Latin for Gardeners: February 2021

February’s Native Maryland Plant
Monarda bradburiana
(mo-NAR-da brad-bur-ee-AH-nuh)
Common Name: Eastern Bee Balm or Bradbury’s Bee Balm

Monarda species are found throughout a large portion of the U.S. because of their ability to grow in a variety of conditions both wet and dry, and soil types (even clay!) They tolerate black walnut and most importantly for many of us, they are resistant to deer, rabbit, and other mammals.  The Monarda bradburiana growing in my garden was planted there specifically because its aromatic showy flowers bloom in early summer and attract hordes of long-tongued bees, as well as the occasional butterfly.

This species is easily identified by its large distinctive flowers and the spotted purple dots on the lower lip of the corolla; the outer surface of the upper lip is often finely pubescent as seen below (right).

Because of its many uses as a medicinal plant bee balm is associated with good health along with protection from illness.  And that is what I wish for all of you, as we begin 2021 and continue to sustain ourselves and each other through this coronavirus pandemic.  

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

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com

Latin for Gardeners: December 2020

December’s Native Maryland Plant

All of them!

Hello Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists and Master Watershed Stewards!

I hope you are all well and are staying safe.  This year of coronavirus has been challenging in so many ways; it has limited our ability to work, socialize and educate the public, but we have adapted and learned new ways to communicate, learn, shop and work. With more time spent at home, many people turned to home gardening as a way to work off stress, enjoy the natural world, spend quality time with their children and in some cases add native plants to their landscapes.  I have spent a lot of my time gardening as well - and reading.  I recommend E. O. Wilson’s, ‘The Diversity of Life’ and Doug Tallamy’s ‘Nature’s Best Hope’.

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 nine native plants that have been featured 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.

As a reminder, the common names of the plants (in alphabetical order, not how they are shown below) are: Dense St. John’s Wort, Eastern White Pine, Green and Gold, Maple-leaved Viburnum, Marsh Marigold, Monkey Flower, Seersucker Sedge, Shrubby St. John’s Wort, Willow Oak.

The first group of photos shows the plants during their bloom time. The second group of photos shows them in their winter dress. Can you still recognize them?  Do you think you can tell a Dense St. John’s Wort from a Shrubby one? 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 number of each plant to the letter of each plant in its winter form (answers at the bottom).

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

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com

WSA Staff Comfort & Joys of the Season

In the spirit of the holiday season, our staff is sharing what brings them joy in the winter. Check out our tried and true recipes, favorite traditions, and more!

Noelle: My family loves making latkes to celebrate Hanukkah. Traditional potato ones are great, but we also have fun experimenting with new flavors. Carrot + parsnip, sweet potato + apple, and leek + kale + potato are great combinations. (I highly recommend any recipe by Martha Rose Shulman.)

Trish: My husband grew up enjoying his mom’s “pull-a-part” every Christmas morning. About 10 years ago, she gave me the recipe and I now make it for my family on Christmas. My entire family loves it, every year my sister calls me a week before the holiday asking for the recipe. For a present last year, I gave Ryan a cutting board etched in his mom’s handwriting the pull-a-part” recipe.

Josh: I have been trying to perfect my mulled cider recipe for the last few years and it has quickly become a staple of the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. I’ve experimented with spices, juices, and cooking methods and am getting close to the recipe we will use every year!

Grae: Every New Years Eve for the past five years, my partner and I have made a feast of appetizers. The centerpiece is ALWAYS baked brie wrapped in puff pastry with a layer of raspberry jam.

Suzanne: I love to give homemade food gifts at Christmas and one of my favorite recipes is sweet and savory pecans.  Each year I order a large bag of fresh pecans from a place near and dear to my heart and it makes the gift all the more meaningful.  After college I lived on a farm on south Georgia called Koinonia. It was founded in the 1940s as an intentional community to protest racial segregation and environmental degradation caused by traditional farming practices. In the 1970s it was the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity. In the 1990s the community was dissolved and the resulting non-profit returned to the local community. I learned so much as the permaculture intern, and studying social justice. That year really shaped who I am today and I am always so happy to support their efforts.

Katie: This year, I started a tradition with my toddler- creating upcycled wrapping paper! We gave paper bags a festive makeover using finger paints. Most of the paint ended up on the paper, which was a true holiday miracle. I hope the wrapping brings just as much joy as the gift when the recipient finds it under the tree!

