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For such a small place, Rhode Island packs a great deal into its borders! Tangles of rhododendron and hemlock, rocky shoreline with crashing waves, dark pine forests, glowing salt marshes, oak and beech forests, soggy bogs and swamps,

shrubby thickets, golden dunes…it is a wonderful state to experience the outdoors. And not only does Rhode Island have a rich ecosystem variety, but there is a strong conservation ethic in the state: Rhode Island citizens have an enduring sense of place and a desire to protect the state’s natural beauty and diversity, which are also vital to the state’s economy, especially tourism and the fishing industry.

TYPICAL RI WILD PLANTSWithin Rhode Island’s diverse natural systems are nearly 2000 kinds of “wild” vascular plants, including:

• Ferns and fern allies such as horsetails and clubmoss-es; approximately 74 different kinds

• Gymnosperms “naked seeds” plants, such as larches, cedars and pines (21 species)

• Angiosperms “covered seeds” or flowering plants, including grasses, roses, daisies and oak trees – the remaining 1900 or so)

There are also a rich variety of non-vascular plants such as the mosses and liverworts, plantlike organisms including seaweeds and other algae, and the fungi, fascinating groups that are beyond the scope of this chapter.

About 75 percent of the wild plants in Rhode Island are native to the state, that is, they evolved in the region. The remaining 25 percent arrived in a variety of ways, most of them either deliberate or accidental introductions due to hu-man activities. Many of these naturalized plants are familiar, such as common dandelion, ribgrass, English oak, Asiatic dayflower, and Queen Anne’s lace. A few naturalized spe-cies, such as Oriental bittersweet or multiflora rose, become serious pests in natural areas (more information on these species is given below in the section on invasive species). At the opposite end of the spectrum from the all-too-ubiq-uitous invasives are the state’s rarest wild plants. Approxi-mately 325 species are listed by Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s (RIDEM) Natural Heritage Preservation Program, which tracks rare species and criti-cal habitats. None of these plants are found in more than ten sites in the state, and some are protected by federal or state laws. Natural Heritage-listed plants include yellow lady’s slipper, fringed gentian, oak fern and purple needlegrass.

Between the rarest and the peskiest is the rest of the state’s

flora, from skunk cabbage to little bluestem, pink lady’s slip-per to red maple. The best way to become familiar with this flora is to get outside and enjoy it in its natural setting. There is always more to see and learn about, in every location and every season.

Here’s something you should know. Think you are immune to poison ivy? Guess again! Although you may not be af-fected by it for many years of your life, that can change at any time. Always treat poison ivy (and its wetland relative, poison sumac) with respect: every part of the plant – the leaves, roots, stems, flowers and fruits (everything but the pollen) – carries the oil that causes the itchy rash. The oil can cling to ash particles and be inhaled into lungs; poison ivy should never be burned to control it. Learn to identify these plants in every season and how to avoid them.

GARDENING WITH WILD PLANTSGardening is a very personal activity. Everyone has favorite blossoms, colors and forms; each garden is unique. “Wild” gardening is no different: there are many plants to choose from, many different parts of our yards to put them in, and many ways to combine them to create pleasing gardens. Some people who do wild plant gardening are “purists,” using only plants that are native to their area. Others like to mix and match both natives and non-natives. Some special-ize in particular habitats, such as woodland gardens or wild meadows; while others enjoy working with a specific plant group such as mosses, ferns, sedges or grasses. As with all gardening, the only limit is imagination (and perhaps bud-get!); the only “rules” are those of ethics: avoiding invasive species and obtaining plants from responsible sources.

Probably the biggest difference between ordinary gardening and the creation of wild gardens is that the wild garden seeks to work with nature, to make the landscape and the plants look as if they belong together, in the region where they

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have evolved. Those who love wild gardening are challenged by the subtlely of natural design and the beauty inherent in working with the landscape. On a very practical level, many gardeners also appreciate that native plants are adapted for our local climate and soils; native plants generally need fewer soil amendments and less fuss than do plants from other parts of the world.

Many wild plant gardeners also understand that their wild gardens are havens for local biodiversity: plant a wild garden and you will also be supporting other native organisms that rely on those plants. Our native plants and animals have evolved together over the millennia: animals rely on plants for food, shelter and breeding areas; plants rely on animals for pollination and seed dispersal. No organism, includ-ing people, lives outside these ecological relationships. The protection of biological diversity does not occur only in far-away rainforests, but also right here in our own yards—by landscaping and gardening with native plants, you are a part of local biodiversity preservation.

