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Disturbance and The Establishment of Yellow Star-Thistle: Vol. 32, No. 3
Disturbance and The Establishment of Yellow Star-Thistle: Vol. 32, No. 3
Disturbance and The Establishment of Yellow Star-Thistle: Vol. 32, No. 3
May 2009
Vol. 32, No. 3
In this issue:
Disturbance and the Establish-
ment of Yellow Star-thistle . . . . 1
Chapter News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
New Chapter Map
Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Purge your Spurge
UNPS Tee-shirts Available
UNPS mailbag: The Perils of
Paulownia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Highlights of the 5th Southwest
Rare Plant Conference . . . . . . . 6
USFWS cites Elaine York as a
Recovery Champion . . . . . . . . . . 6
High Mountain Work on the
Colorado Plateau . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
pus). Cost: $40. This popular work-
Chapter News shop led by Michael Piep of the her-
barium introduces concepts, litera-
New Chapter Map: Of Utah’s ture and terminology for identifying
29 counties, 12 currently have des- mushrooms in Utah. The Saturday
ignated Utah Native Plant Society session takes place in Logan Canyon
chapters (though a few of these are where several habitats will be visited
presently dormant). If you live in and the species in fruit will be dis-
a county without an active chapter, cussed. There is even the possibility
you can still participate in UNPS of finding a species or two to sam-
chapter events. The map at right ple. This workshop, offered by the
depicts the distribution of existing herbarium, is cosponsored by
chapters and the general area that UNPS, the Mushroom Society of
they cover. Members are encour- Utah, and the Bridgerland Mush-
aged to contact their chapter rep- room Society.
resentatives (www.unps.org) or May 27 (Wed) May Meeting.
check the chapter activities on the Time: 7 pm. Place: TBA. We will
UNPS website and in the Sego Lily Cache: May 9 (Sat) ―What’s New
at the Zoo‖. Time: 11- 3pm. Place: have a presentation on wetland
to find out about upcoming events. plants and communities. Our
Most activities are open to the Willow Park Zoo, Logan. Cost:
Free. Visit our booth to learn about speaker will be announced shortly.
public and not restricted to UNPS May 30 (Sat). Mushroom Foray.
members residing within each native flowers and their pollinators
at this fun new activity for families Time: 9 am. Place: First Dam park-
chapter territory. Members from ing lot (we will car pool from here).
counties without a chapter (0r in Logan.
May 15-16 (Fri-Sat) Introduc- Cost: Free. We will join the folks
with an inactive one) might also from the Bridgerland Mushroom
consider banding together with tion to Mushroom Identification.
Time: 6 pm. Place: The Inter- Society on their monthly foray. We
fellow plant enthusiasts to form a will be heading to the dikes and
new chapter.—W. Fertig mountain Herbarium (USU cam-
marsh edges on the west side of the
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Sego Lily May 2009 32 (3)
valley. This is an excellent opportu- 5487. A second list for late bloom- Fremont (Richfield Area): Pe-
nity to view many of our wetland ing stock will also be available at ter Lassig, retired Master Gardener
plants and do a bit of bird watching the next meeting. Plan to pick up at Temple Square in Salt Lake City,
if you are of a mind. your orders at 8 AM. Other plants is our featured speaker in May. His
June 2 (Tues). Richard J. Shaw will be available for sale to the presentation is entitled "The Joy of
Memorial Wildflower Walk. Time: public from 9 AM to 12 PM. Design with Native Systems" and
6:30 pm. Place: Green Canyon park- Kudos to Dr. Ron Martin for his will be given on May 11 in the Sevier
ing lot. Cost: Free. Join Michael fine picture presentation on wild- County Administration Building
Piep and other local botanists on a flowers’ of Southern Utah at our Auditorium in Richfield at 7
wildflower walk for the whole fam- last meeting. Dr. Martin will offer PM. Mr. Lassig's largest xeric plant-
ily. We will wander through grassy two courses at SUU this spring ing is the 4 acres of native prairie
meadows, juniper stands, and Big- and summer that include field atop the LDS Church Conference
tooth maple groves. This walk is co- trips to see native plants in our Center in Salt Lake City. All UNPS
sponsored by the Intermountain areas. - Winnie Washburn members and the public are invited
Herbarium and has been named in to attend.
