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The oldest public wildflower garden in the United States.
Eloise Butler's plantings in 1912
Listing by season and that were "1st time" plantings according to her Garden Log.
Eloise brought into the Garden a number of plants that are not listed today on the Garden census. Many of these were native to Minnesota and a few were not. Here is a listing of most of those plants introduced this year to the Garden for the first time - the common and botanical names listed first are names she used followed by other common names for the same plant and the newer botanical classifications, if any; then follows her source for the material. 1912 is the first year the following list of plants occur in her log. Most are shown in the photos. The inclusion of "(M.C.)" indicates a plant that was still present at the time of Martha Crone's 1951 Garden Census - except for grasses and sedges which Crone did not catalog. "Native" indicates the plant is considered native to Minnesota or if introduced, long established. "Extant" indicates the plant is present in the Garden today. Botanical classification: Over the years Botanists have reclassified many plants from the classifications in use at the time Eloise Butler wrote her Garden Log or when Martha Crone prepared her census. I have retained the nomenclature that Eloise Butler or Martha Crone used and then provided the more current classification based on the latest published information from Flora of North America (Ref. #W7) and the Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Minnesota. (Ref. #28c)
Spring 1912.
Photos shown below are a mix of early plantings that are not present today and of plants still extant. Click the name link in the list for photos and information of those plants most of which are still extant.
- Atlantic Goldenrod (Solidago boottii -there are several subspecies of this plant, most likely it was Solidago arguta Aiton var. caroliniana A. Gray) from Kelsey’s Nursey, Massachusetts & North Carolina
- Big-leaf Aster (M.C.) (Aster macrophyllus - now - Eurybia macrophylla (L.) Cass.) Native, from Horsford's Nursery, Charlotte Vermont. Extant.
- Black Huckelberry (M.C.) (Gaylussacia resinosa - now Gaylussacia baccata (Wangenh.) K. Koch) from Gillett’s Nursey, Southwick, MA. Native
- Bog Laurel (M.C.) (Kalmia glauca - now Kalmia polifolia Wangenh.) from Gillett’s
- Buffaloberry (Shepherdia -no species listed but believed to be S. argentea (Pursh) Nutt.) from the "Agricultural College", Native. [Note: in 1914 she noted planting S. argentea].
- Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina L.) from Gillett’s. Extant
- Carolina Spring Beauty, (M.C.) (Claytonia caroliniana Michx.) from Horsford’s Nursey, Charlotte Vermont. Native
- Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli L.), from Horsford’s. Not native
- Desert False Indigo, (Amorpha fruticosa L.) from Horsford’s Nursery, Charlotte, VT. Native,
- Fourflower Yellow Loosestrife (Steironema quadrifolium - now - Lysimachia quadriflora Sims) from Kelsey’s. Native
- Hairy Angelica (M.C.) (Angelica venenosa (Greenway) Fernald.) Native
- Halberdleaf Rosemallow (Hibiscus militaris - now Hibiscus laevis All.) from Horsford’s. Native
- Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), from Kelsey's
- Hyssopleaf Hedge Nettle (M.C.) (Stachys aspera Michx) from Kelsey’s
- Late Purple Aster (Aster patens - Symphyotrichum patens (Aiton) G.L. Nesom var. patens). From Gillett's
- Maximilian Sunflower, (M.C.) (Helianthus maximiliani Schrad.) from Horsford’s. Native
- Moss Phlox (M.C.) (Phlox subulata L.), native, from a source in New York.
- New York Aster, (M.C.) (Aster novi-belgiae - now - Symphyotrichum novi-belgii (L.) G.L. Nesom var. novi-belgii), from Gillett's
- Paleleaf Sunflower (Helianthus strumosus) native, from Kelsey's. Extant
- Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia Lam. from Kelsey’s
- Roundleaf Goldenrod (Solidago patula). from Kelsey’s
- Sandcherry(M.C.) (Prunus pumila L.) from Kelsey’s. Native
- Southern Adder’s Tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum L.) from Gillett’s
- Sitka Alder (Alnus alnobetula -now -Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC. ssp. sinuata) Kelsey’s
- Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium L.) from Kelsey’s
- Swamp Pink, (Helonias bullata L.) from New York - arrived very dry due to delay in the mail
- Wavy-leaf Aster (Aster undulatus - now Symphyotrichum undulatum (L.) G.L. Nesom) from Gillett's
- Western Sandcherry (Prunus besseys -now Prunus pumila L. var. besseyi ) from Kelsey’s. Native
- White Camas - Mountain Death Camas, (Zigadenus) (possibly Yellow Camas as Eloise did not specify - both are now subspecies of Zigadenus elegans), (M.C.) from Ft. Snelling, MN. Native
- White Colicroot (Aletris farinosa L.) from New York source. Native
- White Heath Aster (M.C.) (Aster multiflorus - now Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.). Native, from Gillett's. Extant.
- Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa Mill) from Kelsey’s
Summer 1912 Plantings
See explanatory notes at top of page.
Photos shown below are mostly of early plantings that are not present today. Click the name link in the list for photos of those plants most of which are still extant.
- Alderleaf Buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolia L'Hér. ) from Osceola WI. Native Extant
- Azure Bluets (Houstonia caerulea L.) from Osceola, WI.
- Broadleaf Burweed (Sparganium eurycarpum) from Osceola WI. Native. Extant.
