1. Minnesota Plant Press
The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter
Volume 27 Number 4 Summer 2008
Monthly meetings
Thompson Park Center/Dakota Lodge The mystery of
the elms in the
Thompson County Park
360 Butler Ave. E.,
West St. Paul, MN 55118
Kandiyohi forest
651-552-7559 (kitchen)
Programs
The MN NPS meets the first Thursday
in October, November, December, by Mark Stennes, plant pathologist with S & S Tree Specialists, and
February, March, April, May, and June. Lee Frelich, research and associate director of the University of
Check the website for more program Minnesota Center for Hardwood Ecology. This is an abstract of their
information. presentation at the April 3, 2008 MN NPS meeting.
6 p.m. — Social period An unusual forest dominated by elms, especially rock elm (Ulmus
7 – 9 p.m. — Program, society thomasii), but with some American elm (Ulmus americana) and red
business elm (Ulmus rubra) in central Minnesota, just south of the town of
Kandiyohi was highlighted. This is also the only old growth elm
Oct. 2: Program and Plant-of-the-
forest we have seen, with trees up to 250 years old. A lush ground
Month to be announced.
layer is present, probably because the deer herd is kept at eight to 10
Nov. 6: Program to be announced. deer per square mile. The site also has archaeological and historical
Seed exchange to be held following the significance with artifacts from Native American and European
program.
settlements and the first house built in the area. Also present is
Dec. 4: Program and Plant-of-the- “Capitol Hill” between the tracts of forest, which was at one time
Month to be announced. slated to be the site of the Minnesota State Capitol.
Feb. 5: Program and Plant-of-the- Stennes talked about Dutch elm disease and the normal
Month to be announced. epidemiological model that should have resulted in the near complete
Mar. 5: Program and Plant-of-the- destruction of this forest in the 25 to 30 years that the pathogen has
Month to be announced. been present on the site. All three elm species that dominate the
site are normally susceptible, but the mortality due to Dutch elm
Prairie conference disease is abnormally minimal. The probability of natural genetic
is Aug. 4 - 8 in Winona resistance appearing in all three
The 21st North American Prairie
Conference will be held at Winona State
species on one site at one time,
without evolutionary exposure to
In this issue
Proposed amendment .........2
University Aug. 4 to 8. For information the pathogen, is fundamentally Society’s purpose ...............2
or to register, go to http://bio.winona. zero, so how are the trees Acorn project .....................3
edu/NAPC/index.htm surviving? There is certain to be a Thor Kommedahl award .....4
combination of factors, but pests/ Erika Rowe, board member .4
MN NPS website parasites of the insect vector is President’s column .............5
For current information about MN NPS potentially one, while fungus ‘Bringing Nature Home’ .....6
competition, suppression and/or Plant Lore: Bluebead lily .....7
field trips, meetings, and other events,
Kilen Woods Park events ....7
check the website: www.mnnps.org Continued on page 3

2. Constitutional amendment MNNPS Board
would aid environmentvoters pass of Directors scott.
Wildlife habitats are among areas to be protected if Minnesota
President: Scott Milburn,
milburn@mnnps.org
the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the State Constitution Vice President: Shirley Mah
Nov. 4. Kooyman, shirley.mah.kooyman@
The amendment, which was discussed in the State Legislature for more mnnps.org
than 10 years, would increase the state sales tax 3/8 of 1 percent, generating Secretary: Sean Jergens, sean.
about $276 million per year for 25 years. jergens@mnnps.org
The new revenue would be divided as follows: Ken Arndt, board member, field
• 33 percent for water quality; trip chair, ken.arndt@mnnps.org
• 33 percent for wildlife; Peter Dziuk, board member,
• 19.75 percent for arts funding; peter.dziuk@mnnps.org
• 14.25 percent for parks. Daniel Jones, board member,
The Legislature passed the proposed amendment in February. daniel.jones@mnnps.org
Constitutional amendments do not need the governor’s approval, but go Beth Nixon, board member,
directly to the voters. A “yes” vote on more than half of all ballots cast in conservation committee chair, beth.
