BLOG.JESSIEKEITH.COM: The Endangered Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) at Wilderness Park

Working Mom's Garden Blog
Gardening with kids is messy but gratifying. This blog is largely about gardening with limited time and
two kids in tow while fighting to cultivate an unreasonably large garden. Short cuts are essential, weeds par for the course, and mud a given.

Bio Link

In 1995, Jessie became a Master Gardener, accepted a job as a landscape designer and had a farmer's market booth selling garden flowers. The following year she attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana where she graduated with honors in 1999 with a BS in Public Horticulture. At Purdue, she worked for two years as garden intern at The Purdue University Horticulture Gardens and was mentored by Dr. Harrison Flint and Dr. Michael Dana. She also served as undergraduate teacher’s assistant in woody and herbaceous plant identification and introductory horticulture classes.

In 1999, she accepted a yearlong position as the curatorial intern at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA under the tutelage of celebrated curator and author, Dr. Tomasz Anisko. Graduate school at Michigan State University followed. There she studied systematic botany and completed her MS degree in the winter of 2003. Shortly after graduation, she accepted an internship at The American Gardener magazine, the journal of The American Horticultural Society, where she received guidance from editor-in-chief, David Ellis, and distinguished scientist and horticulturist, Dr. H. Marc Cathey.

Jessie taught horticulture for two years at Williamson Free School in Media, Pennsylvania before pursuing a career in garden writing and plant photography. She began to work as content editor for Learn2grow.com in 2007 and has written articles for publications such as The Old House Journal, The Green Scene, What’s Up! Annapolis? and The Herbarist. She most recently served as one-time horticultural editor for Wilder Quarterly.

Today, Jessie lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband Knut, daughters Franziska and Gabriella, two geriatric cats, and thousands of garden plants.

BLOG.JESSIEKEITH.COM: The Endangered Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) at Wilderness Park

The Endangered Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) at Wilderness Park

One of the rarest of the rare Great Lakes plants, Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), has successfully gained ground on the shores of Wilderness Park, a state park located along Lake Michigan due west of Mackinaw City.

I first identified a specimen of this critically endangered species on the shores of Wilderness Park in 1996. Thankfully, the plant was located just off of a foot trail, so there was no chance of accidentally stepping on it. The specimen was easily identifiable by its low rosette of beautiful silvery foliage, which stood out against the Great Lakes dune sand. The fluffy, silvery, summer-blooming thistleheads were few but notable and attracted lots of insect pollinators--especially native bees.

Pitcher's thistles are slow to populate because they take five to eight years to bloom. This leaves them vulnerable to habitat disturbance. Populations are easily decimated by development and dune recreation.

Since identifying my first Pitcher's thistle at Wilderness Park, I have steadily watched the population grow. It has been exciting to witness, and I am certain active reclamation efforts have been made.

This specimen of Pitcher's thistle specimens mingled with other beach floral and were vulnerable to footsteps.

There were lots of blooming Pitcher's thistles when I last visited Wilderness Park in 2010. Clearly the fragile, protected population is bouncing back. But, Pitcher's thistle, and many species like it, still need serious help if they are to survive. Here are some things that laypeople can do to prevent the extinction of imperiled plant species.

Learn more about endangered species--especially if you are going to visit a park or nature preserve where they exist. Tread with care in natural areas, and stick to footpaths as much as possible.
Plant regional natives and non-invasive ornamentals in your garden. Invasive plants hog habitat and destroy delicate natural populations of native plants.
Support land conservation in your area as well as reclamation and repopulation programs.
Support your local park service and take part in efforts to remove invasive plants