1. Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 26 Number 2 Winter 2007
Monthly meetings
Thompson Park Center/Dakota Lodge
Updated Endangered
Thompson County Park
360 Butler Ave. E., West St. Paul, MN 55118
Species List will affect
651-552-7559 (kitchen)
6:00 p.m. — Social period
7 – 9 p.m — Program, society business
availability of plants
by Hannah Texler, Rich Baker, and Nancy Sather, Natural Heritage
Programs and Nongame Research Program, Minnesota DNR
The MN NPS meets the first Thursday
in October, November, December, MN NPS members are invited to submit comments on new list.
February, March, April, May, and June. Minnesota’s Endangered Species Statute (MS 84.0895) requires that
Check the website for more program the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maintain a list of the
information. state’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species (hereafter
Feb. 1: “Recent Highlights in the referred to as the list). The list was created in 1984 and was last revised
Minn. County Biological Survey,” by in 1996. The DNR’s goal is to maintain a list that reflects our scientific
Carmen Converse, County Biological knowledge of the status and conservation needs of Minnesota’s plant
Survey supervisor, DNR. Plant-of-the- and animal species.
Month: Bog adder ’s mouth orchid During the past few years, staff within the DNR’s Division of
(Malaxis paludosa), Erika Rowe, DNR. Ecological Services have developed a set of several hundred draft
Mar. 1: “Hot Topics Related to the Use changes to the list in light of new
of Native Plants for Landscaping and
Restoration: Endangered Species, Local
Symposium is research and survey results.
These draft changes are the
Genetic Stock, and Restoring Plant
Communities,” by Hannah Texler, DNR
March 31 subject of administrative rule-
by Scott Milburn making during 2007.
regional plant ecologist. Panel discussion In order to give the public an
Our annual symposium will be
with nursery owners/operators and Dept.
of Agriculture representative. POM: March 31 at the Bell Museum of opportunity to comment on
Louisiana Broomrape (Orobanche Natural History. Join us as we these draft changes early in the
ludoviciana). learn about the Minnesota portion rule-making process, the DNR
of the Prairie Coteau while will accept comments between
April 5: “Conservation Challenges in
Minn. Forests: Climate Change, Invasive exploring the past, present, and Jan. 2 and March 5, 2007. We
Species and Deer,” by Dr. Lee Frelich, future of this unique landform. Continued on page 3
Dept. of Forestry Resources, Univ. of The roster for the symposium is
Minn. Plant, Place of the Month: Black just about set, with talks on the
Prairie Coteau that include its
In this issue
Spruce and Seagull Lake, by Dr. Frelich.
May 3: ”Motorized Recreation: Social, geology, human history, plant President’s column................2
Ecological Consequences,” by Matt communities, insect pollinators, Plant press donation.............4
Norton, Minn. Center for Environmental rare plant species and Millennium Seed Bank..........4
Advocacy. POM: Carex garberi (a sedge), conservation issues. The Flora ID problem fix............5
by Scott Milburn.. symposium brochure will be Growth pressures .................6
June 7: “Decorative Tree Harvest available in early February, but Arden Hills restoration ........6
from Minnesota Spruce Bogs,” by Mike please continue to check our Field trips.............................6
Phillips, DNR Division of Forestry. website for updates and Regal Meadow donation......7
Annual Plant Sale. programming notes. Plant Lore -Leadplant............7

2. The Continuum of Conservation MN NPS Board
by Scott A. Milburn, president
The Minnesota Native Plant Society begins 2007 marking an important of Directors
milestone while heading into the year with great momentum. I first would President: Scott Milburn,
like to remind our membership that Feb. 3 marks the 25th anniversary of president@mnnps.org
the Society’s first monthly meeting. While this is a great accomplishment, Vice President: Shirley Mah
our mission is far from over. Kooyman, vp@mnnps.org
In my past column, I brought up the issue of conservation, and I would Secretary: Daniel Jones,
like to continue with this message. Since the publication of the last secretary@mnnps.org
newsletter, the Conservation Committee and the Education and Outreach Treasurer: Ron amd Cathy
Committee have both started to move forward under the direction and Huber, treasurer@mnnps.org
leadership of Beth Nixon and Sean Jergens. We are still looking for more Ken Arndt, board member,
volunteers from our membership to join these committees and add their karndt@mnnps.org
ideas and energy.
