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PlantNebraska

We plant Nebraska for healthy people, vibrant communities and a resilient environment.

09/03/2026

Today we're talking about Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), with me (Michelle!). Usually I'm behind the camera because I'm the communications gal, but staff members are doing spotlights from our own yards, so I jumped in (thanks to my husband for videoing...3 times because this is not my jam!).

Canada goldenrod is super versatile. It can thrive in a variety of soil types and does well in both moist and dry environments. She's a tall drink of water -- up to 6 feet -- but if you do a Chelsea chop on her in early June, it will keep her to a shorter, bushier form.

Canada goldenrod is not actually my favorite native species of goldenrold because it can be quite spready -- I pull a lot of mine out from areas that I don't want it. Other native goldenrods are stiff goldenrod (S. rigida) and showy goldenrod (S. speciosa). Nebraska actually has more than a dozen native species of goldenrod, including our state flower, late goldenrod (Solidago gigantea). It was named our state flower way back in 1895. I like the cultivars Witchita Mountains and Fireworks (just planted some of this in the spring).

Goldenrod gets a bad rap for causing fall allergies, but that is an urban (rural?) myth. Ragweed is the culprit, so let's stop picking on goldenrod!

My goldenrod was snoozy the afternoon we filmed this, but usually it's buzzing with pollinator insects, especially soldier beetles (also bees and butterflies love it).

Plant goldenrod!

09/02/2026

Calling all science-y people -- here's a cool virtual science communications conference that might strike your fancy. UNL's No Coast SciComm 2026 conference, "Science from the Heart," is happening September 16-18 for scientists, educators, communicators, students and outreach professionals who care about connecting science and society. Experts in prairie ecology, oceanography, political sociology, climate journalism, epidemiology and more will offer workshops and presentations throughout the 3 days.

For more information and registration, visit https://scimath.unl.edu/no-coast-scicomm/

09/01/2026

Join us for our annual fall event: Plants & Pints, happening on October 20 from 6-9 p.m. at a new location this year -- the beautiful Crete Carrier Riverview Lodge at Mahoney State Park in Ashland. We are kicking the fun up a notch this year -- we'll have a buffet dinner, cash bar and featured keynote speaker: the one and only Benjamin Vogt, nationally recognized author and landscape designer.

Enjoy good food, a beautiful location, an engaging speaker and good conversation with plant people (the best people!) -- and support the tree planting, garden making and environmental outreach work of PlantNebraska at the same time!

Tickets are $50 for PlantNebraska members; $65 for the general public. Table reservations are available for $300 (member and non-member price). You can also add on one (or both) of Benjamin Vogt's books (Prairie Up & A New Garden Ethic) for the discounted price of $20 each with your ticket purchase -- available only until September 24.

Come join PlantNebraska staff & friends for a great evening! Registration and more info --> https://app.dvforms.net/api/dv/5vw13p

08/31/2026

In this week's episode of the PlantNebraska Podcast, Hanna and Sarah tackle some of the garden problems they've encountered and share how they decide which problems are worth fixing, which ones can simply be tolerated and which ones call for a chainsaw.

From flopping plants and excessive rain to weeds, irrigation, heat stress and plants that refuse to bloom, this conversation is full of practical problem-solving strategies and plenty of personal gardening stories.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or on our website https://plantnebraska.org/resources-events/growing-deeper-podcast.html

08/30/2026

A nod to Dolly Parton today, who passed away earlier this week and who had a big heart for the natural world.

📷John Woodworth

08/28/2026

What?!?! It's Toby Burham, PlantNebraska Member and Affiliate Coordinator, coming to us from his own yard! Toby is talking about one of his favorite late-blooming pollinator plants: blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum).

Blue mistflower offers a blanket of lovely blue-purple flowers in late summer. It likes it medium-wet to medium-dry and prefers part shade. It stays fairly low to the ground (up to 3 feet tall) but, as Toby points out, it can spread, so consider where you plant. On a positive note, it makes for a good ground cover if you have the space for it. It's also a magnet for late-season moths and butterflies!

08/27/2026

Resist the tendency to tidy up! As summer begins to wane into autumn and our perennials start to look a bit past their prime, we might feel the urge to cut back the stems, seed heads and grasses in our landscape. But put down those pruners!

Perennials like coneflower, black-eyed Susan, sunflowers, goldenrod, Joe Pye, aster and sedum as well as native grasses offer a nutritious buffet and important habitat for migrating and overwintering birds. Bluebirds, goldfinches, cardinals, chickadees and many other species will feast on seeds throughout the fall and into the winter.

In addition, cavity-nesting bees like leafcutter and mason bees will overwinter in hollow stems. Once the seed heads have been picked over by the birds, you can cut the stems back to 8-24 inches to allow a hollow cylinder for bees to access shelter and nesting material.

The "mess" is best for birds, bees and other wildlife!

08/26/2026

Our plants are so amazing, the monarchs come inside the greenhouse for them! 😁🦋 Our intern Garret snaped these pics of a monarch butterfly feasting on Allium 'Millenium' yesterday in the greenhouse.

This hybrid ornamental Allium blooms later in the summer than most Allium, and though it loves full sun, it also does well if it gets some afternoon shade. It stays pretty short (1-2 feet), produces dense clumps of rose-purple flower heads, thrives in dry, well-drained soils and attracts a variety of moths and butterflies in addition to monarchs. Plant bulbs in the fall and divide the clumps in the spring or early fall if they get too crowded.

08/25/2026

Our houseplant giveaway at the UNL Student Wellbeing Fest this past weekend was a huge success with over 375 plants finding new homes in dorm rooms and apartments! That means 375 plants were generously donated by our members and friends, so a big thank you to everyone who helped make this amazing event possible!

08/24/2026

Our Horticulture Coordinator Bob Henrickson is back with another late blooming pollinator plant. This time we're in the UNL East Campus garden near the Dairy Store, where there is a lovely patch of "Hot Lips" turtlehead (Chelone) (anyone remember "Hot Lips Houlihan on MASH? ). As Bob explains, bumble bees are really the only pollinators attracted to this plant because they are the only ones that can squeeze between those petals to get to the nectar deep inside.

Chelone is not native to Nebraska, but it is well-adapted to the eastern part of the state. It likes it moist and can tolerate a fair amount of shade. It stays pretty short -- just 1-3 feet tall with stiff, dark green leaves.

Address

102 Keim Hall, UNL East Campus
Lincoln, NE
68583

Telephone

+14024722971

Website

https://plantnebraska.org/

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