Rare Plants in Wisconsin Right-of-ways Presentation prepared by: Wisconsin Transportation Information Center-LTAP University of Wisconsin-Madison

Right-of-ways – A resource for rare plants Help locate and protect endangered and threatened Wisconsin plants Watch for them during right-of-way work: Mowing Brushing Spraying Utility projects

Plants found in many counties Cream Gentian Purple Milkweed

Cream Gentian Map Found in: Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, La Crosse, Lafayette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Pepin, Polk, Racine, Richland, St Croix, Sauk, Vernon, Walworth, and Waukesha Historical in Chippewa, Dodge, Kenosha, Outagamie, Rock, & Sheboygan

Cream Gentian (or Yellowish Gentian) (Gentiana alba) Blooms August-September Flower –Cream-colored – 1- ¼” –Tube shape with small opening at top –Clusters of many flowers Plant –Upright – 1 to 3 feet tall –Sturdy stems –Usually not branched Grows in –Varied soil and moisture conditions –Sometimes found in roadside ditches and railroad rights-of- ways

Cream Gentian patch

Purple Milkweed Map Found in: Crawford, Dane, Grant, Iowa, Kenosha, Lafayette, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Walworth, Waukesha, Waushara, & counties Historical in Jefferson, Milwaukee, Washington, Winnebago

Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) Blooms June to August Flower –Purple-red flower cluster –Only 1-3 clusters to a plant –Always at or near top of stem –Often produces pods Plant –Tall: 1-1/2 to 6 feet –Looks like common milkweed Often found in ditches. More likely in dry soil

Purple Milkweed

Other important plants and their regions Dwarf Lake Iris Forked Aster Hairy Wild Petunia

Dwarf Lake Iris Map Found in Door & Brown counties Formerly in Milwaukee County

Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) Very rare. Grows only on north shore of Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin. Blooms peak in late May, a few into July Plant –Tiny: leaves 6” long –Arranged in fans like garden iris Flower –Blue-purple (a few white) –3” diameter –3” off the ground Found in ditches with –Partial or filtered sun –Shallow soils (alkaline) –Near white cedars

Dwarf Lake Iris patch

Forked Aster Map Eastern & Southeastern Wisconsin Found in: Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha Formerly in Kewaunee & Winnebago

Forked Aster (Aster furcatus) Blooms August through October Flower –White, star-shaped –Tiny: ½ inch across –Branched cluster of 9-18 flowers Plant –12"-32" tall Grows in moist woods and edges, often near streams Rare. Only found in part of the Midwest.

Forked Aster

Hairy Wild Petunia Map Southern Wisconsin Found in: Crawford, Dane, Grant, Outagamie, Rock, & Winnebago counties Historical in Walworth

Hairy Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis) Blooms May to October –Looks like garden petunia Flowers –Pink - purple –Small: 1-1/4 inch wide –Funnel shaped Plant –Upright –Short: 3"-18" Often less than 12” Has been found along roadsides

Hairy Wild Petunia

Discovered 2005 Outagamie County roadside

Protected No-mow area Signs outline protected area Use general term: “Native Plants” Exact location not publicized

Other endangered or threatened plants that may appear in roadsides North & northeastern counties –Arrow-leaf Sweet Coltsfoot Southern & eastern counties –Pale Purple Coneflower –Yellow Giant Hyssop –Pink Milkwort Milwaukee & Racine counties –Axillary Goldenrod

Arrow-leaf Sweet Coltsfoot Map Northern Wisconsin Found in: Bayfield, Douglas, Forest, & Oconto counties

Arrow-leaf Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites sagittatus) Blooms May-June Flowers –Small: ½ inch –White Plant –Large leaves: 12 inches –Arrow shaped Grows in wet areas

Pale Purple Coneflower Map Southern Wisconsin Found in: Dane, Grant, Green, Racine, & Rock counties

