THACHER NATIVE PLANT SALE: MAY 17, 2025
Capital Region NY Wild Ones joins forces with Friends of Thacher State Park and the Emma Treadwell Nature Center to host a sale of native seedlings at the Pear Orchard Pavilion at the park. DETAILS
American Heritage Girls Troop NY0518 helped Wild Ones get ready for the Thacher Native Plant Sale this week by volunteering their time to pot up first- and second-year trees and shrubs.
It was a case of many hands do make light work and Wild Ones Capital Region leadership is grateful for the troop’s help planting stock from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Saratoga Tree Nursery. These inexpensive plants will enhance your garden by providing food and habitat for birds and contributing to a healthy and diverse ecosystem.
Aronia melanocarpa – Black Chokeberry
·The shrub’s dense growth creates ideal hiding places and nesting sites for birds, protecting them from predators and harsh weather. The berries are a nutritious food source for many bird species, especially during the late fall and winter. The plant’s flowers also attract pollinators, including moths and butterflies, which in turn support songbird nestlings.
Prunus americana – American Plum
A thicket-forming shrub or small, understory tree with short trunk, many spreading branches, broad crown, showy large white fragrant flowers, and red plums. The short, crooked trunk – with scaly, black bark – supports a graceful, open crown. Fall foliage ranges from electric red to pale yellow. American Plum is also grown for erosion control, spreading by root sprouts. Fruits are edible to humans and a variety of wild birds.
Ilex verticillata, – common winterberry (not sexed)
Extremely showy in late fall and early winter when covered with their bright red fruit, these shrubs are either male or female–a trait typical of the holly family. So you will need to plant in groups of 3-5. Birds are readily attracted to them. This shrub grows in both wet and dry sites The berries of winterberry are a crucial food source for over 48 bird species, especially during the winter when other natural food sources are scarce. Winterberry provides essential nesting and shelter for birds.