The plant features in this document orignally appeared in Outdoor Indiana magazine in 2017

Enjoy these archived articles from Outdoor Indiana magazine? Subscribe at OutdoorIndiana.org PLANT FEATURE SOURWOOD (Oxydendrum arboreum)

State Range: Floyd, Harrison and Perry counties. Habitat: Dry forest with acidic soil over sandstone. Blooming Period: Late June into July. Flowers: Tiny white urn-shaped flowers assembled in sprays at branch tips.

Frank Oliver photo This plant is tough to find in Indiana outside of a few counties. Chewing a leaf will tell you all you need to know about how it got its name, but its honey is considered a delicacy by some people.

By Michael Homoya

n far southern Indiana there’s a dendron, meaning tree. Chew a piece of hence another common name for sour- band of counties bordering the sourwood leaf and it all makes sense. wood—lily-of-the-valley tree. Its foliage Ohio River that could rightly be The tree is a member of the heath is also attractive and is commonly ablaze Ireferred to as “Little Appalachia.” At family (Ericaceae). This is the same plant in red or reddish-purple in autumn. least when it comes to plants. family that includes rhododendron, Sourwood is not a common tree If you could hop from the Great Smoky mountain laurel and blueberry. The fam- in Hoosier wildlands. It is officially Mountains in Tennessee to Indiana’s hills ily ties are especially apparent between designated by the DNR as State Rare between New Albany and Tell City, you blueberry and sourwood. Their tiny tube- (SR). Such a designation means that would see plants that might make you shaped flowers are almost identical. the number of populations existing in think you’d never left the mountains. The Sourwood is a small to medium-sized the entire state is 20 or fewer, but more roster includes mountain laurel, umbrella tree resembling the much more com- than 10. Almost all Indiana popula- magnolia and Virginia pine. mon sassafras in growth form and bark. tions of sourwood are in Perry County. Sourwood is another. While mountains It is quite attractive overall, and in some Sourwood honey is a delicacy, con- aren’t its only home—it grows wild, even parts of the country, it’s planted as an sidered to be a gourmet honey by some. in the Florida panhandle—most of the ornamental. While sourwood’s natu- Sorry, but Indiana probably doesn’t have land it inhabits is rugged terrain. Steep ral range in Indiana is limited to the sufficient numbers of sourwood trees for rocky slopes characterize its Indiana hab- extreme south, it’s tolerant of cold tem- honey production. You’ll need to go south- itat, especially those areas with rather dry, peratures and can be grown throughout east into the tree’s main range for that. acid soils and sandstone outcrops. the state in appropriate soil conditions. It may be called sourwood, but this is Also known as sorrel tree for its Several aspects of the tree warrant a sweet tree. U sour-tasting leaves, sourwood’s botan- consideration for landscaping use, in- ical moniker, Oxydendrum arboreum, cluding the sprays of tiny white flowers DNR State Botanist Michael Homoya has sur- was given for the same reason. The that form on branch tips in mid-sum- veyed Indiana for more than 34 years looking Latin name means “sour tree,” from mer. To some people these flower clus- for rare plants and significant natural areas to the Greek oxys, meaning sour, and ters resemble those of lily-of-the-valley, protect. Email at [email protected].

OutdoorIndiana.org 17 PLANT FEATURE DWARF LARKSPUR (Delphinium tricorne)

State Range: Near statewide, more common south of Indianapolis. Size: 1.5 feet maximum. Habitat Requirement: Open woodlands, ravines and slopes. Blooms: April 15–June 1.

Thomas Swinford photo This relatively short plant boasts a charming appearance and a defense against predators that earned it the nickname “staggerweed.”

