North Carolina Botanical Garden

Our carnivorous plant beds are cruising into peak bloom. Stop by to see Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, roughleaf loosestrife, common grass-pink, and orange milkwort blooming their hearts out, rain or shine!

We are open our normal hours this holiday weekend, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday - Sunday.

1. Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
2. Pitcher plant (Sarracenia sp.)
3. Roughleaf Loosestrife (Lysimachia asperulifolia)
4. Common grass-pink (Calopogon tuberosus var. tuberosus)
5. Orange milkwort (Senega lutea)

Please remember that glitter is litter as you celebrate graduations, weddings, and everything else this time of year! Last weekend, guests at the Garden used shredded mylar for a photo op, and our staff has spent hours trying to clean it up. Microplastics, including glitter and other small plastics, are terrible for our environment. Instead, use a filter to make your photos look like you used glitter without actually littering. In addition, please don't celebrate by throwing seeds--leave the planting to our highly-skilled gardening staff!

As temperatures heat up once again across the southeast, we welcome the many familiar flowers that usher in this transition time between late spring and early summer. Across our various Carolina-inspired habitats can be seen the deep magentas and purples of Grass-Pink orchids and Spiderworts, the bright whites of Wild Indigos, Beardtongues and Barbara’s Buttons, and the alluring pinks of Tracy’s Sundews, Mountain Laurels and Rose Pogonias. Be sure to stop by soon and through the summer to catch a glimpse of the many beautiful southeastern plants that happily call the garden home.

1. Grass-Pink Orchid (Calopogon tuberosus var. tuberosus)

2. Smooth Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohioensis)

3. Spiked Wild Indigo (Baptisia albescens)

4. Tall White Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

5. Piedmont Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia obovata var. obovata)

6. Tracy’s Sundew (Drosera tracyi)

7. Tracy’s Sundew sticky leaves

8. Tracy’s Sundew and White-topped pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla)

9. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

10. Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides)

Photos by Scott Ward

We're getting ready for our Spring Native Plant Sale, rain or shine! At tomorrow's sale, we'll be joined by Mellow Marsh Farm, Growing Wild Nursery, and Carolina Habitats. You can expect a wide variety of southeastern native perennials, shrubs, trees, ferns, grasses, and carnivorous plants! The morning timed-entry windows are full, but no pre-registration is required for the open shopping period from 12-2 p.m. We hope to see you there!

We're getting ready for our Spring Native Plant Sale, rain or shine! At tomorrow's sale, we'll be joined by Mellow Marsh Farm, Growing Wild Nursery, and Carolina Habitats. You can expect a wide variety of southeastern native perennials, shrubs, trees, ferns, grasses, and carnivorous plants! The morning timed-entry windows are full, but no pre-registration is required for the open shopping period from 12-2 p.m. We hope to see you there! https://ncbg.unc.edu/event/spring-native-plant-sale/

Our Spring Native Plant Sale is next Saturday, May 2! We still have openings for the 10:30 - 12 shift, and no reservation is needed to shop 12-2. Find out more at go.unc.edu/plantsale.

Sneak Peak! We'll have nettleleaf sage (Salvia urticifolia) and spiked wild indigo (Baptisia albescens) for sale.

Nettleleaf sage is in the mint family, and prefers dry soil and partial shade. It is drought-tolerant when established. This plant is rarely found for sale at nurseries!

Spiked wild indigo grows best in partial shade to full sun and is known for being tough, tolerating drought, poor soil, and erosion. It's blooming now in our Courtyard Garden.

Our Spring Native Plant Sale is next Saturday, May 2! We still have openings for the 10:30 - 12 shift, and no reservation is needed to shop 12-2. Find out more at go.unc.edu/plantsale.

Sneak Peak! We'll have nettleleaf sage (Salvia urticifolia) and spiked wild indigo (Baptisia albescens) for sale.

Nettleleaf sage is in the mint family, and prefers dry soil and partial shade. It is drought-tolerant when established. This plant is rarely found for sale at nurseries!

Spiked wild indigo grows best in partial shade to full sun and is known for being tough, tolerating drought, poor soil, and erosion. It's blooming now in our Courtyard Garden.

CBS Sunday Morning dropped by in December to learn more about Venus flytraps for a story about flytrap conservation work. The story is ready to air! Tune in to your CBS station this Sunday to watch!

This time of year, our conservation volunteers are on the hunt for Youngia japonica, commonly known as Hawksbeard. Youngia japonica is native to southeast Asia, grows easily, and spreads fast, making it a high priority for our team to remove from natural areas. The leaves are arranged in a basal rosette, and the flowering stalk can be anywhere from less an inch to several feet off the ground. The composite flowers are small and yellow and can turn to seed even after being picked!

To remove, pull the plant by the root and dispose of it in a sealed receptacle, like a trash bag you can close. On the go and don't have time to pull weeds? Break off the flowering heads of the plant and dispose of them in a sealed receptacle. Do not leave pulled plants or flowers on the ground; the flowers will continue developing to seed and spread. Our volunteers like to use old flat head screwdrivers to loosen the roots from the dirt.

Photos:  Rese Milkereit