Jason Husveth, board member,
As a society, we need to continually look for ways to not only engage jhusveth@mnnps.org
ourselves but also a whole new generation. Conservation will continue to Sandy McCartney, board
be a very important topic in Minnesota, and we have the opportunity to be member, smccartney@mnnps.org
major players. As the landscape continues to be developed, children will
Sean Jergens,
continue to be further and further removed from the natural world. We
sjergens@mnnps.org
need to ensure that today’s children are given the opportunity to experience
the natural world. In doing so, we will be showing an entire generation the Beth Nixon, bnixon@mnnps.org
wonders of Minnesota’s natural history.
The question is: how can we do this? One way is to support your local Program Coordinator: Linda
nature center either through volunteering efforts or by donation. A second Huhn, 612-374-1435
and perhaps more intriguing opportunity is through the development of Listserv Coordinator: Charles
curriculum for all grade levels. This information could be available online Umbanhowar, ceumb@stolaf.edu
for teachers throughout the state. This is an idea to think about this next Field Trips:
year, and I hope you can share your fieldtrips@mnnps.org
thoughts. In closing, I hope everyone
MN NPS website
www.mnnps.org Memberships:
is as excited as I am about our great e-mail: contact@mnnps.org memberships@mnnps.org; 651-
monthly programs, our great roster 739-4323
of speakers for the annual
MN NPS Listserve
Send a message with “subscribe” Historian/Archives:
symposium, and the great lineup of president@mnnps.org
or “unsubscribe” and your name to:
field trips. Technical or membership
mn-natpl-request@stolaf.edu
inquiries: contact@mnnps.org
Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose Minnesota Plant Press editor:
Gerry Drewry, phone, 651-463-
(Abbreviated from the bylaws)
8006; plantpress@mnnps.org
This organization is exclusively organized and operated for educational
and scientific purposes, including the following:
1. Conservation of all native plants. Deb Anderson, Jason
2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences. Husveth receive state
3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant conservation awards
life. Deb Anderson (Fillmore Soil and
4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to Water Conservation District) and
Minnesota. Jason Husveth (Anoka SWCD) each
5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation and ecosystems. received their district’s 2006
6. Preservation of special plants, plant communities and scientific and Outstanding Conservationist’s Award
natural areas. at the Minnesota Association of Soil
7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural and Water Conservation Districts
resources and scenic features. Convention Dec. 2. Deb is a former
8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through MN NPS board member; Jason is a
meetings, lectures, workshops and field trips. current board member.
2

3. List to be discussed likely that attempts to introduce or
Endangered species reintroduce rare plants will not be
Continued from page 1 at March 1 meeting successful. There is little
are requesting scientific information The draft revisions and other documentation about successful
that will help us determine whether current topics related to using techniques for the introduction of
or not a species should be designated native plants for landscaping and most rare species. So again, the law
as endangered, threatened, or of restoration will be further is applied uniformly in order to make
special concern in Minnesota. explored at the Society’s March 1 it more easily understood.
meeting. These topics include 4. Moving species around can
You may review and comment on current views about using local
the DNR’s Draft Revisions to obscure natural biogeographic
genetic stock for native plantings patterns. This can cloud our
Minnesota’s List of Endangered, and the importance of restoring
Threatened, and Special Concern understanding about what the plants
ecologically appropriate native really need in their natural
Species on the internet at plant communities. Be sure to
w w w. d n r. s t a t e . m n . u s / e t s / environments.
attend this meeting; there will be 5. The use of plants or rootstocks
rulesrevision.html a panel discussion to present
Links to the current list, and to bearing soil from another site may
various views and give audience bring invasive weed seeds or
Minnesota’s Endangered Species members the opportunity to
Statute and associated rules are also invertebrates into a site.
comment. It promises to be a lively
available at that site. evening. 6. Collecting seeds from wild
If you prefer to receive a paper populations of rare species may
copy of these materials, please coming out soon, it seems like a good significantly reduce the seeds
request a copy from: time to address the issues again. available for reproduction in
Richard J. Baker, Division of Here is a brief overview of the naturally occurring populations.
