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11/02/2026

Muhlenbergia capillaris-Pink Muhly Grass

Muhly grass is native to the central and eastern parts of the United States and south to Mexico and Guatemala. This grass is found naturally in clay or thin rocky soils, especially in those soils that were formerly burned and prairie-like. They are also found in open woodlands, savannas, dry woodlands, and the mountains around rock outcrops. It is a member of the grass family (Poaceae). The specific epithet is Latin and means “hair-like.”
Muhly grass is an easy-to-grow grass. It is unfussy about soil type, as long as it is well-drained. Give it plenty of sunshine for the best floral display. Muhly grass tolerates heat, humidity, drought, and poor soil and is highly salt-tolerant. It is adaptable to home or commercial landscapes.
Muhly grass is an absolute showstopper source of late-season color. This perennial is attractive individually but makes a big show when used in a mass planting. Delicate pink flowers mature on long, narrow, wiry leaves in the fall. The grass produces tiny, purplish seeds. Pink muhly grass can reach a height of 4 feet and a width of 3 feet. As a native ornamental grass, it is a great complement to those landscape beds with fading summer annuals.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Muhly grass had no serious insect or disease issues. Muhlygrass mealybug is becoming more of an issue in some areas.

Country Or Region Of Origin:
Central & Eastern U.S.A. to Guatemala and Caribbean
Distribution:
United States: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV; Bahamas, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Wildlife Value:
Provides excellent cover year-round. Seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals. Attracts butterflies.
Play Value:
Attractive Flowers
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Dimensions:
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Width: 2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.

Plant Type:
Herbaceous Perennial, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:Deciduous
Habit/Form:Clumping, Erect, Mounding
Growth Rate:Medium
Maintenance:Low
Texture:Fine

Light:
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil Texture:Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky
Soil pH:Acid (8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil Drainage:Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry, Very Dry
Available Space To Plant:3 feet-6 feet
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Flower Color:Cream/Tan, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy
Flower Value To Gardener:Showy
Flower Bloom Time:Fall
Flower Size:> 6 inches
Flower Description:
Airy inflorescence often colored pink, purplish red, or purplish gray; dries to a light buff; up to 12 inches long. Flowers bloom from September through November.

Attracts:, Butterflies, Small Mammals, Songbirds
Resistance To Challenges:Black Walnut, Deer, Drought, Erosion, Heat, Humidity, Pollution, Poor Soil, Salt

10/29/2026

Carolina allspice is an erect to rounded deciduous native shrub in the sweetshrub family (Calycanthaceae). It is found in the Southeast in shady woodlands and along streambanks.

Carolina allspice grows best in average to rich, well-drained soil in anywhere from full sun to deep shade. It prefers some shade in hot summer afternoons, and it will grow lankier and less dense in shade than in sun. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil textures and pH but prefers rich loams. It can tolerate brief periods of flooding, but it struggles in sandy soil and drought conditions. Plant it at least 6 feet from other shrubs to give it adequate room to grow. It blooms in early spring before leaves emerge, with the leaves, and sporadically thereafter.

It grows 6 to 12 feet tall with an equal or slightly greater spread. The fragrance of the showy blooms has been described as combining hints of pineapple, strawberry and banana. The aroma is stronger in higher temperatures, and it is best to purchase the plant in flower, as the fragrances vary widely. Prune immediately after flowering to shape or maintain compactness. It has a suckering habit, and those suckering branches need to be eliminated unless you want this plant to naturalize in your landscape. Note that next season's flowers are produced on new and old wood. Propagate this plant by seed.

It withstands cold and heat, insect and disease pests, fire, and deer browsing. Plant it as a specimen or near a patio or walkway to enjoy its fragrance. It makes a good screen or privacy hedge, a shrub for the back of the border or a foundation planting. Consider this native in your cutting, sensory, or woodland garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Relatively pest- and disease-free.

* Country Or Region Of Origin:�Pennsylvania to SE. U.S.A��Distribution:�AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MA , MD , MS , NC , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV��Fire Risk Rating:�low flammability��Wildlife Value:�Butterflies nectar at the blooms. Other insects also feed at the flowers, especially beetles.��Play Value:�Attracts Pollinators��Fragrance��Wildlife Food Source��Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):�Deer resistant, resistant to fire in landscape.��Dimensions:�Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.��Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.��
Flower Color:
Brown/Copper, Red/Burgundy

Flower Value To Gardener:Fragrant, Good Cut, Good Dried, Showy
Flower Bloom Time:Spring

Fruit Color:Brown/Copper, Green
Fruit Value To Gardener:Long-lasting
Display/Harvest Time:Fall, Summer

10/25/2026

Weighing less than a single paperclip, millions of monarch butterflies are completing an extraordinary 3,000-mile journey from Canada and the U.S. all the way to central Mexico! 🦋 Right now, the first large waves are crossing northern Mexico and beginning to blanket the pine forests in their famous winter sanctuaries. Scientists say healthy numbers crossing the border this autumn bring much-needed hope for these incredible pollinators!

