Natural North Dakota

When you look near barnyards, roadsides, or other disturbed areas this time of year, you may notice a low-growing weedy plant with finely divided leaves, and a yellowish-green flower head. I suspect most people dismiss this plant as just another weed, but its common name pineapple weed, or perhaps wild chamomile, indicates something a little different.

Dveryone has heard of the Venus flytrap, but North Dakota's Turtle Mountains is home to a different carnivorous plant — the round-leaved sundew.

The goldenrods are starting to put on their annual floral show. Much as the pasque flowers in bloom serve as harbingers of spring, the goldenrods are harbingers of fall. They are telling us that the days of summer are numbered and fall is fast approaching.

Two noteworthy celestial shows are coming up on August 12. The Perseids meteor shower is expected to peak that evening, and a partial solar eclipse is expected to be visible in parts of the state. So, get ready and hope for clear skies.

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to “honor and raise awareness of the important role these lands play in creating a sustainable environment and economic growth for communities around the world.”

If you frequently walk through the prairies and woodlands, or perhaps even your own backyard, you may come upon a rather delicate, whitish translucent tube of thin material that’s several inches long and has a scale pattern that resembles the skin of a snake. Well, it probably is a snake skin.

A rather common sight across North Dakota during the summer months is a large hawk with broad wings and a wide, rounded tail soaring high overhead. Although there may be other species, the odds are good that it would be a Swainson’s, red-tailed, or ferruginous hawk.

It might come as a surprise, but an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Mandan lived in and around the confluence of the Heart River and Missouri River in the 16th century. And the Heart River, particularly the area around the confluence, represented the “hearth” of the world and was important to their creation story.

Are you familiar with grosbeaks? They are birds, similar in size to an oriole, and known for their rather short and conical beaks. Three species can be found in North Dakota.

Elm trees, once abundant and widely distributed in North Dakota and highly valued as an ornamental died by the thousands, mostly in the 1970s. Something similar may occur with ash trees and the emerald ash borer.

A single cottonwood tree can produce a staggering number of small seeds each year. Estimates range from around 25-48 million. But of course, the chances of a seed becoming established and living to maturity are extremely slim.

Have you been noticing a 2-3 foot tall wildflower sporting a terminal cluster of conspicuous purple flowers? If so, it is probably Dame’s Rocket. That is not a native plant. It might look pretty, but as they say, looks can be deceiving.

Have you ever wondered how Native Americans, early explorers, and settlers got around the region without getting lost? These days, well-marked highways and GPS make modern travel easy. But historically, knowledge of the landscape and landmarks were key to traveling the region.

I suspect that most people have heard of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant, but may not know that it is native to North Dakota. And it might surprise you, but it is not always "Jack" that is in the pulpit. It could be "Jill."

Have you been fighting the weeds yet this spring? Whether it is in gardens, yards, or fields, the weeds seem to be a perpetual problem. But we often give little thought to the native weedy species.

Consider making an effort this summer to spend more time observing the nighttime sky.

Seeing the first robin of the year is perhaps the most widely recognized harbinger of spring.

Next time you see a spider web, you might want to look at it a bit more closely: The spider silk is generating considerable interest and research into the production and applicability of a synthetic spider silk.

You might want to monitor the night sky over the next few weeks: The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower is on now, and will continue through much of May. There are nine meteor showers each year, and this one is among the better shows.

In the absence of burning, grazing, or other active management, native prairie can quickly deteriorate. Historically, bison grazed the prairie, wildfires occurred, and Native Americans set the grasslands on fire for a variety of reasons. They learned early on, for example, that burned over grasslands attracted bison because the regrowth was more accessible, palatable, and nutritious. Today, prescribed burning has become a widely accepted management tool for natural resource managers.

People have been known to be badly injured in the desert by getting tangled up with cactus, particularly a species of cholla commonly known as “jumping cholla.” There is no cholla cactus in North Dakota, but the state does have a native cactus, commonly known as fragile prickly pear or brittle pricklypear, that could be accused of “jumping.”

Chuck Lura explores the species of woodpeckers found in North Dakota and the vital role they play as keystone species in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems.

This time of year, there is not a lot of color on the landscape. But there is a red stemmed shrub that may catch your attention. If so, it is probably red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ).

On Friday, March 20, at 9:46 a.m., the sun crossed the celestial equator — marking the spring equinox. As the term “equinox” indicates, there is roughly equal time between sunrise and sunset around the globe.

Have you noticed geese flying overhead recently? If you haven’t, you will soon. That is because the spring migration is on. Although some have the impression that birds fly non-stop to their winter or summer destination, there is considerable variation in the migration patterns of our feathered friends such as migration distance, time of arrival, or flight time.

Most North Dakotans know that the Red River Valley is a portion of the former lakebed of glacial Lake Agassiz, but there are other glacial lake plains in the state that are less well known.

I read an article in the February issue of National Geographic about horned lizards in Texas. Their populations are being decimated, largely due to habitat loss and invasive predators. Most people probably think if horned lizards as species of the desert southwest. However, there is a species of horned lizard native to North Dakota, as are a couple other close relatives.

While long-stemmed roses dominate Valentine’s Day sales, native members of the rose family are woven into North Dakota’s landscape — including the State Flower, the Wild Prairie Rose.

Do your ever wonder what the winter landscape looked like on the prairie long ago when there were no farmsteads, transmission lines, and the few trees that were present were largely restricted to the floodplains of major rivers? There are some interesting written descriptions of that landscape.

During winter cold spells, concerns are often voiced on how the animals manage to make it through the season. Of course, there is variation in how well-adapted animals are to winter. It is similar with plants, which is exemplified by the development of plant hardiness zones. But how about plant seeds during the winter months? There is probably a lot more going there than most people would think.

Groundhog Day is coming up Monday, February 2. Do not look for any groundhog in North Dakota to poke its head out of their burrow. It is far too early for that.

A friend of mine recently mentioned that a flock of crows were raising a ruckus outside his home in north Fargo. When the crows are in a tizzy, it often means they have found an owl to harass. Sure enough, when he went to check it out, the object of the mobbing was a barred owl.

Are you getting a case of the winter blues? Are you spending too much time on the couch and too little time outdoors? Consider making a concerted effort to get outdoors more often to enjoy some of what nature has to offer during the winter. There is much to see and do for those interested a little "Natural North Dakota" that is quite easy to observe if one just takes the time to do so.

All plant parts of water hemlock are toxic to humans and livestock. It is one of the deadliest plants native to North America, some say the deadliest.

While driving down the country roads during winter, you may see a flock of sparrow-sized birds get up and fly away. Most people probably dismiss them as sparrows, but the next time you see the birds, look for flashes of white in the wings — they may be snow buntings.

Spending time in nature doesn’t just inspire awe — research shows it can improve our health and well-being.

Goldenrods might have caught your attention back in August and September with their showy yellow flowerheads. And they may still catch your attention during the winter.

Arthur Cleveland Bent describes the white-breasted nuthatch as a "droll, earnest little bird, rather sedate and unemotional. He is no great musician and seems to lack a sense of humor."

The rest of December and the first week of January could be great for skywatching. What could be the best meteor shower of the year is peaking next weekend. Plus, a couple other meteor showers and a super moon are coming soon.