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"The Big Tree is Nature's forest masterpiece, and so far as I know, the greatest of living things." - John Muir

The Catalpa tree, also known as the Cigar tree, is native to the southern states. It is a stunning, verdant tree that blossoms during the spring season with the ability to reach heights of up to forty feet. Catalpas are sometimes planted to prevent soil erosion due to their root system. While the roots are poisonous, the bark and seeds are safe to digest. Native Americans would make tea from the bark of the tree, which would be used as a laxative, snake bite antidote, and sedative. The plant portion possesses mild, narcotic properties that helped treat whooping cough and asthma in children.

Today, we rely heavily on pharmaceutical companies to provide medication for us, so it's interesting to consider how a little ingenuity in nature from our ancestors was pivotal in how they maintained their health. Many plants and trees in nature besides the Catalpa also possess medicinal or healing properties. Whenever you stumble upon an unfamiliar plant or tree, research about it and find out all you can about its properties. Not only is it educational to do so, but it creates a deeper sense of gratitude for what surrounds us in nature and will hopefully instill a sense of wanting to preserve and maintain the beautiful world that we get to exist in.
 

- Kerry Smith, State Master Gardener Program Coordinator - and - Emily Bryce,
Extension Home Grounds Student Worker

Is the Southeastern Blueberry Bee in Lauderdale County?
 

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In 2012, my daughters gave me a birthday gift for a course in becoming a Master Gardener. During the course, I bravely planted three Rabbiteye blueberry plants: an Alpha, a Tifblue, and a Climax. They are now mature plants that produce well and are beautiful throughout the year.

Currently, Auburn University is trying to establish the precise range of a small bee, the Southeastern Blueberry Bee. They look like a mini bumblebee about the size of the tip of the pinky finger. This bee has never been officially documented in Colbert, Lauderdale, or Limestone counties.

At the March 16, 2021, regular meeting of the Shoals Master Gardeners, our regional extension agent, Lucy Edwards, announced that Auburn University had requested that Shoals Master Gardeners be on the lookout for this tiny bee. It was also requested that an attempt be made to capture a specimen if possible. As Ms. Edwards was making this announcement, it occurred to me that I had several photos of bees in my modest blueberry patch. I have a beekeeper friend that has several hives and I enjoy sending her photos of honeybees working in my yard.

Ms. Edwards concluded her announcements and took her seat directly behind me. I handed her my iPhone with the photo of a "little" bumblebee on the screen. Lucy looked at the picture, then looked at me with a huge smile on her face. She excitedly asked me to forward the photo to her and then she would forward the photo to Dr. Charles Ray of Auburn’s Entomology and Plant Pathology department.

A few hours later I received a text from Ms. Edwards saying the photo looked very promising but that photo was from last year (2020) and it is vital that a specimen be captured to physically confirm what type of bee it might be.

As March came to a close and the blueberry bloom was peaking, I caught a glimpse of a “little” bumblebee working in blueberry blooms. However, as soon as a “big” bumblebee showed up for some nectar, the little bee buzzed off in a flash. We played this game for a couple of days. Finally, on March 30th at 1:12 PM, I saw this beautiful little bee and was able to capture a few quick photos.

Then I urgently grab a small clear plastic container to capture this prospective Southeastern Blueberry bee. I, rather aggressively, surrounded the bee, along with some blooms, with the plastic container and gently slid my captive bee off the blooms and sealed the lid! Immediately I called my daughter Anna in Austin, Texas.

Thus began a running dialog with Anna just to share the moment. Somehow the bee got named “Linnie.” And so we all bonded with Linnie and loved her. Quickly, she became our pet bee.

Then I explained to Anna that I was about to drown Linnie, so her body could be mailed to AU where she could be confirmed as a Southeastern Blueberry Bee. We both became deeply saddened and filled with regret. In the name of science, I bit my lip and followed the protocols for preparing the specimen. Basically, once drowned, the bee gets an isopropyl alcohol bath, which cleanses it. Then, very gently, with a blow dryer set to “Low”, I dried Linnie’s precious little bee body. Linnie was then placed into a pristine medicine bottle with a couple of cotton balls for cushions. Finally, I put a label on the bottle with my name, contact info, and the time and place of capture. This was mailed to Auburn University in a padded USPS Priority Mail envelope.