Ecological Services, Minnesota ecological reasons for regulating the
Department of Natural Resources, planting, transplanting and sale of Society urges
500 Lafayette Rd., Box 25, St. Paul, rare plants:
MN 55155; phone: 651-259-5073; 1. Most listed species are rare protection for
e-mail: rich.baker@dnr.state.mn.us primarily because of habitat loss. Coldwater Spring site
How the law affects the sale and Introductions and reintroductions do At its Oct. 5, 2006, meeting, the
purchase of native plants not address this root cause of MN NPS Board of Directors voted
Out of the 2,024 vascular plant endangerment, and they may lead to to urge protection of the Coldwater
species that occur in the state, 123 a false assumption by the general Spring site in Minneapolis. They
(six percent) are currently legally public that biodiversity loss can be signed a letter, “Comments on the
listed as endangered or threatened, addressed simply by moving species Historic Coldwater Spring Site,”
and 133 are listed as of special around. which was sent to Acting
concern. It is illegal to take, import, 2. Many listed plant species have Superintendent Steve Johnson,
transport, or sell any portion of an been reduced to a small number of Mississippi National River and
endangered or threatened species fragile populations that could be Recreation Area.
without a special permit from the damaged by the introduction of genes The letter begins:
Minnesota DNR. From a practical from plants from a different “On behalf of The Minnesota
standpoint, this means that it is illegal geographic area. Ideally, we would Native Plant Society, the Board of
to use endangered or threatened understand the genetics of each Directors requests the above 27-acre
plants as horticultural materials or in species and use that understanding to property be designated a public
restorations. determine whether or not outdoor museum under permanent
This is a controversial law, and introductions could be helpful or protection of the National Park
some natural resource managers and harmful to native populations. Service following the removal of
plant vendors disagree with its basic However, there is almost no buildings on the site. We also request
premise. In fact, many plant vendors information available about the this protection be accompanied by
sell Minnesota endangered and genetic makeup and reproductive federal guarantees that this property
threatened species illegally, in many behavior of most listed species, so will never be sold for private use,
cases because they don’t know about the law is applied uniformly in order private development, or non-historic
the law. This issue was addressed in to avoid potential damage. public use.”
detail at the 2000 MNPS annual 3. Since many rare plants have very The letter then lists reasons why the
symposium, but with the new list specific habitat requirements, it is site should be protected.
3

4. Husveth makes plant presses Collectors needed
for Hastings biology class for Millennium Seed
by Bonnie St. James. Reprinted with Bank Project
permission from the Sept. 14, 2006, Betsy Allen, coordinator for the
Hastings Star-Gazette. Millennium Seed Bank Project at the
High School teacher Joe Beattie’s Chicago Botanic Garden, wants to
biology classes are always hands-on hire botanists to collect seeds of
and intensive. This year is going to native plants.
be no exception. But this year, They are collecting seeds from
students have new tools — plant 1,500 different native species in the
presses built by an ecologist who was Midwest for long-term conservation
in Hastings last week to teach the as part of the international
students how to use them. Millennium Seed Bank Project
Field biology students found (http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/msbp/
themselves dressed in waders last index.html). These seeds are dried to
Thursday and in water up to their a low moisture content, stored in an
knees. They were learning about airtight container, and then frozen.
collecting wetland plants from Jason The Royal Botanic Garden, Kew,
Husveth, principal ecologist for thinks that the average lifespan of
Critical Connections Ecological these stored seeds is 200 years. The
One of donated plant presses seeds are used mostly for “what if”
Services, Inc. and past president of
the Native Plant Society. “Collect as much of the plant as scenarios, but a portion can be used
you can,” he said. “Look at the by qualified groups for restoration or
Beattie asked the Native Plant smartweed. If you collected just the research. For each species, they
Society last year for help in getting top, you wouldn’t be able to see how collect between 5,000 and 20,000
plant presses so his students could tall the plant is.” seeds from one population and take
collect, press and dry plants. Husveth two herbarium specimens.
did more than was asked. He took the He placed the plants in separate
project on himself and built seven bags, and then had the students do Allen hopes to collect seeds in
presses, which he donated to some collecting. The students would Minnesota this year. “If we want to
Beattie’s class and then came to show also collect prairie plants at a piece
fulfill our requirement to Kew,” she
the students how to use them. of prairie on 3M grounds on Friday, said, “we have to collect seed from
and forest plants at Vermillion Falls300 species in one year. Yikes! We
At 7 a.m. last Thursday morning, Park on Monday. have money to pay contract botanists
the students gathered with Beattie to help me out with making these
and Husveth in the parking lot at the After the plants were collected, the
students climbed out of the water andcollections. Do you know any
Hastings Lock and Dam and walked amateur botanists or poor, starving
to the berm between Lake Rebecca out of the waders and watched
Husveth prepare a plant for pressing.graduate students that earning money
and the Mississippi River west of the by seed collecting might be
lock and dam. They all put on waders The arrowroot plants were long, so
he folded them in thirds. appealing?”
