Purdue University - Extension - Forestry and Natural Resources
Got Nature? Blog
In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension Forester Lenny Farlee introduces us to Nannyberry Viburnum, a native shrub found across Indiana woodlands. Learn how to identify Nannyberry by its finely serrated leaves, drooping branches, clustered fruit and seasonal changes from spring blooms to fall color. Lenny also shares where this species commonly grows and how it fits into Indiana’s natural landscapes. This video provides a helpful introduction to identifying Nannyberry Viburnum whether you’re a student, landowner, or just interested in better understanding the trees and shrubs around you.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree – Video Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Habitat University, Episode 12 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Professional Forester, Indiana Forestry Woodland Owners Association
District Forester, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 10+ acres
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension Forester Lenny Farlee introduces us to Eastern Swamp Privet, a native Indiana shrub commonly found in wetland and swampy habitats. Unlike the privets around yards, homes and towns, the Eastern Swamp Privet comes from a different genus of plants. Learn how to identify this species by its opposite arrangement, simple leaves, finely toothed margins and spurs. This video provides a helpful introduction to identifying Eastern Swamp Privet whether you’re a student, landowner, or just interested in better understanding the trees and shrubs around you.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree – Video Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Habitat University, Episode 12 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Professional Forester, Indiana Forestry Woodland Owners Association
District Forester, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 10+ acres
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
Description of Bovine Tuberculosis:
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine Tb) is a disease found in mammals caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). In North America, bovine Tb is most commonly found in domestic cattle and captive and wild cervids (white-tailed deer, elk, etc.) and less commonly in other mammals such as raccoon, opossums, coyotes, and wild boars.
Bovine Tb has been greatly reduced in the cattle industry since the National Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis eradication program began in 1917. Currently, most states are accredited as “Bovine Tuberculosis-Free” by the United States Department of Agriculture, however, sporadic outbreaks do still occur throughout the United States.
Cattle, captive cervids, and wild white-tailed deer are considered reservoir hosts for bovine Tb. A reservoir host is a species in which bovine Tb can persist and be transmitted among individuals within a species or be transmitted to another species. Wild white-tailed deer may pose the greatest threat to the establishment of bovine Tb on the landscape because they move freely across the landscape and may contact multiple domestic cattle herds.
In Indiana, bovine Tb was detected in domestic cattle in 2008, 2010, and 2011 and most recently in April 2016 and a captive red deer and elk herd in Franklin County in 2009. The first case of bovine Tb in a wild white-tailed deer in Indiana occurred in August 2016 in Franklin County. All confirmed cases of bovine Tb in Indiana have been from the same strain of M. Bovis.
As of Dec 14th, 2016, 2,024 white-tailed deer samples have been collected, 2 exhibited lesions consistent with bovine Tb; 1,897 samples have been tested and 0 samples have tested positive for bovine Tb.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, bovine Tb is transmissible to humans but bovine Tb accounts for <2% of tuberculosis cases in the United States. Most cases of bovine Tb in humans are caused by consuming unpasteurized dairy products and the likelihood of contracting bovine Tb from a wild deer is minuscule. There has been only one confirmed case of transmission of bovine Tb to a human from an infected white-tailed deer. In that case, bovine Tb was thought to be transmitted via bodily fluids from the infected deer contacting an open wound on the person during the field dressing process.
Picture 1. Bovine Tb Management and Surveillance Zones in Indiana as of Dec. 2016.
Both Michigan and Minnesota have had outbreaks of bovine Tb in wild white-tailed deer. Currently, bovine Tb occurs in less than 2% of deer in the Bovine Tb Management Zone in Michigan and has not been detected since 2009 in a wild deer in Minnesota. There are certainly lessons to be learned from both states and those lessons are being incorporated in the management of bovine Tb in Indiana.
