Knotty By Nature

08/28/2026

Was out in the nursery today and saw all four of the native annuals that I have in stock are in bloom! (sorry, sold out of Jewelweed!)

All of these easily come back the next year with high germination rates.

Pictured: Bidens aristosa, Tickseed Sunflower
Chamaecrista fasciculata, Partridge Pea
Ipomoea coccinea, Red Morningglory
Ipomoea lacunosa, Small Flower Morningglory

While I'm still not open until Sept 12th, orders can still be placed online for a scheduled pickup in Durham or local delivery
https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/annual

08/21/2026

Just a heads up to any clients/customers that I've been in contact with through email. My account was compromised and a few of my clients received fake invoices asking for money to be wire transferred to an account in Oklahoma to an Alexis Porter. This is obviously a scam, please delete the email. Tech support and I have gone through and cleaned everything up, and I have contacted those who we could see were directly sent the fake invoices. But if you see anything odd, please call or text me. 919 251 1758.

08/15/2026

Let's give away some gift cards to the nursery!

Be the first to name the native plant and get a $5 digital gift card. Let's keep it to 2 gift cards per person so others can join. too. Type the latin name of the plant below the pictures in the comments and if it's correct, I'll reach out to you with a code for your gift card. The code will be able to be entered online or mentioned in person, and will be valid until the end of the year.

You can either place an order online or stop by during one of our sale days. Sale dates are Saturdays starting September 12th through November 14th. Most of the days we will be at 5911 Mount Hermon Church Rd Durham, but September 26th we will be in Pittsboro and October 10th in Mcleansville. View my events page for more details.
https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/events

Inventory can be viewed here
https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/all-products

Edit to Update: If you've got two correct, I'll send you the code. If you only have 1 correct, I'll hold off getting you the code until you either get another correct or all the plants have been IDed.

Update #2: All the plants have been IDed! I'll send you a message with you code on Facebook if I can. For some reason I can't message certain people. If you don't hear from my by Monday, please email me or message me on FB. [email protected]

08/01/2026

Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, is absolutely loaded with fruit right now! I've been seeing tons of birds in my nursery going after them in the past few weeks, including Cedar Waxwings.

They're also a host plant for the Coral Hairstreak, Satyrium titus, as well as being an overall pollinator magnet in the spring. https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/species/details/136/coral-hairstreak

Chokeberry, both Red and Black, I feel is highly underutilized in landscapes. It can easily replace many more commonly used exotics as it's tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Acidic to neutral pH, Wet to dry soils, Full sun to Part Sun, Sandy to rocky to solid clay.

Currently available here in Durham and will have many available for fall sale days.
https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/product-page/aronia-melanocarpa-black-chokeberry

07/28/2026

While you're still welcome to order online and schedule a pickup, the Fall sales days have been set!

We will have the nursery open
September 12th and 19th
October 3rd, 17th, 24th, and 31st
November 7th and 14th
From 9 am until 4pm.

September 26th we will be at the North Carolina Native Plant Society 75th anniversary event in Pittsboro. You must be a member and registered to attend. Events throughout the day but sale time is from 10-4 https://ncwildflower.org/youre-invited-to-our-75th-anniversary-celebration/

October 10th we will be at Providence Farm Fall Festival. Join me and many other vendors
2569 Huffine Mill Road McLeansville, NC 27301
Time still to be determined but likely something around 9-2
https://www.providencefarmnc.com/

07/13/2026

Anyone interested in one slightly used Pawpaw, Asimina triloba?

iNaturalist says this is a Pawpaw Sphinx Moth, Dolba hyloeus. Found in the nursery today in Durham. It completely defoliated this young tree.
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/4147

No insects were harmed in the production of this post, I relocated it to a larger tree outside of my growing area.

07/10/2026

I've been busy in the nursery this summer potting, weeding, and everything else that it needs. The recent rain has finally made everything explode. Even with watering once or twice a day, nothing beats the rain.

That means I have been able to restock many items as well as introduce a few. I'll have even more ready by fall, including 300+ Pawpaw

Recently restocked
Amorpha fruticosa, False Indigo
Bignonia capreolata, Crossvine
Clematis virginiana, Old Man's Beard
Hamamelis virginiana, Witchhazel
Passiflora incarnata, Passionflower

Hot, Fresh, and New!
Ageratina altissima, White Snakeroot
Clethra alnifolia, Coastal Sweet Pepperbush
Eupatorium serotinum, Late Boneset
Nelumbo lutea, American lotus

Pictured is arguably my new favorite plant on the property, American Lotus. It has absolutely gorgeous 10" flowers that have been continuously flowering for a month now. It's frequently being visited by bees, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, frogs(on the leaves) and other insects that I'm having to use iNat to figure out. They're an aquatic species that you will need some kind of standing water to grow them in.

While I'm closed for the summer, you can still order online and contact me to schedule a pickup time. https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/all-products

07/06/2026

06/10/2026

Greensboro area people, I will be selling my native plants at Providence Farm in McLeansville this Saturday from 9-2. Come see the goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, and pigs! There will be a food truck on site as well as other local vendors.

While I will have a truck load of plants, item's will be limited. If you are looking for something specific, you can place in order in advance to guarantee that it will be on the truck. Please mention that you will pick up at Providence Farm in the order notes.
https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/all-products

Providence Farm is located not far from i840.
2569 Huffine Mill Road
McLeansville, NC 27301
https://www.providencefarmnc.com/

06/09/2026

It's Fall, Y'all!

Wait... It's June 9th and still spring.

What were experiencing is extreme drought causing early leaf change and leaf drop. Our trees are very stressed, which is causing them to shut down early in order to save resources for them to wake up in spring of next year.

While it's common for our native Painted Buckeye, Aesculus sylvatica, to change and drop early, that's typically not observed until August. I'm seeing many other species like River Birch, Red Bud, and White Dogwood also drop, they're not doing it as attractively as Buckeyes. This definitely appears to be more concerning as it looks like the trees are dying. In most cases, the trees will be fine, as long as there's not other contributing stress factors. Our native plants, if established, can survive these stressful conditions.

On a positive note, the Stiltgrass seems to be dying back, too! As an annual plant, that will really set it back in certain areas.