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.