the November election is necessary for an amendment to be passed. Blank nixon@mnnps.org
ballots are “no” votes. Erika Rowe, board member,
erika.rowe@mnnps.org
Former Sen. Bob Lessard, DFL-International Falls, started the campaign
for hunting and fishing funds in the late 1990s. The original proposed Russ Schaffenberg, board
amendment was similar to one passed in Missouri in the 1970s that has member, russ.schaffenberg@mnnps.
org
provided dependable revenue in that state. The federal government has
mandated that states clean up their waters, and this amendment would Treasurer: Ron and Cathy
provide funds to do that. Arts funding was added during the legislative Huber, ron.huber@mnnps.org
debates to broaden support for the amendment. Linda Huhn, program
coordinator, 612-374-1435
The proposal is backed by groups representing environmentalists,
Listserv Coordinator: Charles
hunters, anglers and the arts. Opponents include the Taxpayers League of
Umbanhowar, ceumb@stolaf.edu
Minnesota, which says the tax increase is “bad fiscal policy.”
Field Trips: fieldtrips.mnnps@
mnnps.org
Memberships: memberships.
Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose mnnps@mnnps.org; 651-739-4323
(Abbreviated from the bylaws) Historian-Archives: Roy
This organization is exclusively organized and operated for Robison, historian-archives.
educational and scientific purposes, including the following. mnnps@mnnps.org
1. Conservation of all native plants. Technical or membership
2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences. inquiries: contact.mnnps@mnnps.
3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant org
life. Minnesota Plant Press Editor:
4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to Gerry Drewry, 651-463-8006;
plantpress.mnnps@mnnps.org
Minnesota.
5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation, ecosytems.
6. Preservation of special plants, plant communities, and scientific and Reminder:
Do not take plants from the wild.
natural areas.
It is against the law to take plants
7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural from public property. Enjoy
resources and scenic features. them where they are. Plants can
8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through be taken from private property
meetings, lectures, workshops, and field trips. only with the permission of the
property owner.
2

3. Kandiyohi forest Annual plant sale Youth groups are
Continued from page 1
disease of the pathogen is another. goes on in spite collecting one
However, something bigger and of severe weathe million acorns r
certainly more complicated from an “It was a dark and stormy night,” The Million Acorn Challenge
ecological point of view is happening but 40 dedicated members came to is a five-year effort by Great River
in this unique elm forest. the 2008 plant sale and brought or Greening to restore oak savanna
purchased plants. The event was communities across the Twin Cities
Recent work with elm cultivars
held in the entry area of Dakota by planting a million acorns by
has shown that there are several Lodge.
genetically controlled defensive 2010. Youth groups in grades six
There were no auction plants to 12 are invited to help them reach
mechanisms that the trees can this year. Proceeds were $450. Last
this goal by collecting acorns.
employ against the Dutch elm disease year’s total was $842.
pathogen, and, although very rarely, The group that collects the most
Ken Arndt was committee chair; acorns between Aug. 18 and Sept.
can combine and occur in American Dave Crawford was the expert who
17 will win $500 in cash prizes and
elm at levels high enough to impart identified plants and priced them. eco-adventures. The prizes will be
a substantial level of tolerance. awarded at the Great Weigh-In and
‘Princeton’ and ‘Valley Forge’ are Planting Party at Afton State Park
two cultivars of American elm that on Sept. 20.
are becoming available in the trade The Million Acorn Challenge
and can be fairly characterized as is open to school, faith-based,
tolerant of Dutch elm disease. community, and neighborhood
Frelich talked about past and youth groups, as well as Boy Scout
and Girl Scout troops.
future significance of this forest. It
might be a relict of a much more Acorns can be collected from
Aug. 18 through Sept. 17 on public
extensive forest that, as indicated by
or private property, but participating
the paleoecological record, covered youth must have permission from
millions of acres in southern the landowner before they remove
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and acorns from any site.