honor of the Late Dr. Shaw who was Escalante: On Tuesday, 12 May, Also on May 11, Wildland Nurs-
well versed in the lore of our local at 7 PM in the Interagency Center ery is having its Native Plant Day
plants, and dearly missed. Barring a Bill Gray will give a program on from 9 AM to 6 PM at the nursery in
down-pour at the time of start or "The amazing plants of SW Aus- Joseph. The event will include na-
several inches of snow this event will tralia‖. Bill spent last September tive plants sales with 10% off for
not be rescheduled. viewing and photographing the UNPS members. Light refresh-
June 6 (Sat) Bear River Celebra- truly wonderful spring wildflowers ments will be served as visitors tour
tion. Time: 10-2 pm. Place: Willow- of SW Australia, a region with a the demonstration gardens. Peter
Park. Cost: Free. Visit our booth at similar climate to that of southern Lassig will be available to answer
this popular local celebration. We California, and home to many questions and give suggestions.
will have information and an activity plants found nowhere else. Several of our members took an
about our local plants. On May 23rd the chapter will early spring camping trip to Cedar
June 8-12 (Mon-Fri). Introduc- participate in the Escalante Heri- Pocket on the Virgin River south of
tion to Plant Identification. Time: tage Festival. Janett Warner of St. George. The group enjoyed hik-
10-12 pm. Place: Geology 301, USU Wildland Nursery will be on hand ing and a bit of swimming. Many of
Campus. Cost: $90 ($20 due at reg- for a native plant sale at the high the native plants were almost
istration and is non-refundable). school. You can request specific blooming, but the Salvia dorri were
Registration begins May 15. Join the plants from Janett (www.wild in full bloom as were the Mojave
Intermountain Herbarium staff for 5 landnursery.com) if you contact Aster. C.R. Wood delighted old and
mornings of plant fun. We will cover her by early May. We would like young alike with his cowboy poetry.
how to recognize 15-20 of Northern to have a native plant walking tour At the Natural Resources Fair/
Utah’s most common plant families of Escalante as part of the festival. Home & Garden Show in Richfield
as well as some of the terminology Please let us know if you have a at the Sevier Valley Center, mem-
and the flower/plant parts needed to native plant garden you would like bers distributed small pots of blue
identify our local plants. Space is to share. Part of the Walking tour flax to interested attendees. The
extremely limited so register early! will be identifying deciduous trees label on the pots advertised xeric
June 30 (Tues) Potluck in Prov. that thrive in Escalante with Cindy plants and the Fremont Chapter,
Time: 7 pm. Place: Providence Can- Calbaum, Forester with Dixie Na- encouraging area residents to join
yon – look for our signs. Cost: Free. tional Forest. our group.
Join us as we have a (late) Summer Tuesday, 9 June, at 7PM, Inter- Great Basin Natives is hosting
Solstice potluck. We will provide agency Center: "Basic Weed Iden- Penstemon Days on June 5-6 in
homemade root beer and rolls. tification and Control for the Esca- Holden. For more information, go
Bring your favorite picnic side dish lante area" by Kevin Heaton, Gar- to www.greatbasinnatives.com or
or dessert to share. You are on your field County Extension. Kevin will call Merrill Johnson at 435-795-
own for your main dish and utensils. be discussing the three classes of 2303.
- Michael Piep Noxious weeds in the area that the Please join us for "Celebrate the
state requires land owners Wild" at Sam Stowe Canyon in Fre-
Cedar City: The chapter plans a to control. mont Indian State Park on Saturday,
Native Plant Sale, Saturday morn- Saturday, 27 June Field Trip: June 13 from noon to 5 PM. Ron
ing, May 16th at the Southern Utah Wildflower Seed Collecting and Parsons, Chairperson for the event,
University Parking Lot across from propagating with Maria Ulloa, indicates there will be tours of our
the Centrum. CCNP Chapter mem- BLM botanist from Richfield. native plant garden, refreshments,
bers are invited to order their plants Look for more information closer activities for children, tips for land-
from Janett Warner at the Wildland to the date. - Harriet Priska scaping and design, a hike and door
Nursery. Order forms are available prizes. - Janet Nielson
from Marguerite Smith @435-867-
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Utah Native Plant Society
Manzanita (Kane Co.): Our first Salt Lake: Monday, May 18, 7-9 and they were recently planted by
spring outing took place on April 18 PM: Malcolm McGregor, saxifrage Barbara, Margaret, and the rest of
as a small band of Kanabites trav- expert from Scotland, will make a the VIPers surrounding the Red-
eled to Snow Canyon and Beaver stop on his national book tour in bud which we had planted in the
Dam Wash. Despite the cool spring, Salt Lake City. He will give a pres- "place of honor" out in front (and
a number of wildflowers and flower- entation on ―Saxifrages‖ in the is presently blooming beautifully!)
