2016 old field plants study materials eslancasterconservation.org/wp...trees-field-meadows.pdf ·...
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2016 Junior Envirothon (ES)
Old Field Plants Study Materials REFERENCE MATERIALS
• Common Trees of PA (DCNR): Glossary, Leaf Parts and Types, Tree Parts and specific tree/shrub summaries
o http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/plants/commontrees/index.htm • A Golden Guide: Trees • National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region • Tree Fact Sheets at Virginia Tech’s Dendrology Site:
o http://www.dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/factsheets.cfm QUESTIONS:
• Test questions will address the listed tree and shrub species o Identification of specimens may include leaves, flowers, fruit/seeds and/or twigs.
� Pictures of each of these parts for each specimen are not included with this list, but will be disseminated at a later date and can be can be found in the reference materials
� Additional study materials will be disseminated at a later date • Tie Breaker questions may be drawn from outside the included tree species list, glossary
and other study materials. Topics may include identification of additional specimens, additional vocabulary, PA’s forest history or other topics.
PLANT SPECIES LIST CONIFERS HARDWOODS SMALLER
TREES/SHRUBS Red Cedar White Oak Common Milkweed Black Cherry Multiflora Rose Box Elder Japanese Honeysuckle Black Locust Common Mullein Ailanthus Black Raspberry Daisy Fleabane
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana
Eastern redcedar is a
common conifer growing on
a wide variety of sites across
a broad range of eastern and
central states. It is valued
for its wood quality and its
ability to provide wildlife with
food and cover. Eastern
redcedar is also useful as a
soil stabilizer and a wind-
break.
Light
Water
Growth
Size
Timber Value Eastern redcedar is used for cedar-scented closets and chests,
fenceposts, lumber, poles, boats, paneling, pencils, and cedarwood oil, a
fragrant extract.
Wood
Grain
Wildlife Value The dense habit of eastern redcedar provides birds and deer with good cover. Fruits are eaten by many
different species of birds and mammals.
Attracts: waxwings, bobwhite, quail, ruffed grouse, pheasant, turkey, rabbit, fox, raccoon, skunk,
opossum, coyote
Regeneration methods
This species is not commonly regenerated. Methods that provide an abundance of light, such as clearcuts
and seed-trees will work, especially on lower quality sites. Growth can be accelerated by competition control
and thinning.
Important Problems Early Detection tips cedar-apple gall (alternate
host) orange, jelly-like fingered balls in spring
Fun facts The berries of Juniperus species are used to provide gin with its characteristic flavor. Cedar chests and
lined closets prevent moth damage to wool clothing because the volatile cedar oil is a natural insecticide.
Juniperus Latin name from "junio" (young) and "parere" (to produce) - evergreen. virginiana of Virginia.
eastern redcedar
Juniperus virginiana
Leaf: Evergreen, very small, with two types of leaves (often on the same tree), scale-like leaves 1/16 inch long, dark green, with 4
sides held tightly to twig and longer (1/4 inch), dark blue-green needle-like leaves that are more common on young trees and fast
growing shoots.
Flower: Dioecious; but occasionally monoecious; males are small, yellow-brown, occurring in large groups; females are light blue-
green.
Fruit: Berry-like cones, light green in spring, turning dark blue and glaucous at maturity, about 1/4 inch in diameter, appearing in
spring and maturing in the fall.
Twig: Green for several years, covered in scales, later turning brown.
Bark: Red-brown in color, exfoliating in long, fibrous strips, often ashy gray where exposed.
Form: A small tree with a dense ovoid or columnar crown reaching up to 60 feet tall.
Looks like: Atlantic white-cedar - common juniper - Chinese juniper - redberry juniper
white oak Quercus alba
White oak is a deciduous species of
wide distribution across the eastern
U.S. It is renowned for its quality
wood, acorn production for wildlife,
and picturesque stature in old age.
Light Fall Color. Water
Growth
Size
Timber Value
White oak is used for lumber for beams, railroad ties, bridge planking,
mine timbers, flooring, furniture, veneer, barrel staves, etc.
Wood
Grain
Wildlife Value Over 180 wildlife species have been reported to use white oak acorns for food. Twigs and foliage are
browsed by deer.
Attracts: squirrels, mice, chipmunks, raccoons, bluejays, crows, woodpeckers, turkeys, quail, ducks,
deer
Regeneration methods
White oak's intermediate shade tolerance allows for regeneration by shelterwood or group selection
methods. Clearcutting is feasible if white oak saplings are numerous in the understory. White oak stump
sprouts, and this may compliment regeneration. Reduction of competition will help counter white oak's slow
growth.