Illinois 9,000 years ago. As the Great River Greening has
Dave Crawford and Linda
climate warmed towards the mid- Huhn, program coordinator, approval from the City of Saint Paul
Holocene optimum (7,500 years explain the plant sale logistics. Parks and Recreation Division to
before present), the elm-oak forest Photo by Richard Johnson. collect in Saint Paul public parks;
largely disappeared. It was likely groups that collect in these parks will
replaced by savanna and prairie of sedimentary deposits would be receive a collection permit once they
as fire frequency increased in the necessary to confirm this hypothesis, register. Groups collecting outside
warming climate. since it is also possible that the elm this area will receive a permission
request letter to use when contacting
Then the climate began to cool, forest disappeared for a while and city or county landowners.
and remaining elm forests were then came back. Pre-registration is required by
replaced with sugar maple as it In addition to rock, red and Aug. 1. Contact Mark Turbak at
migrated west. However, three American elms, the Kandiyohi 651-665-9500, ext. 11, or e-mail
tracts of Kandiyohi forest were on forest also has hackberry (Celtis mturbak@greatrivergreening.org.
peninsulas or surrounded by lakes occidentalis), American basswood
so that the prairie fires may not (Tilia americana), green ash climate Minnesota may be headed
have reached them during the warm (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), Kentucky for by the end of the 21st century, if
period, and also sugar maple did coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioica), climate mitigation is not successful.
not quite make it to the area during bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) The Kandiyohi forest is therefore an
the period of cooling climate. and bitternut hickory (Carya ecosystem blueprint for forests that
Thus the Kandiyohi elm and oak cordiformis). All of these species might exist or be created in much
forest could have remained as a have a maximum abundance in of Minnesota in a future warmer
relict from ancient times. Studies eastern Kansas, which is the same climate.
3

4. Introducing Erika
Rowe, MN NPS
Thor Kommedahl
board member receives lifetime
Erika Rowe , the Society’s newest
board member, is a plant ecologist membership award
with the DNR’s Minnesota County by Gerry Drewry teachers plants that are in their
Biological Survey. She has worked In appreciation of his years of schoolyards. During one field trip
for the DNR since 2001 — five of service to the Society and his work to several Minneapolis schools,
with native plants, Thor Kommedahl he showed skeptical participants,
those years with MCBS. The focus
was awarded a lifetime membership who thought nothing grew by
of her current work has been on in the Minnesota Native Plant Society their buildings, about 100 different
native plants and plant communities April 5, during the symposium. plants and trees.
of west-central Minnesota.
Thor joined the Society in the He also volunteers one day
She currently lives in South early 1990s, when he learned about every week at the Science Museum
Minneapolis. Erika grew up in the young organization. Because he of Minnesota, preparing a website,
St. Paul and then spent eight years had edited other newsletters, he was “Boghopper,” for secondary math
exploring and living in California, soon asked to edit the Minnesota and science teachers.
Colorado, and Utah. Ultimately, Plant Press. He changed it from a
mimeographed or copied collection
New baby boom to
this Western wanderlust motivated
her to move back to the Midwest of unedited articles to a professional-
and study what she loves most:
looking newsletter. He served as
editor through 1998. increase pressure
natural resources, ecology and
conservation. Since then, Thor has proofread on environment
every issue of the newsletter. He has by Gerry Drewry
Erika has been a member of MN been especially helpful in catching A record number of babies
NPS for almost one and a half years. misspellings of Latin names and — 4,315,000 — were born in
She decided to become a board errors involving botanical rules, the United States in 2007. The
member because she felt she wanted botanical capitalization and previous record was in 1957, at
to take it one step further and be grammar. the height of the baby boom. The
a part of this growing society of Thor served one term on the MN country’s overall population is now
varied and remarkable individuals, NPS Board of Directors, participated nearly double that of the 1950s,
and help the Society continue to in field trips and symposiums, and but the birth rate has slowed. Then
attended many meetings. the average mother had about four
grow to its finest potential. children; now that average is close
Before coming to Minnesota, he
Phenology data taught two years in Ohio. In 1990,
to two. Immigration has been a
major factor in this baby boom.
