as beautiful and useful. It has a rich history and is widely used today for many things. This […]

You have probably seen this native flower in bloom recently throughout our Great Parks, and may know it by many names. Commonly called spotted jewelweed, orange jewelweed, orange balsam or spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis), there is also a yellow variety (Impatiens pallida) that is referred to as pale jewelweed, yellow jewelweed or pale touch-me-not. The […]

Amphibians have been having a pretty hard go of it lately. Numerous studies have shown that worldwide amphibian populations are on the decline. Worse yet, in May the US Geological Survey released a study that supports this worldwide trend and indicates that US amphibian populations, even ones previously thought to be stable, are also declining. […]

There is more than meets the eye to the adder’s tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum). At first glance you might not guess that it’s even a fern. Lacking the typical delicate-looking leaves of other ferns we’re used to seeing, it has an odd spore-bearing stalk that is unique to its family (the Ophioglossaceae). It is from […]

We’ve written briefly about butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) before, but this is a plant that really gets a second look. As an ornamental, it’s exceptionally gorgeous with brilliant orange blooms that last for much of June and July. It’s also far from fussy and will thrive in hot, dry, nutrient-poor sandy soils. As its Latin […]

We all know that plants use the sun, air and water to make their own food. Well, most plants at least do this. Some just get others to do it for them. Bear corn (Conopholis americana) is one of these. Lacking chlorophyll, it gets its energy by parasitizing the roots of either beech or oak […]

Another aquatic invasive species that we see a lot in our parks is pets. The problem is that some people have pet goldfish or turtles that get too big for their tanks, or they just don’t want to care for them anymore. These people think that dumping these animals into the nearest body of water […]

The more things change, the more they stay the same, but still, one must be ready and willing to learn many new things each day. Out in nature, you will see some of both…you will see the more things change, the more they stay the same. You have the opportunity to learn a plethora of […]