Human health is the main concern; given that bovine Tb is transmissible to humans. Additionally, bovine Tb is not a naturally occurring disease in white-tailed deer. Deer can also be a reservoir for bovine Tb potentially transmitting bovine Tb to uninfected deer and also to uninfected cattle through direct contact or through shared feeding. Because deer are free-ranging they have the potential to contact multiple cattle herds and transmit bovine Tb across the landscape. If bovine Tb is maintained in the wild deer herd, Indiana is at risk of losing the “Bovine Tuberculosis-Free” accreditation from the USDA, which has negative economic impacts for the cattle industry in Indiana.
An animal infected with bovine Tb can shed the M. bovis bacteria through repertory secretions, feces, urine, or unpasteurized milk. Under the right environmental conditions, the bacteria can remain viable in the environment for months. The disease is spread when an uninfected animal comes into direct contact with secretions of an infected animal or indirectly through an M. bovis contaminated source in the environment (e.g. feed pile). Deer can contract bovine Tb through direct contact with an infected animal, either another deer or cattle or through sharing feeding with an infected animal at wildlife supplemental feeding piles or areas where cattle are fed or cattle feed is stored. Deer can transmit bovine Tb in the same ways as contracting the disease. Indirect contact, by means of shared feeding, is believed to be the primary pathway between deer and cattle.
Both Michigan and Minnesota have followed the same general approach to eradicating bovine Tb. Their approach consisted of (1) reducing deer density in the bovine Tb management zone, (2) eliminating baiting and supplemental feeding of wildlife, and (3) continual monitoring for bovine Tb in wild deer.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH) are considering similar steps as in Michigan and Minnesota to eliminate bovine Tb in wild deer in Indiana. First, a bovine Tb Management Zone has been established in Franklin County and southern Fayette County and a Bovine Tb Surveillance Zone has been established in Dearborn County (Picture 1). In the management and surveillance zones, the IDNR sampled >2,000 hunter harvested deer during the 2016 deer season – none of which tested positive for bovine Tb. As a result, the IDNR determined active population reduction through sharp shooting (as used in other states) is not warranted at this time. The IDNR is still allowing landowners in the management zone to request disease permit to control deer near cattle farms in an effort to reduce cattle and deer interactions. Also, feeding deer or any wildlife is banned in the management zone. Management and surveillance will continue into the future. More information on the management of bovine Tb in Indiana can be found on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)-Bovine Tuberculosis and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH)-Bovine Tuberculosis.
Reducing deer density is important to eliminate bovine Tb because the disease is density-dependent and spreads more efficiently in areas with high deer densities. In densely populated areas, deer come into contact with other wild deer, captive cervids, and cattle herds more frequently, thus potentially spreading bovine Tb to uninfected animals. The purpose of deer reductions is to reduce the risk of transmission by reducing population density, removing diseased deer, and to estimate the percentage of the population with bovine Tb.
One of the primary routes in which bovine Tb can be spread is through shared feeding. This is because supplemental feeding artificially concentrates deer in a very small area increasing contact among deer and other wildlife species. Additionally, M. bovis can survive for months on a supplemental feed pile. Thus, banning supplemental feeding is a critical step to limit the contact of infected and uninfected animals.
To date, there are no effective treatments for bovine Tb in wild white-tailed deer. This is why practices such as deer density reduction, a ban on supplemental feeding, and continued surveillance are vital in combating bovine Tb in wild deer.
Picture 2. Lesions from bovine Tb infection in the chest cavity of a wild white-tailed deer. Photo by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The clinical signs of bovine Tb recognizable to hunters would be small to large white, tan, or yellow lesions on the lungs, rib cage, or in the chest cavity (Picture 2). However, in Michigan only 64% of deer exhibited lesions and only 42% would have been recognizable to hunters. If you harvest a deer in the bovine Tb management or surveillance zone, you should submit it for sampling. More information on recognizing bovine Tb and guidance can be found on the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) White-tailed Deer TB Survey.
Check the IDNR’s Bovine Tuberculosis and BOAH’s Bovine Tuberculosis for information on submitting harvested deer for sampling.
