A power line cut in southwest ohio, August 28th 2025
A short Educational ecology article written by Solomon Doe - Author/Owner of Indigenous Landscapes
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This naturally established meadow is over 90% native wildflowers as opposed the typical dominate of invasive foreign vegetation brought in from other countries over recent centuries. Tall Ironweed is the prominent purple flower. The yellows and golds are composed of Cut-Leaf Coneflower, Cup Plant, Early Sunflower, Tall Goldenrod, and Wingstem. The scene was animated by Tiger Swallowtails Butterflies, Monarch Butterflies, Native Bees, Goldfinches, Native Sparrows, and some larger unidentified mammals moving on the ground level of the meadow that I happen to startle.
Cut-leaf Coneflower (gold) dominates the center strip of this photo with slightly larger flowers than wingstem (yellow).
In today’s age of invasive plant dominance, how did a meadow become 90% dominated by native plants without humans planting it? This field is adjacent to the Little Miami River in Southwest Ohio. River edges in late summer naturally contain all of the native wildflowers growing in this field, as the flooding and ripping action of high waters removes invasive shrubs from larger river flood plains creating a niche for these wildflower to persist in. So these wildflowers were already in the area at the original time this meadow was allowed to grow by humans and some of their seeds already existed in the seed bank of the soil. The other factor is this is a power line cut. Power line cuts are either mowed, sprayed, or bush hogged down to keep trees from ever interfering with power lines. The action of the utility company keeping this cut clear of trees, maintains an open habitat for these meadow sun-loving plants to thrive in. Indigenous People’s of America once managed open habitats like these with fire to support the plants and animals they relied on in a form of passive, sustainable agricultural land management. Today power line cuts are more so coincidental habitats, than intentional.
Ironweed steals the show with deep purple flowers in a late summer power line cut.
Power line cuts can be strategically managed to be prime native habitats if local native plant supporters can work with utility companies in an organized and effective manor to maintain native meadows under power lines. In addition to native meadows, native thicket species can also be maintained under power lines with cooperation of both civilian volunteers and the utility companies. Otherwise utility companies will typically use a combination of bush hogging and spraying every few years to kill off whatever vegetation is growing their; native or non-native to prevent any future possibility of vegetation interference with the power lines.
We have an instruction manual for creating native meadows available on this website you’re currently on, along with other free educational resources if you’re interested in fostering biodiversity on your property. Any area with at least 3 hours of direct sunlight per day can support a native meadow, but keep in mind local ordinances laws when choosing your placement. Backyards are often the best place for native meadows vs. front yards in your average neighborhood setting. You can find these educational resources at the bottom of this web page.
Native Plants in this post: Tall Ironweed Vernonia gigantea (purple), Cut-leaf Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata (Gold), Tall Goldenrod Solidago altissima (Gold), Wingstem Verbesina alternifolia (yellow), Joe Pyeweed Eutrochium fistulosum (pink), and Early Sunflower Heliopsis helianthoides (gold).
When considering planting a native plant, always google search the scientific name aka latin name with the word “bonap” to look up its native range as reported by country records submitted to herbariums. If the plant is native within 100 miles of your location it will be more ecologically applicable than plants native further away. The further away a plant is native, often, the less ecologically applicable it becomes.