About
The planting at Minnehaha Glen is a part of the larger restoration effort in Minnehaha Park to replace invasive species, like buckthorn, with native plants. When MPRB staff assessed the site, they found several native plant species present despite encroaching species like buckthorn and burdock. The short list of plants in the design complement the diversity already present.
Buckthorn poses a serious threat to our native understories. Originally from Europe, it was brought by colonists and planted for hedgerows. It escaped controlled landscapes and now grows in dense thickets in many natural habitats. It competes with native plants for nutrients, moisture, and sunlight, ultimately shading out native plants, shrubs, and small trees. There are several ways to manage buckthorn, and we opted for physical removal. Volunteers dug it up with shovels and weed wrenches, planting snowberry shrubs and serviceberry trees in the open spaces left behind.
The new native trees and shrubs provide important early blossoms for emerging pollinators in the spring, and their fruits will feed birds and other wildlife. In fact, a single flowering tree can provide as much forage for pollinators as an entire garden full of blooms! So if you have the space, consider adding a native tree or shrub to your yard. Check out the project guide for planting native trees and shrubs on our Blue Thumb website for more information.