Francesca: I love holiday lights and decorations! There’s something so magical about seeing everything come to life in the middle of a cold, dark winter. I love how it brings so much light and warmth and makes everything more beautiful. I always blare holiday music and put on my most festive outfit when we decorate our home. 

Trish: A new holiday activity in our house is packing up and going skiing/snowboarding over the break. We love waking up to the bright snow and warming ourselves in the evenings with a big bonfire.

Suzanne: Each year my sisters and cousins get together for an all day cookie bake. Each of us has our signature recipe and we are sure to carry on some family traditions. My favorite for many years was given to me by Lara Mulvaney - Chocolate Pistachio Sable from Bon Appetit. This year since we can’t get together, we are having a cookie dough exchange. Each person rolls out or cuts their dough and freezes it on a tray, then packages up 6 or 8 pieces for each person. This way we can bake a few cookies at a time all season long.

Josh: This time of year is all about knitting for me. As the days get shorter and I’m inside for a bigger part of the day, knitting allows me to feel productive. It keeps my finger joints loose as the temperatures drop and family and friends get the fruits of my labor as holiday gifts.

Grae: I love all things snow! Anytime we actually get snow in MD around the Holidays is my favorite. Sledding, making igloos, throwing snowballs, just going for walks in the silence of the snowy winter wonderland (especially at night when the lights twinkle off of the snow crystals).

Josh: My favorite Christmas song is God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. This version’s bass is great and the beat always makes me feel festive.

Trish: Every year my family watches A Christmas Story. We love little Ralphie's desperate desire for the Red Ryder BB gun and his mom telling him over and over again “you’ll shoot your eye out”. Our favorite scene in the movie: when the leg lamp shows up and seeing the family's reactions.

Suzanne: My favorite sustainable gift is shampoo and conditioner bars. These little bars have no plastic packaging and made from sustainable ingredients. They last an incredibly long time and make my hair feel great, and I love not having big plastic  shampoo bottles. I like to order from Naples Soap Company because they are a woman owned business and do not use any palm oil. 

Francesca: My favorite holiday album is Christmas with the Rat Pack...I can’t wait for it to be “A Marshmallow World” this winter!

Noelle: Our favorite Christmas movie to watch as a family is Home Alone! I love listening to my son’s non-stop giggles during the final scene when the bandits get caught by all of Kevin’s traps. Classic!

Katie: My favorite holiday album is A Charlie Brown Christmas. Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like hearing it spin on the record player!

What’s bringing you comfort and joy this season? Let us know in the comments below!

Latin for Gardeners: November 2020

November’s Native Maryland Plant
Quercus phellos
(KWURK-us FELL-us) L.
Common Name: Willow Oak

As master gardeners, naturalists and watershed stewards we are often asked to recommend trees suitable for a yard, community planting or restoration project.  When this happens, we often turn to our Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping manual for guidance.  The list of native trees is diverse, but the number of native Quercus species listed is twice that of the second most populace species, Pinus.  It should come as no surprise then, that in the mid-Atlantic states much of our forest is defined by the Quercus (Oak) genus.

In fact, Quercus species are highly valued for the vast ecosystem services they provide and are considered ‘keystone’ species for the inherent value they bring to an environment.  Across the nation ‘Oaks are ranked either number one or number two in their support of the food web in 84% of all U.S. counties in which they occur.¹

I frequently recommend Oaks on projects because of their ecological value and because there is an oak to fit most any site condition. Quercus phellos is commonly planted as an ornamental tree; planted in a ‘good’ site it has moderate to rapid growth, it’s able to withstand sun and part-shade, is salt and wind-tolerant (once established) and has easily compostable willow-like leaves. Like all oaks, Quercus phellos is an excellent shade tree that casts a long shadow that can shade a home or paved area; it is a suitable street tree if there are no overhead wires.

When using trees in a landscape it is always important to discuss maintenance.  A tree needs its requisite sun, water, and room to grow, but it also needs to be protected from invasive species that may climb its trunk and smother its branches.   To thrive, routine maintenance should include identifying and removing invasive species from around its trunk and beneath its branches. 

If you want to increase biodiversity, help protect your watershed, and improve air quality, look for places where you can plant this keystone species - you should not have to go far. 

¹ Nature’s Best Hope, Doug Tallamy (Narango, Tallamy and Shropshire 2018)

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

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)

aligmilligan@gmail.com