Fun facts White oak can grow very large and live 3 to 5 centuries. It is a useful tree, producing edible acorns, (soak
them first to wash out tannins), preferred by turkey and deer. The wood is used for "tight cooperage" and
was used for whiskey barrels.
Quercus Latin name. alba white.
white oak
Quercus alba
Leaf: Alternate, simple, oblong to ovate in shape, 4 to 7 inches long; 7 to 10 rounded, finger-like lobes, sinus depth varies from
deep to shallow, apex is rounded and the base is wedge-shaped, green to blue-green above and whitish below.
Flower: Monoecious; male flowers are yellow-green, borne in naked, slender catkins, 2 to 4 inches long; female flowers are reddish
green and appear as very small single spikes; appearing with the leaves in mid-spring.
Fruit: Ovoid to oblong acorn, cap is warty and bowl-shaped, covers 1/4 of the fruit; cap always detaches at maturity; matures in
one growing season in the early fall.
Twig: Red-brown to somewhat gray, even a bit purple at times, hairless and often shiny; multiple terminal buds are red-brown,
small, rounded (globose) and hairless.
Bark: Whitish or ashy gray, varying from scaly on smaller stems to irregularly platy or blocky on large stems. On older trees smooth
patches are not uncommon.
Form: A very large tree; when open grown, white oaks have rugged, irregular crowns that are wide spreading, with a stocky bole. In
the forest crowns are upright and oval with trees reaching up to 100 feet tall and several feet in diameter.
Looks like: overcup oak - bur oak - post oak - sand post oak
black cherry Prunus serotina
Black cherry is one of the most
prized hardwoods of eastern and
central U.S. forests. It grows best
and is most commercially valuable
along the Allegheny plateau of
Pennsylvania, New York, and West
Virginia, and in scattered pockets in
the southern Appalachian mountains
and uplands of the Gulf coastal
plain.
Light Fall Color. Water
Growth
Size
Timber Value
Black cherry is used for veneer, furniture, cabinets, paneling,
interior trim, handles, crafts, toys, scientific instruments, etc.
Wood
Grain
Wildlife Value Many birds and mammals eat black cherry fruits. Deer, rabbits, and hares browse foliage and stems.
Attracts: turkeys, many other birds, squirrels, mice, moles, deer, rabbits, hares
Regeneration methods
Clearcutting works if a considerable amount of black cherry undergrowth already exists. Shelterwoods
are useful when young black cherries are not prevalent and need to be encouraged.
Important Problems Early Detection tips black knot rough black swelling on twigs, branches, trunk
Fun facts Black cherry leaves, twigs, and bark contain a cyanide precurser that is released whenever plant tissue is
damaged (e.g., wilted). Because of this black cherry trees are potentially lethal to livestock. Black cherry
trees grow the largest of the North American cherries. The fruits can be made into jams and jellies. The wood
is orange-brown and prized for furniture making.
Prunus Latin name for plum trees from Greek "prunos" (plum or cherry). serotina Latin "serus" (late) - late
maturing fruit.
black cherry
Prunus serotina
Leaf: Alternate, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong to lance-shaped, finely serrated, very small inconspicuous glands on petiole, dark
green and lustrous above, paler below; usually with a dense yellowish-brown, sometimes white pubescence along mid-rib.
Flower: Small white flowers in hanging, narrow clusters 4 to 6 inches long, appearing in late spring.
Fruit: Dark purple round drupe, almost black when ripe, 1/3 inch in diameter with a bitter-sweet taste; matures in late summer.
Twig: Slender, reddish brown, sometimes covered in gray epidermis, pronounced bitter almond odor and taste; buds are very small
(1/5 inch),covered in several glossy, reddish brown to greenish scales. Leaf scars are small and semicircular with 3 bundle scars.
Bark: Smooth with numerous short, narrow, horizontal lenticels when young; becomes very dark (nearly black), breaking up into
small, rough, irregular, upturned plates (burnt corn flakes), when older.
Form: Medium sized tree which (on good sites) develops a long, straight, clear bole and can reach heights approaching 100 feet.
Looks like: sweet cherry - American plum - choke cherry - fire cherry
boxelder Acer negundo
Boxelder is a common tree of
generally small size and great
tolerance. It is common in waste
areas and is considered by some
to be weed-like in nature. It can
be used as a street tree in harsh
urban environments and a soil
stabilizer in disturbed areas.
