Curious by Nature with Deep Roots

Insects play essential roles in ecosystems, yet many are misunderstood, especially in our gardens during the fall. This presentation by Tamra Reall of MU Extension Office, invites you to look beyond fear and learn what insects need to survive seasonal changes. We explore commonly misunderstood arthropods and learn how fall practices, like early garden clean-up, can unintentionally harm beneficial species. We also discuss when intervention is appropriate, including insects that pose real health risks or ecological concerns. This presentation shares practical, research-based guidance for making fall garden decisions that support insects while maintaining healthy landscapes.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

“Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Resources: 

MU Extension Events 

Insect Species: 

Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) 

Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp (Sphecius speciosus) 

Boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata) 

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) 

Caterpillars and their Host Plant 

Monarch: Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) 

Zebra Swallowtail: Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) 

Spicebush Swallowtail: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) 

Hundreds of moth and butterfly species: Oaks (Quercus spp.)’ 

Native Plants with Pithy or Hollow Stems for Overwintering Insects  (courtesy of Bill White of Missouri Native Grassland Collaborative) 

• Elderberry  

• Sumacs 

• Smooth Hydrangea  

• Blackberry/raspberry/rose 

• Native hibiscus 

• Buttonbush 

• Rattlesnake Master 

• Cup Plant 

• Sunflowers 

• Joe-Pye Weed 

• Bee Balms 

• Echinaceas 

• Rushes 

• Goldenrods 

Threats to insects: 

• Habitat loss 

• Pesticides 

• Light at night 

• Lawn-only landscapes 

• Invasive species 

• Shifting weather patterns 

• Take action to help in your own yard by planting native plants 

Introduced Insect Species:  

Multicolor Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) 

Insects and arthropods that can hurt us and tips:  

Ticks: check yourself after time outdoors; use an EPA-registered repellent 

Mosquitoes: Dump standing water weekly  

Brown recluse Spiders and Black Widow Spiders: these species like dark clutter, so wear gloves in sheds and woodpiles 

Stinging insects: If you’re allergic, talk to your doctor about an action plan 

Vocabulary: 

Nectar-robbing: a foraging practice performed by various animals (including some bee species) where they access nectar of a plant by biting through the base straight to the nectar source. Because of this, there is no interaction with the opening of the flower and therefore the plant is not pollinated by that species. 

Sow Wild Natives is one of Kansas City’s oldest native plant nursery who grows ethically sourced native plants from seeds in our ecoregion. Not just what, but how they grow contributes to a more sustainable and beautiful world. Take a virtual tour with co-founder, Tracy Twombly as we glean the process of growing native plants from seed and walk through demonstration gardens with varying goals. Gain inspiration on which plants to add to your garden this fall.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠⁠⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠⁠⁠ 

“Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ 

Resources:

Sow Wild Natives

Monarch Watch

Q&A: What are the benefits of planting smaller plugs?
I found a section in Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West, page 207, titled “Bigger is not Always Best: Choosing Plants.” Here are some standout quotes, “Establishment is not a product of a plant’s size, but of its successful rooting in the native soil. The idea of placing a fully mature tree or perennial flower into a foreign soil deprives the plant of the chance to develop in that soil.” “…plants that grow and interact with a given soil from an early age are often the most long lasting, healthy, and resilient.” However, it also states later, “There are times when larger container plants are appropriate. Many of the longer-lived structural species in an herbaceous layer are particularly slow growing. Plants like Amsonia hubrichtii, Baptisia australis, and Asclepias tuberosa benefit from being grown in larger-sized containers.”

How often do you trim back Blue Star (Amsonia spp.) ?

Cydney’s Response: I have done both. I will chop it before it shows signs of blooms. I did this with the A. hubrichtii I planted in my front yard. After pruning, it was more compact with extra blooms on the additional stems. I also trimmed it up post-bloom because it was shading out the Dittany and Copper Shoulder Sedge (Carex bicknellii) a bit too much. Amsoniais such a hardy plant it can handle being cut back throughout the growing season. We have a volunteer A. Illustris at the Discovery Center that planted itself in a small rock pocket. We haven’t dug it out yet, but we chop back around 40% of its living foliage to get it off the sidewalk and it doesn’t even flinch. Lol! 

How long for pussytoes to really flesh/fill out??

It depends on your sun and moisture conditions. In our experience, Antennaria seems to just hang out (sleep) the first year and establish roots but it could double in size the second year, and then year after year keep creeping out and filling in a little more. But we went through a few droughty years where they didn’t spread very much.

What ingredients are in your potting soil mix?
Potting mix ingredients: compost, pine fines, rice hulls, turface, and fertilizer pellets. 

