Crater of Diamonds Newsletter

Have you ever looked at the plants in a vacant lot or roadside ditch and wondered what they are, if they are edible, and if you could use them for something? If any of these questions ring a bell, then join us at the Crater of Diamonds State Park on Sunday, September 18^th for a workshop on Arkansas’ native plants. We are fortunate to have an expert on the identification and use of native plants in our area. Ray Erickson, who is a seasonal interpreter at Logoly State Park near McNeil, AR, has devoted his life to the study of plants. For twenty-seven years he was a plant biologist for the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, studying the identification and uses of the wild, native plants of South Arkansas. He will lead us in hands on identification of the wild plants in the Crater forest. He will also discuss which plants are edible and which have medicinal or other practical uses.

When I moved to Arkansas I inherited a “blank slate” in my yard. The double-wide where I live has only been there for 4 years, and the previous tenant had used most of it as a dog run. I had been hearing more and more about the use of wild, native plants in landscaping, and I decided to try that in my yard. The first year I let almost anything but the grass grow. Since that time I have become more choosey, and the “landscaping” has started to take shape. In the spring I love the buttercups and henbit. In the summer the St. Andrew’s Cross flowers bloom on my “bushes”. In the fall the fuchsia berries of the Beauty Bush and the huge yellow heads of the Goldenrod brighten my flower beds.

But, in addition to their beauty, landscaping with native plants has a number of advantages. First, you don’t have to worry whether or not the plants are suitable for your plant zone. Second, they are already resistant to local bugs and diseases, and are drought tolerant. So, you will cut down on your use of pesticides. Third, you will be providing the food that the wild animals are adapted to eating. Finally, your trips to the nursery will be far fewer, because if a native plant dies, it is easily replaceable.

So, join us on Sunday, September 18, 2011 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. At the visitors center you will pay the $15.00 for the class, and be directed to the classroom on the upper level of the Diamond Discovery Center. Be prepared for spending most of the time outside, so bring bug repellent for the ticks and chiggers. To register for the workshop (space is limited) please call Margi or Waymon at 870-285-3116 or email Margi at margaret.jenks@arkansas.gov.

Search area last plowed: August 30, 2011; Most recent significant rain: August 29, 2011 (only 1/4”)

September 3 - Tim Pittman, Jacksonville, AR, 7 pt. white, 1.45 ct. white; Kellee Geier, Jacksonville, AL, 44 pt. brown