Text “MDC Nature” to 468311 for program registration reminders and updates.

Cape Girardeau, MO – Discover how lovely nature can be this month with Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center’s free “Plant Romance” virtual event from noon – 1 p.m. on Feb. 14.

It’s hard to mingle if you’re rooted in the ground! Join MDC staff on Valentine’s Day to learn the amazing ways plants overcome this by enlisting help from insects, wind, and water to produce future generations.

“Whether you have a balcony garden, a small urban lot, a 4-acre parcel or a sprawling ranch, you can include native plants in your landscape,” said MDC Naturalist and program instructor Alex Holmes. “There are many reasons to embrace the use of Missouri’s wonderful native plants.”

Native plants create beauty and interest with a progression of flowers and fruits that furnish food and cover for butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. In addition, they:

• Are adapted to our climate
• Are adapted to our soils
• Require little or no irrigation
• Seldom require fertilizer or pesticides

This program contains biological discussions of reproductive processes and is most appropriate for older students and adults.

Find out more about native plants and how to incorporate them into your landscape online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZV7.

Registration

Check out details for all of MDC’s free February events online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4xf. And be on the lookout for more programs next month, including the Native Plant Sale happening March 18 at Cape Nature Center!

Advance registration is required for most programs and can be completed online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4xf. All family members that plan to attend in-person and virtual events must be registered. First, create a profile. Once a profile is created and event registration is complete, additional details about programs will be sent via email. If you’re having difficulty registering online, you may contact the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center at (573) 290-5218.

Registration is required and can be completed online at https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/189403. Space is limited.

Stay connected

Questions about events can be emailed to MDC Cape Nature Center Manager Laci Prucinsky at [email protected].

The Cape Nature Center sends program registration reminders and updates to those who sign up by texting “MDC Nature” to 468311. An online subscription is also available to “sign up for updates” at www.mdc.mo.gov. A variety of updates are available at this option, but Cape Girardeau specific updates are available under facility updates and news for southeast region.

Cape Girardeau Nature Center is located at 2289 County Park Dr. in Cape Girardeau, and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. White Oak Trace Trails are open daily, from sunrise – 10 p.m.