Milkweeds for Monarchs – 2014

Posted on April 7, 2014 by barb

By Barb Elliot

“The lowest numbers of Monarchs ever recorded”

“Monarch migration at risk of disappearing”

This is the devastating news about Monarchs over-wintering in Mexico. These Monarchs migrated last fall from eastern portions of the U.S. and Canada to reach their historic Mexican wintering grounds. Each year scientists count the number of acres of trees where the Monarchs cluster during their winter stay in Mexico. This winter Monarchs covered just 1.7 acres — a significant decline from the previous low of 2.9 acres.

Male Monarch in Barb’s yard. Photo © Barb Elliot

Loss of milkweed is the primary reason for the steep decline in Monarch numbers. Milkweeds are the only plant Monarch caterpillars can eat. Millions of acres of milkweed habitat have disappeared in the mid-west due to the use of genetically modified (GMO) corn and soy crops. Farmers spray their fields with Roundup, and the crops survive. However, this herbicide kills the other plants like milkweed that previously grew in and around crops. Since these Roundup Ready crops came into use over the last 15 years, almost 80% of milkweeds in the mid-west have disappeared. Monarch population decreases have correlated in lock step with the loss of milkweed. Milkweed habitat is also lost due to development and mowing of roadsides. Extreme weather over the past few years in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada has also contributed to Monarch losses. Cold snaps, heat waves, droughts and heavy rains have also taken a toll on the Monarchs and milkweeds.

Monarch laying egg on Butterfly Milkweed. Photo @ Barb Elliot.

As a result, last summer we Monarch-lovers saw few, if any, Monarchs. With these steep declines, we’ll surely see even fewer this summer. However, Monarch experts say that the Monarch population can bounce back – probably not to the high levels of the 1990s, but to a lower “new normal”. To improve their numbers, Monarchs need MORE milkweed.

That’s where we come in. We Monarch-lovers must plant more milkweeds this year. The Monarchs, fewer in numbers now, will need quantities of milkweeds to find the plants easily and lay their eggs. Also, milkweeds are very important plants in the web of life and provide high quality nectar for a variety of other important pollinators.

Monarch caterpillar on Barb’s Swamp Milkweed. Photo © Barb Elliot.

Let’s keep the welcome mat out for Monarchs! To that end, we are selling Butterfly Milkweed and Swamp Milkweed this year for only $2 a plant. Plant some milkweeds to help the Monarchs. If you already have some, plant even more! Plant them in containers, too. Talk to family, friends, and neighbors about the need. Get permission to plant them at a community park, church, business, roadway, or open space, too.

Now is the time for YOU to help the beautiful Monarchs survive for generations to come.

Milkweed Sale Information

Cost: $2 per plant. Cash only. Money collected above our actual costs will be donated to Monarch Joint Venture, a partnership of organizations working to conserve the monarch migration.

Plants Description: Plants are landscape plugs with well-developed (about 5”) root systems. When in bloom, they look like this:

Butterfly Milkweed Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) (Asclepias incarnata)

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Photo © Barb Elliot.

Minimum Order: 5 plants of one species only. That is, 5 Butterfly Milkweed or 5 Swamp Milkweed. Not 3 of one species and 2 of the other.

Number of Plants: Plants will be sold in multiples of 5 per species only, e.g. 10, 15, 30

Maximum Order: None. However, supplies depend on availability from our wholesaler. Plants will be reserved based on the order in which orders are received.

Order Deadline: Orders must be received no later than April 30, 2014..

Pickup Date & Time: Saturday, May 31^st, 2014 – 10 AM to 3 PM. Sorry, no alternate pickup times can be arranged.

Pickup Location: Roberts Elementary School, 889 Croton Rd, Wayne, PA 19087 For Directions, click here

General Planting Recommendations:
1. Plant in clusters, preferably at least 5 plants per cluster to attract passing Monarchs.
2. Plant 12” apart.
3. For more detailed planting instructions and other ways to help Monarchs, click title: Planting and Caring for Your Milkweeds.*

If you have any problems ordering or questions, send an email to info@backyardsfornature.org

Order Confirmation: You will receive a confirmation email within 7 days from info@backyardsfornature.org. Please set your email filter to accept email from this address. If you do not get a confirmation email within 7 days, send an email to: info@backyardsfornature.org

Pollinators Need Our Help!

