{"title":"Spring Ephemerals","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"mertensia-virginica-1","title":"Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) - 1 gal","description":"\u003cp\u003eVirginia Bluebells are a special treat in every woodland garden. They are early risers in spring, with their large, smooth, blue-green leaves emerging in early April, followed by pink buds which open to sky-blue bells by May. The flowers open sequentially, with the flower stalk growing taller and taller over the foliage. The bloom period lasts about three weeks, attracting many insect pollinators that receive both nectar and pollen. The plants go entirely dormant soon after that, so keep this in mind when choosing a location for them in the garden. They are substantial plants that can form large colonies, but that will also leave a large area bare once summer dormancy kicks in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eHerbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wild Flowers by Harry R. Phillips\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eNative Plant Herald-Plants That Grow Under Black Walnut Trees\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47949240729841,"sku":"MerVir1","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/ab1c4c71-ed2b-4d7f-a27a-0e0ac2efc92c.jpg?v=1774290004"},{"product_id":"podophyllum-peltatum-1","title":"Podophyllum peltatum (May Apples) - 1 gal","description":"\u003cp\u003eMayapple is one of the most distinctive and easily recognized native woodland wildflowers in our area. The large, umbrella-like leaves form extensive colonies in high-quality, moist woodlands as well as in disturbed wooded locations. The bold-textured foliage makes a quick and carefree groundcover, but it can shade out smaller plants and outgrow its space in smaller gardens. Only stems with paired leaves will bloom, with the waxy, cream-colored 3\" flower forming in the leaf axil under the protection of the leaves. It is common for clonal colonies of Mayapple to be unable to produce fruit because they are self-sterile. On the occasion that a flower gets cross-pollinated, usually by bumblebees or other long-tongued bees, it will form a yellow plum-like berry. The fruits are edible when soft and fully ripe, but before then they are poisonous like all other parts of the plant. As with any edible or medicinal plant, proper research must be done before consuming or making use of it. Besides curious humans, Box Turtles and small mammals seek out the fruits to eat and disperse the seeds to far-off locations to establish new colonies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eHerbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage\u003cbr\u003eEastern\/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eThe Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Tolerance\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47949245251825,"sku":"PodPel1","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/83289997-7b72-4996-84a7-6f80d992e29c.jpg?v=1774290043"},{"product_id":"sanguinaria-canadensis-1","title":"Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) - 1 gal","description":"\u003cp\u003eBloodroot is a dramatic native wildflower of rich, deciduous woods. An elegant, solitary white flower appears on a stalk that is clasped in the emerging leaf in early spring. The lightly fragrant flower will only open on sunny days. It has 8-12 petals with bright yellow stamens and is fleeting, only lasting 1-2 days. Afterward, the petals drop off, and the seed pod begins to develop while the rounded, scalloped leaves unfurl. The grey-green leaves continue to enlarge to a size of around 7\" across! These leaves remain fresh and distinctive into mid to late summer when the plants finally go dormant. Bloodroot gets its name from the thick, fleshy red rhizomes that ooze a sap which resembles blood when broken open. This sap was purportedly used by males of the Ponca tribe as a traditional wedding proposal tactic. They would rub a piece of root on their palm and shake hands with the girl they wanted to marry, then wait 5-6 days for the answer.* The blood red sap has also been used as a dye and medicinally, though this is not recommended as it contains alkaloids that could be potentially fatal if ingested. As with any edible or medicinal plant, proper research should be done before use. The rhizomes and fibrous root system require well-draining soil to avoid rotting. Rhizomatous growth leads Bloodroot to form vegetative colonies. The seeds also spread around, often a good distance from the mother plants, with a lot of help from ants! The ants gather the freshly ejected seeds and carry them back to their nests to eat the fleshy appendage attached to the seed coat (called elaiosomes.) The undamaged seeds are then discarded in their midden heaps, which are a perfectly rich and protected substrate for the seeds to germinate in. This mutualistic interaction helps many spring ephemerals to spread around the landscape, since most of their seeds are too heavy for wind transport and are unviable if they get desiccated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eGrowi\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47949246922993,"sku":"SanCan1","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/2d06ce8e-e434-401a-be58-1df27b15251c.jpg?v=1774290059"},{"product_id":"smilacina-maianthemum-racemosa-1","title":"Smilacina [Maianthemum] racemosa (False Solomon's Seal) - 1 gal","description":"\u003cp\u003eFalse Solomon’s Seal, also called Solomon’s Plume, is a graceful native woodland wildflower. It has a clump-forming growth habit with slowly spreading rhizomes. All of the tall, zig-zagging stems arch out towards the light in the same direction and form creamy white, fragrant plumes in late spring to early summer, which last for about three weeks. The flowers attract many bees and beetles, offering pollen in exchange for their pollination services. Green berries in grape-like clusters follow the flowers, turning white with red speckles and then ruby