Native plants offer us all a lot - beautiful flowers, interesting scents…oxygen. But, for those willing and able to stop and smell the roses (native ones, hopefully), textures of plants also offer a great deal of interest. When you slow down, bend down and take a good look at what is green, you may be amazed at the intricate patterns and shapes the various plants have, just in their foliage. This week, we’re going to look at some Michigan native plants with some really interesting foliage.

The first plant we can enjoy is Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), which is blooming right now. You’ll find it in rich woods, low to the ground. It never gets much taller than a foot, if that, but its extremely fine, delicate leaves, almost palm frondish in appearance, is a delight to behold. Of course, it gets its name and fame from its cool-looking flowers (which look like the pants of a Dutchman), but look beyond those to its foliage, which lasts well beyond its flowers. Ants are responsible for spreading the seeds, which are toxic to mammals. In spite of the latter, Native Americans used the plant for treatments of syphilis and as a liniment for sore muscles.

Another little plant that is blooming now, and has fun foliage, is Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis). This little plant, with a single five-petaled white flower at its center, has three deeply cleft leaves that are shaped a bit like triangles. This short plant is mostly found in sunny to partially shady conditions, with medium to moist soil. These little leaves also far outlast the flower for a nice, ongoing textural backdrop to other, taller flowers. Unlike Dutchman’s breeches, you can find this plant in local native plant vendors’ product lists.
 
Apparently, given the right soil and competitive conditions, they can be kind of aggressive, and form an extensive colony. This can be good or bad, depending on your needs and perspective, but consider yourselves alerted. I can personally testify that this has not been a problem in my garden, but this may be more of a testament to my soil than the plant’s competitive abilities. Native Americans would use it for a lot of ailments, among them a wash for sores, a treatment for crossed-eyes and eye twitching and as a treatment for lower back pain.

Cutleaf Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) is another plant you may see around this area in damp woods, as it is also blooming now. The finely cut leaves and white flower make this a really pretty plant to have around. Of course, you have to look down to see it since it’s lucky to reach a foot tall, but this is pretty widespread and can form impressive colonies. The Horner Woods preserve has a lot of this in lower areas. You can also find it in the woods on the University of Michigan's North Campus on the north side of Hayward between Murfin and Beal. Native Americans also used this plant for a range of uses, including as a treatment to regulate the stomach, a cure for headaches and even as a love medicine.

Last, but not least, is Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum). I’ve said it before about other plants, and I’ll say it again about this plant. It’s one of my favorites. It’s a hardy plant with five-lobed leaves with cut edges. The leaves hold on all summer and turn a very nice shade of red in the fall. The plant forms a clump that gets to about 18 inches tall and wide. Mature plants produce many five-petaled lavender/pink flowers and spread via seeds that pop out of their seed pods when they dry. This is a great landscaping plant, providing color in two seasons, and great texture in three seasons, and likes a range of sun conditions, from bright sun to partial shade.

Marshall Park, at the northwest corner of Plymouth and Dixboro Roads, had a great display of them when I last visited there a couple of years ago. A Natural Areas Preservation (NAP) crew had removed a great deal of invasive shrubs from an oak forest and the wild geranium responded with an impressive rebound that the additional sunlight triggered. It’s just about to bloom, so take a trip there (or in other oak forests around the area) and see if you can find some. You can also add them to your own garden as it is readily available from Native Plant Nursery and Wildtype Nursery.

Flowers get the headlines, but with these native plants, the texture of their foliage can make for a diverse, delightful bed in your garden, or a special treasure hidden amongst other plants you may have. In any case, they’re fun to look at, and enjoy.

As an ongoing “feature,” I’m going to start listing native species that are blooming in my little yard, just for the record. Currently, I have the following blooming, in no particular order: Canada Anemone, Rue Anemone, Early Meadow Rue, Dutchman’s Breeches, Cutleaf Toothwort, Virginia Bluebells, Pennsylvania Sedge, Graceful Sedge, Wild Strawberry, Spring Beauty, Wild Geranium and Trillium.

Get out and enjoy nature, everyone!

Rick is a local landscape architect with a special interest in all things natural, including native plants and the critters that eat them. You can contact him at yourland1824@gmail.com.