Posted on March 24, 2014 by barb

By Barb Elliot

The earliest spring flowers will soon emerge. In my garden I’ll admire the delicate white petals of Bloodroot, the first to bloom. Soon I’ll enjoy the blue bell-like flowers of Jacob’s Ladder, the bright yellow of Golden Ragwort, and striking red blooms of Wild Columbine. The flowers are charming, but I will be more captivated by their insect visitors. Small bees and flies will fly from blossom to blossom. Working intently, they will stop briefly to feed and gather nectar and pollen. These will be the first pollinators of the year.

Skipper sipping nectar from Upland Ironweed. @ Barb Elliot

As spring and summer progress, pollinators will visit the succession of blooms on my native trees, shrubs, and perennials. Bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, and wasps will be at work. I’ll watch each butterfly unfurl its straw-like proboscis to daintily probe flower heads and sip nectar. Yellow pollen grains will dot the heads and bodies of bees and flies. Female bees will sport saddlebag-like pollen baskets on their hind legs. The undersides of leafcutter bees’ abdomens will be golden from pollen grains stored on special hairs.

Bumble Bee with pollen baskets. Photo by Beatriz Moisset. Wikimedia Creative Commons.

I’ll notice the size, shape, and tongue lengths of pollinators – characteristics that enable some to better exploit different shaped flowers than others. Iridescent green sweat bees will glisten in the sunlight as they feed on nectar. The strikingly-marked Locust Borer Beetle will catch my attention as it methodically forages for pollen on my goldenrods. I’ll marvel at how close I can get to colorful wasps as they busily collect nectar. Hover flies will hang suspended in air as they take a break from feeding on nectar and pollen. After dark, with my flashlight, I’ll find moths flying from flower to flower, performing nighttime pollination.

Locust Borer Beetle on goldenrod. Wikimedia Creative Commons photo.

My flowering plants put on their royal finery to entice these pollinators, not me. Their showy colors and patterns advertise and guide the pollinators to the plants’ nectar and pollen. The plants must rely on the pollinators to transport pollen among different flowers of the same species. This cross-pollination enables plants to produce the seeds and fruit needed for reproduction. Well-pollinated plants bear more fruit, produce genetically diverse seed, and are healthier. For the pollinators the nectar provides carbohydrates for energy. The pollen supplies them and their offspring with protein, vitamins, minerals, fats, and starches.

Pollinators play essential roles in our ecosystems. Seventy-five percent of the world’s plants require pollinators to produce seed or fruit. One-third of our food supply comes from pollinator-reliant plants. Birds and other wildlife in my yard and the world over eat

Green Sweat Bee. Photo by Beatriz Moisset on Wikimedia Creative Comoons.

the seeds and fruits produced by pollinator-dependent plants. Pollinators themselves are food for birds and other animals, including insects. A diverse population of pollinators is critical to the web of life.

Unfortunately, many pollinators are in decline. Some are threatened with extinction. Our most beloved pollinator, the Monarch butterfly, is in serious trouble. The eastern U.S. population crashed in 2013, and the smallest number on record over-wintered in Mexico this year. Not only Monarchs but other pollinator populations, including bees, our most prolific pollinators, are in trouble, too. The effects of Colony Collapse Disorder on non-native honeybee populations are well known. However, many of our 4,000 U.S. native bee species, key pollinators of both

Bumble bee with tongue extended on Mountain Mint. Photo @ Barb Elliot.

native plants and crops, are also at risk. Bumble bees seem particularly hard hit, with about half of our 47 U.S. species in decline. Some are in danger of extinction. Less studied pollinators like beetles, wasps, and moths are likely declining as well.

Loss of good foraging and nesting habitat is the primary cause for pollinator declines. Pesticides and introduced parasites add to the toll. Many experts believe neonicotinoid insecticides pose a particular threat to bees and other pollinators. Those that forage on treated plants become weak or die. “Neonics” and other systemic pesticides are taken up through a plant’s roots and travel to all parts of the plant, including its nectar and pollen. Last June, 50,000 bumble bees foraging on flowering trees at a single location in Oregon were killed after the trees were sprayed with a neonicotenoid. Neonics are present in a variety of insecticide brands commonly sold to gardeners. They are also used in nurseries that raise plants. In fact, some plants sold as bee-attractants contain neonicotenoids.