red by fall, adding a high degree of interest to the shade garden. Woodland bird species and small mammals eat the berries and distribute them to new destinations. The new shoots of False Solomon’s Seal can be prepared and eaten like asparagus, and the fleshy rhizomes were used medicinally by Native Americans and herbalists. As with any edible or medicinal plant, proper research must first be done before use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eEastern\/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke\u003cbr\u003ePeterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants Eastern\/Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eNative Plant Herald: Plants That Grow Under Black Walnut Trees\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47949247283441,"sku":"SmiRac1","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/f7db9b19-9ec8-44bb-8dad-b1698274906f.jpg?v=1774290074"},{"product_id":"stylophorum-diphyllum-1","title":"Stylophorum diphyllum (Wood Poppy) - 1 gal","description":"\u003cp\u003eWood Poppy, also called Celandine Poppy, is a native woodland wildflower with showy, 2\" wide, bright yellow flowers held above fuzzy, lobed foliage. The plants make tidy, bushy clumps of dense foliage with a long blooming period of four weeks or more. The flowers provide only pollen to insect visitors. Rounded, pickle-shaped, softly bristled seed pods form and go from green to yellow before bursting open and spilling the seeds to the ground below to be carried off by hungry ants. The ants eat the oily appendage attached to the seed coat (called elaiosomes.) The undamaged seeds are then discarded in their midden heaps, which are a perfectly rich and protected substrate for the seeds to germinate in. Wood Poppies will freely self-seed around the garden, leading to large colonies of butter-yellow flowers every spring. They can easily be dug and transplanted, shared with friends, or left to mature and bloom for many years! Wood Poppies are perfectly happy in moist, rich, deciduous shaded locations. After seed development in late spring to early summer, the foliage can begin to yellow and go dormant, especially in drought situations. If enough moisture is present in the soil through summer, it is possible that the plants can remain into the fall. Seedlings tend not to go dormant as quickly as mature plants.There is a non-native and invasive look-alike called Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) that is naturalized in disturbed and sunnier areas. These two species can be most easily distinguished by their seed pods, among other identifying factors. The non-native has long, narrow, and upright seed pods with no bristles or hairs, while our native Celandine Poppy has rounded, dangling, and bristly seed pods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eEastern\/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47949247578353,"sku":"StyDip1","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/19e8d86f-3816-42da-9aaa-17eb17fac7d3.jpg?v=1774290088"},{"product_id":"polygonatum-biflorum-solomons-seal-2-gal","title":"Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon's Seal) - 2 gal","description":"Solomon's Seal is an elegantly arching, graceful, native woodland wildflower. It has a clump-forming growth habit with slowly spreading rhizomes. Its medium green, oval shaped leaves zig-zag down long, unbranched stems which are upright and arching. It makes a stunning vertical accent in the shade garden! It pairs well with ferns, coralbells, hostas, foamflowers, and other classic woodland garden plants. The foliage becomes an attractive, delicate yellow in the autumn before fading away.In May and June, pendulous whiteish-green, bell-shaped flowers hang from the underside of the stems, usually in pairs, and attract a plethora of pollinators, mostly bees and occasionally even Ruby-throated Hummingbirds! The flowers offer both nectar and pollen. Greenish berries will follow the pollinated flowers, maturing to a beautiful blue-violet color. These berries are attractive to many woodland bird species. Unfortunately, White-tailed Deer are quite fond of Solomon's Seal and will often munch it down to the ground when they find it, so some protection may be warranted when planting it.Sources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eThe Midwestern Native Garden by Charlotte Adelman \u0026amp; Bernard L. Schwartz\u003cbr\u003eEastern\/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke\u003cbr\u003ePeterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants Eastern\/Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eThe Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Tolerance","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48078465958129,"sku":"PolBi2","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/d4926c66-f242-48fe-b135-0d06739305c4.jpg?v=1776971376"},{"product_id":"polygonatum-biflorum-var-commutatum-giant-solomons-seal-qt","title":"Polygonatum biflorum var commutatum (Giant Solomon's Seal) - QT","description":"The largest native Solomon's Seal with pendulous white flowers in early summer. Best in an organic, moist, woodland soil. Average to moist soils. Good rain garden plant.","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48078466023665,"sku":"PolbicomQt","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/952abd38-06d2-4a57-a6c8-a20fdd2cb48e_2f9b3413-a92c-4b0c-ab26-28c6ce62b28f.jpg?v=1776971378"},{"product_id":"trillium-erectum-purple-trillium-3qt","title":"Trillium erectum (Purple Trillium) - 3QT","description":"\u003cp\u003ePurple Trillium is a lovely native woodland wildflower that is relatively easy to grow because of its adaptability and vigor. The maroon flowers occur on a pedicel (short stalk) above the distinctive three-parted whorl of green leaves. They need moist, well-draining soils that are rich in organic matter and prefer an acidic pH. Deer relish Trillium spp. and will often eat the entire above-ground portion of the plants, so siting them in a protected area will be helpful in