Welcome to the web portion of my site analysis! You may be introduced to a few new plants, maybe learning about some invasive species, or just see some cool fruits! The site I chose was the lower Olentangy Ecosystem. This is next the the Horseshoe and many people travel along this trail. It is considered a riparian and is disturbed because of construction. Although new trees were planted because of this disruption. Here is an over view of my site:
Uh oh… watch out!
Its poison ivy… You can identify this plant by its leaves always being in clusters of threes. Also, the middle leaflet is always the largest. The coloring of this plants leaves definitely depends on the time of year. Summer it will green, spring it will be reddish, and in the fall they turn orange or brownish.
Newww Plants!!!
One new tree is the Common Pawpaw or its scientific name, Asimina triloba. An interesting fact about this tree is that it produces the largest edible fruit in North America. This tree is also native! Its coefficient of conservatism is 6.
A newish herbaceous plant I found is Helianthus hirsutus, also known as hairy sunflower. This flower attracts many finches that eat the seeds from the head. Its coefficient of conservatism is 4.
A new shrub that I found was the sawtooth blackberry shrub, its scientific name is Rubus argutus. The bush has edible berries and the leaves can be used to make blackberry tea. Its coefficients of conservatism is 4.
An introduced vine I found is canyon grape, its scientific name is Vitis arizonica. This vine was used by the Havasupai to make toys. The Navajo also used this vine to make medicines. Two very different things but hey! It worked. Its coefficients of conservatism is hard to come by…
American pokeweed is native to Ohio and its scientific name is Phytolacca americana. The berries of pokeweed are used to color wine, paper, and candies. Its coefficients of conservatism is 1.
https://www.britannica.com/plant/pokeweed
Invasive species ahhh!!
Virginias creeper… creepy! It is native to eastern and central North America. This vine is very adaptable. It can grow in full sun or in full shade. We love a well versed plant! We can control this plant by using nonselective postemergence herbicides.
https://www.nurserymag.com/article/weed-profile-virginia-creeper/
Wild senna! We can control this wild plant by cutting the mature seed heads in the late summer or early fall. Unlike Virginias creeper, herbicides should be avoided. This plant is native to eastern North America and likes disturbed sites. It thrives in moist open areas.
Tree of heaven! Do not be fooled by the name or the look of this plant. It is sadly invasive! It usually invades cultivated fields or urban environments. This tree is controlled by targeting the roots with herbicide. We also can cut the trees before they become too large. Surprisingly, the tree of heaven is not from heaven? It is native to China.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf
Siberian elm is native to eastern Asia. This plant can be found in grasslands, roadsides, and along waterways. We can control this plant by pulling seedlings by hand. We also can cut the stem and put herbicide on the cut stem.
Fruits!!!
The Ohio buckeye’s fruit is a type of nut. This is pretty easy to identify. Its fruits are round, brown, and shiny with a lighter brown circle.
Eastern redbud’s fruit is a legume. This legume is flat (pea-like pod) with elliptical seeds.
The fruit from Bradford pear tree is ha, a pear! This trees fruit is small, round, and hard. Its color is usually green or a brown color.
This is a type of drupe from the black walnut tree! Once you know the name of this you will recognize it every time you see it. It has a round hard shell that is dark brown or black when ripe.
Mosses and Lichens:
This moss is necklace chain moss!
Oooo lichen!! This is called mealy rosette lichen.
I wonder what this looks like from an ants point of view… This is called blunt-leaved pocket moss.
This one is called sword moss! Does this look like a sword to you?
