Plus, poetry workshops + film festivals
 
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Sunrise 6:33 a.m. | Sunset 6:09 p.m.
 

🌱 How to spot native plants in Richmond

How to spot native plants in Richmond
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Juniperus virginiana, aka Eastern Redcedar, is native to our region. | Photo by RICtoday
Spring hasn’t quite sprung, but we’re seeing hints of it around Richmond. Here’s a quick guide to spotting which plants are native to Central Virginia.

According to Richmond Master Gardener Don Moore, a native plant is one that has evolved over thousands of years in a specific geographic region alongside other flora and fauna without any human intervention.

These plants form diverse ecosystems, support three times more pollinators, and require far less watering and maintenance than non-native plants, since they’ve evolved to thrive in our environment. Native plants are the backbone of our entire ecosystem — without them, the whole food web is disrupted.

The Master Gardeners have lots of information online on understanding Richmond’s native horticulture — they even have recommended readings on topics like transitioning your lawn into environmentally friendly natives.

white flowers on a thin-branched tree

The dogwood isn’t just Virginia’s state tree — it’s native to the region.

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Photo via Agnieszka Kwiecień

The Plant RVA Native Campaign also has a guide to VA Capital Region Natives. Here are some common friendly flora:
  • Perennials | Common Yarrow, Purple False Foxglove, Eastern Red Columbine, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Common Milkweed, Mistflower, Virginia Blue Flag Iris, Coneflowers
  • Ferns | Southern Lady Fern, Royal Fern, Sensitive Fern, Southern Bracken Fern
  • Shrubs | Wild Hydrangea, Witch Hazel, Winterberry, Mountain Laurel
  • Trees | Red Maple, River Birch, Mockernut Hickory, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Redcedar, Sweetbay Magnolia, Sassafras
If you want to buy native plants to add to your garden, the Virginia Native Plant Society has a list of nurseries which sell primarily native plants and do not sell invasive species. You can also ask the experts at your favorite plant shop to see what’s local.

Do you have questions about adding native plants to your own garden? Drop the Master Gardeners a line.
Send in your questions
Quiz

What invasive plant, known as “the vine that ate the South,” can you find all over the JRPS trails?
A. Trumpet Honeysuckle
B. Kudzu
C. Virginia Creeper
D. Cross Vine
Do you know?
 
Events
Wednesday, March 6
  • Making History with LVA | Wednesday, March 6 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Join a virtual volunteer session with Library of Virginia to learn how you can help make historical documents more accessible for researchers now and in the future.
  • UR Men’s Basketball vs. Saint Joseph’s | Wednesday, March 6 | 7 p.m. | Robins Center, 365 College Rd., Richmond | $10-$32 | The Spiders play Saint Joseph’s in their last regular season home game.
Thursday, March 7
  • Fairy Succulent Garden Class with The Freckled Flower Farm | Thursday, March 7 | 6-8 p.m. | Benchtop Brewing, 434 Hull St., Richmond | $50 | Celebrate the pops of green as spring approaches by creating your own fairy garden featuring succulents, bulbs, stones, and adorable figurines.
  • Wild & Scenic Film Festival | Thursday, March 7 | 6:15-9:30 p.m. | Studio Two Three, 109 W. 15th St., Richmond | $10-$20 | Take in a selection of films about nature, community activism, conservation, wildlife, and more in support of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Friday, March 8
  • “Titanic” | Friday, March 8 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $9 | You’ll feel like the king of the world at this Byrd screening.
Saturday, March 9
  • Poetry Workshop with Jamil Jasey | Saturday, March 9 | 1-4 p.m. | RPL Hull Street Branch, 1400 Hull St., Richmond | Free | Teens, pre-teens, and their families are invited to this poetry workshop with local artist Jamil Jasey.
  • Skydog | Saturday, March 9 | 7 p.m. | The Broadberry, 2729 W. Broad St., Richmond | $20 | Get tickets to see the ultimate Allman Brothers tribute.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Children's Museum of Richmond
 
News Notes
Sports
  • W League RVA has announced a slew of signees lately, including Madie Vincent, Hanna Heaton, and keeper Keely Thomas. Their Spring Combine will be held this Saturday, March 9. Elite youth, college, and aspiring professional players can register online to take their shot.
Edu
  • Today is Henrico County’s 65th Student Government Day. At a mock Board of Supervisors meeting today, 96 local high schoolers will present research projects and reflections. Topics for the projects include firefighter recruitment, environmental stewardship, and bike lanes.
Outdoors
  • Riverfront Canal Cruises will launch its 2024 season on Friday, April 5. The 40-minute boat rides offer a historic tour of the James River and Kanawha Canal — tickets are $15 for adults.
Drink
  • The Kitchen Classroom will host a hands-on cocktail class led by bartender Beth Dixon. The class is on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. — participants ages 21+ can reserve a spot for $80.
Biz
  • Local grocer Good Foods Grocery has kicked off its internship program to help adults with autism train for work. The Stony Point store was purchased by Commonwealth Autism in 2023. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Fun Fact
 
Asked

What’s your favorite Altria concert memory?

The Altria Theater’s history of classic concerts
a photo the mosque in Richmodn VA
“The Mosque” in 1994, just before becoming the Landmark Theater. | Photo via VCU Libraries Digital Collections
The Altria Theater is one of Richmond’s most iconic venues, and for good reason — numerous superstar performers have graced its stage over its nearly 100-year history.

Called the Mosque for decades as a nod to its striking Moorish Revival architecture, the Altria has been hosting concerts since it opened on October 28, 1927. Since then, the venue has attracted everyone from Chuck Berry to Elvis to Jimi Hendrix to Tina Turner.

We want to know: What are your favorite memories of the Altria? Share your classic concert stories and we might feature your story in a future newsletter.
Share your stories
The Buy

The Buy 3.06.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Coco Cadeaux Collection. It’s the best way to turn up your party hosting skills with the latest supplies. Now, let’s celebrate.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
David
From the editor
This warmer weather has me thrilled. If you need me, I’ll be sunning myself on the Belle Isle rocks.
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