Venison from deer harvested within the Bovine Tb Management and Surveillance Zone should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill M. bovis and other bacteria. Bovine Tb is rarely present on muscle tissue (meat) and the most likely way bovine Tb would be on meat would be through contamination from secretions within the body cavity.
Bovine Tb may be transmitted through bodily secretions of an infected deer contacting an exposed wound on a person during the field dressing process. If lesions consistent with bovine Tb are found inside a harvested deer you should contact the IDNR and submit the deer for testing. It’s important to mention that the likelihood of contracting bovine Tb from wild deer is very rare, but there are some steps you can take to further minimize the risk.
*Always wear gloves when field dressing, skinning, and processing a deer because bovine Tb may be present in fluids from the internal body cavity.
* Make sure to clean knives that are used for field dressing thoroughly prior to using them to skin or process a deer, or use different knives for each step.
* Thoroughly wash your hands after field dressing, skinning, and processing deer.
* Cook all venison to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cattle operators in the Bovine Tb Management and Surveillance Area should limit contact between deer and cattle or cattle feed by:* Only feed cattle an amount that can be consumed in one day
* Fence areas where cattle feed is stored
* Store feed away from deer
* Close the end of large plastic bags used to store corn, haylage, or silage and also remove any feed from the ground around the ends of the bag
* Use hunting and additional landowner permits from the IDNR as a management tool to reduce deer density around your farm
If you own land in the Bovine Tb Management Zone (Picture 1) you should contact Joe Caudell (812) 334-1137, the Indiana State Deer Biologist, or the Indiana Bovine Tb Hotline at (844) 803-0002.
Additional Bovine Tb Resources:
Bovine Tuberculosis in Wild White-tailed Deer, FNR-551-W publication, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources
Bovine Tb, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Bovine Tb, Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH)
Bovine Tb Disease, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Bovine Tb, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Bovine Tb, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Bovine Tb factsheet, Center for Disease Control
Jarred Brooke, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension Forester Lenny Farlee introduces us to Carolina Buckthorn. This native Indiana shrub features smooth gray bark, glossy leaves and colorful berries that shift from green to red to black. Learn how Carolina buckthorn differs from invasive buckthorn species, where it commonly grows in Indiana woodlands and tips for recognizing it throughout the seasons. This video provides a helpful introduction to identifying Carolina Buckthorn whether you’re a student, landowner or just interested in better understanding of the trees and shrubs around you.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree – Video Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Habitat University, Episode 12 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Professional Forester, Indiana Forestry Woodland Owners Association
District Forester, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 10+ acres
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
MyDNR, Indiana’s Outdoor Newsletter: Do you have bats roosting on your property? Help DNR by counting how many bats fly out during a few evenings this summer. A new DNR tool allows individuals with bats roosting on their property (or a property where they have access) to report the roost to DNR mammalogists.
Image credit: Indiana Department of Natural Resources
This data allows biologists to learn how and where bats and humans coexist. Over time, the data will contribute to a map of these locations. The information will also guide outreach efforts and allow DNR biologists to contact property owners who submit reports for additional survey opportunities.
Data collection projects and many of the outreach and conservation efforts that result from them are made possible largely thanks to donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund.
For more information please visit Summer Bat Roost Monitoring Project.
To subscribe to the newsletter visit: DNR: Communications: MyDNR Email Newsletter (in.gov)
Resources:
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) Highlights: Bats, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Bats in the Belfry, Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Blog
Ask An Expert: Bats on the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE), Video, Purdue Extension – FNR Facebook
Bats in Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR)
Bat Houses, Bat Conservation International
Creating a Wildlife Habitat Management Plan for Landowners, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE): Indiana Forestry and Wildlife, The Education Store
Unexpected Plants and Animals of Indiana: Indiana Bats, Purdue College of Agriculture News
Selecting a Nuisance Wildlife Control Professional, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
FAQs – How can I get rid of nuisance wildlife (bats, deer, racoons, etc.)?
