This is the LAST WEEKEND to visit our What's the Buzz? Insect & Arachnid Inspired Art Exhibition, a community art show open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The West Woods Nature Center. youtu.be/7kkRgpZ2Bfg

Celebrate the SMP centennial & Earth Week with a free tree seedling TODAY from 10 am to 1 pm at nine Metro Parks locations! Masks are required at this drive-through event. Available while supplies last, check back here for updates. Locations: ow.ly/VdUd50EwIPT #SMP100

Explore Cleveland Metroparks like never before by downloading the all-new mobile app! Explore #trails, attractions & hidden gems! Download the app today at clevelandmetroparks.com/app. 🥾 #FindYourPath

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 24 - Woodbine/Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana) Vigorous vine with mildly aromatic white flowers that bloom from August - October. It is best used in native plant gardens and woodlands. WesternPAConservancy TinkersCreek_WP leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 25 - New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) Drought resistant. Offers good ground cover for dry slopes & banks. Deciduous shrub has fragrant white flowers. @WildernessCentr Pollinator Partnership leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 26 - Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) Ornamental clump-forming grass provides winter interest with orange hues in fall. Tolerates a wide range of soils including heavy clay. Chagrin River Watershed Partners CCBH_Net leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 27 - Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) Wetland perennial that makes a good wildflower garden plant. Primary host plant for Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 28 - Scarlet Beebalm/Red Bergamot (Monarda didyma) Perennial herb. Tubular, two-lipped, bright red flowers. Tolerates wide range of conditions. Leaves have minty aroma. @WRLConservancy Holden Forests & Gardens leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 29 - Purple Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) Suckering shrub. Tolerant of wide range of conditions. Large, fragrant blooms attract pollinators. Fruit sought by wildlife. Pollinator Partnership Ohio Div of Wildlife leapbio.org/native-plants

#OhioNativePlantMonth Day 30 - Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata) Small, aromatic, slow growing tree. In Citrus family, not a true Ash. Host plant for the Giant Swallowtail. Photo features: Little Wood-Satyr. Pollinator Partnership Ohio Div of Wildlife leapbio.org/native-plants

OBK just got a little greener with the official opening of Brighton Park. We're honored to have worked with the Cleveland Metroparks & @WRLConservancy, as well as funders & neighbors, to bring this community greenspace to life. #whatsyouroldbrooklyn #FindYourPath

Transform your garden into pollinator habitat. Sign up for this upcoming symposium... wrlandconservancy.org/pollinators

APRIL Native trees provide food and shelter to thousands of species of insects, birds, and mammals. Trees absorb large quantities of stormwater, preventing flooding and erosion, and improve air quality. Native plant pictured: Black cherry-Prunus serotina cuyahogaswcd.org

April is both National & #OhioNativePlantMonth. Throughout the month we will recommend natives plants for gardens. They will be both lovely to look at and beneficial to our local wildlife. A win-win! Stay tuned... nationalnativeplantmonth.org 📷 Red osier dogwood by Ann McCulloh

Each Tuesday during National Native Plant Month, we will be highlighting what not to plant (invasive) and what to plant (native) instead. Today, we are covering VINES! #OhioNativePlantMonth #NativePlants #NationalNativePlantMonth #LEAPnativeplants #ArborDayCLE #ohiowildflowers

Ohio Native Plants of Distinction # 1 Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Important plant 4 pollinators, provides pollen & nectar. Seeds are a favorite of Goldfinches and Chickadees. #OhioNativePlantMonth ow.ly/L2ol50IqktY

Ohio Native Plants of Distinction # 2 Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis). First to bloom in the spring. Cluster of brilliant flowers. Prefers partial shade. After flowering, smooth, heart-shaped leaves appear. #OhioNativePlantMonth ow.ly/7Lqa50IoB2g

For #PhenologyFriday a Budburst observer in Illinois submitted this middle flowering, leaf buds bursting observation of a Cornelian cherry, Cornus mas. Have you always wanted to submit a Budburst observation but not known how to get started?

Ohio Native Plants of Distinction # 3 Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Favorite food of Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar. Flowers appear before leaves in spring, providing food for small bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. #OhioNativePlantMonth ow.ly/vo4K50IqfLi

Ohio Native Plants of Distinction # 4 Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa). Oaks in the White Oak Family feed more species of caterpillars than any other. Good urban tree, tolerant of air pollution & car exhaust. Lovely acorns w/ fuzzy caps. #OhioNativePlantMonth ow.ly/KM1G50IoAQw