Gardening begins in earnest. A good way to ease into the physical demands is to pause frequently to observe and express gratitude.

Left to right: orange sulfur, monarch, black swallowtail, meadow fritillary

photos by E Barth-Elias

Enter April and the great awakening! The seasonal flush of caterpillars is poised to take advantage of the unfurling leaves of broadleaf trees. The earliest of these caterpillars have overwintered as eggs, which will hatch and fatten up in time to provide a meal for the migratory songbirds passing our way. Warblers, vireos, orioles, and a host of others will partake of the feast. The deciduous forests that cover much of the eastern United States contain a large proportion of the caterpillar biomass in northern North America. Northeast Ohio is a part of this migratory pathway, as birds take advantage of the rich food source the abundant caterpillars provide. 

As the days progress, the buds of beloved early spring flowers—daffodils, marsh marigolds, violets—unfold, providing welcome nectar for spring butterflies. Some, such as the banded hairstreak and purplish copper, have overwintered as eggs, which hatch into caterpillars when cold temperatures diminish. Others (tawny emperor and meadow fritillary) spend their winter as caterpillars, securing themselves in tree cracks or leaf and grass litter.  Orange sulphur, black swallowtail, cabbage white, and a host of others transform into a pupa encased in a chrysalis before the winter cold arrives, and spend winter days in this protected state. It is hard to imagine, but some butterflies, such as the question mark and mourning cloak, overwinter as adults, finding shelter in tree and other plant crevices and cavities. The spring butterfly population is supplemented by those returning from their migratory journey, sometimes traveling thousands of miles from their winter sojourn (monarchs). Butterflies greet the warmer days of spring in many forms, but arrive with one purpose—to sip the sweet flower nectar that will fuel their growth and reproduction (collecting pollen along the way). The butterflies will soon mate and lay eggs so that their offspring can take advantage of spring’s abundant food supply. 

April is a time to revel in this perfectly orchestrated symphony. The accumulated warmth triggers trees and shrubs to leaf out, caterpillar eggs to hatch, and overwintered butterfly larva, pupa, and adults to take advantage of the foliage and floral abundance. Migratory birds claim their share of the caterpillars, enabling them to journey on to nesting grounds up north. Caterpillars complete their growth cycles, resulting in beautiful butterflies that flit from flower to flower. Drawn by the flowers’ scent and color cues, they are busy using their long, straw-like proboscises to feed on the nutrient-rich nectar, sustenance needed for egg laying. In the process, spring flowers are pollinated, and then set seed. April is a good time to pause and appreciate this sophisticated system and the beauty of each of its interrelated parts. Look Around!  

HOW TO CATERPILLARS OVERWINTER: One Earth

BUTTERFLIES & SKIPPERS OF OHIO: ODNR Field Guide (Downloadable)

Special thanks to Dr. Roger Downer, OSU Biologist and lepidoptera enthusiast, for his insights and contributions to the writing of this article.

K Edgington

Zizia aurea flowers

photo by Doug MrGrady

Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary native wildflower that attracts pollinators, thrives in various conditions, and is low maintenance and reliable? Look no further than Zizia aurea, commonly known as golden Alexander. (The name honors German botanist Johann Baptist Ziz.) It is a delightful addition to any garden and when neighbors inevitably ask “what is that?” you will have a zippy reply; a Zizia aurea of course! 

What will draw you in with Zizia aurea is its striking color. The plant features clusters of bright yellow flowers that emerge in late spring to early summer on stems 1-2 feet tall. These flowers add a splash of color to your garden and serve as a vital nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. They also make great cut flowers to bring indoors.

Zizia aurea prefers moist, well-drained soils and can be found in various habitats, including meadows, woodlands, and along stream banks. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it adaptable to different garden settings. It is hardy in zones 3-8 and will grow in challenging conditions such as clay or sandy soils and occasional standing water. Though it will survive the occasional drought, you will be rewarded handsomely if you take the time to give it an extra drink during dry spells. 

When planting Zizia aurea, consider grouping several plants to create a stunning display that mimics its natural habitat. The pollinators will love you! Deadheading spent flowers can encourage a longer blooming period and prevent self-seeding if that is a concern. Allowing some plants to go to seed can be a bonus, as they freely self-seed, but are not considered invasive.