ing shrubs were in peak bloom at Orangerie at Red Butte Garden, With Zion's 100th anniversary
Snow Canyon, including bird-cage 300 Wakara Way, SLC. Come meet being celebrated this year, having
evening primrose, lupine, Dorr’s him and enjoy light refreshments the Springdale Town Hall also
sage, Eaton’s penstemon, and Fre- at 7 PM, lecture starts at 8 PM. looking nifty is much appreciated
mont’s pepperweed. The greatest This event is co-sponsored by the as well as appropriate.
variety was found in the state’s low- Wasatch Rock Garden Society and Spring has arrived in Zion Na-
est spot, the bottom of Beaver Dam Red Butte Garden. There is a$4 tional Park—to get on the email
Wash, where we found Beavertail charge for WRGS and UNPS mem- list for what is in bloom, contact
cactus and Silver cholla in flower, as bers, $6 for non-members. me at kadok@infowest.com. -
well as creosote bush, white and May 29-31, San Rafael Swell: Margaret Malm
woolly bursage, Desert chicory, Pale We will camp at the Wedge Over-
tackstem, Gravel-ghost and many look beginning Friday evening and Utah Valley: We have started
other Mojave species. spend Saturday and Sunday ex- Plants and Preschoolers hikes
On Saturday, May 2, the group ploring the local flora and beauty every Thursday at 10 AM. Every-
will travel to Toroweap on the North of the Swell. We will have a pot- one is welcome. The hikes are
Rim of the Grand Canyon. Charlie luck dinner Saturday evening so short distances and everyone is
Neumann of Willow Canyon Out- bring a dish to share. We will try welcome to explore as we go. We
door Store in Kanab has reserved to coordinate carpooling for those will be starting with Rock Canyon
two sites at the Tuweep campground interested. in Provo on April 30th, 2009. This
for Saturday night, so people are This is my last month as Presi- summer we are likely to return to
welcome to stay for the weekend, or dent of the Salt Lake Chapter. It Cascade Springs, the Grotto in
return back to Kanab Saturday after- has been a very successful 3 years Payson Canyon, and the falls in
noon. Please contact Charlie at oa- and I wish to thank everyone who Pleasant Grove, CUWCD garden,
sis@kanab.net if you plan to camp helped and participated in our several sections of the Bonneville
out as space is limited and be sure to chapter events. If you are inter- and Shoreline trails, and we also
bring camping gear and food to ested in becoming the next chapter hope to visit Ann Kelsey at the
share for a potluck cookout. Day president, please contact me or Natural History Museum in Salt
trippers should bring adequate wa- someone on the State BOD for Lake. We love to try new places so
ter, food, and appropriate sun pro- more information.– Kipp Lee give us a call and show us your
tection. We will carpool and caravan favorite spot. If you are interested
from the Grand Staircase-Escalante Southwestern (Washington in joining us call Celeste Kennard
NM visitor center parking lot at 8 Co.): The Southwestern (Bear- at 801 377-5918 or email
AM on May 2 for the 75 mile excur- claw Poppy) Chapter's unofficial celeste@byu.edu
sion to Toroweap. The road to demonstration garden at the We are very happy to announce
Toroweap is dirt and gravel most of Springdale Town Hall (and our a new landscaping book: Land-
the way and slow going (it takes official meeting place) is doing and scaping on the New Frontier, Wa-
about 2 hours) and is best for high looking great! This garden was terwise Design for the Intermoun-
clearance vehicles with good tires. planned and spearheaded by our tain West by Susan E. Meyer,
Merrill Johnson of Great Basin Program Chair Barbara Farns- Roger K. Kjelgren, Darrel G. Mor-
Natives will give a special Friday worth several years ago, and was rison, and William A. Varga, illus-
night presentation on "Replacing mostly planted and has been trations by Bettina Schultz. Please
traditional landscapes with natives" mostly tended by the VIPers, a visit the USU press website http://
for our May 8 meeting, at 7 PM in Volunteer revegetation crew from www.usu.edu/usupress/ to look
the Grand Staircase-Escalante Visi- Zion NP. This crew includes Bar- for this title.