Light Fall Color. Water
Growth
Size
Timber Value Boxelder is used for boxes, rough construction lumber, cheap
furniture and woodenwares.
Wildlife Value Birds and squirrels eat boxelder seeds. Deer browse plant parts during the fall.
Attracts: birds, squirrels, deer
Regeneration methods
Intentional regeneration of boxelder is uncommon. It can sometimes be difficult to keep boxelder from
invading sites following disturbance.
Fun facts Boxelder has little, if any commercial use. The wood is susceptible to storm damage. Native Americans
from the Plains used to make a syrup out of the sap - not so sweet as that made from sugar maple sap.
Because of its compound leaves, boxelder is sometimes referred to as "ashleaf" maple.
Acer Latin name - sharp (leaves or used as lances) or Celtic "ac" (hard). negundo Latinized form of
Malayan name - leaves resemble genus Vitex.
boxelder
Acer negundo
Leaf: Opposite, pinnately compound, 3 to 5 leaflets (sometimes 7), 2 to 4 inches long, margin coarsely serrate or somewhat lobed,
shape variable but leaflets often resemble a classic maple leaf, light green above and paler below.
Flower: Dioecious; yellow-green, in drooping racemes; appearing in spring.
Fruit: Paired V-shaped samaras, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, in drooping clusters, light tan when ripe in fall, persist throughout winter.
Twig: Green to purplish green, moderately stout, leaf scars narrow, meeting in raised points, often covered with a glaucous bloom;
buds white and hairy, lateral buds appressed.
Bark: Thin, gray to light brown, with shallow interlacing ridges; young bark is generally warty.
Form: Medium sized tree to 60 feet, typically with poor form and multiple trunks; sprouts often occur on bole.
Looks like: Rocky Mountain maple - green ash - poison-ivy
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia
Black locust is a tenacious eastern species,
commonly found as a pioneer on disturbed
sites. Its ability to "fix" atmospheric
nitrogen and grow rapidly have led to its
use for land reclamation. Despite being
short-lived and subject to insect attacks
and heart-rot, black locust remains a
valuable species in many utilitarian ways.
Light Fall Color. Water
Growth
Size
Timber Value Black locust is used for fenceposts, mine timbers, poles, railroad ties, ship
timbers, wooden pins, pegs, nails, stakes, boxes, crates, pulpwood, fuelwood,
and novelties.
Wood
Grain
Wildlife Value Black locust provides cover for a variety of species. Deer browse seedlings and young trees. Heartrot
leads to use by cavity excavating birds.
Attracts: northern bobwhite, deer, squirrels, woodpeckers, flickers, screech owls
Regeneration methods
Black locust is not commonly regenerated deliberately and is often considered a weed in timber
production. Very intolerant of shade, black locust requires clearcut or seed-tree methods. It stump sprouts
and root suckers abundantly.
Important Problems Early Detection tips locust borer swelling and sap stained wood
loucst leafminer browning foliage in early summer
Fun facts Rhizobial root nodules allow trees to "fix" atmospheric nitrogen into plant usable form. Black locust flowers
are used in honey production. Locust borers allow heartrot fungi to enter trunks and the resultant fungal
bodies are often used as 'artist conks'. Black locust is excellent firewood.
Robinia after Jean Robin, French Herbalist. pseudoacacia false acacia, Greek "akakia" (the Egyptian thorn-
tree) and "akis" (thorn).
black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7 to 19 leaflets, 8 to 14 inches long. Leaflets are oval, one inch long, with entire margins.
Leaves resemble sprigs of grapes; green above and paler below.
Flower: Monoecious; perfect, showy and fragrant, white, 1 inch long and pea-like, borne in long (5 inches) hanging clusters, appear
in mid to late spring.
Fruit: Flattened legume, light brown, 2 to 4 inches long; containing 4 to 8 kidney-shaped, smooth, red-brown seeds, ripen in the
fall.
Twig: Zigzag, somewhat stout and angular, red-brown in color, numerous lighter lenticels. Paired spines at each leaf scar (often
absent on older or slow growing twigs); buds are submerged beneath the leaf scar.
Bark: Gray or light brown, thick and fibrous, heavily ridged and furrowed, resembles a woven rope.
Form: A medium sized tree to 70 feet, with a relatively straight trunk and a crown of crooked branches. Often forms thickets by
root suckering.
