Devin Rodgers, Botantist at the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves
On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Devin Rodgers, KNPS member and Botanist for the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, led a hike of seven KNPS members at Crooked Creek State Nature Preserve, in Lewis County, KY. Though many of the asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) were not yet blooming, the hike’s focus on the sunflower family, Asteraceae, successfully highlighted flowering plants of many genera such as snakeroot (Ageratina), Mistflower (Conoclinium), thoroughworts (Eupatorium), Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium), Blazingstars (Liatris), rosinweeds (Silphium), Goldenrod (Solidago), and Ironweed (Vernonia).
Expanses of prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum) are found at Crooked Creek.
The rare grassland type present at the preserve, the Bluegrass Cat Prairie, is a unique assemblage of plants unlike any other calcareous grassland in Kentucky, though there are a few similarities to scattered grasslands over dolomite in the outer Bluegrass extending south and west towards Louisville. These prairies contained some of the most interesting and spectacular blooms with a sea of prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum), stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida), and three different blazingstars (Liatris cylindracea, Liatris aspera, Liatris spicata), of which two were blooming. Additional uncommon species flowering in the prairies included Southern obedient-plant (Physostegia virginiana ssp. praemorsa), Gattinger’s agalinis (Agalinis gattingeri), and Earleaf Foxglove (Agalinis auriculata).
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.
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).
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.
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.
The future revolves around the present–and what we’re teaching our children in and out of the classroom. Environmental science is a part of that because native plants bring about ecological generations of life.
In Kentucky, teaching about native plants in the classroom is necessary for the future of our environment and the cycle of vegetative life that thrives in the Bluegrass State.
For those unfamiliar with our Kentucky native plants and seeds swap groups, I’d like to first give a brief history of its origins and then provide an update for everyone.
In 2010, my husband Stephen Brown and I moved to a property next to some woods in southeast Jefferson County and proceeded to create a native plants habitat. The project is detailed up to 2021 in our book “Let the Earth Breathe: Gardening with Native Plants”
At the beginning of the project, we could not have imagined the communities that would eventually form around the growing and sharing of native seeds and plants. It has been one of the more profound experiences of our lives. So many members at our gatherings feel as if we are meeting our “tribe” once again. We seem to instantly connect and have so much fun. SO grateful for Facebook’s “Groups” feature, which has allowed us to connect and organize events all over the state. While our goal has always had a single focus, to increase the diversity of Kentucky native plant species throughout our larger Louisville region, the laughter and fun at swap events makes a huge difference in terms of drawing and retaining new “converts” to our cause. I, personally, spent untold hours devoted to creating and guiding an ethos that is not top-heavy, sour in tone, exclusive, or hierarchical in form. I truly believe keeping swap events free of commercial enterprises represents the underlying philosophy of our movement and why so many people are drawn to it and stay with it.
Regarding local native plants nurseries: we have actively advertised their services from the very beginning and, at times, invite them to sell their plants at homeowners’ garden tours. These are not official swaps and are totally at the discretion of individual property owners.
Although I started and guided the Louisville Citywide swap movement in the first few years, I stepped away from that all-consuming role, fully trusting that the emerging regional swap leaders would develop their own unique ways of carrying out our common goal. And they have done just that, and more. In the meantime, I am actively spreading the good news of Kentucky native plants in our own neighborhood, hoisting plants and seeds on neighbors wherever I can.
Below you will find links to some of the most outstanding regional swap groups: Please consider joining some of the groups to keep up with community outreach events and possibly form your own swap group wherever you happen to live. I truly hope you will consider it, if one does not currently exist close by. The diversity of plant species and their pollinators seems to increase exponentially in areas where active native plants swap groups are present. We have definitely seen this in our neighborhoods, where “pollinator corridors” are forming from neighbor to neighbor, neighborhood to neighborhood, neighborhoods to regions, etc. It’s an incredibly meaningful thing to be a part of, so don’t hesitate to dive in wherever and however you can.
Lastly, to those who felt offended by my rather abrupt closing of the Louisville Citywide swap group, I apologize. Like all my predecessors, I have never been one who shies away from what I truly believe is the correct approach for the greater good, and am accustomed to the resistance my actions seem to draw up when we would rather “nest” than expand. I am so impressed by each of the regional swap leaders who have persevered, continuing to creatively envision a better future for our beautiful indigenous Kentucky landscapes and communities. Let’s keep going!
Anne Milligan Louisville, Kentucky
Anne Milligan is an artist, singer/musician, and landscape designer. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband, author and historian Stephen A. Brown.
