Latin for Gardeners: April 2025

Latin for Gardeners
April’s Native Maryland Plant

Acer rubrum L.
(AY-sir ROO-brum)
Common Name: Red Maple

I’m seeing red, are you? 

Acer rubrum is one of the most abundant, widespread trees in North America; it is adaptable to most conditions across its native range and is a prolific seed producer.  It is considered a keystone species1, although its numbers are not in the top five for supporting life. The one growing in my front yard is frequently visited by bees in the spring and woodpeckers year-round, red-bellied, of course. These beautiful birds, with just a blush of red on their bellies can often blend in with the red and black of the tree, it’s just their red cap and nape that are conspicuously red and can give them away – and of course their relentless drumming for insects. With their barbed tongue and sticky spit, they’re able to access insects hiding in tiny crevices of trees.

Acer rubrum is the state tree of Rhode Island, the Ocean State, my original home state.  I grew up loving this tree throughout all four seasons.  In spring and in summer I frequently climbed the one in our front yard, pulled the winged “helicopter” fruits from its branches to press on my nose and raked piles of its leaves in the fall - just so I could jump in them and wrap myself in a blanket of red.  And then in winter I watched from my bedroom window as this beautiful canopy tree held its own against the strong nor’easters that frequent New England. 

My intention in choosing Acer rubrum for this month was to urge you to consider it as a tree to plant on Arbor Day, April 25th.  I do encourage you to find one in your neighborhood, to look at its small flowers which bloom in spring and are a valuable food source for bees, and to plant one if you are really set on a maple.  However, because of its ability to spread so rapidly on its own I’m more inclined to plant a tree that can find it hard to compete and yet, it is one of the most majestic and longest-lived plants, it’s also rated #1 as a keystone species - an oak. I’d urge you to consider a Quercus rubra a northern red oak or maybe a Quercus alba, the white oak, it’s also the state tree of Maryland, the Free State, it’s where I now call home.

1 https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/

Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013 
Watershed Steward Class 7/Anne Arundel Tree Trooper
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)
aligmilligan@gmail.com

Sugg-Jeff-Tion: April 2025

A Beautiful Disaster…

Ahhhh spring! The birds are singing, the spring peepers are calling… and the Bradford pear trees are blooming everywhere, filling the air with their foul stench. YUCK!

The Bradford pear, a cultivar of the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), was brought to the United States in the 1960s. It was originally thought to be the PERFECT ornamental tree, due to its fast growth, early and beautiful spring flowers, and uniform and symmetrical shape. It was the go-to foundation tree for new developments for years. With all the positive characteristics of this new horticultural marvel, who would have ever guessed that this beautiful tree would eventually turn out to a beautiful botanical disaster that now threatens our local ecosystems.

When the Bradford pear was originally developed and released to the public, it was carefully bred to be sterile to ensure it would not escape cultivation. However, as more and more were planted, and additional varieties of the Callery pear were developed and planted, the cross-pollination of the different pear varieties led to successful production of viable seeds. Since then, this tree has blossomed into an absolute beast of an invasive species that thrives on disturbed sites, meadows, and forest edges. The fruits, which are consumed and spread primarily by birds, are fast to germinate and can form dense thickets in open areas in just a few years. You can easily see the impacts driving along our highways at this time of year. Those trees were not intentionally planted, they are all growing wild and quickly outcompeting native species of trees, shrubs, and other plants. This invasion can quickly lead to ecological food deserts; where native plants once supported biodiversity, invasive pear trees provide very little in the form of food for wildlife. The flowers, while beautiful, attract mostly flies as pollinators due to their vile scent. Their leaves are not known to serve as preferred food sources for caterpillars. In one study, only one caterpillar was found on a Bradford pear tree, whereas over 400 caterpillars, representing 19 species, were found on a similar-sized native oak.

Unfortunately, the Bradford pear continues to be sold at big box nurseries all over the US. They are usually the cheapest flowering trees you can buy, and people who aren’t aware plant them with good intention. That is where YOU come in! We need YOU to help spread the word and encourage people to plant native! Let them know that at this time of year, they can visually see the effects of invasive species on our wild spaces by just looking down at the Bradford pear-stained highways. There is no better time than now to help reverse the effects of invasive species on our ecosystems and help people understand that while beautiful, they also threaten the birds, bees, and butterflies we all love.

So, if you like the smell of rotting fish, attracting flies, fragile trees that often split in half during windstorms, and contributing to the demise of our local ecosystems, then plant a Bradford pear. Otherwise, plant a native flowering tree like eastern redbud, serviceberry, or flowering dogwood that will last much longer, support local wildlife, and add some color to your early spring landscape. That’s my sugg-Jeff-tion!

