Latin For Gardeners: April

Latin for Gardeners

April’s Native Maryland Plant

Clethra alnifolia L.

(KLETH-ruh al-nih-FOE-lee-uh)

Common Name: Sweet Pepperbush, Summersweet

April is the month when our gardens come to life – as we pass our last frost date most bees are seen just coming out of hibernation and plants are pushing new buds, some even showing fully developed leaves. That’s not the case for Clethra alnifolia, a shrub that is so late to leaf out that often it fools people into thinking it hasn’t’ survived the winter – but don’t be fooled! Sweet Pepperbush may be late to show life but once it does it’s an impressive plant that blooms in shade and is just as comfortable in a residential rain garden as in a shady moist site or even on a slope or streambank where it is often found providing erosion control.

This plant will sucker slowly, it turns a golden yellow in fall and has a distinct fruiting capsule that makes it easy to identify in the winter landscape. NOTE: The ‘pepper’ in the common name refers to the fruit capsules which slightly resemble peppercorns.

Many pollinators are attracted to the nectar and pollen of Clethra alnifolia. Moths are less studied pollinators that are typically attracted to strongly scented and pale-colored flowers. I can rely on finding moths enjoying the nectar of the ‘Ruby Spice’ in my garden - well after midnight. This plant is host to several lepidoptera including the Sweet Pepperbush Nola Moth (Nola clethrae).

C. alnifolia is considered an ornamental native plant often used in fragrance gardens; it is most often found in nurseries as a shorter cultivar. ‘Hummingbird’ is a 2’-4’ plant, ‘Sixteen Candles’ is 4’ - 5’, and ‘Ruby Spice’ is even taller, up to 6’, with rose colored flowers and dark green leaves.

Whichever you choose, the many pollinators and the very pleasant, sweet fragrance of Sweet Pepperbush will be sure to delight you.

NOTE: When I first began looking for evening moths, I wore a headlamp on my forehead so I could keep my handsfree, good idea, right? Imagine my surprise (silly me) when I encountered many moths flying in my face attracted to the light. I don’t recommend this method.

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013

Watershed Steward Class 7/CBLP

aligmilligan@gmail.com

April's Sugg-JEFF-tion: To Prune or Not to Prune

To Prune or Not to Prune,

That is the Question…

We made it! Spring is here and that means it’s time to get outside and begin prepping your planting areas for the growing season. It’s time to begin weeding, dividing overgrown perennials, planting new native plants, checking trees and shrubs for winter damage, tidying up, and of course pruning shrubs.

But hold on! Not all shrubs and trees are created equal, and not every shrub should be pruned this time of year. In some cases, you can severely impact bloom time, berry production, shape, and even the plant’s overall health with improper pruning. Some shrubs bloom on new wood, which means their flower buds develop on new growth produced each year. Other shrubs bloom on old wood, which means they bloom on growth from the previous year, and produce flower buds for next year’s blooms on this year’s new growth. It is important that you understand each plant’s individual life cycle to ensure you are not setting your plant (and your landscape) up for failure. Here are some examples:

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

After showing off all winter, your winterberry holly is likely void of berries thanks to the local bird population. Pruning for winterberries is recommended right after berries are gone, or early spring- whichever comes first. Winterberries bloom, and produce berries, on old wood. Therefore, any pruning should be done lightly and selectively to maintain shape as needed. Ideally you would plant a winterberry in a place that does not require it to be pruned, as any pruning will reduce bloom/berry production. However, if done early, new growth will have time to set buds for the following year.

Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

This attractive dogwood species is usually planted for its beautiful red stems rather than its flowers. The red twig, aka red osier, dogwood, is a plant of great wildlife value and provides excellent winter interest….until it doesn’t. In order to maintain the brightest, most vibrant red twigs that its famous for, you must encourage new stem growth each year by pruning out ~1/3 of the oldest stems at the base of the plant each spring, right before the buds open. This will allow the plant to develop new younger stems and set flower buds to keep the plant looking happy, healthy, and vibrant all year long.

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

American beautyberry is an example of a shrub that is hardy and adaptable when it comes to pruning. The plant blooms on new growth, so can be pruned anytime from the fall to early spring when the plant is actively growing. You can cut the shrub down almost to the ground each spring, leaving as little as 6-8 inches remaining, and it will come back nice and full and still produce berries. It can also be selectively pruned to remove old and dead branches to make a nice full plant.