Looks like: bristly locust - New Mexican locust - honeylocust - pea tree
tree-of-heaven
Ailanthus altissima
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, 1 to 3 feet long, with 11 to 41 leaflets, leaflets are 2 to 6 inches long, pointed at the tip with
large, glandular teeth near the base, green above and below.
Flower: Dioecious; small yellow-green, in long (6 to 12 inches) clusters, males have a disagreeable odor, appearing in late spring to
early summer.
Fruit: An oblong, twisted samara, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long with the seed in the center, hanging in long clusters, ripens in late summer
and disperse through the winter.
Twig: Stout, yellow to red-brown, with fine velvety hairs when young, easily broken with a large reddish brown pith; buds are
relatively small and half-spherical sitting above large, heart-shaped leaf scars; terminal bud is absent. Strong odor (some are
reminded of peanut butter) when broken.
Bark: Thin, light brown to gray, resembles the skin of a cantaloupe when young, later turning darker gray and rough.
Form: A short to medium sized tree to 70 feet with heavy, open branches. Lower branches on larger trees tend to droop. Often
grows in clumps.
Looks like: smooth sumac - black walnut - Kentucky coffeetree - poison sumac
Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Leaf: Opposite, simple, ovate to oval, 1 to 2 inches long, entire margin, sometimes lobed, semi-evergreen, light green and
somewhat pubescent.
Flower: Fragrant, 1/2 to 1 inch long, white or yellowish-white long petals, appearing in late spring.
Fruit: Small (1/4 inch diameter), black berry, often in pairs, ripen in fall and persist into early winter.
Twig: Slender, initially pubescent, light brown in color developing scaly, thin bark, hollow pith; buds small.
Bark: Long, shreddy peeling strips, light red-brown to straw-colored.
Form: A scrambling, twisting vine with no tendrils or aerial roots, forms dense thickets in bushes and trees and sprawls
along the ground.
Looks like: Oriental bittersweet - false jessamine - swamp jessamine
multiflora rose
Rosa multiflora
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound leaf, 3 to 5 inches long, 5 to 11 serrated leaflets, comb-like stipules along base of petiole, dark
green above and paler below.
Flower: White, 5 wedge-shaped petals, 2 inches across, occurring in clusters, fragrant, appearing in early summer.
Fruit: Red to reddish brown, 1/4 inch, oblong, fleshy "hip", ripens in late summer and persist through the winter.
Twig: Green or greenish-red, usually with paired, curved prickles, long and arching stems; buds red, pointed.
Bark: Brown, finely shreddy at base.
Form: Sprawling arching stems which form a large round crown and dense thickets; individual stems often reaching high into the air
when supported.
Looks like: Alleghany blackberry - black raspberry - rugosa rose - small-leaved rose
black raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
Leaf: Alternate, palmately compound, 3 to 5 inches long and wide, 3 to 5 leaflets with serrated margins, small prickles on petiole,
light green above, and much paler (nearly white) below.
Flower: Monoecious; not showy, 5 small greenish white petals, appearing in late spring.
Fruit: Juicy, black, multiple of drupes, 1/2 inch across, ripen in mid-summer. When picked they separate from the fleshy core
forming a hollow shell.
Twig: Arching "canes" which generally live 2 years. Purplish-red with an abundance of white glaucous bloom and hooked prickles.
Canes readily root at the tips when they contact the ground.
Bark: Similar to canes but darker and not glaucous.
Form: Arching canes may reach 3 to 5 feet high, often forming dense tangled thickets.
Looks like: Alleghany blackberry - prickly Florida blackberry - dewberry - raspberry
Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
Description: This native perennial plant is 2-6' tall and unbranched. The
leaves are dull green, up to 8" long and 3½" wide, oblong or oval in shape,
and mostly oppositely arranged on the central stem. There is a prominent
central vein along the length of each leaf, and finer side veins that radiate
outward toward the smooth margins. When either the central stem or
leaves are torn, a milky sap oozes out that has variable toxicity in the form
of cardiac glycosides. Umbels of flowers, each about 3-4" across, emerge
from the axils of the upper leaves. These flowers are quite fragrant, with a
scent resembling violets or pansies, and they range in color from faded light
pink to reddish purple. Each flower is about ¼" across, with 5 reflexed
petals that occasionally entrap the legs of insects, and 5 raised hoods with a
horn arising in the middle. The blooming period lasts about a month from
early to mid-summer. The seedpods are 3-4" long, rather fat and covered
with soft prickles, and they split along one side when mature to release
numerous seeds that are individually equipped with large white tufts of
hair. Dispersion of seed is by wind. The root system has long creeping
rhizomes, promoting the vegetative spread of this plant.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, rich loamy soil, and mesic
conditions, but this robust plant can tolerate a variety of situations,
including partial sun and a high clay or sand content in the soil. Under ideal
conditions, Common Milkweed can become 6' tall and spread aggressively,
but more typically it is about 3-4' tall. This plant is very easy to grow once it
becomes established.