Subscribe to Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel
Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Department of Fish & Wildlife
MyDNR, Indiana’s Outdoor Newsletter: DNR needs your help monitoring the wild turkey population. Participate in the Turkey brood count this summer by reporting turkey hens with poults (broods) and hens without poults. Report your 2026 observations online from July 1 until Aug. 31.
Poults began hatching in May and will continue to hatch over the next several months throughout Indiana. Reporting observations takes only a few minutes, and no login is required.
Brood reports have been collected since 1993 to calculate the annual Wild Turkey Production Index, which informs biologists about population status and guides wildlife management for the species.
Can we top last year’s count? In 2025, DNR received more than 2,500 reports across all 92 counties, and we are hoping for even more this year. We appreciate your help.
Why count turkeys?
Brood surveys provide useful estimates about annual production by wild turkey hens and the survival of poults (young turkeys) through the summer brood-rearing period. Summer brood survival is generally the primary factor influencing wild turkey population trends. Information on summer brood survival is essential for sound turkey management. Information gathered through the brood survey includes:
- Average brood sizes (hens + poults). For example, in the photo above there is one hen with seven poults, for a brood size of eight.
- Percentage of adult hens with poults.
- Production Index (PI) = total number of poults/total number of adult hens
What is a wild turkey brood?
A wild turkey brood is composed of at least one adult hen with young (poults). As the summer progresses, multiple broods may gather into what is termed a “gang” brood with several adult hens and multiple broods of poults of varied ages. During summer, adult gobblers (male turkeys) play no role in raising a brood and either form small male only “bachelor” flocks or are observed as a single gobbler.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Department of Fish and Wildlife rely on your observations to calculate their Production Index, so every report counts! Indiana DNR appreciates your participation.
Jarred Brooke, extension wildlife specialist with Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources, shares how you can participate in the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ annual turkey brood survey in a quick video.
To learn more, visit DNR: Turkey Brood Reporting.
To subscribe to the newsletter visit MyDNR Email Newsletter.
Resources:
Truths and Myths about Wild Turkey, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Wildlife, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Need help with pond or wildlife management?, Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Turkey Brood Reporting, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Wild Turkey, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Wild Turkey Hunting Biology and Management, Indian Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Subscribe to Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Purdue Landscape Report: Many homeowners have evergreens in their home landscape. Evergreens provide a landscape service that other plants cannot – they add color to our landscapes in the winter, and provide some thermal protection for animals and birds. However, if you are researching potential evergreens for your landscape, you may be confused about species names and the botanical differences between them.
Identifying evergreens is a difficult task for most people, which is why many interchange the terms “evergreen” and “pine tree,” but we can also think of spruces, firs, hemlocks, and other species. Although I encourage planting native trees, I’ll cover several native and non-native evergreen species that may be planted or encountered in Indiana.
Let’s start with the basic aspects of pine trees. Pines have needles that are wrapped together in bundles (called fascicles) of 2, 3, or 5 needles, and their cones hang down from branches. Common 2-needled pines include (from shorter to longer needles) Jack pine, Virginia pine, Scots (or Scotch) pine, Austrian pine, and Red pine. 3-needled pines are somewhat rare in Indiana. Loblolly pine is one, and has very long needles, 6-9 inches long. We have one common 5-needled pine tree, the Eastern white pine.
Figure 1. Pine needles are found in bundles (fascicles) in two, three, or five needles.
Figure 2. Spruce needles are attached singularly to the stem.
Spruces have square needles borne singly on short pegs on the stem, and their cones hang down from branches. There are no native spruces in Indiana. From shorter to longer needles, you might encounter Black spruce, White spruce, Norway spruce, and Colorado blue spruce. Norway spruce is noticeable from a distance because its branchlets droop pendulously from the main branches. Firs have soft, flexible, flattened needles borne singly on the stem. Cones grow upward on branches, rather than hanging down. You may encounter Balsam fir or White (Concolor) fir. Douglas-fir is not a true fir tree; it has hanging cones with 3-pointed bracts on the cone scales.