Native Plant Species:

Rose Verbena (Glandularia canadensis)

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Hairy Hawkweed (Hieracium gronovii)

Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)

Schreber’s Watershield (Brasenia schreberi)

Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium colestinum)

Shining Blue Star (Amsonia illustris)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Short Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana)

Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata)

Clammy Cuphia (Cuphea viscosissima)

Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

Purple Pineapple (Eryngium leavenworthii)

Lemon Bee Balm (Monarda citriodora)

Cylindrical Blazing Star (Liatris cylindracea)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Tall Green Milkweed (Asclepias hirtella)

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera)

Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis)

Despite urbanization, Kansas City has a few remaining old growth prairies, light-dappled woodlands, shaded forests, and rich wetlands. Bridging the Gap’s Kansas City WildLands program conserves, protects, and restores these remnants of original landscape by connecting people to steward the land. Learn about KC WildLands’ community conservation efforts to collect native seeds to distribute through public lands and their ongoing efforts to manage invasive species in the landscape.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠⁠ 

“Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ 

Resources: 

Bridging the Gap’s Kansas City WildLands 

KC WildLands Newsletter 

Native Plant Species: 

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) 

Downy Gentian (Gentiana puberulenta) 

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) 

Cream False Indigo (Baptisia bracteata) 

Non-native Invasive Plant Speciess: 

Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) 

Wintercreeper (Euonymus fotunei)  

Wildlife Species: 

Acorn Weevil (Curculio glandium) 

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) 

Vocabulary: 

Opposite Leaf Arrangement: a pattern where two leaves attach to the plant stem at the exact same point, or node, growing directly across from each other like matching pairs 

Alternate Leaf Arrangement: A pattern where a single leaf attaches to the stem at each node, staggering back and forth along alternating sides 

Adding hardscape to your landscape can create visual cohesion and provide practical opportunities to maintain your garden. Join Kyle Johnson of Bur Oak Ventures for a practical approach to basic natural stone hardscape design and installation. In this Curious by Nature episode, we learn more about how to DIY small stone walls, dry creek beds, flagstone foot paths, and more.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠ 

“Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ 

Resources:

Email our guest expert, Kyle Johnson, to learn aboutlandscaping and hardscaping consultation services.

Vocabulary:

Boulders: simple, natural, easy base prep, requires no special tools, great option when working around roots or areas with uneven grade, gives the “Colorado look”

Dry stack walls: more architectural style, good for terracing and leveling grade above, erosion control

Flagstone: easy base prep, provides access and function with natural look

Dry creek beds: stylish solution for erosion and drainage problems, very effective at collecting and moving significant amounts of stormwater

Plant Pockets: small area where you intentionally leave space in your hardscaping that you can then fill with compost or soil and then plant in the space for a natural, cohesive look

Snapped/chopped: rough, but fairly consistent thickness and overall size (typically 3-6” thick)--will require use of a hammer and chisel or demo hammer to remove high spots so stones sit flat on one another

Milled/sawn: all faces of the stone is rough, but tops and bottoms are cut smooth with a saw or milled to very consistent thickness--more expensive, but much easier to work with than snapped/chopped, tight gaps

Tumbled: both snapped/chopped and milled/sawn can be tumbled, which involves stones being rolled in a large tumbler during processing to round corners

Face feet: area of total outward-facing vertical wall surface (the part you see), including any buried bottom courses--calculated as 1 ton of a given wall stone may provide 20 face feet of finished wall

Could the key to more successful prairie restorations be hidden beneath our feet? Join Deep Roots and Johnson County Parks and Recreation District as we explore the fascinating world of native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) with Dr. Liz Koziol of the University of Kansas. Her research focuses on how restoring AMF improves floristic quality, increase native plant diversity, and help suppress weeds in new prairies. Learn how prairie restoration projects at Big Bull Creek Park and Shawnee Mission Park are contributing to groundbreaking long-term research on AMF application methods. We dig into the role of soil microbial communities, discuss practical approaches for reintroducing native AMF, and review the first two years of results from experimental prairie plots.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature 

“Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected] 

Resources:

International Collection of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

MycoBloom 

JCPRD Park Poster Collection

Native Plant Species:

Tall Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium)

Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

Non-native Invasive Plant Speciess:

Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis)

Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense)

Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Vocabulary:

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF): A group of soil born fungi that form mutually beneficial relationships with plant species by colonizing roots and producing hyphae in the rhizosphere

Harrow: Cultivating tool used to break up soil and cover seeds (or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculant)

It’s estimated that Shortleaf Pine once covered 4.2 million acres of the Missouri Ozark region. Much of this was clear cut for its prized timber at the turn of the 20th century. By 1940 the Missouri State Highway Department preserved a stretch of old growth pines along Highway 19. Join Deep Roots as they hike with Neal Humke of L-A-D Foundation through one of Missouri’s oldest pine forests. Along the way they detour to explore stunning dolomite glades featuring native flowers and grasses that grow among exposed bedrock and shallow soil.

Native Plant Species:

Hairy Petunia (Ruellia humilis)

Pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii)

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Calamint (Clinpodium arkansanum)

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus verginiana)

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)

Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Glade Bluet (Stenaria nigricans)

Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata)

Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

Cream False Indigo (Baptisia bracteata)

Dittany (Cunila organoides)

Wildlife:

Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)

European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) 

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)

Vocabulary:

Anthropogenic: originating from human activity 

Continuous Forest Inventory: a documentation of forest ecosystem and tree composition overtime. Can include individual tree measurements such as tree diameter, height, and crowding.