- Blue Grama (Bouteloua oligostachya - now - Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths) from Columbia Heights, MN. Native
- Carolina Puccoon (Lithospermum hirtum -now- Lithospermum caroliniense (Walter ex J.F. Gmel.) MacMill. var. croceum (Fernald) Cronquist), from Osceola, WI. Native
- Common Motherwort, (Leonurus cardiaca L.) from Minnehaha Creek and Chicago Ave, Minneapolis. Introduced plant. Extant
- Boltonia or White Doll’s Daisy (Boltonia asteroides) from Mendota, MN. Native
- Brook Lobelia (Lobelia kalmii L.) from Mahtomedi, MN. Native
- Crowned Beggarsticks (Bidens trichosperma -now- Bidens coronata (L.) Britton) from Robbinsdale, MN. Native
- False Boneset (Kuhnia eupatorioides -now- Brickellia eupatorioides (L.) Shinners var. corymbulosa (Torr. & A. Gray) Shinners ) from Fort Snelling, MN. Native
- Golden Sedge (Carex aurea) from Minnetonka, MN. Native
- Green flowered Wintergreen (Pyrola chlorantha), from Osceola WI. Native
- Kittentails or Bull’s Coraldrops (Synthyris bullii), from Osceola, WI. Native
- Louisiana Broomrape (Orobanche ludoviciana) from Fort Snelling, MN. Native
- One-sided Pyrola (Pyrola secunda -now- Orthilia secunda (L.) House ) from Minnetonka, MN. Native
- Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata L.) from Mahtomedi, MN. Native
- Prairie Goldenrod (Upland White Goldenrod) (Aster ptarmicoides -now- Oligoneuron album (Nutt.) G.L. Nesom) from Osceola, WI. Native
- Prairie Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) from Mendota, MN. Native. EXTANT
- Prairie Sagewort (Artemisia frigida), from Fort Snelling, MN. Native
- Scarlet Beeblossom (Gaura coccinea Nutt. ex Pursh), from Washburn Park, Minneapolis. Native
- Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) from Columbia Heights. MN. Native. Extant
- Softstem Bulrush (Scripus validus -now- Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (C.C. Gmel.) Palla), from Minnehaha Creek and Chicago Ave, Minneapolis. Native
- Softhair Marbleseed (Soft or Shaggy False Gromwell) (Onosmodium hispidissimum -now- Onosmodium bejariense DC. ex A. DC. var. hispidissimum (Mack.) B.L. Turner) from Columbia Heights, MN. Native
- Spotted Beebalm or Horsemint (Monarda punctata), from Mendota, MN. Native``
- Strawberry-blite (Blite Goosefoot), (Chenopodium capitatum), from Enchanted Isle. Native
- White Pond Lily (American white water lily) (M.C.) (Nymphaea odorata Aiton ssp. tuberosa) from Mahtomedi, MN. Native
- Wild Red Currant (Ribes triste) from Minnetonka, MN. Native
- Winged Pigweed, Cycloloma (Assume this is Cycloloma atriplicifolium - the only native Cycloloma) from Columbia Heights, MN. Native
- Yellow loosestrife - Swamp candles (Lysimachia terrestris L.) from Washburn Park, Minneapolis. Native. Extant
Fall 1912 Plantings
See explanatory notes at top of page.
Photos shown below are mostly of early plantings that are not present today.
- Aromatic Aster (M.C.) (Aster oblongifolius -now- Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Nutt.) G.L. Nesom), from “The Forty”. Native
- Cork Elm or Rock Elm, (Ulmus thomasii Sarg.) from Mr. Chase in Boulder Colorado. Native.
- Dotted Blazing Star (M.C.) (Liatris punctata), from Boulder Colorado (Mr. Chase). Native
- Downy Gentian (M.C.) (Gentiana puberula -now- Gentiana puberulenta J. Pringle), from Ipswich MA, Native. Extant
- Dwarf False Indigo (M.C.) (Amorpha nana) from Boulder Colorado (Mr. Chase). Native (M.C. listed as Fragrant False Indigo.)
- Elecampane inula (Inula helenium), from Boulder Colorado (Mr. Chase). Native (escaped)
- Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium) from Logansport, IN. Native
- Hairy Goldenrod (Solidago hispida) from Groveland Park. Native
- Heart-leaved Aster (Blue Wood Aster) (M.C.) (A. cordifolius -now- Symphyotrichum cordifolium (L.) G.L. Nesom), Minnehaha, Native. Extant
- New England Aster - rose flower variety (M.C.) (Aster novae-anagliae - now - Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Native. Root stock from Fort Snelling, MN. Extant.
- Panicled Aster or White panicled aster (M.C.) (A. paniculatus -now- Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willd.) G.L. Nesom ssp. lanceolatum var. lanceolatum) from Minnehaha. Native. Extant
- Round-leaved Orchis (M.C.) (Orchis rotundifolia -now- Amerorchis rotundifolia (Banks ex Pursh) Hultén ) from Minnetonka. Native
- Rush Skeletonplant (M.C. she listed it as Rush-like lygodesmia) (Lygodesmia juncea) Native, from Montevideo, MN
- Selfheal (M.C.) (Prunella vulgaris L.) from Solon’ Springs, WI. Native. Extant
- Small white lady’s-slipper (M.C.) (Cypripedium candidum) from Minnetonka (Mr. Norcross). Native.
- Smooth Aster (M.C.) (Aster laevis -now- Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) A. Löve & D. Löve) from Fort Snelling. Native. Extant
- Speckled Alder (M.C.) (Alnus incana -now- Alnus incana ssp. rugosa) (Du Roi) R. T. Clausen, from Fort Snelling. Extant. Native.
- Virginia Creeper (M.C.) (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Jewell’s Nursery, from Lake City, MN Native. Extant.
