Latin for Gardeners: May 2025

Latin for Gardeners
May’s Native Maryland Plant

Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald
(uh-RUN-kus dee-OH-ih-kus)
Common Name: Goat’s-beard, Bride’s-feathers

Aruncus dioicus, a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, makes a great addition to a moist, part-shade garden. Its feathery white plumes rise high above the plant and bloom May through July, typically for 10-14 days; they resemble the non-native astilbe (aka False Goat’s-Beard). Aruncus dioicus can be a slow-growing plant but once established it will grow to the size of a shrub and will occupy a large area before dying back each year.

The plant’s species name, dioicus, refers to there being separate male and female plants. The male plant is considered showier due to its many protruding stamens1 when flowering - plants are generally not identified as one or the other when offered for sale. The alternate, pinnately compound and serrated leaves are also an attractive feature of this plant.

Of course, it’s not only the aesthetics of a plant to be considered when choosing plants for a garden.  A plant’s value should also be based on its contribution to biodiversity and the life it supports. These native plants will support many very small insects that are not often seen on other more familiar native plants. Small bees, hoverflies, beetles, spiders and true bugs2 will be found, some seeking nectar and pollen from the small bowl-shaped flowers.  Insectivorous birds will benefit from these insects as they support an ecological food chain. Aruncus dioicious is also a host plant for the Dusky Azure Butterfly (Celastrina nigra), which unfortunately is considered extirpated from Maryland.3 This butterfly can be found in rich deciduous forest in the Appalachians and some areas of the Midwest.

Fortunately, the Rose-breasted grosbeak is not a rare bird in Maryland. They migrate from the tropics in late spring, arriving to backyards and deciduous forests of Maryland in late April and early May.  Like the Goat’s-beard male plant, the male bird is much showier than their female counterpart.  You’ll easily recognize them from the red chevron that extends down their white breast. For most of the year, over half of their diet is made up of insects – they also enjoy seeds and berries. Their large, strong, triangular beaks allow them to eat large grasshoppers, crickets and other insects with tough exoskeletons – a splendid bird to have visiting a garden, wouldn’t you agree?

1Stamens are the male reproductive organs of flowering plants.

2True bugs are a group of insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. They are known for their specialized mouthparts which are used for piercing and sucking.

3A species that was once a viable component of the fauna of Maryland, but for which no naturally occurring populations are known to exist. The spread of invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis) is often listed as a reason for habitat loss of the Dusky Azure.

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013
Watershed Steward Class 7/Anne Arundel Tree Trooper
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)
aligmilligan@gmail.com

Latin for Gardeners: April 2025

Latin for Gardeners
April’s Native Maryland Plant

Acer rubrum L.
(AY-sir ROO-brum)
Common Name: Red Maple

I’m seeing red, are you? 

Acer rubrum is one of the most abundant, widespread trees in North America; it is adaptable to most conditions across its native range and is a prolific seed producer.  It is considered a keystone species1, although its numbers are not in the top five for supporting life. The one growing in my front yard is frequently visited by bees in the spring and woodpeckers year-round, red-bellied, of course. These beautiful birds, with just a blush of red on their bellies can often blend in with the red and black of the tree, it’s just their red cap and nape that are conspicuously red and can give them away – and of course their relentless drumming for insects. With their barbed tongue and sticky spit, they’re able to access insects hiding in tiny crevices of trees.

Acer rubrum is the state tree of Rhode Island, the Ocean State, my original home state.  I grew up loving this tree throughout all four seasons.  In spring and in summer I frequently climbed the one in our front yard, pulled the winged “helicopter” fruits from its branches to press on my nose and raked piles of its leaves in the fall - just so I could jump in them and wrap myself in a blanket of red.  And then in winter I watched from my bedroom window as this beautiful canopy tree held its own against the strong nor’easters that frequent New England. 