Dendrochronology: a scientific method of dating and interpreting past events, climates, and environmental changes by analyzing the annual growth rings of trees.

Aspect: In forestry, it refers to the compass direction that a sloping terrain faces. 

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠⁠ 

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ 

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) began in 1989 amid concerns over the effects of clearcutting forests on songbird populations. Thirty-seven years later, the Missouri Department of Conservation has studied how common forest management practices impact flora, wildlife, soil health, and other ecosystem components. Take a virtual hike through Peck Ranch with MDC forester and district supervisor, Mike Keeley. Together we’ll dive into the data of best woodland management practices and what the future holds for this study.

Native Plant Species: 

Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia) 

Eagle Fern/Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum) 

Hairy Bush Clover (Lespedeza hirta) 

Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) 

Common Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) 

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) 

Wild Plum (Prunus americana) 

Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) 

Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) 

Black Cohosh (Actacea racemosa) 

Black Oak (Quercus velutina) 

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) 

Native Fungi Species: 

Coral Fungus (Clavariacaea sp.) 

Wildlife: 

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) 

Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 

Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) 

Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) 

Non-native Invasive Plant Species: 

Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) 

Autumn Olive (Elaegnus umbellata) 

Resources: 

Peck Ranch Conservation Area 

MOFEP Overview 

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit ⁠www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature⁠ 

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ 

Hidden within Cedar Niles Park is a relatively unknown natural area where scattered limestone outcrops hint at a larger glade ecosystem stretching into nearby remnant prairies and woodlands. Recent discoveries, including county record species like Mentzelia oligosperma reveal a landscape shaped by thin soils and extreme conditions. Join us for a virtual hike across this striking gradient from prairie to glade to intact woodland—and explore the challenges and opportunities of conserving this rare community amid growing park development pressure.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature 

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected] 

Late spring in the Midwest means hotter temps and more rain which equals more garden maintenance! Join Deep Roots’ “native plant nerds” Cydney and Maddie as they highlight summer blooms, weeds, and demonstrate maintenance strategies to support your gardens at home! Have a plant that gets too tall in the fall? Or perhaps you regret adding a prolific native plant species to your garden? Techniques include cutting back flowers so they don't spread by seed, using a paint scraper as a weeding tool, and demonstrating the late spring pruning technique known as the “Chelsea Chop”.

Visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature to view the video of this episode, review our archive, and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST where you can ask your native gardening questions!

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected]

Native Plant Species:

Dittany (Cunila origanoides) 

Woodland Spiderwort (Tradescantia ernestiana) 

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) 

Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)

Glade Coneflower (Echinacea simulata)

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) 

Missouri Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) 

Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) 

Tall Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) 

Willow-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius) 

Grayhead Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendular)

Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)

Non-Native Plant Species:

White Clover (Trifolium repens)

Bindweed (Convolvulus genus)

Through observation you can determine how prolific a plant will spread and if it’s compatible with other plants in your garden. From rapid spreaders to plants that prefer their space, join Cydney Ross of Deep Roots as she explores the sociability of native plants in a garden setting. She also answers questions from a live audience about how native plants work well in containers, how sociability may differ regionally, and more. See plant pairings that will inspire your next gardening adventure!

Visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature to view the video of this episode, review our archive, and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST where you can ask your native gardening questions!

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected]

Key Takeaways and Things to Consider:

Sociability of native plants is a spectrum. How do plants spread? What’s their longevity? What do their roots look like? Find clues observing natural communities and established gardens.

Low Sociability – “stays put” for the most part, doesn’t reseed readily, slow expansion and takes time to establish.

Medium Sociability – moderately expands in an area over-time.

High Sociability – prolific spread through seed, rhizomes, or stolons. Outcompetes less social species within a few years.

Less Social, Solitary Species:

Rock Pink (Phemeranthus calycinus)

Pussytoes (Antennaria species)

Short Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana)

Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

Small Skullcap (Scutellaria parvula)Alumroot (Heuchera species)

Rose Verbena (Glandularia candensis)

Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

Crested Iris (Iris cristata)

Copper Iris (Iris fulva)

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Oak Sedge (Carex albicans)

Cedar Sedge (Carex eburnea)

Dittany (Cunila origanoides)

Thread-leaf Bluestar (Amsonia ciliata)

Royal Catchfly (Silene regia)

Woodland Spiderwort (Tradescantia ernestiana)

Wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata)

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)

Medium or Moderate Spreading Species:

Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus)

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

Golden Groundsel (Packera obovata)

Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

Woodland Pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)

Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Missouri Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)

Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)

Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Highly Social or Gregarious Species:

Meadow Anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)

Prairie Feather Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

Cliff Goldenrod (Solidago drummondii)

Rigid Goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Tall Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

Blue Sage (Salvia azurea)

Willow-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius)

Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

Cord Grass (Spartina pectinata)

Grayhead Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Additional Resources:

What is Plant Sociability? Jared Barnes, PhD - Meristem Blog

How Plant Sociability is Critical in Natural Gardens and Shorelines

Sociability Rankings - Benjamin Vogt of Prairie Up

Sociability Metrics: Tools to Interpret Designed Plant Communities for Public Gardens