Seeing the big picture: images of what’s been lost from Philadelphia

All the species below were recorded growing in Philadelphia by Barton in 1818, and all still persist in the region. They have been locally extirpated from the city, but grow in the suburbs, where, hopefully, “the insects remember” them, along with the rest of the local ecologies that rested on their shoulders. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be visually documenting more of these, perhaps encouraging others to join us in restoration efforts?

Clitoria mariana (Butterfly pea) & Asclepias quadrifolia (Four-leaved milkweed)

So what do we know about these plants? Well, C. mariana, was described by Barton as “a very elegant plant, with large rose-coloured flowers. On the rocks bordering the Schuylkill, about half a mile above Lemon-hill. Scarce. I have found it nowhere else. Perennial. July, August.” Its habitat preference seems fairly clear and it can be found fairly widely in the region today - based on iNaturalist observations, largely west of the city in Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and New Castle Counties. The seeds are available online, but not necessarily local ecotypes, which may need to be collected locally.

Asclepias quadrifolia was described by Barton in somewhat similar habitat: “Under a foot high. Flowers white. On rocky ground bordering the Schuylkill above the falls, rare. Perennial. May.” It still seems quite rare in the region, only reported recently on and adjacent to a few ridges in Montgomery County. Again, the seeds are available online, but finding local ecotypes may be extremely difficult.

Andersonglossum virginianum (southern wild comfrey) & Trillium cernuum (nodding trillium)

Let’s make southern wild comfrey common in Philadelphia again! A. virginianum (also frequently referred to as Cynoglossum virginianum) seems to have been relatively common in 1818. Of it, Barton says, “From eighteen inches to two feet high, with a hispid stem and hairy rough leaves. Flowers blue and white. In the shady moist woods in the neighbourhood of Mantua ; and near the Falls of Schuylkill, west side of the river, frequent. … Perennial. May, June.” Based on iNaturalist observations, A. virginianum is still common in the suburban counties on the west side of the Schuylkill, and seeds can be found online - though this species would probably be a strong candidate for collecting seed from a local ecotype.

And what about T. cernuum (also mentioned in another blog post? This, unfortunately, is probably the trickiest of the lot. Very rare in 1818, Barton described it as “Near two feet high. In the woods above the falls of Schuylkill, scarce. In a shady wood near a rivulet, a little west of Mantua-village, abundant. I have not seen it elsewhere. Petals white. Berries purple. Perennial. May.” The species is actually not uncommon today, and seeds are available online, but growing them to maturity is not child’s play. But someone’s gotta try! Just imagine being the intrepid, and famous, grower who brings locally grown nodding trillium back into the trade!

The path won’t be easy, or even possible, in all cases. Finding and germinating local ecotype seeds - not always easy! Germinating Trillium seeds that might take 5-7 years to flower - that’s a commitment! But why not try, and start restoring Philadelphia to the botanical wonderland it once was?