Going Native in Joseph, Utah
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Volume 24, issue 6 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 NOV/DEC 2001 Going Native in Joseph, Utah By Larry A. Sagers, Deseret News, September 23, 2001 neighboring foothills and canyons beauty of the Utah landscape, where, disguised as mountain Warner pursues her childhood men and fur trappers, we created recreation. It isn't exactly Beverly Hills 90210; in fact, it is quite the op- hideaways in shady Gambel oak posite. A small sign on U.S. 89 in central Utah points the groves and gathered wild nuts The change has been exciting way to a unique local nursery that specializes in native and berries." but did require changes in her plants. As research for a series of columns spotlighting low- lifestyle. One of the first was to water-use plants this summer, I paid a visit there to learn After taking time out to raise sell her Mercedes-Benz and buy more. eight children and send them to a tractor. medical school, architectural Wildland Nursery is an unusual business whose owner, school and on to other advanced "I could not deliver plants in a Janett Warner, has an interesting story. Her advice will help degrees, Warner decided to pur- Mercedes," quipped Warner, you select water-thrifty woody plants that thrive in our area. sue some of those childhood "and I could not pull a tiller with interests. one." Hence the Mercedes is "My forebears were English botanists, and my parents were gone and in its place is a tractor horticulturists by practice," said Warner. "While relying as "After I had raised my own chil- that she uses to prepare the soil they did on the income from their small truck farm, they dren to love Utah, I volunteered and plant the trees. raised me at the end of a hoe. to be a docent at Red Butte Gar- den. I grasped every opportunity Why did she chose Joseph as "They did not chain me to the furrow. Quite the contrary," to learn about the cultivation, use the site for her nursery? "Good she said. "My family and I were lovingly shoved into the and care of plants." land and good water and the right elevation. I had to come She became a USU Master Gar- here to find affordable farm- dener, certified arborist and a land," she said. certified nursery professional and simultaneously earned an Asso- Most of Warner's customers are Nov/Dec Contents ciate of Horticulture Science de- from out of state and are looking gree from Utah State University. for plants that they cannot find Going Native in Joseph, Utah at most local nurseries. Even After serving an internship at the though the nursery is not close Conservation nursery and com- to them, it is near the freeway, Endangered Status for Holmgren Milk-vetch and pleting a bachelors degree at so it is working out well. Shivwits Milk-vetch BYU, she gave in to her passion and started Wildland Nursery. Part of what motivates Warner State and Chapter News First located in a small back yard in her quest for native plants is in Riverton, Wildland Nursery has that they are also water thrifty. now moved to central Utah to a Water conservation is vital, and UNPS Annual Members Meeting farm in Joseph where there is she is anxious to share her feel- plenty of room to grow. ing about how these plants are Events and Activities both attractive and make good Beneath a vast sky and sur- sense in our landscapes. rounded by the breathtaking PAGE 2 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 Utah boasts more than 3,000 different in most areas of Utah because of our alka- "While I do enthusiastically encourage documented native plants. These are the line soil." much more use of native plants, I believe same trees, shrubs and wildflowers you we should not plant only natives. Many find on hikes through the canyons, foot- Chokecherry is another one of her favorites. imported or exotic species do very well hills and deserts of the state. Native "I love the color in the spring from the flow- plants grown in Utah soil, under Utah ers. The fruit in the late summer is very at- conditions will establish easier and have tractive, and then it has some excellent fall a better chance of living longer with color." fewer diseases and pest problems. She also is enthusiastic about the native Pinyon pines are excellent trees for most oak. "The gnarly Gambel oak is a wonderful areas of Utah. They tolerate drought and tree for our dry hillsides. It survives well have few pest problems. With some wa- without much irrigation once it is established ter they grow reasonably fast, but they and will live for many years. If something usually do not outgrow their place in the damages one of the trunks, it is a simple landscape. matter to prune it out and let some new shoots replace it." Warner also likes the limber pine. "It is so versatile