Campus Nursery

The Campus Nursery is a collaboration between NMU Grounds & Facilities & SHINE (Sustainability Hub for Innovation & Environment). The idea is an adaptation of multiple student submitted Green Fund projects. Together, we are developing a plant nursery for growing native, nativar and cultivated native species to use in future landscaping projects on campus. 

The Nursery is located behind NMU's Police Department, exactly where NMU grew a tree nursery decades ago. Today there is a 150-foot x 75-foot parcel to grow plant native trees, shrubs, and bushes. A native plant intern will help to nurture the plants until they are large enough to be used in campus landscaping projects.

 

 

 

Campus Nursery Grand Opening

As apart of NMU's 125th anniversary celebration, SHINE and NMU Facilities hosted a grand opening ceremony for the campus nursery on October 1, 2024. Watch to learn more about the event and the campus nursery.

Why Native Species?

Native plants are crucial to our local ecosystem; they increase biodiversity and ecological function by supporting native pollinators and insects. Native species also require less landscaping maintenance like watering. Since these plants fit our region’s specific soil conditions, they also improve soil health by preventing erosion and enhancing water retention. By planting native species, we can ensure the resilience and health of our campus environment for generations to come.

Native Species at the Campus Nursery

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Bearberry

Bearberry

Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi

Aggressive spread via rizhomes; does well in sandy soil where others can’t thrive.

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Common Ninebark

Common Ninebark

Physocarpus Opulifolius

Naturally found along streambanks, good drought tolerance once established.

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Common Snowberry

Common Snowberry

Symphoricarpos Albus

Native to Marquette County and Michigan; spreads to form thickets.

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NEWJERSEY TEA

New Jersey Tea

Ceanothus Americanus

Shrub with glossy leaves and bright white flowers that nourish many species of butterflies.

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PARTRIDGEBERRY

Partridgeberry

Mitchella Repens

Does well in rich, medium moisture soil at shady sights. Forms a short, spreading ground cover.

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Pin Cherry

Pin Cherry

Prunus Pensylvanica

Likes woodland edges and provides good bird habitat.

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Red Chokeberry

Red Chokeberry

Aronia Arbutifolia

Deciduous shrub in the rose family, with white flowers and bright red berries in the fall.

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RED-OSIER DOGWOOD

Red-Osier Dogwood

Cornussericea

Deciduous shrub with dark red branches and twigs, with berries that local wildlife love.

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Red Pine

Red Pine

Pinus Resinosa

Dominant species in pre-settlement vegetation; needs large area to reach mature size.

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Smooth Rose

Smooth Rose

Rosa Blanda

Spreads rhizomatously, best for mass planting. Mostly thornless.

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Thimbleberry

Thimbleberry

Rubus Parviflorus

Multiple thimbleberry varieties are native to Marquette County and readily available.

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Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel

Hamamelis Virginiana

Yellow flowers are often the last thing to bloom for the season, sometimes into the winter.