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EDUCATION TOPICS

Birding

Eloise Butler's Writings

Nature and Life

Plants and Habitat

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Plants, Habitat, etc.

Asters and Goldenrods – A photo look at asters and goldenrods in the Garden. 2009

Autumn Fruits and Seedpods – A photo thumbnail sheet of Autumn fruits and seeds that you are likely to see from September to Garden Close in October.

Basswood - a versatile tree (2018).

Birch Trees - Commentary on the Valuable Birches of the Garden. (2018)

Cedar Apple Rust – Information and photos of the fungus that uses Eastern Red Cedar and other junipers as an alternate host. (2013)

Cedars and Spruces - Life-saving Trees - How they prevented scurvy among early mariners. (2018)

Collecting native seeds (2021)

Densmore, Frances - Native American Ethnobotany - Historical Minnesota Research (2020)

Dogwoods - our six native species (2020)

Earliest Blooming Spring Plants – The five earliest bloomers - text and photos. (2013)

Earliest and latest bloom dates – For 25 common spring wildflowers, with photos (2014)

Edge plants - 5 obscure late season plants – Plants you hardly notice - Burnweed, Canadian Horseweed, Black Nightshade, Arrow-leaved Tearthumb, Willowherb.

Eloise Butler's writings - see list below.

Fern Talk – A glossary of common terms used in describing ferns - illustrated (2012)

Ferns in the Garden – An illustrated index sheet of the ferns in Eloise Butler, both current and historical, most with links to detailed information sheets.

Ferns – Cultural tips for planting. (1957 article by Martha Crone.)

Flying Squirrels - Our hidden neighbors (2020)

Friends' Newsletter Archive – Past issues of The Fringed Gentian™ in download-able pdf format.

Fruit and Seed Quiz – A photo identification quiz on late summer fruits and seeds found in the Eloise Butler Garden.

Gentian in the Garden – both now and in the past with photos of all Gentians once or now in the Garden.

Goldenrod galls – Information on 3 insects that cause stem galls on Solidago altissima. and S. gigantea.

Grasses of the Garden – Photos of the Garden grasses with links to detailed information pages.

Heritage Trees in the Garden – Former Gardener Cary George writes of the nine Minneapolis Heritage Trees in the Garden (originally published winter 2000)

Invasive Plants You Don't Want in Your Garden – A summary of six summer flowering invasives to eradicate with photos and link to info pages. (2013)

Isle Royal plants to the Wildflower Garden - what Eloise and Martha collected.

Kentucky Coffeetree - Its history and uses. (2018)

Late Summer Flowers - 5 less well known – A look at 5 late summer flowers in the Garden that are not usually found in the home garden.

Late Summer Fruits and Seedpods – A photo thumbnail sheet of late summer fruits and seedpods that you are likely to see from mid-July through August.

Leaves: Patterns of Fall Leaf Drop. – Naturalist Diana Thottungal writes on the variations in pattern of how tress drop their leaves in the fall. Illustrated. (Fall 2009)

Lilies in the Garden - A look at the plants called Lilies, Day Lilies, and lilies that are not lilies. (2021)

Loosestrifes - a planting guide to these natives.

Magic in the Sky – Naturalist Donna Thottungal shows several unusual sights in the sky. (2019)

Maple Glen - a bowl shaped depression adjacent to the Wildflower Garden.

Mosquito control - historical problems, plant based repellants.

Mushrooms:

----Slime Molds - Brilliance of the Forest – – Naturalist Ron Spinosa writes of molds, slimes and fungi. (pdf version) (2018)

----Fascination with Fungi – – Naturalist Ron Spinosa writes of his fascination with the mushroom world and that of Eloise Butler and Martha Crone (pdf file, with photos - 2013)

----Meet The Mushrooms – A well illustrated article by MPRB Naturalist Diana Thottungal on mushrooms and some of those found in the Garden. (Fall 2008)

----Mushrooms – – A photo page of a few of the many mushrooms in the Garden (2010)

----Spooky Fungi (pdf - .9mb) – MPRB Naturalist Donna Thottungal looks as some of the strangest fungi that you may encounter. (Fall 2011)

Mid-summer Flowers - 5 less well known – A look at 5 mid- summer flowers in the Garden that are not usually found in the home garden.

Oak Leaf Comparison Key – Leaf comparison of the eight most common northern oaks.

Oaks: Our Native Oaks – Will their dominance last in Minnesota in the face of climate change? (2021)

Orchids: Cherishing Orchids, an Eloise Butler Legacy – Garden Curator Susan Wilkins reviews Eloise Butler's passion for orchids and the Showy Lady's-slipper. (Summer 2005)

Orchids in the Garden – Orchids in the Garden - 36 historical species and 2 today (2020)

Oriental Bittersweet - invasive; identification guide.

Ornamental Grasses for the Home Landscape – A review, with photos, of a selection of ornamental grasses for the home garden that were grown by Gary Bebeau. Growing and cultural tips.

Pea Family Plants in the Prairie – Pea family plants that thrive in the hot prairie sun, by previous Eloise Butler Gardener Cary George. (Updated 2020)

Pitcher Plant - Purple and deadly. (2021)

Rare Minnesota Native Plants in the Garden – Text and photos about 21 plants listed by Minnesota as endangered, threatened or of special concern that are seen in Eloise Butler. (2014)

Red brightens the Wildflower Garden - red color highlights the Garden all season long.

Ruffians in the Garden – A close look at Curly Dock, Mullein and Nettle and why we should like them. Gary Bebeau, 2009

Secret Life of Winter. – MPRB Naturalist Diana Thottungal writes on the hidden life of winter. Illustrated. (Winter 2010)

Sedges in the Garden – Brief article discussing sedges and overview of those found in the Garden. (pdf file - 2013)

Seed Explosions - Propagation of the species by mechanical explosive tension.

Seeds - collecting native seeds (2021)

Spirals in Nature - many plants exhibit a spiral arrangement of parts.

Spring wild flowers for a shady garden (2022)

Summer wild flowers for a shady garden. (2022)

Sumac Leaf Galls - information of insect galls on Smooth and Staghorn Sumac

Tall Plants in the Summer Garden – Previous Eloise Butler Gardener Cary George writes about the tall plants and the lilies of the summer Upland Prairie Garden (Summer 2000)

Tamaracks - A review of the tree's history in the Garden. (2018)

The Four Silphiums – Photos and plant information on four representatives of the genus Silphium in the Eloise Butler Garden. Gary Bebeau 2009

Thistle Comparison Key – Flower and leaf comparison of the 7 species of thistle found in Minnesota.

Touch-me-nots – Photos and plant information on the two Touch-me-not species in the Garden - also known as Jewelweeds.

Tree Age Calculator. Explanation on how to calculate the age of selected species of trees based on tree diameter.

What's in a (Flower's) Name? (pdf) – An illustrated article by MPRB Naturalist Diana Thottungal on the origin and meaning of the names of some spring flowers. (Spring 2011) (710kb pdf file)

Wetland in the Woodland Garden – History, environment and plant community of the Garden Wetland. (2010)

Willow Pine Cone Gall – An illustrated note about galls that resemble pine cones on willows. These are caused by a small gnat. (2013)

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