Minnesota Seasons - St. Croix Savanna Scientific and Natural Area


St. Croix Savanna Scientific and Natural Area

County	Washington
GPS	N45 00.021 W92 46.725
Size	148 acres
Habitat	Dry oak savanna, hill prairie, gravel prairie, oak woodland, oak forest
Hiking Trails	There are no hiking trails but footpaths attest to the relatively heavy use this SNA sees.

Links	Minnesota DNR

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Birds

	American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) American robin (Turdus migratorius) black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) osprey (Pandion haliaetus) turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) veery (Catharus fuscescens) wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)


Insects

	common ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) least skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor) little wood satyr (Megisto cymela) monarch (Danaus plexippus) northern cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) pronghorn clubtail (Gomphus graslinellus) red-blue checkered beetle (Trichodes nutalli) silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) sumac stem borer (Oberea ocellata) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) viceroy (Limenitis archippus) widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)


Mammals

	whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)


Plants	Two plant species with protected status in Minnesota are found here: Endangered – James’ polanisia (Polanisia jamesii) Threatened – kitten-tails (Besseya bullii) Grasses on this site, along with those listed below, include hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta var. hirsuta), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula), needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata), prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). Other plants that can be found on this site, along with those listed below, include American pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida), yellowish gentian (Gentiana alba), flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata), prairie pinweed (Lechea stricta), Illinois tick-trefoil (Desmodium illinoense), and hoary vervain (Verbena stricta). In 2005 the Minnesota DNR was attempting to reestablish prairie larkspur on the site. Minnesota DNR Plant List

	American basswood (Tilia americana) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) Balkan catchfly (Silene csereii) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) boxelder (Acer negundo) bracted spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata) bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) Canada hawkweed (Hieracium kalmii) Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis) cleavers (Galium aparine) common burdock (Arctium minus) common chickweed (Stellaria media ssp. media) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) common plantain (Plantago major) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) crown vetch (Coronilla varia) dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida) early meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum) field sagewort (Artemisia campestris) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) Great Plains flat sedge (Cyperus lupulinus ssp. lupulinus) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense var. croceum) harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium ssp. angulata) hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) hoary frostweed (Helianthemum bicknellii) hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus) large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) musk thistle (Carduus nutans) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) paper birch (Betula papyrifera) porcupine grass (Stipa spartea) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red clover (Trifolium pratense) rough false pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida) rough-fruited cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) slender beardtongue (Penstemon gracilis var. gracilis) smooth brome (Bromus inermis) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) tall cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta ssp. arguta) tower mustard (Arabis glabra) twoflower dwarfdandelion (Krigia biflora var. biflora) Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) western marbleseed (Onosmodium molle ssp. occidentale) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. bifolia) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)


Visits	06/19/2005 06/14/2006