REPLACING INVASIVE PLANTS WITH NATIVE PLANTS - Honeysuckle Invasive plants are non-native species that outcompete our native plants for resources (light, water, nutrients) and alter the biodiversity found in our natural lands, often by taking over our native plants. By removing invasives and non-natives (at least a percentage of the latter) and replacing with native plants, our landscapes can better support these important efforts in our environment. This month, we will discu

For 2026 I will be presenting monthly articles delving in to which native plants can replace invasive plants in your yard and in our community. Invasive plants are non-native species that outcompete our native plants for resources (light, water, nutrients) and alter the biodiversity found in our natural lands, often by taking over our native plants. According to entomologist and author Doug Tallamy, our landscapes should be supporting food webs and pollinators, sequestering c

This month I will focus on the Sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), a deciduous tree native to the southern portion of Ohio. It is often planted as a landscape tree in the rest of Ohio. Once you know this tree, you’ll likely remember it by its 5-7 point star-shaped leaves, its beautiful fall color and its spiky round fruits. In autumn, the leaves turn shades of color from yellow to orange to red to deep purple and mixtures of all of these, tending to turn and stay attache

Recently on the Minerva Park Facebook page, two of our trees were dubbed "the Kissing Trees" - apologies to the namer as I don’t remember who it was. This month, I thought it would be fun to do an article on these two trees.  They seem to be much noticed by those who walk the Green Space path. The Kissing Trees are the 2 largest trees that grow in the circle of path just south of Quiet Brook Vale pond (the pond by the tunnel). They sit on either side of KiIbourne Run.  To the