Very few introduced species ever become invasive but when they do the consequences can be enormous. On average, invasive species cost nearly $1.4 trillion worldwide. Plants represent the majority of invasive species and often travel unnoticed to new locations. Invasive plants pose risks to biodiversity, impact landscapes, and may cause detrimental impacts to organisms including…

Two years ago Roanoke College was given a Tree of 40 Fruits for our campus. The tree is a combination of art and science, but it serves symbolic purposes as well. The tree has 40 stone fruits grafted onto a plum tree. Each of the stone fruits will provide different spring blossom colors, different stone…

The talk will focus on the different ways plants communicate, directly and indirectly. Rafael Castañeda-Saldaña received his two bachelor’s degrees in Plant Science and Landscape Horticulture from the University of Delaware. His undergraduate research was focused on plant-microbe interactions. The first project looked at a soil dwelling bacteria Bacillus and a model plant Arabidopsis. The…

Arcadia is one of the Blue Ridge Wildflower Society’s old standbys. This area, located in the Jefferson National Forest, offers a beautiful stream, a waterfall and easy hiking. It offers an early bird view of many of spring’s earliest wildflower species. Spring beauty, toothwort, hepatica, trout lily, and many others are regularly spotted here. Many…

Some of the plants that might be in bloom are: hepatica, spicebush, bloodroot, toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, large-flowered bellwort, perfoliate bellwort, dwarf larkspur, and large-flowered trillium. Most of the trail is paved. Some of it is slightly hilly, but short. Total walking will be about 1.5 miles. This is a new field trip for our chapter.…

Green Hill Park is the Roanoke Valley’s prize when it comes to spring flowers. Drive into the park and go as far as the road will take you. There is a parking lot and a picnic pavilion there. The trail is behind the pavilion. See large flowered trillium as you’ve never seen it before. Canada…

We need about 10 or 12 volunteers to help us pot young plants for our only fundraising sale that takes place Saturday, May 9. We will serve food and drinks afterward. With more than 300 pots, we are looking to store and transport about 24 trays. The club will provide the plants, soil, fertilizer, pots…

Preserve leader John Ford. Falls Ridge has been preserved for its unique geologic formations and rare flora and fauna. The twin falls are ever changing due to the eroding and depositing of limestone contained in the stream that forms the falls. The travertine stream with stair step formations is rare in this area. It is…

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: Please call Ellen Holtman 540-389-1514 This hidden gem is privately owned by Bernice and Armand Thieblot, members of our Virginia Native Plant Society. In 1991 they bought 600 acres of post-industrial property in Nelson County and over two decades they have devoted finances and labor to cleaning it up and developing 40 acres…

Jim will cover pollination and some of the many native bee species we have locally, With so much focus on honey bees (non-native by the way), it will be interesting to see what nature has to offer here in our own back yard. James Wilson is a Virginia Agriculture Extension Agent.