Did you know that there are five Penstemon species documented in the Maryland Plant Atlas? Three of the five are available commercially and included in the new Commercial Maryland Native Plant List (CMNPL) as of 5/14/25. Of the remaining two, Penstemon laevigatus (Smooth, eastern beardtongue) is excluded due to its status uncertainty (SU), and […] Continue reading "Penstemon hirsutus, Hairy Beardtongue"
What may be the first program of its kind in the nation, the new Maryland Native Plants Program (MNPP) is now live. Developed through legislation ((HB950/SB836) passed in 2023 and effective July 1, 2024, the MNPP aims to bring more awareness about the benefits and importance of Maryland native plants to consumers, encourage consumers to purchase […] Continue reading "Maryland Native Plants Program"
Leonardtown, Maryland, is a lovely small town thanks to its location on the banks of Breton Bay. My friends and I enjoy the historic charm in its architecture and layout, with small shops and restaurants on either side of a park-like town square. Part of the town’s appeal is in the adoption of a self-guided […] Continue reading "Leonardtown Butterfly Trail"
During the Wild Ones Annual Membership Meeting on April 10,2025, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay and members were recognized for their contributions to the Wild Ones’ mission. We are proud of our members’ accomplishments! 18:11 Wild Ones’ support for seed libraries is growing. The … Chesapeake Bay, Maryland chapter supported seed libraries across St. Mary’s County […] Continue reading "Chapter Recognition at the 2024-2025 Wild Ones Annual Meeting"
And sow it begins….. 2025 native seed propagation is underway at the USGS Bee Lab at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel! It all started on the first Saturday in February when volunteers were invited to participate in the 2025 Stratification-o-rama at the Bee Lab. On February 8, under the leadership of Sam Droege, members […] Continue reading "Native Plant Propagation at the USGS Bee Lab – 2025"
Collecting, cleaning, sharing, and sowing native seeds are keystone activities of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay. Collecting Seeds From the time the spring ephemerals start to drop their seeds in spring until the last of the fall bloomers’ seeds have ripened, our chapter members were armed with organza bags, paper bags, markers, and clippers in hand […] Continue reading "Show Your Love with Native Seeds"
What is a seed library? A seed library is a community resource providing free vegetable, flower and herb seeds to anyone who wants to sow and grow them. The Berkeley Ecology Center opened the first seed library in 1999, cleverly known as the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL). Many seed libraries are housed in […] Continue reading "Seed Libraries"
While doing research for our upcoming Seed College presentation at the end of the month, I came across a new-to-me term, “seed sitting,” which is a catchy term for sowing seeds outside in winter, in pots covered with wire mesh. The concept is not new, but the terminology is catchy. I first heard the term […] Continue reading "Seed Sitting"