An evergreen with flat needles is Eastern hemlock. Unlike most other evergreens, it can tolerate some shade. Needles appear green on top and whitish underneath.
Evergreens with awl-like (short and pointy) or scale-like (imagine fish scales) needles include Eastern redcedar and Northern white-cedar (Arborvitae). Eastern redcedar is by far the most widely distributed native conifer in Indiana, with small, pale-blue, round cones. Northern white-cedar is used successfully in many Indiana landscapes. Columnar varieties are commonly used as a living fence.
Before we leave our discussion today, we should cover some additional terms and species.
Evergreens maintain their foliage all year, while deciduous trees lose their leaves each fall. Most evergreens are conifers (cone-bearing plants).
However, we have a few conifers that are deciduous trees, such as Baldcypress, Dawn redwood, and American/Eastern larch (also called Tamarack). Baldcypress and Dawn redwood have soft, flat needles, while Tamarack has many needles in a cluster on older growth, or just single needles on newer growth.
It should not come as a shock that native trees tend to thrive in their native environment. However, you may be surprised to learn that the list of native conifers in Indiana is relatively short. It includes Eastern redcedar, Jack pine, Eastern white pine, Virginia pine, Northern white-cedar, Eastern hemlock, Tamarack, and Baldcypress (1). Except for Eastern redcedar, most of the trees on this list are native only to limited areas of Indiana. Some non-native species are flexible in their site requirements and climate constraints, while other species may struggle to achieve longevity in our landscapes.
Finally, I realize that for many people, descriptions of trees are a poor substitute for good pictures or videos. There are many good field guides and tree identification books available. Digital sources include the Purdue Plant Doctor, https://purdueplantdoctor.com/, and Purdue “ID That Tree” videos created by Purdue Extension Forester, Lenny Farlee (find through a search on YouTube).
(1) From native range maps in Native Trees of the Midwest, by Sally S. Weeks, Harmon P. Weeks, Jr., and George R. Parker.
Resources:
Borers of Pines and Other Needle Bearing Evergreens in Landscapes, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Normal Needle Drop: Even Healthy Evergreens are not Evergreen, Purdue Landscape Report
White Pine Decline in Indiana, The Education Store
Yellowing Pines and Needle Drop, Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory
Normal Needle Drop: Even Healthy Evergreens are not Evergreen, Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab (PPDL)
Why Spruce Trees Lose Their Needles, Purdue Extension
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
ID That Tree: Prickly Ash, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
ID That Tree: Virginia Pine, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Scotch Pine, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Jack Pine, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Red Pine, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: White Pine, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Firs and Spruces, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Eastern Hemlock, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
ID That Tree: Non-Native Norway Spruce, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Question: Is there a way to repair the tree tip of my pine tree?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Ask an Expert Question: Blue Spruce dying, what can I do?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana, The Education Store
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture
John Woodmansee, Extension Educator, Whitely County
Purdue Extension
In recognition of Pollinator Week June 22-28, 2026, let’s see what is blooming at Purdue FNR Tippecanoe County property, Martell Forest.
Wild petunia, Ruellia sp, are several species found in woodland and sunny edge habitats. The blooms do look like the familiar garden petunia, but it is a different genus of plants. I caught small insects inside the flower, evidence of its pollinator value, although I have read the individual flowers may only last one day.
I came upon a unique parasitic plant that does not have chlorophyll or true leaves but obtains its nutrients by parasitizing oak trees. This is American cancer root, Conopholis americana, also called bear corn, because of the similarity of the plant structure to an ear of corn. Although it lacks chlorophyll, it does possess flowers that propagate the plant.
Not far from the cancer root I found fire pink, Silene virginica. This is one flower that would be hard to miss! This is about as red as any native flower encountered in Indiana forests. If you are wondering why pink is in the name instead of red, it is a member of the pink family of plants, which include carnations and a rare prairie relative, royal catchfly. An effort was made a few years ago to make this our state flower, but that has not been acted upon so far.