09/29/2026

Hummingbird Migration

Hummingbirds are still flying around in the garden. But before long they will be migrating to their southern wintering grounds. Several factors affect hummingbird migration and when exactly these small birds begin their long journeys. The most important factor that determines the timing of hummingbird migration is daylight: the amount of daylight and the angle of the sun relative to the bird's location. As the light levels change seasonally, hummingbirds will purposefully eat more, increasing their weight by 25-40 percent through hyperphagia (state of extreme increased appetite and nearly continual eating). That extra fat will be valuable energy for their upcoming long flight.

Other factors that may influence when hummingbirds migrate include:

Food: Hummingbirds will move along their migration routes as food sources appear and disappear. The most important food source is nectar-producing flowers, but the availability of insects is also a factor that can influence when hummingbirds migrate and how fast they travel.

Weather: Local storms and strong winds can impact hummingbird migration to a minor degree, delaying the birds' journeys by a day or two.

Age: Mature birds often start their migration earlier than juvenile birds. Younger birds take longer to build up their new strength and maturity before setting forth on the long migration journey.

Gender: In some hummingbird species, such as the ruby-throated hummingbird, males migrate a few days before females. This gives the male birds time to establish territories.

Distance: The further hummingbirds have to migrate, the sooner they start their journey. The rufous hummingbird, for example, has the longest migration of any hummingbird species – traveling between Mexico and Alaska – and may begin migrating long before other species are traveling.
Helping Migrating Hummingbirds

Backyard birders can take several steps to help migrating hummingbirds. It is one of the most common bird feeding myths that feeding hummingbirds will prevent them from migrating – in fact, savvy birders put their hummingbird feeders up early in the spring and keep them up late in the fall so the birds have a ready food source no matter how local flowers are blooming.

Other ways to help migrating hummingbirds include:

Planting flowers to attract hummingbirds with a natural food source, including both early and late blooming flowers for ample nectar in the spring and fall.

Taking steps to keep hummingbird nectar from freezing in the late fall so it is still available to late-migrating hummingbirds.

Did you know Hummers have Flower memory? Hummingbirds establish regular feeding routes as they visit flowers every day. And they do this "trap-lining," they can remember when they last fed from which flowers, and how long to wait for blooms to refill their nectar stores.

Some nectar producing flowers for fall:

Mexican sage- salvia leucantha
Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) 'golden baby'
Aster (Aster spp.)
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) heads
Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)
Stonecrop ‘Autumn Joy’ (now called Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' )
Hibiscus coccineus(Scarlet Hibiscus)
Hibiscus moscheutos ('Luna Red')
Penta (Pentas lanceolata)
Bush Lantana (Lantana camara species) 'confetti', 'Miss Huff'
Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis) 'New Gold' 'Trailing Lavender'

09/16/2026

Solidago-Goldenrod
Description
Goldenrod is a genus of ca. 138 species of herbaceous perennials in the daisy family (Asteraceae). This genus is primarily native to North America;. They are often found in meadows, prairies, woodlands, thickets, and swamps. The genus name, Solidago, is compounded from the Latin words solidus andago, which together mean "to make whole." This references the plant's reputed healing properties.

Goldenrod is easy to grow in full sun and average, dry to medium, well-drained soil. It is a very forgiving plant and tolerates poor, dry soils, clay and drought. The plant naturalizes quickly in the garden, and it may be advisable to divide it every two or three years to control its spread. Propagation is accomplished with wind-dispersed seeds or by the division of underground rhizomes.

It displays small, bright yellow flowers in dense clusters on top of tall stems from July through September. Deadheading spent flowers will result in additional blooms. Some species produce abundant nectar, which attracts bees, flies, beetles, wasps and butterflies. Birds are fond of the seeds. It is generally deer-resistant. *Goldenrod is sometimes confused with ragweed and wrongly accused of bearing the wind-borne pollen that causes allergies and hay fever.

Different species of goldenrod are found in many different environments as well as soil conditions. When selecting a plant for your landscape, it is best to consider its native habitat to ensure success. Some species are best not planted in garden settings because of their spreading rhizomatous growth and aggressive spread.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has no serious insect or disease problems; however, rust, powdery mildew, and leaf spot may occur. Some species can be aggressive and spread rapidly when grown in optimal conditions.

Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial, Native Plant, W**d, Wildflower
Habit/Form:Clumping, Erect, Multi-stemmed, Vase
Growth Rate:Rapid
Maintenance:Medium
Light:Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil Texture:Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)
Soil pH:Acid (

09/04/2026

It won’t be long before the swamp is haunted!

09/02/2026

08/26/2026

Butterfly House 8/25/26

08/18/2026

Butterfly House today 8/18/26

08/12/2026

Butterfly House 8/11/26