Nature Signs
at Ohio State University - Mansfield

A Project of the Campus Beautification Committee

Project Manager: Dr. David W. Kramer, Assistant Professor of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University - Mansfield


Note:  Several of my students have helped with this project.  Their names are on the signs and on sign captions on this web site.  We are grateful for their contribution to our knowledge of these plants.  Other students who want to be involved should contact me.        DWK
 
This list is arranged by groups of signs that are located relatively close to one another.
Near Ovalwood Hall
Near Eisenhower Hall, Conard Learning Center, path to Health Sciences Building
Near Campus Bookstore and Fallerius Hall
Oval, between Faculty/Staff Parking Lot and Ovalwood Hall
Northernmost Oval (opposite Riedl Hall), Tennis Courts, Campus Recreation Center
In or Near Island of Trees on East Side of Main Entrance Drive
Along path to Molyet Village

Caption on Sign
[click to go to sign content]
Common Name of Plant
Scientific Name of Plant
Location
Near Ovalwood Hall
All Spruced Up!
Spruces (White, Norway, Blue)
Picea glauca, P. abies, P. pungens
Front lawn of Ovalwood Hall
Building Stone
Stone types on Ovalwood
Front lawn of Ovalwood Hall [not yet installed]
Judas Tree Redbud, Judas Tree
Cercis canadensis
At entrance to Ovalwood Hall
A Tree that is Named for a Fish! Shadbush or Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea
At entrance to Ovalwood Hall
Edge Effect
Forest edge, across from Ovalwood Hall entrance
Near Eisenhower Hall, Conard Learning Center, path to Health Sciences Building
How Does Baseball Depend on this Tree? White Ash
Fraxinus americana
In woods north of  Eisenhower Hall
Brutus Buckeye's Cousin
Yellow Buckeye
Aesculus flava

Front of Eisenhower Center
Sweet Bay Magnolia Sweetbay Magnolia, Swamp Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
Southeast corner of Eisenhower Hall
Elephants of Our Forest American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
Between Conard Learning Center and Eisenhower
Primitive Beauty Magnolia 'Galaxy'
Magnolia liliflora x sprengeri
Front of Conard Learning Center
Big Oaks from Little Acorns White Oak
Quercus alba
In woods beside Conard Learning Center
Legacy Trees White Ash, Tulip Tree
Fraxinus americana
Liriodendron tulipifera
Behind Bromfield Hall [not yet installed]
Pepperidge Tree Black Gum, Sour Gum, Black Tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica
Along path from Library to Health Sciences
Shhh... This Fern is Sensitive! Sensitive Fern
Onoclea sensibilis

Along path from Library to Health Sciences [not yet installed]
Sweetest Tree in the Forest Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Along path from Library to Health Sciences [not yet installed]
Near Campus Bookstore and Fallerius Hall
Bloodroot Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
Ravine in front of campus bookstore [not yet installed]
The Women's Herb
Blue Cohosh
Caulophyllum thalictroides

Ravine in front of campus bookstore [not yet installed]
Stars in the Landscape Star Magnolia
Magnolia stellata
Lawn in front of Fallerius Technical Center
Spooky Name, Spooky Plant?
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
[not yet installed]
Oval, between Faculty/Staff Parking Lot and Ovalwood Hall
Eastern Hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
Oval, across from Faculty/Staff Parking Lot
Leaves of Three, Let It Be!
Poison Ivy
Toxicodendron radicans
Oval, across from Faculty/Staff Parking Lot
A Living Fossil
Ginkgo or Maidenhair Tree
Ginkgo biloba
Between gates of Faculty/Staff Parking Lot
Tree with a Bark Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Oval, across from Faculty/Staff Parking Lot, near Rhododendron
Rhododendrons
Rhododendron
Rhododendron catawbiense
Oval, along walk to Ovalwood Hall
Northernmost Oval (opposite Riedl Hall), Tennis Courts,
Campus Recreation Center
Nice Rock!
Glacial erratic
In front of CRC [not yet installed]
Tails of Green Horses?!! Field Horsetail
Equisetum arvense

Oval, across from student parking lot
The Everglades in Ohio? Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Corner of Tennis Courts

In or Near Island of Trees on East Side of Main Entrance Drive
Do You Wonder Why It's Called Skunk Cabbage? Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Toward back of tree "island" on east side of main entrance drive
Ohio Buckeye
Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

South edge of tree "island" along east side of main entry drive
Mother Nature's Brillo Pad
Scouring Rush
Equisetum hyemale

East edge of tree "island" along east side of main entry drive
Along path to Molyet Village
Bedrock
Bottom of creek
Along path to Molyet Village [not yet installed]
Black Gold Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
Along path to Molyet Village
A Fern for Christmas Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides

Along path to Molyet Village [not yet installed]
Salad Ingredient or Alien Invader?
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
Along path to Molyet Village
"Let's put our farm right here!" Spicebush
Lindera benzoin

Along path to Molyet Village, on side path to soccer field [not yet installed]
Living Fence Posts Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Along path to Molyet Village
[not yet installed]
Who Put the Root in Root Beer? Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Along path to Molyet Village


All signs have graphic illustrations which are not included in this web version due to copyright restrictions.  We appreciate the support of
  • Lowes for providing posts for the signs
  • our Physical Plant crews for assembling the signs and installing them on campus
  • the Bromfield Library staff for laminating the signs

Return to top of Nature Sign List
Return to D. Kramer Web Site