Greenhouse Days (What's That?)

We're trying something different this year...

Instead of the typical weekend-long spring plant sale— we are opening the Ruffner Greenhouse every Saturday in April from 10 am - 2 pm for visitors to shop for native plants from Ruffner Mountain and Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. This means more opportunities to buy native plants!

Ruffner members will receive 10% off their purchase!

Not a member? Become one!

https://ruffnermountain.org/membership

You can view the plant inventory list here:

https://ruffnermountain.org/2023-spring-plant-sale-inventory

(Please note: some plant species may not be available for all dates, quantities may be limited, and in-person only—no online sales this time.)

The Ruffner Greenhouse is located at the entrance of Ruffner Mountain's South East Lake Entrance and Nature Center; 1214 81st Street S. Birmingham, AL 35206. Parking for plant shoppers will be shared with all Ruffner visitors at this parking lot and don't worry, we will have directional signage to the greenhouse!

Graphics by Kyle Humphrey

Happy Spring!

Today is the first day of spring and here are a few visitor reminders:

PRESERVE, PAVILION, AND TRAILS
OPEN TUES - SUN
7 AM - 5 PM Nov - Feb
7 AM - 7 PM Mar - Oct
CLOSED MONDAYS

NATURE CENTER: Based on staff capacity, the nature center is open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Spring Blooms on the Mountain

It might not feel like it, but spring has sprung. Greening up and blooming on the mountain: redbuds (Cercis canadensis), oaks (Quercus spp.), hackberries (Celtis occidentalis), scarlet buckeyes (Aesculus pavia), dogwoods (Cornus florida), plums (Prunus spp.), black cherries (Prunus serotina), and fragrant sumacs (Rhus aromatica)

Reminder: Ruffner Mountain is a nature preserve. Please don’t pick the flowers. Leave them for the bees and butterflies!

Habitat Garden Club Resumes

The first Habitat Garden Club workday of the year was a fun one. Winter stems were cut back to welcome new spring growth. Thanks to Anne, Elise, Joni, Katie, Larry, Tom, and Maura for the hard work! The habitat gardens are looking good! If you would like to join HGC, we meet every Tuesday from 9-noon in the parking lot of the South East Lake entrance to Ruffner—1214 81st Street South.

Small Wonders on the Mountain

Working at a nature preserve has its perks. Daily chores give us all the feels for the natural world. A simple trip to the mailbox reveals small wonders and changes in the seasons. We’re beginning to encounter more reptiles and amphibians as the weather warms and the days lengthen, and we’re receiving delightful messages from hikers about what they’re seeing as well. Around the Nature Center, we’re finding Carolina anoles (Anolis carolinensis) basking on the sidewalk and the rock pillars around the bridge over the frog pond, darting into crevices as we approach.

Croak, splish, splash — It’s hard to find the frogs after they leap into the pond for safety. Looking for eyes and noses of green frogs and bullfrogs hidden among the decaying plants, we spy a southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) floating on top. Distinctive, light-colored ridges down the back, spotted body, and a slightly pointed snout are the keys to identifying this frog.

Working at the greenhouse at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, Van found a black kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra) near the compost pile. When she uncovered the snake, it wiggled its tail like a rattlesnake. Van felt no fear, but admiration for the natural pest control this snake may provide.

We’re happy to see these creatures utilizing microhabitats around our facilities, and we continue to create habitat for wildlife in our habitat gardens. What wildlife are you finding around your house and habitat gardens?

Invasive Species Awareness Week

It’s Invasive Species Awareness Week. The best way to control invasive plant species:
DO NOT PLANT!

Hiking up the first leg of the Quarry Trail, you may have noticed clumps of green, dense patches of arrow shaped leaves, marked by orange and white flags. Without some form of control, the infestation of Italian Arum (Arum italicum), a non-native plant, will continue to expand, and may lead to extensive damage to the understory ecology of Ruffner Mountain by outcompeting native forest plants. Italian Arum will readily spread by tubers. Each tuber can produce up to 30 “daughter” tubers, and tuber densities can reach up to several thousands per square meter, making it difficult to completely remove tubers to prevent spread. Jamie Nobles, Conservation Director, with assistance from work study students from Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, is testing methods of control to slow the spread of this invasive species and measuring outcome. Methods often used for invasive plant species control include mechanical removal (removal of fruit, digging up the plant) and herbicide usage (spot treatment).

During this Invasive Species Awareness Week, we hope to inspire awareness and action against these four common invasive species:

- nandina, heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

- English ivy (Hedera helix)

- lilyturf, monkey grass (liriope sp.)

- leatherleaf mahonia (Berberis bealei)

Scroll through the images below and use them as a simple guide to identify the invasive species growing in your yard, and take action by testing a few methods to keep the plants from spreading to nearby wild spaces.

Great Backyard Bird Count

Have you been watching the white-throated sparrows scratching around in your yard this winter? What other birds are you seeing in the yard? Are you participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend? You should! All it takes is 15 minutes. You can watch from a window or porch, get out in your yard, or go for a walk in a local park. Identify birds, count them, and submit your list through your Merlin Bird app, eBird Mobile app, or the eBird website. Your participation in this community science event will help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. You can do it! Go to birdcount.org for details and how to participate.