being collected after 44 years at the University of
Minnesota, he retired as a professor Mark Mather, demographer
The USA National Phenology in the Department of Plant Pathology. from the Population Reference
Network is facilitating systematic Thor taught about diseases of plants Bureau, talked about environmental
collection and free dissemination and pesky plants — weeds and effects of this baby boom. “We
of phenological data from across poisonous varieties. He taught already have scarce resources in a
the United States. Their primary veterinary medicine students about lot of areas,” he said. “It’s going to
purpose is to support scientific plants poisonous to animals. affect, potentially, our water supply,
research concerning interactions the quality of our air. Places that
Thor still conducts two-day are already crowded are probably
among plants, animals, and the workshops for the College of
lower atmosphere, especially going to get more crowded in the
Education, teaching elementary future.”
the long-term impacts of climate school teachers and graduate students
change. Additional information, about the plants of Minnesota. He This outlook makes the mission
including local lists of plants they has conducted these workshops in of the Society even more urgent —
are studying, is on the network’s Rochester, at the Minnesota Valley “education of the public regarding
website, www.uwm.edu/Dept/ Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, and environmental protection of plant
Geography/npn/mission.html at the St. Paul campus. He shows life.”
4

5. Maps of native plant President’s column
communities are
available
Conservation beyond
The Minnesota County Biological
Survey has prepared maps or
Minnesota’s 150 years
by Scott Milburn
provides electronic data about many
This year marks an important milestone in the history of Minnesota, as
of the native plant communities in
we celebrate 150 years of statehood. In that time, the Minnesota landscape
Minnesota. In addition, MCBS has
has seen many changes as a result of industry, agriculture, and overall
published a report of their work in
development. While I have only lived in Minnesota the last seven years,
the Minnesota River Valley.
I have come to truly appreciate its natural history. There is no greater
This report, “Native Plant feeling than traveling around the state, encountering the rich flora. It is
Communities and Rare Species easy to focus on the negative aspects of anthropogenic landscape changes,
of the Minnesota River Valley but we need to remember that there is still much around us. In looking
Counties,” includes a CD with two at my own appreciation of the Minnesota landscape, I have to consider
series of maps of the region. To whether this appreciation would have developed had my profession been
obtain a copy, contact MCBS at different. The reason to evaluate this point is that most people do not have
651-259-5100, or ecoseervices@ an occupation that requires them to know much about natural history.
dnr.state.mn.us or write to:
This point is important to ponder, because we need to consider how
Division of Ecological Resources others view the natural world around them. Perhaps we can generalize and
Minnesota Department of Natural state that most folks do care about these things, but they just don’t have the
Resources knowledge or experience to appreciate them to the fullest. These are the
500 Lafayette Rd., Box 25 folks that we need to attract. Our approach should be to open the door for
St. Paul, MN 55155 these individuals, showing them an entire world they would have ignored
To download maps or to see a list except for the occasional weekend camping trip. I feel we have a lot to
of printed maps that are available, go offer for an organization that is run entirely by volunteers.
to the DNR website, click on Maps
As stated in other columns, we need to stick with what works.
and scroll down to the bottom of the
Programming and field trips are pivotal to the success of the Society, but
page.
we need to look at new ways to attract members. It can be debated whether
Symposium has net programming over the last several years has had a nice balance of pieces
we are too technical as an organization or not technical enough. The
profit of $2,512 that serve to inform the Society very well. Our programming chair, Linda
by Gerry Drewry Huhn, has done a nice job of setting up the programs, and I look forward
Treasurers Ron and Cathy Huber to what is in store this upcoming year. Field trips are another thing we do
report that the net proceeds of the very well. To those leading field trips, we thank you for doing so. Your
April 5 symposium were $2,511.52. efforts are appreciated, especially our field trip coordinator, Ken Arndt.