Native Hydrangeas (Hydrangea sp.)

You would think nature would have just made it simple for us when it comes to native hydrangeas. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) bloom on new wood, and can be pruned hard, down to as little as one foot, before new growth begins in early spring if desired. Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) on the other hand bloom on old wood. Pruning oakleaf hydrangeas should be avoided, if possible (think right plant, right place), but can be done right after blooming in summer if absolutely necessary. Cuts should be made right below each bloom with enough time for buds to set for next year’s bloom.

Dormant Perennial Stems

I hope you left last year’s perennial stems standing to provide habitat in your garden all winter long. If you wish to “tidy up” a bit, you can cut the stems down in March once daytime temperatures are regularly in the 50s, leaving 10-12 inches remaining. Not only does this provide a habitat for pollinators as they look for nesting areas in spring, but it also is a good visual reminder of where you have plants located in the garden. In a few weeks you won’t even see them as new growth quickly covers the old stems.

So, to prune, or not to prune- that is the question. Take advantage of a rainy afternoon to learn when and how to prune the shrubs in your garden before you start cutting. The birds, bees, and butterflies will thank you. Just a sugg-Jeff-tion!

JEFFREY POPP
DIRECTOR OF RESTORATION
JEFF@AAWSA.ORG | 301-458-6537

RePollinate AACO 2024 Update

RePollinate AACO 2024 Update

Two of our Watershed Stewards, Kathy Lough (Class 15) and Lauren Toomey (Class 13), had the privilege of supporting the interagency FWS/USGS Wild Beelab at the Philadelphia Flower Show. During the evening when the bee experts were gone, they were able to call themselves the "B team" since the "A team" was away.

RePollinate AACO is well-positioned as we enter 2024. Thanks to the contributions of both AACO Master Gardeners and the Watershed Steward Academy, we have an ample supply of soil, pots, labels, and markers. Additionally, there will be an abundance of seedlings available. AACO has already sowed 42 flats of native seeds, complementing the hoophouse full of flats sowed by the Beelab. RePollinate will also utilize seedling quarts currently available from Bonnaterra.

The priorities and approach for RePollinate in 2024 will focus on strong collaborative efforts with AACO Recreation and Parks (R&P). This includes an emphasis on biodiversity and the addition of shrubs using materials from Bonnaterra. Furthermore, community groups slated to receive plants in the fall will be encouraged to gather volunteers for transplanting seedlings. This can occur either at the beelab on Thursdays and Saturdays, or at a potential satellite site within the AACO R&P system, to be announced.

If you would like to be on the distribution list for the beelab, email lauren_toomey@hotmail.com. 

2024 Ann Jackson Steward of the Year: Stacey Wildberger

WSA is honored to name Stacey Wildberger as the 2024 Ann Jackson Watershed Steward of the Year. Though Stacey officially became a Steward with Class 13 in 2020, she has been a steward of the environment and community leader for years. When Class 13 was offered virtually due to the pandemic, Stacey jumped at the chance to take the certification course.

““Stacey is the perfect example for our Stewards on how best a Steward can accomplish these goals. She is a person we should all look up too, as an example of success in achieving our mission.””

Stacey engages her community: Every week, Stacey leads a crew of Weed Warriors who perform maintenance. Through the Serene Ravine project and maintenance, the community has taken an overgrown space and turned it into a beautiful & functional wildlife habitat that contains a variety of native plants and trees. She also leads tree planting events, shoreline cleanup events.

Juliet Page (left) created the stunning hooked rug presented to Stacey Wildberger. Juliet was a Class 1 Steward with Ann Jackson.

She educates: Along with other Cape Conservation Corps members and Stewards, Stacey hosts a Native Plant Sale every September with the goal of educating the public about the value of native plants and making sure they have access to them at a reasonable cost. As President of CCC, she also leads and helps plan CCC meetings, which frequently include a speaker on an environmental topic.

She inspires: Not only did Stacey receive multiple nominations for this award, but she has served as a mentor to new Watershed Stewards to help teach them as they train to become experts and take on their own projects.

She builds community: Stacey is part of a fantastic and ever-growing group of Watershed Stewards in Cape St. Claire, all of whom have contributed to the Cape being a thriving Steward community, where many community members are engaged in taking action to clean our waterways.

Thank you, Stacey, for all that you do, for inspiring all of us, and for being such an incredible leader and Steward! Congratulations on being the 2024 Ann Jackson Steward of the Year.