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) Blooms June to August Flowers –Drooping –Purple –One to a stem Plant –Tall: 2 to 3 feet –Several stems in a cluster Grows in full sun; dry to moderate moisture; sandy, loam soil

Giant Yellow Hyssop Map Southern Wisconsin Found in: Columbia, Crawford, Dane Grant, Green, Lafayette, Racine, Rock, & Walworth counties Historical in Jefferson

Giant Yellow Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) Blooms July through October Flower –Cylindrical spikes –Green-yellow 5-parted Plant –Tall: 2 to 5 feet –Resembles catnip –Square stem. Mint family

Pink Milkwort Map Southern Wisconsin Found in: Grant, Green, & Rock counties Historical or formerly found in Crawford, Dane, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha

Pink Milkwort (Polygala incarnata) Blooms early July to mid- September Flower –Pink –Small spiky cluster ½”-1-1/2” –Single stems with distinct bluish-green color Plant –Height: 8”-24”. Often less than 12” Grows in dry soils Nearly extinct in Wisconsin

Axillary Goldenrod Map Milwaukee & Racine counties

Axillary Goldenrod (Solidago caesia) Blooms August to October Flower –Cream to yellow –Short clusters usually 3-4 –Where leaf joins stem Plant –Upright –Tall: 12"-40” May grow in ditches if next to woods, semi shaded

Why help preserve Wisconsin threatened and endangered plants? Promote biodiversity – a natural mix of many different species which provide for a healthy environment. Protect historic plants and habitats for future generations Preserve plants important to butterflies and other insects Preserve plants which may be future sources for medicines, treatments, etc. Help maintain a varied and attractive landscape

What you can do Contact your local DNR Transportation Liaison or Regional Ecologist to find out more Mark right-of-ways once a species is identified –Local citizens and groups may be available to help Protect by timed mowing or no-mow area Alert crews doing brushing, digging, spraying, and utility work Comply with administrative rule (NR27) and state statute –It is illegal to remove, transport, carry away, cut, root up, sever, injure or destroy a wild plant on the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species List on public lands (which includes public right-of-ways). Section , Wis. Stats.

Resources Department of Natural Resources Regional Ecologists Armund Bartz Westcentral Region Owen Boyle Southeast Region Armund Bartz Owen Boyle Sarah Carter Southcentral Region Sarah Carter [Vacant] Northeast Region Ted Gostomski Northern Region Ted Gostomski Transportation Liaisons Get current list by county of responsibility at: list.pdf Online plants information Wisconsin DNR, The Natural Heritage Inventory Working List: Rare Vascular Plants – –Click on “Threatened and Endangered Species” and then on “Vascular Plants.” Click on the scientific name for details. No search function. UW-Stevens Point Freckman Herbarium – –Includes identifying information, photos and maps with town and range number locations of known plant populations, and links to other online resources. This is a general herbarium site covering 200,000 Wisconsin plants. search for common or scientific plant name under “vascular plants” USDA-NRCS PLANTS database –

Credits Rare Plants in Wisconsin Right-of-Ways, PowerPoint presentation, prepared by Lynn Entine, Senior Editor, Wisconsin Transportation Information Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Plant location maps (updated Feb. 2006): Craig Anderson, Wisconsin DNR, Natural Heritage Inventory Botanist Coordination: Shelly Schaetz, Wisconsin DNR Transportation Liaison (Northeast) Photos: –Gentian: Thomas G. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database –Milkweed: Robert H. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database –Iris: Clayton USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database –Aster: Kitty Kohout, UW-Stevens Point –Petunia: Plants and roadside (summer): Patrick J. Robinson, Wisconsin DNR; Sign on roadside: Michelle M. Schaetz, Wisconsin DNR –Coltsfoot: June M. Dobberpuhl, UW-Stevens Point –Coneflower: James R. Sine, UW-Stevens Point –Hyssop: Kathie and Tom Brock, UW-Stevens Point –Milkwort: Robert H. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database –Goldenrod: Kitty Kohout, UW-Stevens Point