Hawthorn

The Hawthorn Chapter of the Missouri Native Plant Society (MONPS) is made up of individuals from Columbia and the surrounding region with various levels of expertise and interest in native plants who appreciate and want to conserve our natural Missouri heritage. Together, we enjoy wildflowers in their native habitats, share knowledge about identifying and growing native plants, and sell books and native plants to finance student scholarships, plantings, and educational  material.

Regular meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 pm at the Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd, Columbia MO with rare exceptions. Check the Hawthorn website or contact an officer to confirm. All are welcome. Lunch with native plant enthusiasts is held every third Thursday of the month at 11:30 am at the Uprise Bakery, 10 Hitt Street, near Broadway, Columbia MO. All are welcome.

At our March 9th meeting, Danielle Fox (Community Conservationist in the Columbia City Sustainability Office) reviewed history and future plans for cost cutting and environmental sustainability through the incorporation of native vegetation in Columbia. Danielle’s position includes education, personal mentoring, public speaking, alien species removal, habitat restoration, and coordination of planning, permits, funding, and management among several different departments. She consults with schools and homeowners about planning native gardens that comply with the upgraded weed ordinance. She coordinates the hiring of ecological consultants to execute plans for restoration of about 83 acres along city roadsides. Danielle directs restoration projects at Gans Creek Recreation Area, Twin Lakes Park, and the MKT Trail. In about 3-4 years when the native acreages are growing, her data shows it will save Columbia $250-300,000 per year in mowing expenses along roadsides as well as providing significant reductions in carbon emissions and increased habitat for small wildlife and insects.

During stay-at-home and in spite of all of our public plant sales being cancelled, the Hawthorn chapter nursery has disbursed approximately 700 new native plants for gardens while maintaining social distancing. There is also a contest to cut the most aliens during the month of April. The winner gets 10 plants and second place gets 4 plants. We also encourage members to stay busy by sending out links to virtual educational and social opportunities focused on native plants

Chapter Events

Chapter lunches are held on the third Thursday of each month. We meet just south of Broadway Street in downtown Columbia at Uprise Bakery inside the lobby of the RagTag Theatre, 10 Hitt St, Columbia Missouri

Chapter meetings are held at the Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Boulevard, Columbia, Missouri. Newcomers and friends are welcome to attend.

The Hawthorn chapter has a membership brochure and maintains a chapter website at http://www.columbianativeplants.org/.

Contact Us

Michelle Pruitt
1305 Overhill Road
Columbia, MO 65203
advocatefornature@gmail.com

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