By Thomas Swinford

warf larkspur is the only native upright stalk, gracefully arising from floral spur. As the bees strain to reach Indiana member of a familiar interesting, deeply lobed foliage. The the rich reward, their heads become group of plants commonly found individual flowers are a distinctive soft dusted with pollen, which they then Din perennial gardens. The larkspurs that velvety purple, and have a five-pointed carry to the next plant to cross-pollinate. form this group are often referred to by star-like appearance further adorned This plant belongs to the buttercup fam- their scientific name, delphinium, even with a long, curving floral spur. ily, which is best known for its members’ by those who don’t typically use scientific If you use your imagination, you might bright and shiny yellow flowers. However, names when identifying plants. be able to see the flowers as little “star- many plants in the buttercup family, dwarf The larger, showy larkspurs typically men” adorned with purple wizard’s hats. larkspur included, possess atypical flowers available at garden centers are hybrids and This plant is an early spring bloomer, that capture the imagination with interest- cultivars of plants that are found through- often appearing in the second week ing shapes and varied bright other colors. out the northern hemisphere, especially in of April. This trait is likely an adapta- Others in this group include columbine, its mountainous regions. Many larkspur tion to the forest habitats in which it monkshood and baneberry. species are found in the high-country is typically found. It seems to prefer Dwarf larkspur is not a wild edible. meadows of the western United States. somewhat open wooded slopes. It possesses highly poisonous foliage As you might guess from its name, the This plant reaches its greatest abun- and leaves to deter herbivore predators. dwarf larkspur is one of the most diminu- dance in southern Indiana, where large Some cattlemen call it staggerweed tive members in its genus of plants, which is colonies may cover several acres. It is, because of its deadly effects upon live- otherwise tall and stately. It is rarely found however, found throughout most of stock. Although it is not known to have to have grown more than a foot in height. the state, except in the northern tier of been documented in a human fatality, But what it may lack in leggy-ness, it counties, where it is entirely absent. its alkaloid poison is suitably toxic. more than makes up for in beauty and Dwarf larkspur is pollinated by But it still pleases the eye. U charm. insects, primarily the bumblebees and The colorful and unusual flowers miner bees that possess the long tongues Thomas Swinford is assistant director of the Divi- are tidily arranged along a stout single required to reach the nectar deep in the sion of Nature Preserves, [email protected].

OutdoorIndiana.org 17 PLANT FEATURE NODDING ONION (Allium cernuum)

Habitat: Grows in, loam, sandy, or clay soils. Flower period: July to August. River bluff companion plants: Shooting star, savanna blazingstar, round-leaved ragwort, white oak.

John Maxwell photo Nodding onion’s flowers, like these at O’Bannon Woods State Park last July, often seem to nod to the ground, as the plant’s name suggests.

By Benjamin W. Hess

ust hearing the word “onion” often along these scenic rivers, it can be hard production, the umbel stays in this po- conjures up memories of childhood. to spot there. The reason is the riverside sition and produces many small black, Usually, those thoughts are about conditions that make it difficult for it to shiny seeds. onionsJ planted in a garden. But native bloom the beautiful flowers that are its The flowers’ position relative to the onions grow wild throughout Indiana, most distinctive feature. forest floor tends to favor pollinators and can make memories, too. The culprit is the shade on the bluffs that can collect pollen upside-down or Nodding onion is one of those. It’s from large oak and maple trees. This hover while drinking nectar. Among traditionally in the Lily family but condition may hinder flowering until this group are European honeybee recently has become a new member of one of these great trees returns to the and native ground-dwelling bees such the Amaryllis family, which have bulbs forest floor and opens the river bluff as sweat bees, mason bees and miner and linear leaves and exhibit umbels to more sunlight. Despite its flowering bees, all of which typically travel close of flowers. It prefers full to partial challenges, the plant itself can tolerate to the ground when seeking pollen. sun, can tolerate a wide range of soil partial shade because of its enlarged Hikers may often overlook or even moistures and can be found in various underground stem/bulb. step on nodding onion along the habitats. It was once one of North These elongated bulbs, which are Maumee or Wabash rivers in the spring America’s most widely spread native characteristic of the Amaryllis family, and early summer, when its grass-like onions, but as with most native species, act like large storage tanks of energy leaves are present. If so, the distinct on- habitat loss has restricted it to a few until more favorable flowering condi- ion scent from the crushed leaves may remaining remnants. tions emerge. rise from the high river bluff, causing One place you may see nodding on- When blooms do arrive, they pause to look for the source of that ion is in a prairie remnant of northwest protrude from a stiff central stem in a familiar, nostalgic smell. U Indiana. Other possible locations are beautiful umbel of pink-to-lavender the high, dry bluffs of the rivers and flowers that seem to bow or nod to Benjamin Hess is the Limberlost and east- creeks of northeast and southeast In- the ground. Even when the flowers central region ecologist for the Division of diana. Although nodding onion grows begin to fade and transition into seed Nature Preserves, email [email protected].