My intention in choosing Acer rubrum for this month was to urge you to consider it as a tree to plant on Arbor Day, April 25th.  I do encourage you to find one in your neighborhood, to look at its small flowers which bloom in spring and are a valuable food source for bees, and to plant one if you are really set on a maple.  However, because of its ability to spread so rapidly on its own I’m more inclined to plant a tree that can find it hard to compete and yet, it is one of the most majestic and longest-lived plants, it’s also rated #1 as a keystone species - an oak. I’d urge you to consider a Quercus rubra a northern red oak or maybe a Quercus alba, the white oak, it’s also the state tree of Maryland, the Free State, it’s where I now call home.

1 https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013 
Watershed Steward Class 7/Anne Arundel Tree Trooper
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)
aligmilligan@gmail.com

Latin for Gardeners: November 2024

Latin for Gardeners

November’s Native Maryland Plant

Osmunda spectabilis Willd.

(os-MUN-duh speck-TAB-ih-liss)

Common Name: Royal Fern, Flowering Fern

Osmunda spectabilis, is a large fern that can be used to great effect in a moist to wet area of a garden. Its leaves emerge in early April, and given time, a mature plant can appear more like a shrub than a fern. This plant stores food in its rhizomatous underground stems allowing it to survive in often difficult conditions such as the over 30-day drought that Maryland is currently experiencing; it can also thrive in full sun if provided enough moisture. Its vertical, above ground root stalk is thick, and overtime it will be wrapped in a tuft of fibrous roots – you may recognize these, as they are often used as a potting medium for orchids.

Royal ferns are dimorphic, they have two distinct fronds: one fertile and the other infertile. The fertile chlorophyll-bearing fronds first appear as dark green. As they mature and split to release their spores, they turn a rusty brown. The infertile fronds are numerous and provide excellent cover for many amphibians and other wildlife. In winter, both fronds will die back and disappear, leaving only a small number of hollow, stiff stalks protruding from a raised clump – if you’re not careful you can easily trip over them!

The royal fern is an excellent companion for many other wet-loving native plants like Soft Rush (Juncus effusus) or Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) – see below. Its bold-textured leaves and flowering fronds add interest and color to a green woodland garden.

Osmunda spectabilis is a member of the royal fern family, Osmundaceae. Like the familiar Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) O. spectabilis has recently undergone a name change based on genetic studies. Previously known as Osmunda regalis or Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, this fern has been recategorized and is now its own species. O. regalis is restricted to Asia, Africa, and Europe.

NOTE: iNaturalist has made this name change but not all nurseries have recognized the reclassification on their websites or other media.

Royal fern, once established, is a tough plant that can survive prolonged drought. Birds, however, need our help during these long dry spells. Providing a clean water source during fall and winter attracts them to your garden and improves their survival. You’ll find them seeking shade under Osmunda spectabilis in the spring.

Alison Milligan - MG/MN 2013
Watershed Steward Class 7/CBLP
aligmilligan@gmail.com

Latin for Gardeners: December 2021

December’s Native Maryland Plant

All of them!

Hello Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists and Master Watershed Stewards!

The pandemic has kept us apart, but I hope you’ve enjoyed spending time in your garden, getting online with friends, and reading some good books. I’ve learned a lot this year as a Tree Trooper for Anne Arundel County, watching some fantastic webinars, and reading Doug Tallamy’s latest book, ‘The Nature of Oaks’.  

For those of you who have been reading Latin for Gardeners it’s now time to test your knowledge of the scientific names of the eight native plants we’ve discussed this year.  It’s always best to use the Latin names of plants when you recommend them to friends and the public – there’s only one Latin name for a plant so it avoids confusion and ensures people select the right plant when shopping at nurseries.

The first group of photos shows the plants in their bloom period. The second group shows them in their winter dress. Can you still recognize them?  I’ve given you a few hints but don’t feel bad if you can’t place them all – Latin is not an easy language.  Good luck, or as they say in Latin, “Fortuna!”

Match the letter of each plant to the number of its photo in winter dress.

 ~ Alison Milligan – Mstr. Gardener/Mstr. Naturalist/Mstr. Watershed Steward

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com