Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Jump to: Invasve Species, Native Plants

See our Acres Land Trust, Agriculture section, Trees page.

Lindenwood Nature Preserve, 600 Lindenwood Avenue, is on the west side of Lindenwood Cemetery just across the road. It is a 110-acre wooded park featuring four hiking trails of varying lengths (one is wheelchair and stroller accessible) and a pond that allows visitors to see what the cemetery grounds and a lot of Allen County looked like when the cemetery opened in 1859.

Today is a beautiful day to come out and see some spring wildflowers at Lindenwood Nature Preserve. Lots of our wildlife are enjoying the pleasant temperatures as well!

Posted by Lindenwood Nature Preserve on Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Tuesday, April 9, 2024 post by the Lindenwood Nature Preserve on Facebook:

Today is a beautiful day to come out and see some spring wildflowers at Lindenwood Nature Preserve. Lots of our wildlife are enjoying the pleasant temperatures as well!

We have all seen those clumps of daffodils that are seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Well maybe it is "nowhere"...

Posted by Extension Master Gardener on Sunday, April 9, 2017

Sunday, April 9, 2017 post by the Extension Master Gardener on Facebook:

We have all seen those clumps of daffodils that are seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

Well maybe it is "nowhere" now, but that wasn't always the case.

This is an interesting short article on how the particular cultivar of daffodil can provide historical information on when it may have been planted and by whom.

'Blooms and Borders: How Daffodils Reveal Historic Buildings Foundations' via Southern Rambles, an outreach initiative of the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP) at Middle Tennessee State University.

Blooms and Borders: How Daffodils Reveal Historic Building Foundations April 3, 2017 Sherry Teal, CHP Graduate Research Assistant Southern Rambles.

A key paragraph from the article referring to the Southeast is:

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are now more than 40 species of daffodils and more than 20,000 registered cultivars. N. pseudonarcissus and N. incomparabilis are two of the popular cultivars planted in the Southeast (see William C. Welch, Heirloom Gardening in the South : Yesterday’s Plants for Today’s Gardens, 2011, pp. 352-4). Because there is a register of cultivars, we can narrow down the time frame of a building’s construction through the presence of daffodils. Daffodils can also mark the presence of graves when the tombstones have fallen and the slow accumulation of dirt covers them as the decade pass.

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February 16, 1874 is the earliest mention of growing a daffodil in Fort Wayne, IN papers found so far! in the The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Monday, February 16, 1874, Page 2 on Newspapers.com.

September 25, 1753 is the earliest mention of daffodils in newspaper found so far - To the Virtuosi in Flowers in The Gloucester Journal, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England, Tuesday, September 25, 1753, Page 3 on Newspapers.com.

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1. Daffodils are not native plants and rarely produce seed on their own. Daffodil pollen is too heavy to be windblown, and there isn’t nectar to attract pollinating insects. Copied from Do Daffodils Spread? Brent & Becky's Admin March 27, 2019 on The Bulb Blog. So when they are found growing in undeveloped or formerly occupied overgrown places the presence of daffodils most likely indicates previous human activity.
2. Daffodils did not become popular as ornamentals until the late 1800s, long after tulips were all the rage. Copied rom Narcissus: The Daffodil at PennState Extension.
3. After the establishment of the Virginia Company in 1606 and the settlement of Jamestown colony in 1609, daffodil bulbs were transported by sailing ships from Britain to America, often by women colonists who brought them along as a reminder of home. The bulbs adapted readily to the climate and conditions of the Virginia Tidewater region, and particularly the area known as the Middle Peninsula, which includes Gloucester and Mathews counties.
   I wandered lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
   When all at once I saw a crowd,
   A host, of golden daffodils
   —William Wadsworth, published 1807
   Caption of a historic marker in Gloucester, Virginia on Main Street: In his famous poem Wordsworth could have been referring to Gloucester and Mathews Counties, Virginia, where by the 1800's naturalized and planted daffodils bloomed
   Copied from Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists Marker in abundance each Spring. Copied from Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists History of the Daffodil in Gloucester County on The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org

1. 36-page Fort Wayne Plant List with photos and information by the City of Fort Wayne. Native plant species are recommended over exotic foreign species because they are well adapted to local climate conditions. This will result in less replacement and maintenance, while supporting the local ecology.
2. 28-page Historic Vegetation Patterns of Indiana State Forests Summarized from General Land Office Survey Notes By Hannah Ryker and AJ Ariens, IN DNR – Division of Forestry, 402 W. Washington St., Rm W296, Indianapolis, IN 46204,February 2018 Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

3. Summer Weed Program

   The Weed Program was developed to protect the public safety, health and welfare and enhance the environment of the City of Fort Wayne by eliminating tall grass, high weeds and other noxious vegetation (including poison ivy). Per the City's Ordinance (Chapter 100: Nuisances), a violation exists when the grass exceeds nine (9) inches or there is other poisonous vegetation on the property. [ CHAPTER 100: NUISANCES at American Legal Publishing ]

   Neighborhood Code Compliance's Weed Program is both proactive and reactive in its enforcement. Complaints come through the 311 Call Center, and the Weed Inspectors are responsible for canvasing their specific territory. Once a yard is deemed to be in violation, a placard is placed in the yard, and a letter to abate is sent to the owner of record. Property owners then have five (5) days to correct the violation. If grass, weeds, or noxious vegetation are not removed within that timeframe, the City's mowing contractors will cut the lawn and/or remove the noxious vegetation, and subsequently, the owner will be charged for the cost of the mowing which will include an administrative fee. If the mowing invoice is not paid within 30 days, a lien will be placed on the property.

   From the Community Development at the City of Fort Wayne

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Fort Wayne zone 6a (-10 to -5 °F/-23.3 to -20.6 °C) Temperature Change 2012-2023 +2°F

 USDA Unveils Updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map USDA Agricultural Research Service November 15, 2023

1916 - Make Definite Plants to Have A Beautiful Rose Garden Next Year

Article from Nov 29, 1916 The Weekly Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Fort wayne, Indiana, 1916, Rose garden

1916 - Make Definite Plants to Have A Beautiful Rose Garden Next Year The Weekly Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Wednesday, November 29, 1916, Page 10

Have you ever heard the popping sound when walking near a patch of Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis) during the fall time?...

Posted by Indiana Native Seed Communities on Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 post by the Indiana Native Seed Communities on Facebook:

Have you ever heard the popping sound when walking near a patch of Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis) during the fall time? If so, you were witnessing the ballichorous dispersal of the Wild Petunia's seed. Ballichory, or ballistic, dispersal of the plant's seeds is when the seeds are actively or passively catapulted away from the plant.

#seedsaving #indiananativeplantsociety #nativeseeds #nativeplantsociety #nativeplants #nativeseed #indiananativeplants

Native Plants

March 6, 2018 cover photo post by the Indiana Native Plant Society on Facebook: https://indiananativeplants.org/

Butterfly garden at Geist Christian Church, 12756 Promise Road, Fishers, Indiana.

 The tall "sunflower" in the back is cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum). The milkweed is swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Lilac flowers are "beebalm" Monarda didyma. Pink flowers are Phlox paniculata aka garden phlox.

Many Americans fear that unruly yards bring in pests and lower home values. An unruly yard is also seen as lazy...

Posted by Healthy Yards on Sunday, March 6, 2022

March 6, 2022 post by Healthy Yards on Facebook:

Many Americans fear that unruly yards bring in pests and lower home values. An unruly yard is also seen as lazy homeownership and as disrespect to those who invest time and money to be good citizens. If you can show that you too, care about your neighborhood, but do so in a different way, you can have a more respectful conversation. Mitigate the unruliness of your natural landscape by demonstrating it is intentional; Create clean lines and paths to show you do your 'maintenance'; Use signage and talk about your intentions. All around the country home owners associations and municipalities are adjusting their rules. Not because they are attacked for their conventional practices, but because most people do love birds and butterflies. www.healthyyards.org

Native plants and early Indiana botanical explorations posted March 22, 2014 on Archives of Hoosier History Live podcast on Saturdays, noon to 1 p.m. ET on WICR 88.7 FM. With, at long last, the arrival of spring - at least in terms of the calendar, if not the current weather - Hoosier History Live! will focus on our state's botanical heritage. And a special co-host will guide us during our look at native plants and early botanical explorations. ... So Jo Ellen [Meyers Sharp] and Michael [Homoya] will be ideal for this show, during which we will dig deep into botanical explorations across Indiana. The first known one occurred in 1795 by French explorer Andre Michaux. Some of Michaux's collections from the Indiana wilderness still exist in the national herbarium in Paris, according to Michael, who has personally seen them. Our first state forester, Charlie Deam (1865-1953), grew up on a family farm in Wells County and went on to chronicle native plants across the state, including specific locations in counties and townships. Known as the "father of Indiana botany," he collected more than 73,000 plant specimens from across Indiana, according to Michael Homoya. (His collection is now housed at the herbarium at Indiana University.) 

Blooms and Borders: How Daffodils Reveal Historic Building Foundations April 3, 2017 by Sherry Teal, CHP Graduate Research Assistant on Southern Rambles blog.

Milksickness was a deadly illiness for early pioneers taking the life of Nancy Hanks Lincoln October 5, 1818 in Spencer County, Indiana, mother of future President Abraham Lincoln. See our 1818 Timeline.

The Naturalist's Library by Jardine, William, Sir, 1800-1874 40 volumes at the University of California Libraries, also on Archive.org shows lots of early wildlife in the 19th century, such as our common ruby-throated hummingbird, the Ruby-crested Hummingbird on page 147 in the The Naturalist's Library Ornithology Humming Birds, Part I, Vol. VI. printed in London, probably in the 1860s. Unfortunately the first 25 pages are missing.

The plant world is bursting with variations in color and form underpinned by genetic diversity. Our world would not be...

Posted by Native Plant Trust on Wednesday, March 2, 2022

March 2, 2022 post by the Native Plant Trust on Facebook:

The plant world is bursting with variations in color and form underpinned by genetic diversity. Our world would not be as rich and inspiring if each organism was exactly like others of its kind. Growing plants from seed embraces the fact that there will be variation and difference in what emerges. These Canada lilies (Lilium canadense) are an excellent example of variation in flower color, in the degree and abundance of spots found on the petals. This is why Native Plant Trust strives to grow and offer for sale native plants grown from seeds that were sourced locally, an approach that welcomes plants that do not all look the same and embraces the inherent genetic diversity found within those seeds. When that genetic potential is expressed by the plants themselves, the results are simply marvelous. —Director of Horticulture Uli Lorimer

Photos (all Uli Lorimer ©Native Plant Trust): Canada lilies (Lilium canadense) inflorescences

Baptisia

Native Plant of the Week: Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis) Every garden should have false blue indigo (Baptisia...

Posted by Indiana Native Plant Society on Monday, April 15, 2019

Monday, April 15, 2019 post by the Indiana Native Plant Society on Facebook:

Native Plant of the Week: Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

Every garden should have false blue indigo (Baptisia australis), but lucky you if you find them in the wild in Indiana. They are extremely rare in Indiana, primarily along the Ohio River. (See map.)

They bloom best and do not need staked if planted in full sun, although they will tolerate some shade. In May and June, the 10- 12” flower stalks shoot up and are covered with blue pea-like flowers. The blooms are primarily pollinated by bumblebees seeking nectar.

It grows 3 to 4 feet tall with similar spread, resembling a small shrub. The foliage is an attractive blue-green all summer and is a host plant for several moths, skippers and butterflies.

Mid-summer, the seed pods start to form and create natural rattles that charm children and add a distinctive look to fall bouquets. Then is the time to harvest the seeds. The foliage looks good all summer even though seeds are formed.

Blue false indigo is slow to mature, at least to our eyes. The first few years, all its work is being done underground as it sends down a deep taproot (seven feet or more). This taproot will break up compacted soil, so it is a good plant to remediate your soil after construction. When you plant the seedling, be sure it's where you want to leave it as it is hard to transplant with the tap root.

There is a dwarf false blue indigo, Baptisia australis minor or sometimes Baptisia minor, but it does not occur in Indiana. Its native home is to the west of us.

Sanguinaria canadensis - Bloodroot

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) gets its name from the orange-red sap produced when its stem or roots are broken. The...

