Native Plants

Native Plants. . , Local Plants , The plants within this exhibit are native to Northwest Ohio where they live among our native turtles in habitats such as wetlands, woodlands and oak savannas., Food Sources , As the base of the food chain, native plants support healthy turtle populations. The fruits of plants such as Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia cespitosa), and Mayapple (Podophylium peltatum) are an important food source for Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). Other plants feed turtles indirectly by supporting prey animals such as snails, slugs, insects, and fish., Habitat , In addition to food, native plants also provide shelter and improve water quality in aquatic habitats. Wild Toledo utilized native landscaping to create the best environment for our turtles., Want To Learn More About Conservation Efforts? In the fall of 2014, Wild Toledo began converting previously mowed lawn and abandoned lots to environmentally beneficial urban prairies. They have installed over 50 prairies in Northwest Ohio and offer native landscaping. These native landscapes provide food, larva development and shelter for bees, butterflies and more on a smaller scale.