tor Center. On Saturday, May 9, 9- bara Farnsworth and Margaret Join us as we team up with the
11 AM, we will hold our annual Malm from the SW chapter and folks at CUWCD Central Utah Wa-
spring plant sale on the grounds of Jan Gisler and several other mem- ter Conservancy District 355 W.
the Kane County tourism office in bers of the Kanab Chapter; as well University Parkway Orem, Utah
downtown Kanab. Merrill will be on as a number of other eager local 84058 on Thursday, July 2 @ 6:30
hand with a variety of native trees, (and Kanab) VIPers. Barbara used PM for Utah Native Plants
shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers - all our Chapter money to purchase 5 (Principle 3) with Kent Miller of
suited for our local climate - for sale. Oenothera caespitosa plants to Perennial Favorites. Register for
—Walter Fertig replace some that fell victim to a the class at www.central utahgar-
problem with the watering system, dens.org or call 801-226-7100. –
Celeste Kennard
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Sego Lily May 2009 32 (3)
Bulletin Board
Saturday, May 9, 10AM-3PM: Salt Lake Weed Control Program at
Salt Lake Conservation District 801-468-2861 or visit their website
Purge Your Spurge and Native at www.weeds.slco.org.
Plant Sale: Myrtle or Donkey-tail At the same time and place, the
spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) is an Salt Lake Conservation District will
aggressive exotic perennial that has hold its first annual Native Plant
been widely planted as an ornamen- Sale. The sale will feature over 60
tal in northern Utah, but which is species of native trees, shrubs,
becoming a problem by invading grasses and perennials. Plants are UNPS Tee Shirts available
foothill and canyon habitats and native to Utah, grown locally, and through Cache Chapter: Steve
displacing native species (the plant’s not taken from the wild. Each native Ripple of the Cache Chapter has de-
white sap can also cause severe skin is sold as a tubeling; trees and veloped a new UNPS tee shirt fea-
irritation in susceptible people). To shrubs are 10 cubic inches and per- turing the lovely Utah endemic,
help reduce the Myrtle spurge popu- ennials are 7 cubic inches. Some of Maguire’s primrose (Primula
lation in the Salt Lake area, the Salt the native perennials include Pale maguirei), known only from the
Lake County Weed Program, Salt evening-primrose, Sundancer daisy, steep limestone cliffs of Logan Can-
Lake Conservation District, REI, Butterflyweed, Scarlet globemallow, yon (see image above). The shirts
BLM, Bonneville Cooperative Weed Prince’s plume and a wide variety of come in several sizes (regular 2X,
Management Area and the Utah Na- penstemons. Those who like to shop 3X, children's) and are either choco-
tive Plant Society are sponsoring a early may pre-order. For a list of late, black, or dusky blue (so that the
spurge exchange. Dig up and bag all plants and prices, visit the website, image shows through, thus no
of your Myrtle spurge (being sure to www.saltlakeconservation.org. A greens or reds). The shirts run be-
remove at least 4 inches of the root- downloadable order form is avail- tween 15-20$ depending on the size.
ing clump) and trade these in for able to prepay and reserve plants To reduce shipping costs, the Cache
one of 2 plant mixes containing today! The Native Plant Sale is a Chapter is asking for individual
Utah native plants specially selected part of the Salt Lake Conservation chapters to place group orders. If
to grow in the local area. The spurge District’s mission and provides you are interested in helping UNPS
swap will take place at REI at 3285 funds to support local conservation and looking sporty while you are at
East 3300 South in Salt Lake City. efforts. For more info call Heather it, contact your local chapter repre-
For more information contact the at 542.8208.– Therese Meyer sentative to place an order.
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Sego Lily May 2009 32 (3)
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Utah Native Plant Society
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Sego Lily May 2009 32 (3)
Of the 2380 acres in the Mt. Peale have established alpine studies, ulation may be at risk with future
RNA, alpine vegetation covers ap- including on the San Francisco warming climate.
proximately 360 acres. Five broadly Peaks in Arizona and the Rocky The second exploratory survey
defined types of habitat have been Mountains in Colorado. When the involves the snow glade at treeline
identified in the RNA, three in the crew saw our interesting endemic on the north base of Mt. Mellenthin.
alpine zone and two in the forested, La Sal daisy, Dr James Fowler of Climate models predict that mean
subalpine zone (100 acres). As part the Research Station became ex- annual temperature will increase
of our project, these were systemati- cited about the opportunity to do and that precipitation patterns will
cally sampled, focusing on vegeta- an elevational density gradient change in future decades. Either of
tion and soil conditions. Most of the study as a way to monitor climate these can affect the amount of snow-
alpine vegetation is made up of well- change impacts to alpine plants. fall and the longevity of snow cover.
