Maine Audubon is thrilled to announce an exciting new project which will develop four community tree nurseries in Maine’s three largest cities, as well as in Machias. Similar to commercial plant nurseries, with tree nurseries the idea is to create space and infrastructure for small tree and plant seedlings to be grown along until they […]
Maine Native Plants
April Phenology Report: Snowmelt and the Growing Season
The recent warm temperatures and spring rain have driven away what is left of this year’s dumping of snow. Although our plants have been dormant and waiting all winter, cues like snowmelt let them know that it is time for the growing season again! One study from 2022 (Zheng J. et al, 2022. Agricultural and […]
Announcing the 2025 Plant Genus of the Year!
Each year, we highlight one standout group of plants that deserves a little more love in our gardens. Last year, we chose Swida dogwoods as our genus of the year. In 2025, it’s all about Carex. Often overlooked but endlessly valuable, Carex (also known as sedges) are some of the most versatile, resilient, and ecologically […]
Maine Audubon heads to water conference to talk about healthy streams
Maine Audubon biologists and educators will be taking part in the 2025 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference, scheduled for March 27 at the Augusta Civic Center. The conference is an annual gathering where “ . . . professionals, researchers, consultants, citizens, students, regulators, and planners gather to exchange information and present new findings on sustainability […]
This February, learn about Maine native plants in this four-part online course
Back by popular demand, the 2025 “Bringing Nature Home” short course will return this February as a four-part online series. This is a great opportunity if you’re new to the world of native plants and are looking to learn more about backyard ecology and the simple actions you can take to create wildlife friendly habitat. […]
Backyard bird of the month for December: Northern Cardinal
The vibrant red plumage of Northern Cardinals is always a welcome sight on a cold day. Northern Cardinals molt their feathers once per year, usually in August or September, after nesting and before winter. To regrow their bright red feathers, they must eat fruits (and insects) high in carotenoids, pigments that give many plants and […]
Using Native Plants for Cover at Your Bird Feeder
Want to attract more birds to your feeders this fall and winter? Try adding some cover with native plants. Birds need cover to hide from predators, and many species only forage near plants that they can quickly dart into. Cover is one of the most overlooked components of a bird feeding station, and native plants […]
East Point Audubon Sanctuary: A fall plant walk reveals parasitic plants
The trails at East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford Pool are a spectacular place to walk on a late summer afternoon. While it’s difficult to look away from the panoramic ocean views or abundant sea life, if you look carefully along the trailside, you can see some of Maine’s parasitic plant species. There are many parasitic […]
Restoring Ecological & Multicultural Connections in Portland Schoolyards
Over the summer, our partners at Maine Association for New Americans (MANA) helped us recruit 12 teens to help us learn about and plant species from the K-5 Wabanaki Studies curriculum at Portland elementary schools. These new plantings will enable teachers and students to visit these plants as they grow and bloom during the school […]