Then I waited.

Finally, on April 22, I received an email from Ms. Edwards! She was very pleased to inform me that she had received an email from Auburn. Dr. Ray wrote:

“Hi Lucy, I lost the phone number for L. Wray Dillard who submitted a Southeastern Blueberry Bee, this specimen from Florence, Lauderdale County.  First recorded specimen from that county as well.  Also a male. If you could pass along our thanks, I would appreciate it. His phone number was taped on the pill bottle she shipped the bee in and apparently pill bottle was tossed after we typed our specimen label.   –Charles Ray”

So Linnie was a boy! Linnie was posthumously renamed, Lonnie. He is officially the first documented Southeastern Blueberry bee from Lauderdale County, Alabama.

My two daughters could not be more pleased if I had won the Noble Peace Prize. I feel very proud as well. Mostly, I feel thankful for my experiences as a Master Gardener that laid the foundation for this event to take place. I’m also thankful for Ms. Lucy Edwards's enthusiastic assistance. And I will never forget the beautiful little Southeastern Blueberry Bee. My blueberries will taste extra sweet this season thanks to Lonnie.

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Submitted by Wray Dillard, Shoals MGA

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Consumer Horticulture 
 

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Help us so we can better help you! Get involved NOW
 

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Master Gardeners Landscape at Habitat House
 

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'Ask the Master Gardeners' Held at Lowes
 

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Join in 81 Years of Volunteer Garden Management
 

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Story by Don Fry, MCMG, class of 2019. 
 

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Morgan County MGA Needs Volunteers...
Join The Grow More Give More Project Today!
 

We need members (with or without greenhouses) to grow some vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, greens, chard, etc.) for the Grow More Give More project.

These plants will be donated to any organization or community garden that grows produce for people in need. These organizations must give away the produce, not sell it.  Bring them to us or we will pick them up from them when ready. 

Please get in touch with, Doty Henry 256-426-6620, or email dhry58@gmail.com or any of the Greenhouse crew members for pickup. 

Thank you for the help
www.mg.aces.edu/morgan
 

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The Morgan County Master Gardeners (MCMGA) are taking a multi-prong approach to the challenge of Grow More- Give More. In addition to our Raised Bed produce presented in a previous Volunteer Opportunity piece, we are providing plants for various community gardening efforts. Although the "pounds of produce" will be an estimate, the volunteers thought this might be an additional means for MCMGA to contribute! One example of this approach is the 18 Heirloom Tomato Plants pictured (Cherokee Purple). These plants were donated to the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department for their in-house community garden maintained by the inmate population.
 

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Wiregrass MGs Celebrate National Public Gardens Day!
 

Despite, Covid 19 and weather challenges, we experienced our best Plant Sale ever! As soon as the plant sale was concluded, WMGA began preparation for our first National Public Gardens Day at Dothan Area Botanical Gardens. This event was well attended and provided us with a great opportunity to educate and inform the community about our organization in fun ways, like releasing butterflies throughout the day and having chickens on hand to show that gardening and chickens really can work together. We were able to set up our mobile “Ask a Master Gardener” booth and answer many gardening questions from the public.
Earlier this spring, Master Gardener, Sarah Jo Adams, presented a compost class at the Veteran’s Gardening project at Landmark Park. This class represents just one of several workshops scheduled for this project. In our opinion, the importance of this Master Gardener Project cannot be overstated, as we had one veteran who drove from the Alabama-Florida border to attend this workshop. We are looking forward to seeing this project grow!
We are excited to celebrate National Watermelon Month in July. We have planned and sponsor each year a watermelon tasting at Landmark Park during their Wiregrass Farmstead event. This is an annual event where Wiregrass Master Gardeners enjoy volunteering their time. Tasting the watermelons is an added bonus!
Pictured - Master Gardeners Glenda Hays and Judy Clardy at our mobile “Ask a Master Gardener” booth set up at National Public Gardens Day at Dothan Area 

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 Submitted by Cathy Hinesley
 

Tell us what you're contributing to the Grow More, Give More project and let's see if Alabama Master Gardeners can beat the 2020 total donations! It was a hefty 26,000 pounds. 
 

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Send your GMGM story to Kerry Smith, smithkp@auburn.edu