Homestead Park

Homestead Metro park is a 44 acre property located in Hilliard, Ohio, full of many amenities. Most notably, the train-depot replica. The park has many play ground areas, a pond, a covered bridge and a few fields full of wildflowers to attract pollinators. The park is also connected to a rail-trail that is over 6 miles long.

Trees

Malus sylvestris – Crab apple

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Pinus – Common Pine

Fun fact: Many different kinds of wild life will use pine trees for their benefit. Some will use it to raise their young like bird, some will use it for shelter or to search for food like squirrels and bugs. These trees provide a great benefit to the local wildlife.

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Shrubs

Rhus aromatica-  Fragrant sumac

Fun Fact: Native Americans used the entirety of this shrub for an array of interesting things. Some of these things included drying the leaves and adding to a tobacco mixture, the roots were used to make yellow dye and the berries were used to make an acidic tasting beverage.

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Viburnum opulus – Crampbark

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Fruiting plants
Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
Fun Fact: The monarch butterfly is dependent on the milkweed plant. This is the plant they choose to lay their tiny eggs on. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars rely on the leaves of the milkweed for yummy food and then form their chrysalis hanging from the milkweed. I attempted to raise monarchs this year in an effort to increase their survival rate but I was sadly ill-equipped and under prepared. I did however learn a lot and plan to hit the ground running next season.

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Campsis radicans – Trumpet Creeper

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Poison-ivy

An easy way to identify this plant is to notice the leaflets of three. The leaflet on the end is larger than the two growing on the sides. These leaves can be smooth or toothed but either way they will come to a point.

 

Coefficient of Conservation Plants

PART ONE: List of plants at Homestead Park 

  1. American Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, CC-7, Native
  2. Boxelder Maple, Acer negundo, CC-3, Native
  3. Bull Thistle, Cirsium vulgare, CC-0, Adventive
  4. Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, CC-6, Native
  5. Crampbark, Viburnum opulus, CC-8, Native
  6. Chinquapin Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii,CC-7, Native
  7. Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, CC-1, Native
  8. Fragrant sumac, Rhus aromatica, CC- 3, Native
  9. Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, CC-1, Native
  10. Post Oak, Quercus stellata, CC-7, Native
  11. Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, CC-6, Native
  12. Queen Anne’s Lace, Daucus carota, CC-0, Adventive
  13. Red Oak, Quercus rubra, CC-6, Native
  14. Sawtooth Sunflower, Helianthus grosseserratus,CC-4, Native
  15. Silver Maple, Acer saccharinum, CC-3, Native
  16. Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, CC-4, Native
  17. Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radicans, CC-1, Native
  18. White Pine, Pinus strobus, CC-6, Native
  19. Wingstem, Verbesina alternifolia CC-5, Native
  20. Yellow Wood Sorrel, Oxalis strictaCC-0, Native

Four High Coefficient of Conservation:
  1. American Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, CC-7, Native
  2. Crampbark, Viburnum opulus, CC-8, Native
  3. Red Oak, Quercus rubra, CC-6, Native
  4. White Pine, Pinus strobus, CC-6, Native

Four Low Coefficient of Conservation:
  1. Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, CC-1, Native

  2. Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, CC-1, Native
  3. Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radicans, CC-1, Native

  4. Yellow Wood Sorrel, Oxalis strictaCC-0, Native

 

PART TWO: Invasive Species:

  1. Common Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum

PART THREE: Substrate Associated Species: