By Jennifer Devine
Every winter I find myself falling into a state of dormancy. The cold, darker days to me are a time of rest. A time to recharge, to help us bounce into the next year with vigor.
Dormancy for animals means their normal bodily functions are slowed or suspended for a time, as if in a coma. American bullfrog and wood frog, garter snake, Indiana bat, groundhog, 13-lined ground squirrel, skunk, and American black bear are the only Michigan animals which hibernate.
Dormancy for plants means they are alive but not actively growing. Deciduous trees and shrubs, some house plants and outside perennials go dormant. Conifers go through a seasonal change with their needles but are not completely inactive.
As human beings, we might worry we’re doing too little, brushing people off because we would rather lie around the house on a winter’s night. We’re lying dormant, resting and waiting for the weather to warm up and the days to get longer. (If you are experiencing seasonal depression, however, please see your medical provider).
So, what am I doing as I wait for spring? I’m reading about native Michigan flora to put in the ground. Seeking vibrant colors. In this current world of white and gray and black, a splash of color is a welcome thought. Let me share some great ideas for adding red to your garden.
Cardinal flower
The cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis in the bellflower family Campanulaceae is an almost 4-foot-tall bright bloomer. The long, wide-middled, lance-shaped leaf (lanceolate) can grow to 8 inches long and 2 inches wide.
The flower grows in several Midwest states and graces many home gardens in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. In the wild, it has been found growing in a nature park in Schoolcraft County in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In western Michigan, the flower has been observed growing along the banks of the Manistee and Platte rivers and in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Mason County bird researcher and consulting ecologist David Dister reported its presence in Ludington State Park during a 2009-2014 field study published in “The Great Lakes Botanist”, (2017).
This brilliantly hued Michigan native flower thrives in damp and waterlogged soils and would be the perfect addition near a downspout, pond or other continuously wet-to-moist areas. The five-petaled (or lobed) cardinal flower blooms scarlet red but can be found in white and pink, July-September. If you’re looking for a showstopper, this is a must.
The Great Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), a different species in the family, blooms bright blue and is primarily pollinated by bees, whereas cardinal flower is mainly pollinated by ruby-throated hummingbirds and some butterflies. Amazingly, this plant has been used medicinally for hundreds of years but can be potentially toxic. The roots and flowers have also been used by the Pawnee in a love charm!
You can purchase cardinal flowers through the Mason-Lake Conservation District’s partnership with AFFEW, A Few Friends for the Environment of the World, during the annual native plant sale held June 11 in Ludington. In Manistee, you may purchase the perennials from Black Cap Nursery in Onekama, a partner of the Manistee Conservation District.
Red-osier dogwood
Speaking of red, you’ve probably seen shrubs growing in wet areas and moist roadside ditches which are long, twiggy and reddish, giving stark contrast to the dull grays, browns and white of the winter landscape. The multi-stemmed red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a deciduous shrub that reaches 4 to 8 feet tall. The shrub spreads rapidly underground by stolons just under the surface. Strawberries have stolons above the surface; we just call them runners. These stolons form dense thickets and would be great as a wall in the garden, if correctly contained. The colorful plants are currently used to restore banks and reduce erosion in our waterways.
Their leaves are oblong to ovate, being rounded from stem to tip up to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide. They are a lush dark green on top and pale bluish-gray to bluish-green underneath, turning red to purple in fall before dropping in winter. Leaf texture is silky, which is part of their scientific name: sericea.
The 4- to 5-petaled flowers in spring are small, flat, creamy-white and formed in clusters. White berries pop up in late summer.
Found in almost every county in the Lower and Upper Peninsula, the plant is beloved by many animals in all seasons. Bees and butterflies love her nectar, and ducks, birds and mice enjoy the high fat content of the berries. This shrub is also essential to other wildlife such as elk, deer and rabbits which consume the leaves and munch on the stems. Beavers enjoy putting these stems in their dams. Indigenous peoples have used the bitter berries for many medicinal uses still in practice. The inner pith is rubbery and when scraped can be used as a tobacco substitute. The showy red stems are used in basket weaving, just like willow.
Always use caution and seek guidance when harvesting and using our backyard goodies.
Jennifer Devine has a passion for writing and plants. She has lived in cities and homesteaded off grid. She likes to hunt, fish and forage and meet like-minded people. She is continuously learning, having adventures and making memories with her family.
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