Another advantage of Zizia aurea is its role in supporting wildlife. Zizia is an important plant to several short-tongued insects that can easily reach the nectar in the small yellow flowers. Golden Alexander serves as a host plant for the larvae of several butterfly species, including the black swallowtail and Ozark swallowtail. While these butterflies visit various flowers for nectar, they exclusively use golden alexander to lay their eggs, and the caterpillars feed on its leaves. (These swallowtail caterpillars only feed on parsley family members and rues.) 

In addition to its ecological benefits, Zizia aurea fits well in many landscapes. The perennial’s bright yellow flowers and attractive serrated foliage pair well with many other plants, including purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, blue false indigo, columbine and various grasses. Consider incorporating it in a pollinator garden, rain garden or with other native plants. It is sometimes mistaken for the wild parsnip, which is invasive and toxic. HERE'S how to tell the difference.

All things considered, Zizia aurea, or golden alexander, is an underappreciated plant that offers numerous benefits to gardeners. Its vibrant yellow flowers, low maintenance requirements, and ability to support pollinators and wildlife make it an ideal choice for those looking to jazz up their garden. It’s considered moderately deer resistant too. Incorporate this native wildflower into your landscape, and give your garden a little zip with zizia!



ZIZIA AUREA: NC State Extension

 J Gramlich

Maples have exquisite flowers. Look up!

photo by E Barth-Elias

Foliage of arborvitae, hemlock, blue spruce, and white pine.

photos by E Barth-Elias

By April many gardeners are well into their pruning chores. The general rule is to prune while plants are dormant and their structure is easily seen. Conifers don’t offer that skeletal view—what is the best time and way to prune them? Since not all conifers respond to pruning in the same way, the different genera (spruce, pine, yew, . . . ) require different methods. Let’s take a look.

The first rule of conifer pruning is to prune only with a purpose. Conifers don’t replace growth in the same way that other plants do, and most do better with minimal pruning.  Pruning to remove dead, diseased or damaged branches, and to keep the plant in bounds are good reasons to get out the pruning shears.  

Because of their dense growth, most conifers develop “dead zones”, areas near the interior of the plant where buds die and branches are brown due to self-shading. Because dead zones branches do not have viable buds, pruning into them results in permanent, unsightly holes or bald spots. Branches on plants with dead zones should be pruned to a green shoot or branch.  Pines are an exception. Their open crown allows for green growth into the interior of the plant. Pines, however, seldom form lateral buds along their stems, and limiting size or shaping growth is accomplished by pinching or pruning the elongating new growth, called candles, which occurs in a whorl at the stem tip in spring.

Thanks to Dr. Bert Cregg (Michigan State University Department of Horticulture) for his description of the following pruning groups:

Conifers with fan-like needles: This group includes arborvitae, juniper and chamaecyparis. These plants are best pruned in spring when the plant is pushing new growth. They are among the conifers that do not form new buds on old growth, so avoid cutting back to brown, older stems. Prune only on new growth, snipping the branch tips, unless entire branches will be removed to the base.

Conifers with flat needles: Hemlocks and yews are members of this group. Both of these plants respond well to pruning, and yews are one of the few conifers that will usually generate new growth from viable dormant buds in the dead zone. Prune when dormant in late winter or late summer. Removing the outermost growth results in a flush of new growth.  

Conifers with stiff needles: Douglas firs, firs, and spruces are stiff-needled conifers, and should be pruned when dormant in late winter or spring. To control height, prune the leader just above a bud, which will become the new leader. Making this cut releases growth hormones that stimulate the buds below the new leader to grow as well. Lightly pruning the outermost branches encourages fullness.  

Conifers with bunched needles: These are pines, which in spring push elongating candles, which represent the new season’s growth. Pines should be pruned when the candles are elongating, pinching or pruning those candles where growth needs to be limited. 

The suggested pruning times for flat, stiff, and bunched needled conifers are optimal, but these plants can be pruned any time they are not actively growing. Always prune to just after a branch or bud—never leave stubs. The best conifer pruning strategy is to avoid the need—choose conifers whose mature size will fit the planting site. The selection of dwarf and miniature conifers increases each year, and they are ideally suited to small landscapes and sites.  Make sure pruning tools are clean. 

Conifers add stately beauty and depth to the landscape. Keep them at their best by understanding IF, when, and how to prune them. 