As I headed downhill I came across Virginia spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana, with beautiful three-petaled violet to blue flowers clustered at the top of the plant. The flowers typically last only a day, but are rapidly replaced by the numerous buds below the current blooms.
Blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium sp, was encountered in a grassy area near a tree plantation. This is not a grass but several species that are members of the iris family. The tiny blooms and narrow leaves blend into the grass background.
Some woody plants are blooming in June as well. This is the bell-shaped flower of American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana. Persimmon trees tend to bear either all male or all female flowers on a single tree, but occasionally a tree will have both. Female flowers are solitary on the stems while male flowers tend to be in small clusters.
The final bloom I have included is rough-leaved dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a shrub relative of the flowering dogwood that provides a white blossom show earlier in the spring. As the name implies, this shrub has leaves with a slightly sandpaper-texture and clusters of small white flowers that are attractive to many pollinators. This blooms later than several other dogwoods, extending the flowering season.
More about Pollinator Week: this is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, wasps, hummingbirds, bats, flies, beetles, lizards, rodents and more.
Resources:
Ask an Expert: What’s Buzzing or Not Buzzing About Pollinators, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Pollinator Conservation Education, Purdue Extension – Entomology
What’s buzzing in your backyard? Learn about protecting pollinators, beekeeping with Purdue Extension, Purdue Extension News
Indiana Monarch and Pollinator Conservation website
Protecting Pollinators: Protecting Pollinators in Home Lawns and Landscapes, publication, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Pollinator Conservation Education, Purdue Entomology
Recommended Indiana-Native Plants for Attracting Pollinators (pdf), Purdue Extension – Entomology
Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Protecting Pollinators: Biology and Control of Varroa Mites in Bee Hives, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Gardening for Pollinators, Purdue Garden Articles
Subscribe Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
Purdue Landscape Report: Pollarding is a tree pruning method in which the upper branches of a tree are cut back to the same points on a regular schedule, creating a framework of knobby growth points from which new shoots emerge. The practice has been used for centuries and is especially common in landscapes where trees must be kept at a controlled height or width. Pollarding is not the same as topping, which is generally considered harmful because it removes branches without a long-term management plan. Instead, pollarding is a deliberate, repeated technique that can shape a tree into a compact, manageable form.
One of the main advantages of pollarding is size control. In urban areas, along streets, and near buildings or utility lines, trees often need to fit within tight spaces. Pollarding can reduce conflicts with overhead wires, streetlights, sidewalks, and traffic while still allowing a tree to remain in place. It can also reduce shade, which may be useful in courtyards, parking areas, and other sites where too much canopy cover is a problem. Some trees also respond by producing dense, attractive new growth, which can give them a distinctive architectural look.
Pollarding may also extend the usable life of certain trees when it is started early and maintained properly. Because the tree is kept smaller and more compact, it may be less likely to fail under wind or storm stress than a large tree with heavy limbs. In some settings, the regular cutting of new shoots can even provide a source of small-diameter wood or fodder, which helps explain why pollarding developed historically as a practical land-management method.
That said, pollarding has real drawbacks. It must be done correctly and consistently; if a tree is pollarded at the wrong age, on the wrong species, or after long neglect, the result can be stress, decay, weak regrowth, or structural problems. Not all trees tolerate the practice well, and some may decline if pollarded too aggressively. Pollarding also creates a very artificial appearance, which some people dislike. A freshly pollarded tree can look bare or severe for a time, and the repeated cuts require ongoing maintenance.
Figure 1: New growth on pollarded tree. Photo credit: Ben McCallister
Figure 2: Pollarded street trees in Shibuya, Tokyo. Photo credit: Ben McCallister
Pollarding is most strongly associated with Europe, especially Britain, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and parts of Spain, where it has a long history in both rural and urban landscapes. Today, it is still widely seen in European cities and towns, particularly on street trees and in managed public spaces. It also appears in some parts of North America, but it remains much more culturally visible and historically rooted in Europe. In many places, it is valued both for its practical function and for the distinctive form it creates over time.