developed alpine turf and alpine turf With another Discovery Grant Snow glades are defined by late ly-
-rock community types. The major- from CNHA, the research crew will ing snow (until mid-summer) which
ity of the area is dominated by talus be coming back to do more work restricts conifer establishment. Un-
and barren rock (2020 acres). on the La Sals this summer. der a reduced snowfall scenario this
The work in 2009 will measure graminoid-dominated habitat may
Noteworthy Findings changes in density of La Sal daisy be converted to spruce-fir forest
We found that the majority of the along an elevational transect on a over time. We propose to inventory
plots sampled were in a pristine ridge in the middle group. By the vascular plant species present
condition. The impacts noted were measuring patch width along this within the snow glade and survey
largely related to movement or dis- elevational transect we can calcu- possible future transect locations to
placement of rocks on steep talus late patch size and (using our den- detect vegetation shifts due to
slopes. There were a few areas with sity measurements) we can then changes in snowmelt timing.
user-created trails. However, we estimate population size for this The Rocky Mountain Research
didn’t get to all the areas we wanted Station is developing a network of
to sample on the middle group of Rock columbine, Aquilegia alpine RNAs in the west to look at
peaks, so we hope to get back up the effects of global climate change
there this summer (when it is really scopulorum, is a new record on ecotonal communities of vascular
hot in the Moab valley) and estab- for the La Sals. Patterson plants at tree limit elevations and
lish more transects around Mt Peale. sagewort, Artemisia patter- above. Shifts in tree demography
In addition, the field work re- sonii, is a new record for and changes in herbaceous plant
vealed a relatively continuous series Utah. These were identified community composition will be
of E. mancus patches along the west early indicators of a warming cli-
ridge up to Mt. Laurel, from the ta- and curated at the Rocky mate scenario. Jim Fowler,
lus field at 11,400 ft. to 11,900 ft just Mountain Herbarium in Ecologist with the Rocky Mountain
above treeline, as well as along the Laramie, Wyoming. Research Station in Flagstaff, is the
Middle Group crestline at 12,000 ft. Principle Investigator. Co-PIs are
Other than the formal description of Barb Smith, Wildlife Biologist with
the species and its geographical area. We will also record all vascu- the Manti-LaSal National Forest,
range, little is known about the lar plant species within each sam- and Bill Block, Program Manager for
population biology of this species. pling frame along the transect, the Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosys-
We observed that La Sal daisy can both to delineate species closely tems Program.
be abundant within its microhabitat associated with E. mancus and to With numerous peaks over
niche on dry, windy ridgelines but describe how plant species compo- 12,500 feet in elevation, the La Sal
less abundant to absent on nearby sition changes from treeline to Mountains not only provide a stun-
more mesic midslopes. crestline. This data set will then ning visual contrast to the can-
Our research crew also collected form a basis for detection of cli- yonlands of the Colorado Plateau,
numerous plant specimens, includ- mate change effects with future but also support one of the few true
ing some new species for the area. resampling at 5-10 year intervals. alpine communities in the region.
Rock columbine, Aquilegia scopulo- We also propose to conduct two There is growing concern about the
rum, is a new record for the La Sals. small exploratory studies relating potential effects of global climate
Patterson sagewort, Artemisia pat- to future climate change. First, a change on these isolated alpine eco-
tersonii, is a new record for Utah. survey to detect the Black rosy systems. The La Sal Mountains sup-
These were identified and curated at finch (Leucosticte atrata) along port many endemic plant species in
the Rocky Mountain Herbarium in the same elevational transect from a Research Natural Area with a
Laramie, Wyoming. treeline to the Middle Group crest- management emphasis on research
line. The black rosy finch is re- and protection of pristine conditions
Future Work stricted to the alpine habitats in and biological diversity. It is a great
In addition to the recreation the summer. The LaSals are at the place to work!
study, the researchers were looking southern end of black rosy finch
at plants of the alpine community to summer range and thus this pop-
compare to others areas where they
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Utah Native Plant Society
Want to see the Sego Lily in color? Or read late breaking UNPS news and find links to other
botanical websites? Or buy wildflower posters, cds, and other neat stuff at the UNPS store? Go
to unps.org!
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