establishing a colony. They will go summer dormant after setting seed. The seeds of Purple Trilliums will spread around, often a good distance from the mother plants, with a lot of help from ants! The ants gather the freshly ejected seeds and carry them back to their nests to eat the fleshy appendage attached to the seed coat (called elaiosomes.) The undamaged seeds are then discarded in their midden heaps, which are a perfectly rich and protected substrate for the seeds to germinate in. This mutualistic interaction helps many spring ephemerals to spread around the landscape, since most of their seeds are too heavy for wind transport and are unviable if they get desiccated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eHerbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage\u003cbr\u003eEastern\/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eThe Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Tolerance\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48078479982833,"sku":"TriErec3QT","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/96b53507-fa87-4b4c-8328-43bbaee491f0.png?v=1776971698"},{"product_id":"trillium-grandiflorum-great-white-trillium-3qt","title":"Trillium grandiflorum (Great White Trillium) - 3QT","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreat White Trillium is a stunning, graceful woodland native as well as the state wildflower of Ohio! Its gorgeous 3-4\" wide, snow white flowers have three petals with a yellow center. The flower and three green sepals are held above the three-parted whorl of deep green leaves on a short stem (peduncle). The rootstock is a fat rhizome, once consumed for medicinal purposes, and the young leaves were eaten as a cooked green. The plants are too precious and slow-growing to even think of such a thing these days. Deer and rabbits, however, will seek out the above-ground portions and devour them. This can result in the death of the plant, so site them in a protected location if possible. Great White Trilliums require moist, well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter and a location out of direct sun. They will go summer dormant, or sometimes even earlier, without adequate soil moisture. Their planting location needs to be well thought out, as they do not transplant well or appreciate changes in growing conditions. They can be an extremely long-lived species in their ideal habitat, and they will slowly naturalize. The seeds will spread around, with a lot of help from ants. The ants gather the fresh seeds and carry them back to their nests to eat the fleshy appendage attached to the seed coat (called elaiosomes.) The undamaged seeds are then discarded in their midden heaps, which are a perfectly rich and protected substrate for the seeds to germinate in. This mutualistic interaction helps many spring ephemerals to spread around the landscape, since most of their seeds are too heavy for wind transport and are unviable if they get desiccated. A colony of Great White Trilliums is a breathtaking sight and takes ample patience and protection, but it is well worth the wait!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eHerbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wild Flowers by Harry R. Phillips\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird John\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48078480048369,"sku":"TriGran3QT","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/220fb596-6153-4bfb-b0f8-33a198db3b6e.jpg?v=1776971700"},{"product_id":"trillium-recurvatum-prairie-trillium-bloody-butcher-3qt","title":"Trillium recurvatum (Prairie Trillium, Bloody Butcher) - 3QT","description":"\u003cp\u003ePrairie Trillium, also known as Bloody Butcher, is a native woodland wildflower that is one of the easier Trillium spp. to grow in the garden due to its vigorous growth rate. The underground rhizomes spread quickly to form lovely loose colonies. The three-part leaves are mottled, adding an eye-catching contrast to the shade garden. The maroon flowers are sessile (attached directly without a stalk) and the recurved sepals hug the stem, giving this plant its Latin name. This is one of the smallest species of the sessile form of Trilliums. The common name of \"Prairie\" Trillium is misleading because its preferred habitat is rich woodlands in floodplains, with the shade of deciduous trees. They will go summer dormant after setting seed. The seeds of Prairie Trilliums will spread around, often a good distance from the mother plants, with a lot of help from ants! The ants gather the freshly ejected seeds and carry them back to their nests to eat the fleshy appendage attached to the seed coat (called elaiosomes). The undamaged seeds are then discarded in their midden heaps, which are a perfectly rich and protected substrate for the seeds to germinate in. This mutualistic interaction helps many spring ephemerals to spread around the landscape, since most of their seeds are too heavy for wind transport and are unviable if they get desiccated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSources:\u003cbr\u003eGrowing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina\u003cbr\u003eHerbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage\u003cbr\u003eMissouri Botanical Garden\u003cbr\u003eLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center\u003cbr\u003eIllinois Wildflowers\u003cbr\u003eNC State Extension\u003cbr\u003eThe Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Tolerance\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48078480146673,"sku":"TriRec3QT","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/files\/b18c601a-e7b3-40b1-9bb1-0390905be24f_c2325405-a85a-478d-a4e2-837d7467a4fe.jpg?v=1776971702"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/7092\/9905\/collections\/Trillium_sessile_Toadshade_Trillium_Flower_2.jpg?v=1775526095","url":"https:\/\/scioto-gardens-native-plant-nursery.myshopify.com\/collections\/spring-ephemerals.oembed","provider":"Scioto Gardens Native Plant Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}