Used thoughtfully, pollarding is a useful tool rather than a universal solution. It works best when matched to the right species, the right site, and a long-term maintenance plan. For the right tree in the right place, it can be both functional and visually striking.
Resources:
Tree Pruning Essentials Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store, Purdue Education’s resource center
Find an Arborist video, Trees are Good-International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
Report INvasive, Purdue Extension
Indiana Invasive Species Council
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel (Invasive White Mulberry, Siberian Elm, Tree of Heaven)
Planting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Tree Planting Part 2: Planting a Tree, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Tree Selection for the “Un-natural” Environment, The Education Store
Tree Installation: Process and Practices, The Education Store
Tree Defect Identification, The Education Store
Why Is My Tree Dying?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Tree Wound and Healing, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
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Ben McAllister, Urban Forestry Specialist
Forestry & Natural Resources
Danielle Howard stands in front of a field on fire from a prescribed burn.
Danielle Howard has been hired as an Extension prescribed fire specialist housed with the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue
The prescribed fire specialist position, funded by the Sam Shine Foundation, aims to increase prescribed fire capacity in Indiana by coordinating, conducting, and leading prescribed fires and prescribed fire training and outreach statewide.
In this role, Howard also will support the formation of prescribed burn associations (PBAs) and the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council (INPFC). She will work closely with Indiana conservation partners to develop prescribed fire training and outreach that builds capacity and support for prescribed fire on public and private land in Indiana.
“Prescribed fire is key to maintaining healthy ecosystems in Indiana, and I’m very excited to be at the forefront of increasing its use across the state,” Howard said.
Co-PIs on the supporting grant titled “Building Capacity for Prescribed Fire in Indiana” are Extension wildlife specialists Jarred Brooke and Brian MacGowan, Extension forester Lenny Farlee, natural resources training specialist Jessica Outcalt and Dr. Zhao Ma.
Danielle Howard holds a drip torch while starting a prescribed burn.
Howard, who previously worked in FNR as the field coordinator for the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment from 2020 to 2023, comes to her new role after spending the last three years as the central region ecologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish, Wildlife and Nature Preserves. In that role, she managed 71 state-dedicated nature preserves and multiple privately-owned conservation easements across 26 counties in central Indiana. She also planned, prepared and implemented prescribed fire, invasive species control measures, native plantings, forest stand management and other restoration activities. She also established and sampled research plots for post-fire vegetation monitoring in Brown County State Park.
Howard also has taught Applied Ecology as an adjunct professor at Indiana University since January 2025.
In her previous stint in FNR as part of the HEE project, Howard coordinated forest management research activities, including bird surveys, overstory plots, small mammal trapping and more, conducted by various universities and partners at sites in Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests.
Previously, she acted as an intermittent bird biologist for the Indiana DNR, the whooping crane outreach program assistant in Indiana for the International Crane Foundation and as a farm bill wildlife biologist for Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever.
Howard is a type II certified wildland firefighter and has certifications in prescribed fire for managers, wildlife fire chainsaws (S-212), wildlife fire pumps (S-211) and a pesticide applicator’s license for core and forests.
Howard began her new role on May 18. She will be based remotely in Bloomington, Indiana.
To view this article along with other news and stories posted on the Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources website view: Danielle Howard Hired as FNR Extension Prescribed Fire Specialist.
Resources:
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Backing Fire, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Flanking Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Late Growing Season Prescribed Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
FNR Ask The Expert: Prescribed Fire with Jarred Brooke and Mike Saunders, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Prescribed fire: 6 things to consider before you ignite, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Prescribed Fire Council (IPFC)
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)
Finding help from a professional forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA)
Wildlife Management & Grassland Management, Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Woodland Management Moment YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Subscribe – Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel, find natural resources, forestry, wildlife, urban forestry and much more.
Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
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