Range & Habitat: Common Milkweed occurs in every county of
Pennsylvania and is quite common. Habitats include thickets, woodland borders, fields and pastures, abandoned fields, vacant lots,
fence rows, and areas along railroads and roadsides. This plant is a colonizer of disturbed areas in both natural and developed
habitats.
Faunal Associations: The flowers are very popular with many kinds of insects, especially long-tongued bees, wasps, flies, skippers,
and butterflies, which seek nectar. Other insect visitors include short-tongued bees, various Milkweed plant bugs, and moths,
including Sphinx moths. Among these, the larger butterflies, predatory wasps, and long-tongued bees are more likely to remove the
pollinia from the flowers. Some of the smaller insects can have their legs entrapped by the flowers and die. Common Milkweed
doesn't produce fertile seeds without cross-pollination. The caterpillars of Danaus plexippes (Monarch Butterfly) feed on the foliage,
as well as the caterpillars of a few moths, including Enchaetes egle
(Milkweed Tiger Moth), Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia), and
Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia). Less common insects feeding on this
plant include Neacoryphus bicrucis (Seed Bug sp.) and Gymnetron tetrum
(Weevil sp). Many of these insects are brightly colored – a warning to
potential predators of the toxicity that they acquired from feeding on
milkweed. Mammalian herbivores don't eat this plant because of the
bitterness of the leaves and their toxic properties.
Comments: Depending on the local ecotype, Common Milkweed is
highly variable in appearance. The color of the flowers may be attractive,
or faded and dingy-looking. This plant is often regarded as a weed to be
destroyed, but its flowers and foliage provide food to many kinds of
insects. Common Milkweed can be distinguished from other milkweeds
by its prickly follicles (seedpods) – other Asclepias spp. have follicles that
are smooth, or nearly so.
Common or Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus
Description: During the 1st year, this adventive or introduced biennial
plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves about 1-2' across. During the 2nd
year, it becomes 3-7' tall and is usually unbranched. Occasionally, one or
two side stems may develop in the upper half of the plant. These stems are
covered with downy white hairs. The alternate leaves are up to 12" long and
4" across, becoming progressively smaller and more narrow as they ascend
the central stem. They are obovate or oblong-ovate, smooth or slightly
crenate along the margins (which are sometimes wavy), and covered with
fine downy hairs. The lower leaves taper gradually to a narrow winged base,
while the upper leaves are partially decurrent against the stem. The dense
branched hairs provide the foliage with a color that is whitish or greyish
green. The central stem terminates in a dense spike of flowers about ½–2'
long. Each flower is about ¾" across and consists of 5 pale yellow petals, 5
hairy green sepals, 5 stamens, and a pistil. The 3 upper stamens are covered
with white or yellow hairs, while the 2 lower stamens are hairless. The
blooming period usually occurs during the summer and lasts about 1½
months. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Each flower is
replaced by a seed capsule with 2 cells, each cell containing numerous little
seeds. The rectangular-oblong seeds have fine wavy ridges and tiny pits
across the surface. While the foliage withers away, the central stalk and its
seed capsules turn brown and persist through the winter. The seeds are
small enough to be carried aloft by the gusts of wind that shake the central
stalk. The root system consists of a stout taproot that runs deep into the
ground. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: Typical growing conditions are full sun and mesic to dry soil
that often contains clay or stony material. The foliage is little bothered by pests and disease, although some of the lower leaves may
wither away during a drought. The seeds can lie dormant in the soil for several decades and remain capable of germination.
Range & Habitat: Great Mullein is a common plant that occurs in all counties of Pennsylvania. It is native to Eurasia, and may have
been introduced into the United States as an herbal or ornamental plant. Habitats include limestone glades, rocky slopes and clay
banks, pastures and fallow fields, areas along railroads and roadsides, vacant lots, and dry waste areas. Disturbed areas are
preferred.
Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the most important pollinators of the
flowers, where they seek nectar and pollen. Other insect visitors, which seek
pollen, include Halictid bees and Syrphid flies. An unusual group of bees,
consisting primarily of Anthidium spp. (Carder Bees) in North America, use the
fuzzy hairs from the foliage as a water-proof lining in their nests. The seeds of
Great Mullein are too small to be of much interest to birds, while the hairy
foliage is avoided by mammalian herbivores. Both the foliage and the seeds
may contain toxic compounds.
Comments: Great Mullein is an imposing plant with interesting foliage and
form. The flowers seem small and inconspicuous in comparison with the rest of
the plant. This is an easy plant to identify, although there are other Verbascum
spp. (Mulleins) in the Old World that have a similar appearance. Of these, only Verbascum phlomoides (Orange Mullein) is known to
occur in Illinois, although it is rare within the state. This latter species has larger flowers (at least 1" across) that range in color from
pale yellow to orange-yellow. While Great Mullein has dense spikes of flowers, the flowering spikes of Orange Mullein are more
interrupted and less dense. The leaves of Orange Mullein are less hairy and more green on the upper surface, and its upper leaves
are only slightly decurrent against the stem. There are other introduced Mulleins, but they are smaller and less hairy plants that
produce panicles or racemes of flowers, rather than spikes. At one time, the dried stalks of Great Mullein were dipped in wax or
tallow and used as torches.
Daisy Fleabane Erigeron strigosus
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Description: This native annual or biennial plant is erect and
up to 3' tall. It is largely unbranched, except for a few side
stems near the inflorescence at the apex. The ridged central
stem has spreading white hairs near the base, but these hairs
become short and appressed along its middle and upper
portions. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 2/3"
across, becoming smaller and more sparsely distributed as
they ascend the stems. They are usually oblanceolate
(shaped like a narrow spoon), narrowly ovate, or linear. Some
of the larger leaves may have a few coarse teeth toward their
outer tips. The base of each leaf narrows gradually to a
slender petiole-like base.
The upper stems terminate in small clusters of daisy-like compound flowers and their buds. The buds have appressed fine hairs that
are difficult to see. The compound flowers are about ½" across, consisting of about 40-100 ray florets that surround numerous disk
florets. The tiny disk florets are yellow, while the ray florets are usually white (sometimes light violet or pink). The blooming period
occurs primarily from late spring to mid-summer, and lasts about 1-2 months. However, some plants may bloom later in the year
until the early fall. The flowers may have a mild fragrance. Both the ray and disk florets can set fertile seed without cross-pollination.
The small achenes enclosing the seeds have small bristles or white hairs that promote distribution of the seeds by wind. The root
system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by re-seeding itself, and often forms loose colonies.
Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and poor soil containing clay or stony material. In moist situations with richer
soil, Daisy Fleabane may have trouble competing with taller plants with broader leaves. This plant tends to fade away after flowering
and setting seed.
Range & Habitat: Daisy Fleabane is common and has been reported from all counties of Pennsylavnia. Habitats include limestone
glades, eroding clay banks, pastures and abandoned fields, and areas along roadsides and railroads. While this plant species favors
disturbed areas, it is more likely to occur in higher quality habitats than the closely related Erigeron annuus (Annual Fleabane).
Faunal Associations: Primarily small bees and flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Among the bees, are such visitors as Little
Carpenter bees, Nomadine bees, Carder bees, Green Metallic bees, and Plasterer bees. An exceptional variety of flies also visit the
flowers, while less common visitors include small butterflies, wasps, and beetles. The caterpillars of Schinia lynx (Lynx Flower Moth)
eat the buds and flowerheads. Mammalian herbivores occasionally feed on the foliage and flowers, including livestock, deer, rabbits,
and groundhogs.
Comments: Daisy Fleabane resembles Erigeron annuus (Annual Fleabane), but robust specimens of these two species are fairly
easy to distinguish. Daisy Fleabane is a more slender plant with fewer and skinnier leaves, and the hairs along the middle and upper
portions of the central stem are short and appressed, rather than spreading outward. However, some malnourished specimens of
Annual Fleabane can resemble Daisy Fleabane, thus becoming a source of possible confusion. While the fleabanes are often
dismissed as 'weeds' because of their ubiquitousness during the summer, they are actually rather cheerful plants that are beneficial
to many small insects that play an important role in the functioning of the ecological system.
Information from:
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/main.htm
2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff
Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.
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http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info
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