PRUNING EVERGREENS AND CONIFERS: WHEN, WHY, AND HOW: K-State Research and Extension

K Edgington

Armored scale (left) and soft scale (right)

photos by Katie Schwartz

After this protracted winter, we are all eager to see signs of life. Buds and leaves popping, please. The first flowers starting to bloom. Crawlers? It’s hard to believe that the first signs of spring can include the first signs of a stubborn garden pest, scale insects. But we should be glad they are on the move, because that’s the only time to successfully fend off a much larger infestation. 

Scales are a broad group of insects that grow their own defense system in the form of a protective covering – either a hard, waxy shell that protects the insect underneath or a soft waxy or powdery covering that is part of the insect itself. Both soft-bodied (Family Coccidae) and armored scales (Family Diaspididae) are tricky to control but have vulnerabilities. (Look HERE for the control of mealy bugs, another type of scale.)

Scales belong to the insect order Hemiptera, of which there are 6,000 species worldwide, 1,000 in North America. They feed by inserting piercing, sucking mouthparts into plant tissue and sucking out the juices. The two types of scale target different parts of the plant. 

Soft scales target the vascular tissue (phloem), full of sugars and other plant nutrients. Because of the high sugar content, soft scales excrete honeydew, which produces a black sooty mold fungus attractive to ants and other insects. The opaque fungus can also block photosynthesis and stunt the plant’s growth. Soft scales are a more serious threat to indoor plants. They usually have one generation per year.

Armored scales eat the nutrients found in individual plant cells. They are most often found outdoors on trees or shrubs. Their damage can result in yellowed and/or deformed leaves or defoliation. They usually have multiple generations per year.

The key to managing either type of these pests is knowledge of the type of scale you’re dealing with combined with close observation. Catching them when they have just hatched makes controlling scale much easier. Since you know soft-bodied scales normally only have one generation per season, you can monitor plants they feed on and use the best methods to kill them, once and done. However, continued monitoring can catch any late-comers to the party as they search for a suitable place to settle in and begin sucking. Once they find their spot, most control methods become ineffective.

Armored scales’ many generations require more constant vigilance. The emergence of crawlers is determined by weather conditions—the amount of annual accumulated heat. Scientists have organized the occurrence of accumulated heat into a system called Growing Degree Days, and Ohio State University has produced an easy-to-use format that will tell you at a glance what your GDD is for today. Just enter your zip code and you have your GDD, as well as information about what is currently happening at that GDD amount. See it HERE. To find a list of insects and pests and the GDD when they emerge check out THIS MSU site. 

Indoors or outdoors, insecticidal soap or horticultural oils will kill crawlers. Soft, indoor scales can also be gently brushed away or washed off, taking care not to damage the plant as you pursue pesky scales. Some sources recommend placing double sided sticky tape at the base of stems or branches to catch the crawlers as they emerge. 

Cultural methods include identifying the species to determine its life cycle and likely time the crawlers are moving. Scales are attracted to stressed and weak plants, so keeping your plants well-fed and watered is a first line of defense. Lady beetles are a natural biological predator of scales, as are certain species of parasitic wasp and predacious mites. 

Scales can be more than a nuisance in gardens, whether indoor or out. Keeping your plants healthy and keeping a close watch for these armored interlopers can help prevent scales from becoming a major headache. Now, about those signs of spring. . . .

SCALE INSECTS: Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension

SCALES: University of Georgia Extension

                        S Vradenburg

April Checklist:

• Plant pansies.
• Add organic matter such as compost or aged manure to vegetable beds. 
• Plant cool-season vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and broccoli outdoors and summer vegetables indoors. (Six to eight weeks before the last frost.)
• Plant, prune, and fertilize roses. SPRING ROSE CARE: Blooming Backyard
• Divide perennials for healthier plants and more blooms this summer.
• Plant trees and shrubs now so they settle in before the summer heat and require less supplemental water.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicide to control crabgrass in the lawn. Check HERE for when to apply.

J Gramlich

More learning opportunities:

• Summit County Master Gardeners on Facebook
• Follow Summit County Master Gardeners on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osusummitmgv
• Submit questions to Ohio Master Gardener Volunteers at Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer (AaMGV)
• Find fact sheets and garden information at OhioLine Yard and Garden