Prairie Plant Hobby

One of my many side projects has been to identify the different plant species on our property, as botany has always been an interest of mine. I thought it might also be fun to try and establish some new plants. Pre-development vegetation for Richland County was largely southern mesic forest, consisting of Sugar Maple, Basswood, and Elm. Current conditions in the county are largely agricultural, so there are large swaths of open fields and bordering hedge rows. We have a mix of some prairie plants along the borders of our fields, such as Wild Bergamot, Black-Eyed Susan, and Golden Ragwort, so I am trying to add to the prairie mix.

Last year, I gathered seed from several plant species including Compass Plant, Cup Plant, Rattlesnake Master, and Grey Coneflower. I was able to get the seeds to germinate, and transplanted the seedlings into three areas. The results in year two are a little mixed. I did get some Cup Plant to appear in one spot and Grey Coneflower in two spots. The other species have yet to reappear, but they could take longer to get established. The Grey Coneflower has even bloomed this year, which will hopefully help the plant to spread.

This year, I tried to grow Leadplant and Wild Senna from seed. The Wild Senna did not even germinate, but I did get the Leadplant to start growing. Unfortunately, it was very slow growing and most of the plants died, possibly due to overwatering. I I have one potted plant left, which I will try and nurse along for a few more weeks and then transplant. I now have 6 months to think about what plants to try next.