Jeff Nelson, Author at Kentucky Native Plant Society

KNPS Table at Hummingbird Festival 2025

by Jeff Nelson, KNPS President

On August 2nd & 3rd, 2025, Kentucky Native Plant Society enjoyed being part of the 29th annual Hummingbird Festival at the Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes, in Trigg County. For 29 years, the Hummingbird Fest has celebrated the beauty of hummingbirds, plants, and pollinators at the Woodlands Nature Station! With as many as two hundred hummingbirds a day passing through the Nature Station’s backyard, August is a great time to see the ruby-throated hummingbird.

Woodlands Nature Station staff, scientists, local artisans, native plant sellers, other conservation organizations, and KNPS had booths in the Nature Station’s backyard. Almost 2,000 visitors over 2 days came through to watch hummers and butterflies and other pollinators buzzing about the native gardens, got an up-close look at the hummingbird banding station, learned how to create habitat in their own backyard, shopped for native plants and avian inspired art, and enjoyed games and crafts with the kids!

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KNPS Field Trip to Mogan Ridge West – Sept 7, 2025

Date of trip: 09/07/2025
Time: 10AM Central Time
Location: Mogan Ridge West, Porter Co., Indiana
Difficulty of hike: Moderate – Expect about a 2.5-hour, out-and-back hike. There are some steep hills on the trail, so expect some physical exertion.

Join Kentucky Native Plant Society Field Trips Chair Alan Abbott for a hike along Mogan Ridge West in Indiana’s Hoosier National Forest on Sunday, September 7th. This trail is close to the Ohio River and approximately an hour from either Owensboro or Louisville.

The hike is meant to introduce participants to the plants of Mogan Ridge, as well as other botanical adventures available in Southern Indiana’s public lands.

Mogan Ridge West follows a gravel road through an upland, Oak-Hickory forest. Late-blooming herbaceous plants typical of this part of Hoosier National Forest include Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago erecta), Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera), and Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens). Woody plants include Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa), and Post Oak (Quercus stellata). The trail has one of Indiana’s few populations of Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboretum).

Time permitting, the group will travel a short distance to see a small population of American Bluehearts (Buchnera americana).

Mogan Ridge West is a well-maintained forest road. However, there are some steep hills on the trail, so expect some physical exertion.

The group will meet at 10AM Central Time at the Mogan Ridge West parking area. Expect about a 2.5-hour, out-and-back hike. Bring water and tick-protection.

To register for this field trip, fill out and submit the form below.

2025 KNPS Fall Meeting at Natural Bridge SRP, September 6th, 10am EST

**^{White haired goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa)}**
**^{photo by Dr. Thomas G. Barnes}**

Mark your calendars and plan to meet up with other KNPS members and friends as we head to the Natural Bridge SRP for the Society’s 2025 Fall Meeting, on Sept 6th. We will meet in the Woodland Center, which is a short walk from the Hemlock Lodge where you can park. If you want to learn more about KNPS, meet other Kentucky native plant enthusiasts, and learn more about the native plants of Kentucky, then the KNPS Fall Meeting is for you!

We are still finalizing details of the Fall Meeting, but here is the schedule for the day (all times are Eastern Daylight Time).

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KNPS Field Trip to Mammoth Cave NP – Sept 6, 2025

Field Trip is Full, No More Registrations will be Accepted

Date of trip: 09/06/2025
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (approx.) Central Time
Location: Mammoth Cave NP, Hart County
Difficulty of hike: Easy – The trail is essentially level, with a few gentle slopes. The total hike will last two to three hours.

Join KNPS members Steve Kistler and Carol Friedman for a hike in Mammoth Cave NP. Participants will hike into two distinct prairie restoration areas, both north and south of the parking spot. The two areas have been burned on different schedules, resulting in differences in habitat. There are also some open woods, providing even more variety. Expect to see some grassland plants like Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) and Stiff Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago rigida). Steve and Carol will help ID the plants, insects and birds the group encounters.

Carol Friedman is a nature lover and gardener from Hart County. Steve Kistler, also from Hart County, is a retired teacher and seasonal guide at Mammoth Cave. He’s the creator of the website Hart County Flora.

To register for this field trip, fill out and submit the form below.

