Natural Communities Native Plants

11/11/2025

We overseed like crazy, but is there a way to do it better, research-informed? Well, yes, thanks to Nachusa Grasslands. This is a crazy long study, where if you are managing lands for the long haul and you want to make your results last, this is worth a watch. Also check out their research here:
Becker, E. M., Bach, E. M., Kleiman, B. P., & Barber, N. A. (2025). Overcoming barriers to restoration: post-restoration overseeding and topsoil disturbance improve native plant richness and diversity. Restoration Ecology, 33(4), e70022. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70022

04/06/2025

Watch our video to discover the enchanting beauty of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)! Learn about these native spring wildflowers with delicate blue, bell-shaped flowers and attractive foliage. See how they can enhance your shade or part-shade garden and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Perfect for woodland gardens and those seeking low-maintenance, beautiful spring color. Find out about their blooming period in spring (March-June) and their preference for moist, rich soil. Bring the charm of native woodlands to your landscape!

Watch our video to discover the enchanting beauty of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)! Learn about these native spring wildflowers with delicate blue...

04/06/2025

🌱 Discover the Dazzling Midland Shooting Star! 🌱
Have you ever encountered a wildflower that truly lives up to its name? Meet the Midland Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)! This remarkable perennial is a favorite among gardeners for its uniquely beautiful blooms. Imagine clusters of white to deep pink flowers with petals that dramatically point backwards, resembling a shower of tiny shooting stars.
Keep an eye out for these stunning flowers in late spring, typically from April to June. The leafless flower stalk rises from a basal rosette of bright-green leaves, reaching about 1 to 1.5 feet in height. Early pioneers even called it "Prairie Pointers".

Beyond its beauty, the Shooting Star plays a vital role in supporting our native ecosystems. It's especially valuable to bumblebees, who are the chief pollinators of this fascinating plant. They use a special technique called 'buzz pollination' to extract pollen.

Whether you're passionate about native plants, interested in supporting pollinators, or simply appreciate the wonders of nature, the Midland Shooting Star is a species to admire. It thrives in sunny or partly shady spots with moist to slightly dry soil and can be found in prairies, open woods, and even rocky slopes.

Consider adding this ecological gem to your native garden! Supporting native plants contributes to a healthier environment for all.

Welcome to the show about amazing native plants! Today, we're talking about the fantastic Shooting Star plant.Have you ever seen a flower that looks like it'...

04/06/2025

Excited to highlight a beautiful and beneficial native plant: Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides)! This elegant perennial wildflower, also known as Atlantic Camas, boasts stunning white to blue or lavender flowers that bloom in the spring.

Beyond its beauty, this native gem from Natural Communities LLC plays a crucial role in supporting local ecosystems by attracting bees, flies, and butterflies. It thrives in shade and part shade and contributes to the health of prairie and woodland habitats.
Did you know the bulbs were historically used as food?

Now, by planting Wild Hyacinth, you can contribute to ecological restoration, as 44.8% of Natural Communities LLC's 2024 profits are dedicated to conservation and indigenous organizations!

Here is a YouTube product description for the native plant Camassia scilloides (Wild Hyacinth) for SEO purposes, drawing on information from the sources:Brin...

12/08/2024

Restoring Midwestern Oak Woodlands: A Guide to Seed Mixes and Native Plugs Restoring oak woodlands requires a holistic approach, encompassing both invasive species control and ecosystem restoration, with native vegetation as its foundation. Pairing seed mixes with native plugs is critical in that process.

Oak woodlands are a vital part of the Midwest's natural heritage, offering critical habitat for wildlife and supporting the region's ecological health. However, habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change threaten these ecosystems. Restoring and preserving oak woodlands is essential to mainta...

11/30/2024

Have you ever looked out at a familiar field or forest and felt a pang of sadness? Or maybe you've noticed how many of the farms you remember from your childhood have been replaced by housing developments? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

Here in the Midwest, we're experiencing a profound sense of loss as our environment changes around us. This feeling has a name: solastalgia. Unlike nostalgia, which describes the melancholy or homesickness people feel when separated from a beloved home, solastalgia refers to the distress caused by environmental changes that negatively impact individuals while they remain connected to their home environment.

It's that feeling of being homesick, but you're not actually away from home. You're right there, but the place you know and love doesn't feel the same anymore.

Discover how prairie restoration is transforming the Midwestern landscape, addressing solastalgia by reviving native ecosystems and creating sustainable agricultural solutions. This comprehensive guide explores innovative approaches to land management that balance ecological conservation with econom...

11/01/2024

A New Approach to Woody Invasive Species Control: Leveraging Native Warm-Season Grass Cover Crops

As we head into the fall and winter season, tackling invasive brush in the Midwest remains top of mind. Our goal is to find effective, efficient, and environmentally sustainable solutions to control invasives, and our latest approach leverages native grasses for a natural and cost-effective solution.

Moving Beyond Traditional Brush Control
The traditional method of controlling invasive brush often involves heavy reliance on herbicides and expensive equipment and human efforts. So when you make that investment you want it to be a durable long lasting solution. While herbicides can be effective, if we can use less of them, our environment will be better off for it.

Reducing our dependence on herbicides not only saves costs but also protects native ecosystems. Enter native warm-season grass cover crops as a nature-driven alternative that allows for sustainable brush control while minimizing the need for chemicals.

Check out the full blog on our website.