(l-r) Winter Red Winterberry berries and Milkweed pod spreading seeds in Demonstration Garden. FIConservancy Photos

A powerful east coast storm Nov. 1 paved the way for spectacular weather on Fishers Island, and a stroll though the Demonstration Garden proved that FIConservancy’s native plant initiative is alive and well!

Brilliant red fruit on the Winter Red Winterberry will continue to be a food source for birds and a bright spot throughout the winter. Meanwhile, the milkweed seeds will settle in for months of “cold stratification”, a necessary step in germination.

(Milkweed’s white fluff or “floss”, in massive quantities, is said to provide warmth and insulation nearly equal to eider down.)