Wasp on Mountain Mint. @ Barb Elliot

Despite all the threats, we gardeners can help sustain pollinator populations in our area. (See table below.) Some gardeners like to attract butterflies, but balk at inviting moths, bees, beetles, flies, and wasps. However, these insects have important roles to play in the web of life and are generally harmless to gardeners. Native bees are unaggressive and rarely sting. Even wasps are docile when foraging on flowers, although they may forcefully defend a nest. By incorporating a variety of native plants in our yards, our most important conservation action, we will attract pollinators that are also predators and keep insect populations in check. Various beetles, flies, and wasps prey on aphids and other insect pests. By growing a diversity of native plants (see plant list below), we will encourage a healthy balance of insects in our gardens.

Hover Fly on Snakeroot. @ Barb Elliot

I hope the plight of the Monarch butterfly will compel us to action. We must help not just the Monarchs* but the less charismatic butterfly, bee, fly, wasp, beetle, and moth pollinators as well. For too long, we have ignored pollinators or treated them as pests to be destroyed. We have gardened for aesthetics and our enjoyment without considering nature. These beneficial creatures are crucial players in the web of life in our own gardens and beyond. We can make a difference for them. We and our gardens will benefit.

*Please note that we will be selling milkweed plants for Monarchs again this year! Stay tuned for an upcoming post about Monarchs and details of the milkweed sale.

How to Help Pollinators
Provide Food
Plant:	¨ A variety of nectar- and pollen-rich native plants. Strive for 8 or more species. ¨ Perennials in clusters, preferably 5 or more of a single species, so plants are easily found. ¨ For a succession of blooms from early spring through late fall. ¨ Natives with different flower shapes for pollinators or varied sizes, shapes, and tongue lengths. ¨ Host plants for butterflies and moths.
Buy plants at local native plant retailers or where sellers identify whether plants are pre-treated with systemic pesticides such as neonicotinoids. Remove invasive plants so they crowd out natives
Provide nesting and overwintering sites
Leave:	¨ Areas of bare soil in sunny, well-drained spots. ¨ Stumps, logs on the ground, dead branches and trees. ¨ Leaf litter for over-wintering butterflies, moths, beetles and their larvae or pupae ¨ Stems of perennials standing from fall through late winter
Provide artificial nest sites, e.g., a wooden bee block or a bundle of stems or paper straws. Every 2 years replace or clean with a 3:1 water-bleach solution. Click here for more info. Build a “pollinator condo”. Click here for “how to info” or here for inspirational examples.
Provide water
Add a shallow dish with sloped sides for easy entry and exit Keep an area of soil moist or muddy for butterflies and other pollinators that forage for minerals and salts in soil
Prevent pesticide poisoning
Don’t use pesticides, but especially avoid neonicotinoids. Click here for a list of common brands containing neonics. Don’t apply herbicides or fungicides to lawn or beds with nest sites or pollinator plants
Other Ways to Help Pollinators
Make a commitment to protect pollinators by getting your yard certified as a pollinator habitat and posting a sign. See The Xerces Society’s “Bring Back the Pollinators” campaign Become a citizen scientist to help scientists track pollinator populations, such as by reporting sightings of bumble bees to Bumble Bee Watch or other species to Project Noah

