Seed Sharing Day

About two dozen people came out to Alden Township October 27th for the third annual "Seed Sharing Day" where local landowners open up their restored properties to other landowners from across the county to gather seeds of native plants for their own restorations.

TLC's Linda Balek worked with the WPPC's Carol Rice & Jim Keenen - and the five local landowners who opened their properties- to coordinate the event this year.

One feature of the event (shown above) is the collection of native seeds that local landowners gather prior to the event and make available to participants. This allows people to obtain seed for species that may have set their seed earlier in the year (like spring or early summer flowering plants).

This year, WPPC member and Nature Preserve owner, Jeanine Dammann brought along about two dozen small Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) seedlings that she claims grow like weeds by her house. People with savannas were encouraged to take the dogwoods for planting at their own properties. This is a beautiful, small native tree that grows in the understory of oak woodlands and savannas. The tree has clusters of small, white flowers in late spring, clusters of small, dark, blue-black fruit in summer, and reddish-purple fall color. Horizontal branches give the tree a unique layered appearance.