Neighbors and Natives

Neighbors and Natives. . , William Gailes Contee and Edward Wilson Parago, Sr. , Contee-Parago Park is one of the first City parks to be named after Black Baltimoreans: Edward Wilson Parago, Sr. (1898-1983), a postal worker, and William Gailes Contee, an upholsterer ans small business owner (1891-1987)., The neighbors were two of the first Black homeowners in what is now considered the Bolton Hill neighborhood, purchasing their homes on Dolphin Lane in the early 1930s just before the discriminatory practices known as "redlining" took hold after the passage of the National Housing Act of 1934., The park stands on land cleared as part of Baltimore's urban renewal programs in the 1960s, which disproportionately affected lower-income and Black residents., Contee-Parago Park was created after the 1968 riots that erupted in Baltimore and nationwide after the assassination of Martin Luther king, Jr. The park has served as a neighborhood gathering place since its founding in 1971., Native plants , All plants reduce air pollution, absorb stormwater runoff, and clean the air and soil. But native plants do more., Native plants support local ecosystems by providing food and habitat for birds and pollinators. And because they are naturally suited to local soil and climate conditions, they require less maintenance and fewer pesticides., The five large Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) and two Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) trees that anchor the park are all native to this region. In addition to all the other benefits native plants provide, their trunks and canopies provide shade and vertical definition, creating a green screen for the Bolton Hill neighborhood., Unfortunately, most urban and suburban landscaping consists of over 90% non-native or "exotic" species that provide little ecological value., This park was designed to have at least 70% native plantings. Can you identify these native plants?