Recommended Native Plants for Pollinators by Bloom Period
Common Name	Botanical Name	Flower Color	Bloom Period^	Height	Soil	Exposure	Notes
Perennials
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria canadensis	White	April	6-8”	Dry to moist	Part shade to shade
Golden Ragwort	Packera aurea	Yellow	April-May	1-2’	Moist to wet	Part shade to shade	Host plant. Deer resistant
Jacob’s Ladder	Polemonium reptans	Blue	April-May	8-15”	Moist	Part shade to shade	Deer resistant
Wild Geraniium	Geranium maculatum	Pink – purple	April-May	1-3’	Moist to dry	Part sun to shade	Host plant. Deer resistant
False Solomon’s Seal	Maianthemum racemosum	White-cream	May	12-24”	Moist to dry	Part shade to shade
Smooth Solomon’s Seal	Polygonatum biflorum	White -light yellow	May-June	2-4’	Moist to dry	Part sun	Deer resistant
Wild Columbine	Aquilegia canadensis	Red	May-June	1-3’	Moist to average	Part sun to shade	Deer resistant
Beardtongue	Penstemon digitalis	White	June-July	2-3’	Dry to moist	Sun to part shade	Deer resistant
Bee Balm	Monarda didyma	Red	June-August	3-4’	Moist to dry	Sun to part shade	Deer resistant
Butterfly Milkweed	Asclepia tuberosa	Orange	June-August	1-2’	Dry to moist	Sun	Host plant for Monarch, others. Deer resistant
Nodding Onion	Allium cernuum	Pale -dark pink	July	1-2’	Dry to moist	Sun	Deer resistant
Purple Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea	Purplish pink	July	3-4’	Moist to dry	Sun to part sun
Swamp Milkweed	Asclepias incarnata	Light – dark pink	July	3-5’	Moist to wet	Sun to part sun	Host plant – Monarch butterfly; deer resistant
Blazing Star	Liatris spicata	Purple	July-August	2-4’	Moist	Sun
Culver’s Root	Veronicastrum virginicum	White	July-August	3-5’	Moist	Sun to part shade
Joe Pye Weed	Eutrochium maculatum; E. fistulosum	Pink	July-August	4-7’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade	Host plant. Deer resistant
Short-toothed Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum mutucum	White	July-August	2-3’	Moist	Sun to part shade	Deer resistant
White Turtlehead	Chelone glabra	White	July-August	2-4’	Moist to wet	Sun to part sun
Wild Bergamot	Monarda fistulosa	Pink	July-August	2-4’	Moist to dry	Sun to part sun	Host plant. Deer resistant
Common Boneset	Eupatorium perfoliatum	White	July-September	2-4’	Moist to wet	Sun	Host plant
Cup Plant	Silphium perfoliatum	Yellow	July- September	4-8’	Moist to wet	Sun	Host plant
Fragrant Hyssop	Agastache foeniculum	Blue-violet	July-September	3-5’	Moist to dry	Sun to part sun	Deer resistant
False Sunflower	Heliopsis helianthoides	Yellow	July-September	3-5’	Moist to dry	Sun to part sun
Garden Phlox	Phlox paniculata	Pink/white/ lavender	July-September	2-6’	Moist	Sun to part shade
Goldenrod -Stiff	Solidago rigida	Yellow	July-Sept	3-5’	Dry to moist	Sun to part sun	Host plant. Deer resistant
Great Blue Lobelia	Lobelia siphilitica	Blue	August	1-3’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade
Cutleaf/ Green-headed Coneflower	Rudbeckia laciniata	Yellow	August-September	3-6’	Moist	Sun to part sun
New England Aster	Symphotrichum novae-angliae	Pink -purple	August-September	2-5’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade	Host plant
Goldenrod – Zigzag	Solidago flexicaulis	Yellow	August-October	1-3’	Dry to moist	Part shade to shade	Host plant. Deer resistant
New York Ironweed	Vernonia noveboracensis	Magenta	August-October	3-6’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade
Obedient Plant	Physostegia virginiana	Pink	August-October	2-5’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade
Mistflower or Hardy Ageratum	Conoclinum coelestinum	Blue	September-October	1-3’	Moist to wet	Sun to part shade	Deer resistant
Vines
Virgin’s Bower (a magnet for daytime species & moths at night)	Clematis virginiana	White	August-September	To 10’	Moist	Sun to part shade	May spread. Deer resistant
Trees and Shrubs
Pussy Willow	Salix discolor	Silvery gray	March	20-35’	Sun	Wet to moist
Serviceberry	Amelanchier canadensis; A. laevis	White	April	6-20’	Sun to part shade	Dry to moist
Highbush Blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum	White – pink	April-May	6-12’	Sun to shade	Wet to dry, acid
Redbud	Cercis canadensis	Pink – lavender	April-May	20-30’	Sun to part shade	Moist to wet	Deer resistant
Black Cherry	Prunus serotina	White	May-June	50-75’	Sun to part shade	Moist
Sweetbay Magnolia	Magnolia virginiana	Creamy white	May-June	10-20’	Sun to part shade	Moist to wet	Deer resistant
Black Gum	Nyssa sylvatica	Green	June	30-50’	Sun to part shade	Moist to wet	Deer resistant
Tulip Tree	Liriodendron tulipifera	Yellow-green & orange	June	75-100’	Sun to part shade	Moist to average
Basswood	Tilia americana	Pale yellowish	Late June-early July	75-100’	Full sun to light shade	Moist
Buttonbush	Cephalanthus occidentalis	Creamy white	July-August	6-12’	Sun	Wet to moist

Resolutions to Bring Nature to Your Yard in 2014

Posted on January 17, 2014 by barb

By Edie Parnum

Oh, no, you say. I never make resolutions—too much self-denial and discipline.