Posted by Peterson Field Guides on Monday, April 14, 2014

Monday, April 14, 2014 post by Peterson Field Guides on Facebook:

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) gets its name from the orange-red sap produced when its stem or roots are broken. The sap will stain, and was used by Native Americans as a reddish dye. It also contains toxins that block biological processes of animal cells; it was once promoted as a natural treatment for cancer (while this was never proven to work, it has since been shown to *cause* cancer in some instances). Bloodroot is found in woodlands of the east, blooming early in the spring before the leaf canopy has fully formed. Plants expand by an underground branching rhizome, but also reproduce by seed. The seeds are wrapped in a fleshy fruit-like elaiosome, which is attractive to ants. The ants will collect the seed and take it home to their nest, where the elaiosome is consumed. The seed is deposited in the nest's trash midden, where other discarded material provides a rich substrate for the seed's germination. Patches of bloodroot may be evidence of old (or, sometimes, current) anthills.

[Photo by BlueRidgeKitties on Flickr; CC-licensed]

Orchids

March 25, 2022 post by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Facebook:

WILDFLOWERS: Indiana is home to 40 native species of orchid including the tallest and most beautiful, yellow lady’s slipper. Standing 30 inches about the forest floor, the yellow lady’s slipper may be encountered in mid-May along a DNR forest trail. This orchid is so named for its large inflated lower flower. It is pollinated by larger bees, who receive no nectar or pollen as a reward for their efforts. Though widely distributed through the Hoosier state, these wild orchids are uncommon and declining. Habitat loss, invasive species and illegal collection from protected lands such as nature preserves, state forest and parks are behind the downswing. Learn more about Indiana’s nature preserves that provide permanent protection for rare species such as orchids at dnr.IN.gov/nature-preserves.

Skunk Cabbage

Anyone seeing skunk cabbage? This is a very interesting plant! Inside the hood of the spathe, it can reach 72 degrees...

Posted by Indiana Master Naturalist on Tuesday, March 2, 2021

March 2, 2021 post by Indiana Master Naturalist on Facebook:

Anyone seeing skunk cabbage? This is a very interesting plant! Inside the hood of the spathe, it can reach 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This warmth can melt snow and ice near the plant. Flies are the main pollinator for the flower as they are attracted to the foul smell it gives off.

Spring Beauty

Spring: Now showing at a preserve near you! Plan a visit at https://acreslandtrust.org/preserves/ Photo by Thomas Sprunger

Posted by ACRES Land Trust on Thursday, April 8, 2021

Thursday, April 8, 2021 post by ACRES Land Trust on Facebook:

Spring: Now showing at a preserve near you! Plan a visit at https://acreslandtrust.org/preserves/

Photo by Thomas Sprunger

Looking for early signs of spring? Virginia spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica) emerges before many other wildflowers....

Posted by Mt. Cuba Center on Sunday, March 27, 2022

Sunday, March 27, 2022 post by Mt. Cuba Center on Facebook:

Looking for early signs of spring? Virginia spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica) emerges before many other wildflowers. This petite ephemeral with delicate pale pink to white flowers can carpet the ground for up to three weeks. The flowers are arranged in clusters 4-6″ above linear strap-like foliage. In June, the leaves go dormant until the following year.

Trillium

March 25, 2024 post by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Facebook:

WILDFLOWERS: Most common in Indiana’s northern third, but scattered in select locations as far south as Brown County is the large-flowered trillium. Six species of trillium are native to Indiana. All parts of the plant are divisible by three. The white petals turn pink with age. This popular wildflower may form large colonies with dozens of simultaneous blooming plants. Trillium prefers forested slopes with little grazing or disturbance, especially in our nature preserves and state parks. Unfortunately, it has declined due to high deer populations. Plan a visit to see spring ephemerals such as trillium at an Indiana nature preserve: dnr.IN.gov/nature-preserves.

Witch Hazel

Did your grandma swear by witch hazel for skin issues? Turns out, it's not just a folk remedy! A recent study reveals...

Posted by USDA Agricultural Research Service on Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 post by the USDA Agricultural Research Service on Facebook:

Did your grandma swear by witch hazel for skin issues? Turns out, it's not just a folk remedy! A recent study reveals its real benefits for acne and inflammation. Discover more about this natural gem! Witch Hazel, Not Just for Grandma Anymore!