and followed Husveth into a little
piece of wetlands. The presses Husveth built consist A species list is posted online at
of an open frame made of lath, a http://cbgseedbank.org/
Husveth explained how rare plants targetspecies.html. For additional
could occur in very small piece of cardboard the same size (all
cut to a standard size used by information, contact: Betsy Allen,
communities or “pockets” like this Millennium Seed Bank Project
one. He pointed out the native collectors), blotter paper to absorb
the water, a layer of newspaper, the coordinator, 847-835-6957;
arrowroot and smartweed, and the ballen@chicagobotanic.org;
invasive cattails and purple plant, more newspaper, a sheet of
blotter paper, a layer of newspaper Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake
loosestrife. He showed them the tools Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022.
he used — plastic bags and a serrated and the top frame.
knife — that wouldn’t cut anything Then the press is pulled together Use new mailing address
probably but plants. Then he tightly to form a bundle, and a strap The Society’s mailing address is
collected an arrowroot plant to show made of webbing is secured tightly P.O. Box 20401, Bloomington, MN
them how it is best done. around it, to release water. 55420
4

5. Thank you Compatibility Oakdale Park
Following are excerpts from a problem with Flora benefits from ‘Think
thank-you letter from the Greater
West Metro Humane Society ID CDs can be fixed Native’ plantings
Memorial Garden Committee. by Bruce Barnes, Flora ID by Ron Rogstad, administrative
“In the spring of 2004, [we] Northwest, LLC services director, City of Oakdale;
received a $200 grant from your The default settings in the just- from a city newsletter.
society to purchase seeds of native released Internet Explorer version 7 A group of volunteers from Hope
plants for our planned prairie interfere with the Flora ID XID Evangelical Free Church in Oakdale,
wildflower and pond edge areas. The software the keys run in. Some users along with Oakdale city staff, a
Memorial Garden was planned to may not notice this problem. Below community volunteer, and the
create a peaceful landscape next to is a description of the problem and Oakdale Tree Board chair, planted
our adoption center where people the changes in the IE7 settings which more than 100 native plants and trees
could enjoy perennial beds and are needed for one of the minor in Oakdale Park on June 9 from 9:30
native plantings. With supporters’ features of the program to work a.m. to noon.
donations, we place small granite The Problem The plants were given as part of the
plaques in the garden in honor and If your computer has Internet “Think Native” grant program
memory of beloved people and pets. Explorer version 5 or 6, when an sponsored by the Minnesota Native
“This year we have seen a great attribute image or a species image is Plant Society, which is a non-profit
blossoming of our native areas in clicked, it expands to full size in a organization dedicated to the
spite of the harsh heat and drought. separate window and there is no conservation of the native plants of
problem. If you have Internet Minnesota through public education
Explorer version 7 (IE7), this and advocacy.
window appears as a blank screen. The Oakdale planting was
originally planned for the wetland
The Solution buffer area near 4th St. N. and Hadley
IE7 calls the page which is created Ave., but was moved to Oakdale Park
“about:blank”. So if you add this because the majority of the plants
URL to the list of trusted pages, it obtained were shade or semi-shade
will show its content. varieties. City Forester Chris Larson
The simplest way to do that is: Go prepared prairie, woodland, and
to Tools> Internet Options > Security meadow sites for the plant materials;
Tab. Select “Trusted sites” and click all the sites are adjacent to paved
“Sites” button. walking trails in the park.
Memorial garden in bloom First remove any check mark that The Society established its grant
may be in the box at the bottom program to educate the public about
“In the fall of 2004, we planted a
labeled “Require server verification native plants and to encourage the
short mesic prairie area above a
(https:) for all sites in this zone.” use of native plants in home and
boulder wall and a small area of short
grass woods edge savanna where the Type: “about:blank” (without public projects. The city also
trees produced some shade. In the quotation marks) into the “Add this received surplus seeds from the
spring of 2005, we planted the edge website to the zone” field Society’s annual November seed
of our pond with a short sedge (overwriting any address that appears exchange.
meadow mix. there), and then click “Add” button Larson plans to use the surplus
“We hope to develop a path in the in the Dialog Box. The words seeds to help replace the ground
prairie area with educational markers “about:blank” should appear below cover in the buckthorn removal areas
and to develop a woodland in the list of websites. Click “Close” in the park.
wildflower garden with path. The to save the settings. In this screen,
planting you funded has brought make sure that the “Security level” The image problem between IE7
pleasure to many people and has for the trusted sites is set to Medium and XID will now be corrected.
created a wildlife habitat. … We hope or lower. If the security level is a If you choose to not change the
your members may visit the adoption Custom setting, click Default level settings, you can still view images at
center and garden someday.” The to provide a slider that enables you their full size by simply dragging to
garden is located at 4375 Hwy. 55 to select the level you wish, in this the left the vertical divider between
S.E., Buffalo, MN 55313. case Medium or lower. Click OK. the left and right windows.