KNPS Field Trip to Crooked Creek SNP – Sept 6, 2025

Date of trip: 09/06/2025
Time: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Location: Crooked Creek SNP, Lewis Co., KY
Difficulty of hike: Easy – The hike will cover a distance of approximately 1.5 miles on an established trail. The terrain is mostly flat with some small inclines or declines, but attendees should be prepared for hiking trail conditions like navigating occasional spots with rocks, mud, or woody debris. We will leave the trail at one or two spots to view some of the grasslands.

Join KNPS member and OKNP biologist, Devin Rodgers for a hike to Crooked Creek SNP in Lewis Co. The hike will highlight the Bluegrass Cat Prairie, a unique type of grassland that features some of the highest concentrations of rare plants in Kentucky. The ecology and rare plants of this grassland will be discussed along with a focus on morphology and identification of the sunflower family, Asteraceae.

Prairie species such as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum var. luciae-brauniae) occur in the barrens areas. This site also protects five rare plant species: starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum), white rattlesnake root (Prenanthes alba), slender blazing-star (Liatris cylindracea), earleaf foxglove (Agalinis auriculata) and scarlet Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea).

There are no restrooms or facilities at the preserve. There will be some shaded portions of the hike, but attendees should be prepared for being in open areas with full sun. Short water and shade breaks will be taken. Make sure to bring plenty of water and tick protection.

Because of limited parking at Crooked Creek SNP, the group will meet in Maysville and carpool to the preserve. Meet up coordinates will be sent to participants in a separate email.

Due to the sensitivity of the site, registration will be limited to 12 participants.

If you have any questions, send an email to FieldTrips@knps.org.

To register for this field trip, fill out and submit the form below.

KNPS 2025 Pollinator Garden Grant Winner, the Wright Elementary “Jets”

Since 2023, Kentucky Native Plant Society has been awarding five grants of $500 per year to foster the establishment of native plant pollinator gardens, emphasizing not only the ecological benefits but also the educational enrichment they provide. Through these gardens, KNPS seeks to nurture a deeper understanding and appreciation of native plant species and their crucial role in pollination.

In 2025, we were thrilled to receive nearly 30 worthy applications for this $500 garden grant. Picking only five was difficult for the committee: David Taylor, Rachel Cook, Kelly Watson, and Susan Harkins. You can see all five of this year’s grant winners here, KNPS 2025 Pollinator Garden Grant Winners!

One of this year’s winners was Wright Elementary School, in Shelbyville. Their new garden is a second-grade project, but will be used by the entire school for many academic endeavors. They have big plans for this garden’s future, including an irrigation system, benches, and even a picnic area.

We recently received this update about their garden and the images from Amanda Nett, a Second Grade teacher at Wright Elementary.

With the grant we received we were able to fill 2 large and 2 medium garden beds with native plants. Our students were able to plant them, care for them and learned why native plants are so important to Kentucky. We focused a lot on pollinators and how the native plants we selected can help pollinators. We cannot begin to thank you for the grant money. It was such a wonderful gift and really furthered our students’ learning and appreciation of native plants! I’m sending several pictures of the kids preparing the beds, the whole group and after we added the native plant beds. Many of the plants are blooming now, and we can’t wait to see how much it grows in the upcoming years!

The Wet Woods, Salt Licks and Purple Orchids of Fabulous Fairdale, Wednesday, 23rd July, 6-7:30 pm

Where: Fairdale Public Library, 10620 West Manslick Road, Fairdale, KY 40118
When: Wednesday, 23rd July, 6-7:30 pm

by Julian Campbell and Josh Wysor

**^{Purple fringeless orchid (Platanthera peramoena)}**

Interested people are invited to this presentation and discussion at Fairdale Public Library on Wednesday, 23rd July, 6-7:30 pm EDT presented by Julian Campbell and Josh Wysor. “The Wet Woods, Salt Licks and Purple Orchids of Fabulous Fairdale“.

What is the Natural History of Fairdale–which emerged from the notorious “Wet Woods” of southern Jefferson County? How has this local ecology affected the human history and economy of this region since Virginian settlement? Where are best remnants of the original landscape, together with native flora and fauna? Can the community aim to conserve or restore such sites in an organized fashion? Can we assemble material for an interesting educational booklet (or website) that could be used to guide field trips and management? This presentation will address these questions, illustrated with old maps and current photographs. We hope to discuss mutual interests with the community, and to suggest ways forward. Much relevant information is available but there does not yet appear to be a definite plan for harmonious balance of development and conservation

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