2025 Ann Jackson Steward of the Year

2025 Ann Jackson Steward of the Year: Gary Gakenheimer

HOA President & watershed steward

As both a Watershed Steward and the President of his HOA, Gary serves an important role connecting his community to environmental restoration initiatives.

His steady leadership and dedication have been the driving force behind a massive, multi-phase shoreline restoration project in his community, Chestnut Hill Cove in Pasadena.

Gary first became involved in 2018 when BGE identified his community’s shoreline as the ideal site for a tidal wetland mitigation project to offset the environmental impact of installation towers from the Key Crossing Construction project. The site, which had suffered from severe erosion and slope failures, is now home to over 20,000 square feet of new tidal wetlands with more than 17,000 native plants. Invasive Phragmites have been replaced by native marsh grasses, and the restored area is now thriving with fish and wildlife.

But Gary’s commitment didn’t stop there. As the initial project neared completion, he was approached again—this time by Ken Penysl, who wanted to address a major erosion issue caused by new buildings along Solley Road. The area had eroded 10 feet down, posing a serious threat to the main sewer lines. This led to Phase 2, an emergency project completed between December 2021 and January 2022.

Still, Gary’s work wasn’t done. A severely eroded tributary stream needed restoration to prevent sediment from overwhelming the newly created wetland. Now in the final planning stages, this last phase of the project is set for completion this year.

Despite his remarkable efforts, Gary humbly credits his success to being "in the right place at the right time" and acknowledges WSA’s role in bringing together experts, funders, grants, and community leaders to make these projects possible.

Gary Gakenheimer exemplifies the profound impact a Watershed Steward can have—surpassing even the boldest expectations when WSA first began. Since becoming a Steward just five years ago, his leadership has driven a multi-million-dollar restoration project, funded by partners including CBT, DNR, NFWF, and BGE, significantly improving local waterways while enhancing the beauty and biodiversity of his community.

Beyond this monumental project, Gary serves on the Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee, overseeing the implementation of the Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility in Anne Arundel County, MD. He is also a dedicated Steward, always ready to step up when WSA needs a representative in North County or when fellow Stewards seek guidance and support.

Join us at the 15th Annual Conference to celebrate Gary’s achievements and forge your own connections—you never know where they might lead!

2025 Consortium Member of the Year

2025 Consortium Member of the Year Honoree: Matt Pruett

horticulturalist, quiet waters park

WSA is thrilled to honor Matt Pruett, Horticulturalist for Anne Arundel County Rec and Parks, and Class 15 Watershed Steward, as the 2025 Consortium Member of the Year.  

WSA’s Consortium of Support Professionals  expand the impact of WSA programs by providing expertise and guidance to Stewards as they think through and implement projects throughout Anne Arundel County. They contribute their time and knowledge to help set Stewards up for success. 

As the Horticulturalist for Quiet Waters Park, Matt helps reimagine the landscape at one of the county’s most popular parks. Over 1 million people visit Quiet Waters Park each year, and each one of them gets to see the fruits of Matt’s labor through the beautifully redesigned landscaped areas. Once barren plots of turf have been transformed with lush plantings of native plants that not only add vibrant beauty and color to the park but also support wildlife and reduce the parks maintenance costs. Thanks to Matt, slowly but surely, Quiet Waters Park is using more natives to enhance the park for people and nature.

As a member of WSA’s Watershed Steward Class 15, Matt consistently contributed tips and tricks to the field sessions such as teaching how to magically turn one plant into 6 plants through dividing perennials, to helping other Stewards with proper tool use and planting techniques. For his capstone project, Matt led a “Don’t Bug the Bugs” Program to introduce elementary school aged kids to the fascinating world of insects to help them understand and appreciate the important role bugs play in our environment.

In addition, Matt has served as a Steward Mentor for Class 16, helping to guide five capstone project teams through their project at Quiet Waters Park. Projects ranged from native plantings in container gardens that greet and educate park visitors, to a facelift to the entrance of the park, to a floating wetland project. The WSA staff were continually impressed with Matt’s level of professional support, guidance, and enthusiasm for the Steward projects that we knew Matt would make a great addition to WSA’s List of Consortium members. We are excited that Matt has agreed to stay involved as a Steward mentor for Class 17. 

Clearly Matt has had a lasting impact on our Stewards, and that is why they voted him Consortium Member of the year! Congratulations, Matt and Thank you for all you’ve done for WSA and our Stewards!