Native Plants at Noon
Third Thursdays in 2023
Live on Zoom and Facebook

Join Deep Roots and the Missouri Department of Conservation for a virtual garden walk on your lunch break!

Every third Thursday at noon (Central Time), we’ll tour the native landscapes of treasured Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) landmarks throughout Missouri. We will continue our tradition of exploring MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross every other month. This monthly series features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year and throughout Missouri. You will learn helpful tips for your native garden, but you will also learn about unique spaces to explore throughout Missouri!

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Featured Speakers


Cydney Ross

Cydney has always had a naturalist spirit, with her earliest memories hiking, camping, and gardening with her family. Her endless curiosity for wildlife, stewardship for the earth, and professional background in fine arts has led her to merge these passions to inspire others to get outdoors.


Alix Daniel

Alix Daniel is a Native Landscape Specialist at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center in Kansas City. In her position she combines her decade of landscaping experience with her love of nature. Her favorite flower (this year) is closed bottle gentian.

2023 Dates & Descriptions:

January 19
Hit the (virtual) road with Missouri Department of Conservation staff as we explore some of Missouri’s unsung habitats. This month we explore the shortleaf pine forests of the Ozarks. Forestry staff will explore this habitat that was the dominant natural community in the Ozarks until logging in the late 1800s devastated these communities.

February 16
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

March 16
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

April 20
Hit the (virtual) road with Missouri Department of Conservation staff as we explore some of Missouri’s unsung habitats. This month we explore the spring-blooming native plants at Bluebell Valley in the Kansas City metro area. Pat Whalen will take us on a tour of this breathtaking site in its glory.

May 18
Hit the (virtual) road with Missouri Department of Conservation staff as we explore some of Missouri’s unsung habitats. This month we explore the chert glades of southwest Missouri. Naturalist Jessi Ballard will guide us through these unique glades that are found nowhere else on earth.

June 15
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

July 20
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

August 17
Sweet Sixteen Edition!
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at some of the species featured in the “Sweet Sixteen: Most Likely to Succeed” plant list.

September 21
Hit the (virtual) road with Missouri Department of Conservation staff as we explore some of Missouri’s unsung habitats. This month we explore Poosey Conservation Area in Livingston County. Conservation staff will explore this habitat that contains unique fern-draped rock bluffs, heavily timbered hills of oak and hickory, rolling grass expanses, and a variety of wildlife.

October 19
Bioswales: Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. This episode takes a closer look at the function of water retaining landscape features like bioswales. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

November 16
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

December 21
Tour the native landscape at MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by native landscape specialists Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, this program features a live look at native plants of interest throughout the year plus landscaping tips and tricks.

Previously, on Native Plants at Noon…

This free series includes helpful tips on native plant identification, wildlife value, and management for your native garden as well as discovering treasured and rare conservation areas throughout Missouri.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode One
Explore native plants for winter interest and wildlife benefit.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Two
Native garden design, winter seed sowing, and some sweet dance moves.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Three
Winter “weeds” and what you should do with them.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Four
Spring blooms and garden tips with Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Five
Native Plants at Noon presents an Earth Day Celebration!

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Six
More spring blooms, three kinds of native iris, and advice on aphids.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Seven
Coneflowers galore, plus tips on enjoying nature safely in the heat.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Eight
Coneflowers and compass plants on a rainy afternoon at the Discovery Center.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Nine
“Darn Yellow Composites” and why we love them!

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Ten
Celebrating monarchs and the nectar-rich plants they love!

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Eleven
SpoOoOoOoky October–Autumn Trees and Shrubs

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Twelve
Dealing With Invasive Species and Supporting Overwintering Insects

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Thirteen
Using native plants for holiday and indoor arrangements.

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Fourteen
Native garden design

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Native Plants at Noon – Episode Fifteen
Gardening Challenges

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Q & A

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Sixteen
Native Plants & Edibles

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Native Plants at Noon – Episode Seventeen
On the Road: Big Buffalo Creek Conservation Area

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Native Plants at Noon – Episode Eighteen
Tour the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center.

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Native Plants at Noon On The Road – Episode Nineteen
Berrier Conservation Area
Speaker: Andy Carmack, private lands manager

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Native Plants at Noon – Episode Twenty
Anita B Gorman Conservation Discovery Center
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross

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Native Plants at Noon On The Road – Episode Twenty-One
Sand Prairie Conservation Area
Speaker: Angela Pierce

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Native Plants at Noon – Episode Twenty-Two
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross
Photo credit: Mary Nemecek

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Three
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
Speaker: AJ Hendershott

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Four
Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Five
Bob Brown Conservation Area
Speaker: Sean Cleary

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Six
Twin Pines Conservation Area
Speakers: Reva Dow, Mike Keeley, Gary Gognan

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Seven
Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center
Speakers: Cydney Ross and Pat Whalen

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Eight
Bluebell Valley
Speakers: Alix Daniel, Cydney Ross and Pat Whalen

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Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Twenty-Nine
Wildcat Glade, Shoal Creek Conservation Area
Speakers: Jessie Ballard

Native Plants at Noon On the Road – Episode Thirty
Primrose Prairie Tour
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Thirty One
Ask me Anything! Episode 1
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Thirty Two
A live look at some of our Sweet Sixteen: Most Likely To Succeed plants
Speakers: Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross

Native Plants at Noon – Episode Thirty Three
Poosey Conservation Area
Speakers: Samantha Anderson & Dillon Freiburger