Native Plant Journal — foraged NC natives, identified & propagated

A working reference manual, built one hike at a time. Each entry pins down what the plant is, when & how to collect viable seed or cuttings, and how to grow it out — with an honest read on how it will handle Piedmont clay and heat.

The goal: propagate wild-collected NC natives in larger batches for a Piedmont native-plant nursery. New collections are added over time.

Harvest calendar 6 species

When each collection's seed or cuttings are best gathered. Plan return trips by the bars.

SpeciesJulAugSepOct

American witch hazelLate Aug – Sep

Mountain laurelSep – Oct

Alternate-leaf (pagoda) dogwoodMid-summer (ripe now)

Wild hydrangeaOctober (for seed)

Canada moonseedSep – Oct (for seed)

Carolina phloxAug – Sep (for seed)

Best seed / cutting window Material ripe at July collection

Collections

6 plant groups collected in the field, identified, and worked up for propagation.

American witch hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

seedHigh conf.Piedmont: Good

Fall-ripening woody capsules that ballistically eject shiny black seed — a Piedmont-native understory shrub with spidery late-fall flowers.

Best bet: Ground layering next spring; return late Aug–Sep for ripe seed.

Mountain laurel

Kalmia latifolia

seedHigh conf.Piedmont: Fair⚠ Toxic

Iconic evergreen heath of the escarpment — hard to root, slow from seed, and insistent on acidic, sharply drained soil.

Best bet: Take semi-hardwood cuttings now (wound + 1% IBA + humidity/heat); return Sep–Oct for mature seed; peg a layer as insurance.

Alternate-leaf (pagoda) dogwood

Cornus alternifolia

seedHigh conf.Piedmont: MarginalRipe at collection

The only alternate-leaved eastern dogwood — coral pedicels, blue-black fruit ripe right at collection time. A cool-mountain species pushed to its warm edge in the Piedmont.

Best bet: Sow cleaned blue-black drupes fresh now (outdoor warm→cold cycle); hedge with softwood cuttings.

Wild hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens complex

cuttingGenus high conf.Piedmont: Good

Wild hydrangea of moist coves — roots almost effortlessly from summer cuttings, the real payoff for a July collection.

Best bet: Root softwood node cuttings from the collected stem now — fast, easy, high odds.

Canada moonseed

Menispermum canadense

divisionHigh conf.Piedmont: Good⚠ Toxic

A twining native vine with a bright-yellow creeping rhizome — trivially easy to divide, but toxic and aggressive. Handle the wild-grape mimic with care.

Best bet: Pot the rooted rhizome segment now — near-guaranteed establishment.

Carolina phlox

Phlox carolina

cuttingHigh conf.Piedmont: Excellent

A tall, mildew-resistant native phlox for pollinators — collected as flowering stems, best cloned from softwood cuttings.

Best bet: Root softwood stem cuttings today — recut under water, strip flowers, IBA, humidity dome.