If you are overwhelmed by the many different choices of wild plants and types of gardens, here are some tips for get-ting started:

• Visit wild plant gardens, such as New England Wild Flower Society’s (NEWFS) Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA.

• Tour private gardens that use native plants; Rhode Island Wild Plant Society (RIWPS) often offers such tours.

• Take field trips to see wild plants and habitats in their natural settings, with groups such as RIWPS, NEWFS and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island (ASRI).

NOTE: Give up dreams of that “Meadow in a Can”: although there are a few meadow mixes available with seed appropri-ate to the Northeast, most mixes contain seeds of western plants that aren’t suitable for our soil and climate (and won’t persist); and many include invasive species. Wild meadows can be created, but like all gardening, they require proper site preparation and plant selection. Consult with local groups such as RIWPS and NEWFS for specific information.

PROCURING WILD PLANTS The primary concern in obtaining wild plants is discourag-ing wild collecting, which has driven some plants to near extinction. Wild orchids, lilies (including trilliums), ginseng and other medicinal wild plants, cacti and succulents are

especially vulnerable to unscrupulous collecting and sales. Fortunately, there are numerous reputable sources of native plants.

• Local groups such as RIWPS and NEWFS are excel-lent sources of wild plants that have been grown responsibly and are not wild-collected. The NEWFS also offers wild plant seeds once a year.

• Local nurseries carry many native plants; information is available from RIWPS.

• There are local landscape architects who specialize in designing native plant gardens; ask RIWPS to provide recommendations.

• Try to purchase plants and seeds from local sources. There is increasing interest in preserving local genetic material, to protect the full range of biological diver-sity.

• Do not encourage dealers who collect plants from the wild or purchase them from wild collectors. Espe-cially avoid purchasing wild plants over the Internet or through catalogue sales unless you are sure the source is reputable. Generally speaking, if a wild plant is cheap, it is probably stolen from the wild; please do not support these unethical activities.

• NEVER, EVER collect plants in the wild. In Rhode Island it is illegal to dig or pick anything that is not on your own property or on property where you have written permission from the landowner. Common sense is a good guide here: would you want someone to come onto your land and dig something up?

• All conservation properties (such as wildlife refuges and nature preserves) are protected.

• Some plants are specifically protected by state law, such as those listed in the “Christmas Greens Law” and those that are federally or state listed as En-dangered or Threatened. Rhode Island’s “Christmas Greens Law” protects many plants that are used for holiday decorations. Unless you have written permis-sion of the landowner, it is illegal to pick or dig: great rhododendron, mountain laurel, sea lavender, flow-ering dogwood, American holly, winterberry/black alder, inkberry, trailing arbutus, any conifer (pine, juniper, cedar, spruce, fir, or hemlock), and any of the clubmosses (such as creeping Jenny and Prince’s pine).

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References

Books:

Ferns: Identification and Gardening

Cobb, Boughton, A Field Guide to the Ferns & their Related Families, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 1956

Foster, F.G., Ferns to Know and Grow, 2d. Rev. Ed., Hawthorne Books, Inc., New York, NY, 1976

Hoshizaki, Barbara Joe, Fern Growers Manual, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, 1983

Lellinger, D.B., A Field Manual to the Ferns and Fern Allies of the United States and Canada, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 1985

Parsons, F.T, How to Know the Ferns, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, NY, 1927

Technical References

Crow, G.E. and C.B. Hellquist, Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America (2 vols.), University of Wiscon-sin Press, Madison, WI, 2000

Gleason, H.A. and A. Cronquist, Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2d Ed., New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, 1991

Gould, L.L., et.al, Vascular Flora of Rhode Island: A List of Native and Naturalized Plants, Rhode Island Natural History Survey, Kingston, RI, 1998

Magee, D.W. and H.E. Ahles, Flora of the Northeast: A Manual of the Vascular Flora of New England and Adjacent New York, University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA, 1999

Trees, Shrubs, and Wild Flowers: Identification and Appreciation

Brown, L., Wildflowers and Winter Weeds, W.W. Norton, New York, NY, 1976

Dana, F.T., How To Know the Wild Flowers, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY, 1893 [1963]

Dwelley, M.J., Spring Wildflowers of New England, Down East Enterprises, Camden, ME, 1973

Dwelley, M.J., Summer and Fall Wildflowers of New England, Down East Enterprises, Camden, ME, 1977

Dwelley, M.J., Trees and Shrubs of New England, 2d Ed., Down East Books, Camden, ME, 2000

