Asteraceae #3 - Native Asters & Goldenrods (see UPDATED WEATHER NOTE)

The August-September time period is the most exciting time to find Asteraceae species.  It is the time of year when most of our native Asteraceae species take center stage:  asters, goldenrods, beggar ticks (Bidens species), sunflowers, Autumn sneezeweed (Helenium), and rattlesnake-roots (Prenanthes species).  The greater Beebe Lake natural area on the Cornell campus has an amazing amount of plant diversity packed into the approx. 1 mile loop around the lake.  Over 50 species in the Asteraceae family will be present, many in flower.  Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to study our native aster and goldenrod species.

WEATHER NOTICE:

The walk is tentatively still on for tomorrow (9/12/15), but weather forecasts are uncertain. In brief, we're asking people to meet by 12:45 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension facility in Ithaca if they are planning to carpool, OR otherwise driving directly to the program start site, to assemble at the Toboggan Lodge on Forest Home Road (Cornell campus) at 1:00 pm.

WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN.If the weather is really rainy, we will move the program to the Plant Biology Department in the Mann Library Building at Cornell (a "stone's throw" away from the lake). There will be instruction indoors in a classroom at that time with LIVE aster and goldenrod specimens, and other projected visuals.