Magnolia Gardens joins plant monitoring network
October 12, 2015
CHARLESTON, SC -Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, a steward of the land for three centuries, has joined with other environmentally conscious gardens to monitor threats harmful insects and diseases pose to plants and food crops.
Magnolia has joined the Sentinel Pl ant Network that encourages public garden professionals, volunteers and visitors to detect and report serious plant pests and diseases.
Tori Luke, Magnolia’s student and youth group coordinator, recently attended a regional meeting of the Sentinel Plant Network at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. She was trained to recognize signs and symptoms of potential threats. She will hold workshops at Magnolia to educate youth groups and others.
Luke will train “first detectors” to watch for Asian longhorn beetle, emerald ash borer, red palm weevil, sudden oak death and thousand cankers disease. “These are just a few of the significant pathogens and insects in the southern region that could devastate ornamental and native plants and food crops,” she explained.
“Magnolia is involved because we are part of a larger picture,” she said. “As stewards of the land, Magnolia and other gardens have an obligation to report and fix threats to the country’s ecosystem.”
“In the southeast, many states like North Carolina and Georgia have had occurrences of some serious intrusion,” she said. “We want to be diligent about caring for our gardens. Magnolia currently has none of these pathogens, and we want to keep it that way.”
The Sentinel Plant Network receives funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The network is also affiliated with the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and the National Plant Diagnostic Network. Magnolia is an APGA member.
To learn more about threats to Lowocuntry flora, contact Luke at [email protected].