Here are some resolutions that don’t require much work. And, in fact, they’ll add pleasure to your life. Pick one of these to get started. Birds, butterflies, and other creatures will visit your yard. Pick three, and you’ll see nature flourish abundantly–guaranteed.

Plant a tree. Adding a native (historically part of our local ecosystem and food web) tree is the single best contribution you can make to your property’s habitat. It will offer more food, shelter, and nesting places than any other plant. Besides providing seeds, fruits, or nuts directly to birds and other animals, the tree’s leaves host native insects. Birds and other small animals eat native insects in
White-Marked Tussock Moth caterpillar eats leaves of oaks, birches, cherries, and other trees.

large quantities. The small animals are prey to larger ones. Thus, this native tree and its insects contribute enormously to fuel your yard’s ecosystem. It’s easy and inexpensive to plant a sapling tree. It will establish quickly, grow fast, and sustain wildlife for decades. Surely you have room for one tree (small or large), perhaps several of them. Native oaks offer the best wildlife value but check our website for other valuable native trees.
Plant shrubs. Requiring less space than a tree, they offer nearly as much value to a healthy habitat. Besides the nutritious fruits these woody plants produce, insects eat their leaves. As with trees, these insects sustain birds and the other animals in the web of life. Also, dense deciduous and evergreen shrubs provide
Red Chokeberry’s fruits are eaten by thrushes, catbirds, and waxwings.

cover and places for nesting birds. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), Red and Black Chokeberry (Aronia sp.), Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica), and various native dogwoods (Cornus sp.) and viburnums (Viburnum sp.) are excellent choices. Plant three or more of each species. See our website for recommended shrubs.
Plant perennials, not annuals. Annual flowers are so much trouble to put in each year, fertilize, and keep watered. Forget the bothersome begonias, impatiens, marigolds, coleus. petunias, and the like. Native perennials will grow
Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators feed on Wild Bergamot’s nectar.

and bloom beautifully for years without any extra care. My favorites are Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Summer Phlox (Phlox paniculata), New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angelae), Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), and Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), but there are many other beautiful native perennials. All provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Like other native plants, they host native insects, too.
Plant a vine. If you want hummingbirds in your yard, plant a Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) (not the invasive Japanese Honeysuckle, of course) or Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans). Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana) is a magnet for bees, moths, and other pollinators.
Plant groundcovers. Minimize weeding. Instead, cover the ground with native groundcovers like Allegheny Pachysandra (Pachysandra procumbens), Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum), and Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea).
Take out a patch of lawn. It’s the most biologically deficient part of your yard—not much better than your driveway. Every year decrease the size of your lawn
Great-spangled Fritillary nectaring on False Sunflower.

and keep only what you use for family activities, dog play, and other outdoor activities. Instead of turf grass, plant any and all of the above: trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, groundcovers.
Take out invasives. Invasive plants spread aggressively and crowd out desirable native vegetation. Yes, whether you cut, pull, or smother the invasives, it can be a lot of work. Plus, if you leave the ground bare afterward, of course they’ll come back. Immediately fill in the cleared area with native plants.
Learn native plants. You can attend botany walks at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, and Tyler Arboretum. Visit a botanical preserve where native plants are labeled such as Bowman’s Hill and Jenkins Arboretum. When buying plants at native plant nurseries like Redbud Nursery and Yellow Springs Farm, you’ll see labelled plants and learn growing tips from their knowledgeable staffs. Use the internet photos and gardening information, too.
Read a book. I recommend Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. The author, Douglas Tallamy, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, will inspire you to plant native plants and increase your determination to host native insects, birds, and butterflies in your yard.
White-throated Sparrow, a common visitor in winter.
Walk around and enjoy nature in your yard frequently. Take your binoculars to better see and learn about the birds, butterflies, and other creatures that live in your garden. With a camera you can take photos of your plants and wildlife sightings. You’ll be inspired to become more familiar with your own wildlife preserve. Spread your enthusiasm: take a child with you on your backyard adventures.