5

6. Growth pressures on Winter field
natural resources studied trips planned by Kenneth J. Arndt
by Sharon Pfeifer, DNR Central Region community assistance manager. We have planned three MN NPS
This is an abstract of her talk Dec. 7, 2006, at the MN NPS meeting. winter field trips. If you haven’t
In the next quarter century, growth pressures in the Twin Cities signed up yet, just send an e-mail to
metropolitan region will be intense, as more than one million new residents me at karndt@pioneereng.com or
and 500,000 new homes consume unprotected, sensitive natural areas. sign up at our general meeting in
This GIS-based regional assessment was conducted to: 1) examine February. I will be at the field trip
socioeconomic changes and potential natural resource impacts, and 2) table with sign-up sheets and other
provide recommendations to address trade-offs between future growth and information on upcoming trips.
conservation. Sensitive land and water habitats and groundwater availability Saturday, Feb. 17, 1 - 3 p.m.,
were analyzed in the context of social and economic factors, including Terrace Horticultural Books, 503
changes in population, urbanized land area, number and size of new housing St. Clair Ave., St. Paul. Owner Kent
subdivisions, commute times, job locations, community types, and local Patterson has opened his store to all
fiscal capacities. MN NPS members and is offering to
Growth scenarios suggest that regional growth will be most intense at the donate 20 percent of all sales from
fringes of the seven-county core region and just beyond in the four “collar the afternoon to the Society. So if we
counties,” where groundwater is an additional constraint to growth. Because spend $1,000, then the MN NPS will
most communities in the path of growth have modest or below average tax get $200. There is no limit to the
capacities, they will be challenged to conserve land and water resources. If number of Society members who can
growth continues in the form of large lot, low-density development, almost come, but I do appreciate your letting
all remaining unprotected sensitive natural areas will be developed. me know if you can make it.
Future conservation will require strategic regional scale planning, Saturday, March 3, 1-4 p.m.,
conservation cost-sharing, and additional resources to bridge gaps in Pine Bend Bluffs SNA in Inver
information, analyses, and technical assistance to communities. Grove Heights. Join botanists Scott
Milburn and Jason Husveth and
Restoration of Arden Hills site urban forester Ken Arndt for an
afternoon of winter botany at this
by Wade J. Hammer, wetland ecologist, Svoboda Ecological Resources. fantastic Scientific Natural Area. We
This is an abstract of his presentation at the April 6, 2006, MN NPS meeting. will hike from atop the bluffs down
The Arden Hills Army Training Site (AHATS) is a 1,786-acre military through the mixed hardwood/
installation in Ramsey County, Minn. The Original Land Survey, completed coniferous forests to the Mississippi
in the late 1800s, makes note of bur oak and white oak woodlands, with River, where we will explore the
tamarack swamps in the low areas in the approximate vicinity of the property. seeps for skunk cabbage in bloom.
Thirty home sites were displaced when the site was purchased in 1941 by The hiking will be moderate in
the federal government for use as a military installation. The site hosted 22 difficulty, due to the 150- to 200-foot
years of active munitions production through the Vietnam War. At its peak, elevation change from the top of the
26,000 people were employed there. It was listed as a superfund site in bluff down to the river. The trail itself
1983. Clean-up at the site continues. is easy going; it’s the elevation
Tallgrass prairie restoration projects have occurred at the AHATS since change I want people to be aware of.
the early 1990s. As part of a Masters of Science project, a study assessing We have to limit the number of
the relationships among management (seeding and burning), vegetation, people to 20, due to site-sensitive
and environmental factors (soil, aspect, and slope) was completed. The reasons. More detailed information
study included completion of 75 vegetation surveys, consisting of three will be available in mid-February.
random plots in 25 purposively placed grids. The surveys consisted of Late March or early April,
cover class data for all plant species. The surveys were completed twice Warner Nature Center in Marine
during the summer of 2002 (late June/early July and mid-August). on St. Croix. Join Dr. Jans A.