Dues totalling $3,361 were the New field trip ideas are always welcomed.
largest source of income from Jan.
1 to June 30, 2008. During that In the upcoming year, the board will be tackling the issue of how to grow
period, income exceeded expenses while keeping within the mission set forth by the Society founders. We
by $5,448. will be looking at such issues as online outreach and the obvious problem
The Society has total assets of of excess funds. We have quite a few opportunities to do some great things
$27,725, including $8,361 in CDs. with these funds, and we will be sure to share these with you in upcoming
As Scott Milburn wrote in the newsletters. All of these issues come back to our mission and the issue of
adjoining column, the MN NPS conservation.
Board of Directors is discussing the
most effective ways in which to use We need to keep discussing and promoting the issue of conservation as
some of this money. Members are we surpass 150 years. Minnesota has numerous natural resources that are
invited to send their suggestions to quite special and need to be preserved for the future. What should be the
Scott at scott.milburn@mnnps.org role of our Society in that preservation?
5

6. Book review Volunteers are
‘Bringing Nature Home’ needed at SNAs
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, Would you like to help a
by Douglas W. Tallamy, published by Timber Press, Inc., Dec. 2007. Scientific and Natural Area? The
Reviewed by Joel Dunnette, former MN NPS president. Minnesota DNR uses volunteers for
I’m a nature nut, and I enjoy native plants for themselves and for their site management work, including
collecting seeds, planting seedlings
embodiment of our place in the world. I started liking native plants for the
and controlling exotic species.
wonder and variety of interesting insects they attract and support. But I Volunteers also take photographs,
now have another reason to plant, maintain and encourage the use of native write articles and do other tasks.
vegetation.
MN NPS has “adopted” Grey
In Bringing Nature Home, Dr. Tallamy explains in an entertaining way Cloud Dunes SNA, but members
how the diversity of our native plants supports a much wider variety and are encouraged to help at any SNA.
volume of insects than non-native plants. So why should people care about Most workdays are Saturdays, from
this? Well, although more people enjoy birds than insects, the availability 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The next scheduled
of an abundance and variety of insects is critical to birds as they raise their workdays are at Lost Valley Prairie
young. Baby birds eat a lot — and insects are what they mostly eat . SNA Aug. 23 and Sept. 27, and at
Hastings Sand Coulee SNA Sept.
Gardens of exotic flowers are starving the wild birds so many of us love. 27.
Yards of mowed grass, with a few non-native shrubs, are no place to raise
a bird family. For additional information, read
the newsletter on the volunteer
Native plants have evolved to live with native insects. Each species section of the DNR website, www.
has its own kinds of insects that live on and with it. These insects not only dnr.state.mn.us/snas/index.html or
use native plants, but do so without destroying them. Native plants support call 651-259-5249.
Walking in Thoreau’s paths
production of two to five times more
insect food than do non-natives.
Non-native flowers are unfamiliar to
our insects, and may be “pest free,”
but what many people call pests are
essential to raising young birds. In
fact, most insects are not harmful to
humans or crops. We assume guilt
by association, so most people try
to kill nearly every insect they see.
This harms the birds we love!
If we want a world filled with
wonder and a variety of creatures,
and we continue to take up nearly
all productive land with our houses
and shopping malls, then we need
to provide the native plants that
are essential for the survival of the
species we value.
This book is full of useful
information, but is also fun to read.