Embertson, J., Pods: Wildflowers and Weeds in Their Final Beauty, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, NY, 1979

Newcomb, L., Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Little, Brown & Company, Boston, MA, 1977

Niering, W.A. and N.C. Olmstead, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region, Al-fred A. Knopf, New York, NY, 1979

Peterson, R.T. and M. McKenny, A Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-Central North America,. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 1968

Petrides, G.A., A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 1958

Petrides, G.A., Eastern Trees, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA, 1988

Redington, C.B., Plants in Wetlands, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, IA, 1994

Stokes, D. and L. Stokes, A Guide to Enjoying Wildflowers, Little, Brown & Co., Boston, MA, 1984

Stuckey, I.H., Rhode Island Wildflowers, 3d Ed., Rhode Island Natural History Survey, Kingston, RI, 2000

Stuckey, I.H. and L.L. Gould, Coastal Plants from Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC, 2000

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Websites:

Audubon Society of Rhode Island: ASRI is dedicated to conservation, education and advocacy. With refuges through-out the state and numerous field trips and events, ASRI offers many opportunities to see the rich diversity of habitats in Rhode Island. www.asri.org

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station: Native Alternatives for Invasive Ornamental Plant Species can be down-loaded at and is available in hardcopy from this site. www.caes.state.ct.us/Special Features/Special Features.html

Cornell University’s Ecology and Management of Invasive Plants Program: Lots of information about the ecological ef-fects on invasive species. http://www.invasiveplants.net/

The Invasive Plant Atlas of New England Project (IPANE): Packed with up-to-date information about invasive plants in our region. http://invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/

National Invasive Species Council (NISC): The gateway to Federal efforts concerning invasive species, including fact sheets on individual species. NISC coordinates Federal responses to invasive species. http://www.invasivespecies.gov/

National Park Service and Plant Conservation Alliance: Fact sheets with detailed information on control and alterna-tive landscape plants are featured on this helpful website produced by the. There is also information about enjoying and gardening with native plants. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact.html

National Wildlife Federation: A website on native gardening and invasive species: www.enature.com/native_invasive/na-tives.asp

The Nature Conservancy: The protection of biodiversity and conservation land is a primary goal of TNC. Many TNC preserves are open to the public and are beautiful places to visit and learn about the state’s natural communities. Rhode Is-land Chapter at 159 Waterman St., Providence RI 02906, (401) 331-7110 http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/rhodeisland/

The Nature Conservancy’s Invasive Species Initiative: Contains extensive image library, information on management of invasive species, and detailed Element Stewardship Abstracts on many invasive species. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu

New England Wild Flower Society: NEWFS promotes “conservation of North American native plants through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation and advocacy.” Its show garden, Garden in the Woods, is a great place to learn about native plants and how they grow. www.newfs.org

North American Native Plant Society. www.nanps.org/index.shtml

Plant Conservation Alliance: Has information about both enjoying and gardening with native plants, as well as invasive species. http://www.nps.gov/plants/

Rhode Island Coastal Plant Guide: The plant palette for coastal sites is as diverse as the coast itself. This list was devel-oped by the University of Rhode Island CELS Outreach Center with funding and support from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. It is intended to serve as a reference for individuals involved in the design and man-agement of coastal landscapes. The plants on this list have been selected for their ability to tolerate conditions found in coastal areas, such as sandy soils, wind and salt spray. Many of the plants on this list are well-known and currently in production, while others can be difficult to find through local growers and distributors. It is hoped that the use of this list will increase demand for coastally-appropriate, non-invasive plants and encourage their growth and distribution. http://www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/coastalPlants/CoastalPlantGuide

Rhode Island Natural History Survey: A clearinghouse for ecological information in Rhode Island. The Survey’s offerings include lectures, conferences, an annual Bioblitz, data on the state’s biota and habitats, and information about invasive species and the stewardship of conservation land. The Survey also sells a large variety of natural history publications, including resources on wild plant gardening and invasive species. Vascular Flora of Rhode Island lists is available from the Rhode Island Natural History Survey. www.rinhs.org

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society: RIWPS is a conservation organization “dedicated to the protection and preservation of Rhode Island’s native plants and their habitats.” Activities include field trips and plant identification classes throughout the year, garden tours, wild plant horticulture, plant sales, lectures and more. www.riwps.org

For a copy of the Christmas Greens Law, visit http://www.riwps.org/PlantLibrary/native/XmasGreensLaw.htm

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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: A site on invasive and noxious plants. http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=noxious.cgi