Ancient Roots Native Nursery, LLC

03/15/2026

Good morning everyone,
If you are looking for good replacements for the invasive Bradford pear that is now in bloom, here are a couple of excellent native alternatives:
Salix discolor — P***y Willow
A 10–12 foot shrub that is currently in bloom. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the Salix genus hosts 289 species of moths and butterflies, which in turn attract a wide variety of songbirds. P***y Willow provides early season blooms and supports many pollinators.
• Height & Spread: 10–12 feet tall and nearly as wide
• Light: Full to part sun
• Soil: Medium to moist
• Tolerances: Deer tolerant, Black Walnut tolerant
• Benefits: Excellent for erosion control, strong wildlife value
Prunus americana — American Plum
A small native tree standing 15–25 feet tall with a similar spread. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the Prunus genus hosts 344 species of moths and butterflies. American Plum also produces edible fruits, with flavor varying by species. If you can get them before the birds.
• Height & Spread: 15–25 feet tall, similar width
• Light: Full to part sun
• Soil: Medium to dry
• Tolerances: Drought tolerant once established, Black Walnut tolerant
• Benefits: High pollinator value, wildlife support, edible fruit

03/15/2026

Please share this wonderful place with people you know. If you are driving through or visiting Evansville, take the time to walk through these magical woods, you will be glad you did.

🌳 Did You Know?

Wesselman Woods is the largest urban old-growth forest in the United States! We are proud to have in the .

02/11/2026

Trees are a vital part of our ecosystem and wellbeing, and planting the right tree in the right location is a great gift to future generations. After you decide on a native tree species, the next step is choosing a well-structured tree with a good lateral root system to help ensure it remains healthy for years to come.

This is a helpful resource from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) that outlines what to look for when selecting a high-quality treehttps://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Buying%20High%20Quality%20Trees_0721_1.pdf

The Trees Are Good website is loaded with additional information to assist with your planting decisions.

01/05/2026

Plectrum hyemale aka Adam and Eve Orchid or Puttyroot is a joy and interesting plant to see during the winter when most other plants are dormant. The common name Puttyroot came from settlers using the sticky rhizomes to repair broken pottery.
A 1 – 2 foot flower stalk emerges in May – June with several yellow / purple blooms. Disappearing in the heat of the summer then in November one single leaf appears until March absorbing the winter sunlight coming through the canopy. The one green leaf reminds us that spring is on the way and Mother Nature knows what she is doing.
It prefers Beech and Maple forests in partial shade or dappled sunlight. Perfect for small shady woodland gardens.

12/24/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We want to share our gratitude for a wonderful year. We did some really great projects this past growing season. One of them is the Mount Vernon River Front Rain garden sponsored by Astra Zeneca. We had made a great team! Thank you, Astra Zeneca, for caring. A special shout out to our personal Ancient Roots Native Nursery team; Justin, Daniel, Beth and Sami, you are truly appreciated and made the season a success! Looking forward to another great year with you all.

09/25/2025

The glorious rain we have had the past few days is such a blessing and a great preparation for fall planting! There are so many different native species of trees and shrubs to choose from that are beautiful and beneficial to the ecosystem. Decisions, decisions. Left photo Taxodium distichum / Bald Cypress; one of the longest living trees that hosts 17 different species of moths and butterflies. This beautiful tree has great shape and turns reddish to bronze in the fall. Right photo Callicarpa americana / American Beautyberry; a shorter shrub of 3 -6 feet with small purplish to white flowers for pollinators. The bright purple berries are highlighted by the yellow-gold fall colors, and they will feed many songbirds especially through difficult winters.

09/10/2025

Great things are happening in Mount Vernon, Indiana. Join us with the tree Board at River Days September 12th and 13th.

09/10/2025

Support your nation landmark with lots of fun!

We’ve posted about our performers and our vendors... but what else can you do during the Woodland Wonders Festival? 🤔 Plenty of activities! See the list below and don’t forget to get your tickets so you can experience the magic of the forest with us this weekend 🪄 Wonder awaits! ✨ [ Saturday, September 13 from 2-6 PM 🎟️ wesselmanwoods.org/woodlandwonders ]

🌲 Interact with the stories of Grandmother Willow, Susan Fowler
🎨 Community nature art project with Dawn Murtaugh
📷 Art installation photo opportunities by Kevin Titzer (pictured!)
🦋 Learn about the concept of Leave No Trace
🏃 Get active with Velocity Fitness
🦉 And take part in a scavenger hunt and animal encounters with Wesselman Woods!

08/29/2025

Why do we ❤️ our wetlands? Because they are ESSENTIAL for our ecosystems!

Howell Wetlands features 35 acres of marshland, bald cypress slough, oxbow lake, lowland hardwood forest, and upland meadow. Wetlands overall provide vital services such as water filtration, flood control, and habitats for diverse species.💧

Wetlands cover about 6% of the earth's surface!🌿

Nearly 7,000 plant species live in United States wetlands, many of which can only survive in these wet environments. 🐸🪱🦎

Let's give wetlands the love they deserve! Howell Wetlands is open from sunrise to sunset daily. Please remember to pack it in and pack it out ♻

Find more info and field guides at wesselmanwoods.org/howellwetlands

*Photo courtesy of Andrew Layer

08/18/2025

The EAAM and Wesselman Woods are teaming up on August 24 from 4:00-5:30PM for the Forest Wisdom Series! This session will feature the museum's permanent photographic collection to deepen attendees' understanding of land cultivation and stewardship of Baptisttown.
Link to Register: https://wesselmanwoods.org/forestwisdom