OutdoorIndiana.org 17 PLANT FEATURE PURPLE FRINGELESS ORCHID (Platanthera peramoena)

State Range: Southern half; primary range is southern third. Bloom Dates: Mid-July to late August. Height: Up to 3 feet. Habitat: Various habitats; mostly ephemerally wet and riparian areas.

Frank Oliver photo One of the most attractive wildflowers in the state, this plant is found mostly in southern Indiana, in floodplains and streamside habitats.

By Andrew Reuter

luggish, humid air roasts in south- equally long proboscises, or tongues. or leaf that has been slightly damaged or ern Indiana during late-July days. Strategically placed within the structure gnawed. Purple fringed orchid has deep The cacophony of dog-day cicadas, of the flower, the plant’s pollen masses cuts into the lobes that are one-third Skatydids and near-eye gnats composes a evolved to be able to attach to the com- or more of the lobe length, causing the familiar forest soundtrack. Unrequested pound eyes of compatible pollinators. Sev- lower lip to look toothed. Or fringed. spider-web masks frequently drape faces. eral species of moth and butterfly pollina- One of the easiest ways to tell the But such discomforts may be worth tors carry purple fringeless orchid pollen difference between the two, in Indiana at the inconvenience when searching for masses. These include monarch butterfly, least, is range and habitat. Purple fringeless purple fringeless orchid. swallowtail and small sphinx-moth spe- orchid prefers the southern portion of This plant blooms in Indiana in cies, like hummingbird clearwing. the state in ephemerally wet, more acidic midsummer. Bold and brilliant, it Those species’ affinity for pink to silt-loam soils associated with floodplains is one of the most attractive native purple flowers, their anatomical features and streamside habitats. Purple fringed wildflowers in Indiana. and feeding strategy—and multiple orchid is found primarily in northern “Peramoena” roughly translates to records from different states—point to Indiana in sandy, muck soils associated “loveliness.” The praise refers to the their being primary pollinators of this with groundwater-fed wetlands. inflorescence (the collective flowers) plant. Research on the subject is under- If you’re willing to sweat and stray from the color of which ranges from pale way at Lynchburg College in Virginia. the beaten path (where that’s allowed, rose-purple to rich magenta. Purple fringeless orchid can be confused of course), the swelter of the streamside Eight to 25 flowers adorn the stem in at first glance with purple fringed orchid. woods in mid-summer Indiana may well what’s known as a raceme—each flower The plants’ respective names convey one be worth the energy to catch a glimpse of is attached to the end of a semi-curved of their differences—the “fringiness” of purple fringeless orchid. U pedicel (i.e., the stem between stalk and their respective flower’s lower lips. flower). Each flower sports a long nec- Divided into three lobes, the lower-lip Andrew Reuter is central region ecologist tar spur, luring certain daytime moth edges of purple fringeless orchid have a for the Division of Nature Preserves, email and butterfly pollinators that have ragged appearance, resembling a petal [email protected].

OutdoorIndiana.org 17 PLANT FEATURE SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Dasiphora fruticosa)

State Range: Scattered in the northern third of state with outlying occurrences to the south. Size: One to 3 feet tall. Habitat Requirement: Wetlands that contain calcium carbonate. Blooms: Late May to September.

Frank Oliver photo Like many of its fellow native Hoosiers, shrubby cinquefoil, a widely cultivated landscape plant, hates heat and humidity.