and grows throughout the state. Several other excellent trees are part of our The long needles and the shape make it native landscape. Two that Warner recom- an excellent choice for many land- mends as understory trees are the Rocky scapes." Mountain maple and serviceberry. Both of these thrive in light shade from another Wild Hollyhock, Iliamna rivularis Looking at some of the deciduous plants, tree. Rocky Mountain maple is a smaller By Bitsy Schultz Warner quickly extols the virtues of the tree but has a brilliant red color in the fall. bigtooth maple. "This is the tree that is so Serviceberry is another great plant with here and add to the diversity. Many of the colorful in our mountains and does good fall color and white flowers in the plants in the nursery trade are descen- equally well in our landscapes. She has- spring. dants of wild plants that have been se- tens to add that you must select a seed- lected and introduced to the cultivated grown tree that has never been grafted Don't forget the bristlecone pine, the Rocky landscape because of their desirable or one that is grown on its own root. Mountain and the Utah juniper and the both qualities." the curl-leaf and deciduous mountain ma- "Some nurseries graft the bigtooth maple hogany plants. These plants will add to your Joseph 84769 just might be the right onto the sugar maple rootstock. This landscape without adding to your water bill. place to look to help conserve water and defeats the purpose of having the native make your landscape a place of beauty plant because sugar maple grows best in As enthusiastic as she is about native trees, for yourself and the other creatures of the acidic soils. If we graft our native maple Warner does think there are many intro- state. onto that rootstock it will never grow well duced species that are worth considering. Endangered status for Holmgren and Shivwits milk-vetch SUMMARY: Effective October 29, 2001, eral protections provided by the Act for these (1998) and Stubben (1997) demonstrated The Fish and Wildlife Service has deter- plants. significant genetic and ecological differ- mined endangered status under the En- Astragalus holmgreniorum (Holmgren milk- ences between typical A. eremiticus and dangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as vetch) was first collected as a scientific speci- A. eremiticus var. ampullarioides. Welsh amended, for two perennial herbs-- Astra- men in 1941 by Melvin Ogden. Rupert Ba- (1998) revised the species' taxonomy galus holmgreniorum (Holmgren milk- rneby and Noel and Patricia Holmgren redis- elevating the taxon to full species status vetch) and Astragalus ampullarioides covered the species in 1979. Barneby (1980) as A. ampullarioides. Both species are (Shivwits milk-vetch). Three small popula- recognized the species as a unique taxon narrowly distributed Mojave Desert en- tions of A. holmgreniorum exist in Wash- occurring in a localized area on the Arizona- demics restricted to the immediate vicinity ington County, Utah, and adjacent Mo- Utah border, and named it for its co- of St. George, Utah. have County, Arizona. Five small popula- discoverers. Astragalus ampullarioides A member of the pea family tions of A. ampullarioides exist in Wash- (Shivwits milk-vetch) was first collected near (Fabaceae), Astragalus holmgreniorum is ington County, Utah. Significant portions Shem in Washington County, Utah, by Duane a stemless herbaceous (non-woody) per- of the habitat of both species are subject Atwood in 1976. The species was originally ennial that produces leaves and small to disturbance from urban development, described by Stanley Welsh (1986) as a vari- purple flowers in the spring, both of which off-road vehicles (ORVs), grazing, dis- ety of A. eremiticus. Barneby (1989) ques- die back to its roots after the flowering placement by exotic weeds, and mineral tioned the taxonomic significance of the spe- season. The plant's pinnately compound development. This determination that A. cies and submerged A. eremiticus var. ampul- leaves (leaves arranged on opposite side holmgreniorum and A. ampullarioides are larioides within typical A. eremiticus. Later of the stem in a row) arise directly from endangered species implements the Fed- research work by Harper and Van Buren the root crown. The leaves are pressed VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 PAGE 3 close to the ground, and are 4 to 13 centimeters (cm) (1.5 to 5.1 pound, 4 to 18 cm (1.6 to 7.1 in) long, and have 11 to 23 ellip- inches (in)) long, and have 9 to 15 leaflets. The leaflets are 0.8 tical leaflets. Each plant produces about 45 small cream- to 1.6 cm (0.3 to 0.6 in) long and are broadly obovate (oval with colored flowers about 2 cm (0.8 in) long on a single stalk in the narrow end towards the base of the leaf) in shape.