Multivariate statistical analyses of the vegetation survey data revealed Janssens of Lambda-Max,
relationships between vegetation and soil texture, vegetation and shallow Ecological Research as we explore
depth to ground water (within 1 m), and individual plant species and fire the world of bryophytes at this
frequency. The intended use of the findings is to improve management of unique natural area. A date will be
designated tallgrass prairie restoration sites at the AHATS. set in the next month.
6

7. 110-acre prairie is gift to Plant Lore
Regal Meadow Preserve by Thor Kommedahl
What is leadplant?
By Melissa Andrie. This excerpt is reprinted with permission from the Leadplant is Amorpha canescens,
Aug. 2, 2006, Paynesville Press. a native perennial shrub in the pea
“We have a prairie. What it needs is help continuing as a prairie.” family. It is also called prairie
With these words, Don Knutson [former MN NPS president] passed on shoestring, downy indigobush, or
that land at a dedication ceremony. The prairie, one of very few remaining false indigo.
parcels of wet to wet-mesic prairie, was donated by Knutson to The Nature How did it get these names?
Conservancy, and it is now one of three areas of land in the Regal Meadow Amorpha is a Greek word meaning
Preserve, which covers a total of about 620 acres. Knutson donated the land “deformed,” because it has only one
in memory of his son, Dean Anders Knutson, who died in 1997. petal instead of five typical of
Grazing and fire created good natural disturbances to the prairie in the legumes. Canescent refers to the
past, and it has never been plowed. “You can’t rebuild this. It’s a genuine hoary leaf appearance due to the
native stand,” said John Maile, the project manager of the Ordway/Glacial short, white hairs, which accounts for
Lakes Project, of which the Regal Meadow is a part. the name leadplant, but also it was
There are “a whole suite of plants associated” with wet prairie, according once thought (erroneously) to be an
to Carmen Converse, the “plant lady” and program director of the Minnesota indicator of lead ore. Shoestring
Department of Natural Resources’ County Biological Survey. Some describes the long, tough roots.
examples are cord grass, blazing star, prairie anemone, and heartleaf golden Because it resembles plants in the
alexander. genus Indigofera, it is sometimes
called false indigo or downy
In the floodplain of the Crow River, the Regal Meadow is also home to indigobush.
the small white lady’s slipper as well as non-plant life, like the regal frittilary
and the Poweshiek skipper, both species of butterflies. What do plants look like?
“You get addicted to things,” Knutson said of his interest in conservation. They are perennial shrubs usually
Through an unusual series of events, he became the catalyst for the donation less than three feet, but up to four
of this special piece of land, with its hundreds of species, many of them feet tall. The alternate leaves are
unique. While he taught a botany class at the University of Minnesota, Twin pinnately compound with 15-51
Cities campus, he was approached by a student who said she and her husband nearly stalkless, whitish, hairy
owned a piece of prairie land and wanted him to look at it, to see if it was leaflets. Blossoms, in dense terminal
thriving. Though prairies were not his specialty, he came and discovered it spikes, are bluish-purple with a
to be thriving prairie. single petal, at first tubular, then
unfolding. It has one seed per pod.
After Knutson recommended that the couple contact The Nature Bees and wasps are attracted for
Conservancy if they ever wanted it
to become publicly protected land, pollination.
he did not hear from them for 10 Where do the shrubs grow?
years. Then the former student Leadplant grows in the dry, prairie
contacted him. She wanted to give areas of the state and sometimes in
him the land to take care of and to sandy, open woods.
“keep it as a living, vital, natural Is it edible?
prairie system,” according to Not for humans, but deer, rabbits,
Knutson. and livestock find it palatable; it is
After owning the land for a couple high in protein. It is not poisonous
of years, two years ago he began the either.
process of shifting the land from Has it medicinal properties?
private to public ownership, to make Not really; however, Omaha
sure that it was protected while he Indians made a paste from stems to
was “still in shape to do it.” treat neuralgia and rheumatism.
The land is located about a half- Is it economically important?
mile west of Regal on Highway 55. It has no particular landscape
It is open to the public and and will features, but it is sometimes included
continue to be open for hunting. Leadplant photo by Peter Dziuk in native plant gardens.
7

8. Minnesota Native Plant Society
P.O. Box 20401
Bloomington, MN 55420
Winter 2007
Thompson County Park
Take Hwy. 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul. Go west on
Butler 0.2 miles, then go south on Stassen Lane, the park entrance road.