By Emily Stork

ou may never have seen this theory that the plant contained potent appearance. Its leaves are covered shrub in its native Indiana habi- compounds useful in medication. in silky hairs, giving the plant a tat, but you’ve seen this shrub. The common name for Potentilla is gray-green cast. The young, slender YThis cool-climate species has found cinquefoil, which means five leaves. pale-brown to purplish-red twigs niches across the northern and western Most cinquefoils have leaves with five are covered with long, silky hairs. United States. It can be found growing in leaflets, often arranged like the fingers These hairs are shed with age on older places ranging from low valleys, springs on your hand. Shrubby cinquefoil also branches from which the brown to and stream banks to subalpine meadows, often has five leaflets (varying from gray-black bark will shred and dangle. rocky ledges and mountain peaks. It’s three to seven) and has similar-looking The pale to bright yellow flowers are also native to Europe and Asia. five-parted yellow flowers. ¾- to 1-inch wide. The flowers have But it hates heat and humidity. When grouped with other Potentilla, one of the longest blooming periods That’s why its range does not extend this was the only cinquefoil species that among native Indiana plants, start- into any southeastern states, and why its was woody (fruticosa means shrub- ing in early summer and persisting Indiana range is restricted to hard-to- like). But molecular biology shows that through fall. That duration might help find habitats fed by cool, chalky ground- shrubby cinquefoil isn’t that closely you find this species in nature. water. It also explains, in part, why it’s related to other cinquefoils. Thus it has You may find other cultivated color such a widely cultivated landscape plant. been moved to a new genus, Dasiphora, forms, from white to orange to red, in Both it and its cultivars can tolerate a which means thick, hairy or shaggy. All landscaping. To see the variety of this spe- wide range of conditions, from wet to aptly describe shrubby cinquefoil and cies in Indiana’s nature, try the fen near dry and full sun to partial shade. give rise to its rugged yet delicate beauty, the Welcome Center at Pokagon State Which explains why you’ve seen it, which accounts for the rest of the reason Park’s Trine State Recreation Area. U but possibly not in Indiana’s nature. this plant is so popular in landscapes. This plant’s original Latin name, Shrubby cinquefoil is a small, Emily Stork is the ecologist for the Grand Potentilla fruticosa, is still widely erect shrub with numerous, delicate Calumet Region for DNR Nature Preserves, used. The genus Potentilla refers to the branches, giving rise to a bushy email [email protected].

OutdoorIndiana.org 17 PLANT FEATURE CHRISTMAS FERN (Polystichum acrostichoides)

State Range: Frequent in the southern half of the state, uncommon in northern Indiana. Habitat: Woodlands of all types, especially rich forested slopes. Size: One- to 2-feet tall evergreen, each frond (leaf) is 3–4 inches wide. Reproduction: Does not have flowers. Look for crowded spore- cluster dots on back of frond.

John Maxwell photo One of the most common or at least the most familiar fern species in Indiana, this Christmas fern was found at Fall Creek Gorge in Warren County.

By Roger L. Hedge

o some people, ferns may following areas of more-rugged terrain. Probably the closest Indiana plant to conjure thoughts of cool, dark, Christmas fern usually occurs in Christmas fern in appearance is glade fern mature forests. clumps, with its arching fronds radiating (Diplazium pycnocarpon), a generally tall- TOr rich, moist, shady ravines bor- out in a circular pattern. The fronds, er, non-evergreen fern, with leaflets that dered by steep rocky cliffs. or leaves, are shiny green and widest have smooth edges and a smooth stalk. Both are certainly habitats for many near their middle, narrowly tapering to Christmas fern has spiny-tipped fern species, including Christmas fern. their tips. The narrow tips of those that teeth along its leaflet margins and But Christmas fern can also be more are fertile will curl over, offering some a rough, scaly stalk. The base of an wide-ranging and not as finicky about protection to the brown spore clusters individual leaflet has a distinctive lobe, where it grows as some of its ilk. on the back side of the frond. or toe. By using your imagination, Christmas fern is one of our most com- A closer look at the base of a fresh, the leaflet might remind you of a tiny mon Indiana ferns, or at least one of our new cluster of Christmas fern growth Christmas stocking—and help you most familiar. Its evergreen fronds may in spring may reveal the previous year’s remember the name Christmas fern. adorn the high-quality forests described fronds that overwintered. They usually Some say Christmas fern’s shiny, above—and indeed may prefer them— lie flat against the ground. This prostrate evergreen, holly-like leaves make it an but don’t be surprised to also find this tendency may enable the plant to use attractive winter holiday decorative, and plant in more disturbed second-growth the limited winter light more efficiently. several sources mention it being used woodland or even in drier sites and areas These older fronds are dark green and for such Christmastime purposes by with small openings in the canopy. leathery, and their appearance differs great- early pioneers. Doing so would certainly Although the plant generally has a ly from the plant’s fresh leaves of spring. have added some much wanted statewide distribution, Christmas fern Christmas fern’s familiarity may greenery to their mantelpiece during the is decidedly more common in hilly stem from the species’ superficial re- sometimes dreary winter season. U portions in the southern half of Indiana. semblance to the popular house plant, This bulk of occurrence extends into the Boston fern. In an Indiana woods, Roger Hedge is an ecologist with the Division west-central part of the state, especially however, there aren’t many lookalikes. of Nature Preserves, [email protected].

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