Dr. Tallamy is an entomologist
More than 60 people “Walked with Thoreau” in Red Wing May 24.
who truly loves nature, and clearly They retraced Thoreau’s exploration of Barn Bluff and located many
communicates that love. If you care of the plants and flowers he recorded in his journals and letters. The
about birds even a little, you will bluff towers over the Mississippi River. This field trip ws sponsored by
enjoy reading this book. the Anderson Center in Red Wing. Photo by Ken Arndt.
6

7. Plant Lore Is it a garden plant?
It has been cultivated in
Events planned
By Thor Kommedahl moist, shady, woodsy places and on Labor Day
weekend at Kilen
What is bluebead lily? propagated by division of rhizomes
Bluebead lily, also known as or by planting seeds.
corn lily, is Clintonia borealis in the
lily family.
Woods State Park
Join Nancy Sather, Minnesota
How did it get its names? County Biological Survey ecologist,
Bluebead lily is named for its for a series of Sesquicentennial
round, bright, steel-blue berries. natural history events at Kilen
Its leaves resemble corn leaves. Woods State Park on Labor Day
Clintonia is named after DeWitt weekend. The park is north of
Lakefield in Jackson County.
Clinton (1769-1828) who wrote
books on natural history, was Activities will include forest
responsible for the construction of and prairie hikes, pioneer crafts
and evening presentations about
the Erie Canal, and was governor landscape history and rare plants of
of New York. Borealis comes from the Des Moines River Valley. Come
a Greek word meaning “of the the day before or stay an extra day
north.” and help the DNR with prairie bush
Where does the plant grow? clover monitoring in the park.
It is native to Minnesota among For additional information, check
other northern states and occurs the DNR Parks website at www.dnr.
throughout the state in cool, moist state.mn.us/state_parks and go to
woods and wooded bogs, in open the three-month events calendar. To
volunteer with bush clover, send an
shade.
e-mail to: nancy.sather@dnr.state.
What does the plant look like? mn.us
It is a perennial spreading by
rhizomes, from 6 to 16 inches tall, Clean water tour
with two or three basal leaves. The shows native plants
bell-like flowers are pale yellow in Native plant installations that
umbels, three to eight on a leafless protect water quality are featured in
stalk. Flowers appear in May and the second annual Shoreview Green
June, but steel-blue berries are Community Awards Tour, from
prominent late summer to fall. 12:30 to 5 p.m. Aug. 2 and 3.
Clintonia borealis flowers,
Parallel veins are conspicuous in This free, self-guided tour of
berries. Both photos were taken
leaves residential properties includes
by Peter Dziuk.
shoreline buffers that prevent
Has it any medicinal or edible lakeshore erosion, plus rain and
uses? Society memberships habitat gardens that beautify yards
American Indians applied fresh will be due in January while infiltrating storm runoff.
poulticed leaves to burns, sores, MN NPS membership renewals Properties are in Shoreview and
bruises, and rabid-dog bites. Roots are due in January, not in October the Grass Lake watershed portion
contain diosgenin (plant steroid as in past years. When the Society’s of Roseville. Maps are available
board of directors voted in January at the Shoreview City Hall and
used in synthesis of cortisone and to change to a calendar year, they
other steroid products). Very young Community Center and online at
extended current memberships by www.ci.shoreview.mn.us. For more
leaves have been eaten as a potherb three months. information, call 651-483-3935. The
and fresh in a salad. The berries A membership form for renewals tour is sponsored by the Shoreview
are tasteless. Though reported as and new members will be included Environmental Quality Committee,
mildly poisonous, this has not been in the next issue of the Minnesota with assistance from the Sierra Club
confirmed. Plant Press. North Star Chapter.
7

8. Minnesota Native Plant Society
P.O. Box 20401
Bloomington, MN 55420
Summer 2008
Directions:
Take MN Hwy. 52 to the Butler Ave. E. exit in West St. Paul.
Go west on Butler 0.2 miles to Stassen Lane.
Go south on Stassen Lane to Thompson County Park.