Personally I will do all ten of these—with pleasure.

If you’re a beginner to habitat gardening, pick one of these ideas to get started. Perhaps you can tackle two or three this year, but don’t get overly ambitious. Start planning now in the dead of winter. Time and money may be limited, but you can start small and keep improving your habitat each year. Before long you’ll notice more insects including butterflies and moths, more birds, and, indeed, much more wildlife activity in your yard.

Do something for nature in 2014.

Fall: Time for Planting Trees and Shrubs

Posted on November 1, 2012 by barb

By Edie Parnum

I thrust my spade into a patch of my lawn. It’s fall, and I’m planting a 4-foot Chestnut Oak. As I dig, I imagine this young tree next spring with its new green leaves. Even as a young sapling, it will host insects and birds. Looking into the future, I imagine this stately native tree a century from now. It has given life to thousands of birds and other animals.

Edie planting a Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) sapling. Photo © Barb Elliot

My neighbors, I’ve noticed, aren’t thinking about spring. They are clearing their yards of leaves and the dead vegetation from last year’s ornamental plants. They are putting this unwanted garden debris out on the curb along with the cocoons and eggs of next year’s insects. They are getting ready for winter. Fall is the best time for planting trees and shrubs, any time before the ground freezes. During the autumn rains, the new plants aren’t asleep. They’re putting energy into their roots for a spurt of growth next spring.This fall, as usual, I will plant several trees and shrubs. When I bought this ¾-acre property five years ago, it was mostly grass with just a few trees, mostly non-natives. Since then I’ve planted 39 native trees and 45 native shrubs. It’s still not enough.

I keep planting native woody plants because they support wildlife. Certainly non-native woodies offer fruits birds will eat—witness the bird-spread proliferation of invasives like Multiflora Rose, Burning Bush, and Japanese Barberry. Natives, however, offer fruits of optimum size and superior nutrition. The fruits of the dogwoods, blueberries, winterberries, viburnums, spicebush, and sassafras I’ve planted ripen just in time to nourish hungry migrating birds in fall. Now in late October most of the berries are gone—consumed by thrushes, catbirds, mockingbirds, waxwings, and warblers.

The main reason I plant native woodies, however, is for the caterpillars and other insects these plants support. I’m inspired by Doug Tallamy, Professor and Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His research shows

The caterpillar of the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly uses Spicebush or Sassafras as its host plant. USFWS Photo by Ryan Hagerty.

that native plants host 29 times more of the native insects essential for our birds. After all, 96% of terrestrial birds feed their young exclusively insect food.

This year to augment what I’m already growing, I’ll plant ten small trees and shrubs. I’m planting the Chestnut Oak, Quercus prinus (according to Tallamy, oaks host 534 species of caterpillars); American Elm, Ulmus Americana (hosts 213); and Pawpaw, Asimina triloba (host plant for Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, a species I covet for my yard butterfly list).

Planting a tree or shrub is easy. For my Chestnut Oak and the other trees and shrubs, I don’t need to dig a huge hole. I make my hole only as deep as the soil in the plant container and twice as wide. After putting the plant into the hole, I make sure the soil line of the plant is level with the ground. Then I use the soil that was removed from the hole to fill in around the plant. Because my oak is a local native adapted to our soil, I am not tempted to add special topsoil, fertilizer, or any other enrichment. That would stimulate fast but weak growth. A hole filled with artificially enriched soil encourages the roots to stay confined rather than to reach into the ground below for nourishment. Next, I push down on the loose dirt with my hands, but avoid stomping on it with my feet. I spread a one-inch layer of my compost (last year’s leaves and garden debris) on top to provide some extra humus not available in the turf grass. Then I give my oak a good watering. That’s it for this tree. I’m ready to plant more.

Newly planted trees and shrubs may need extra water. During any week without significant rain, I put a leaky watering can next to each plant and let the water drip slowly into the soil. A 1-2” layer of mulch will help retain the moisture, but I never let the mulch touch the trunk. Once established, these woody plants, situated appropriately for light and moisture, should thrive without any additional help from me.

The trees and shrubs I plant are usually small. They are cheaper and suffer less transplant shock than a big tree or shrub. These smaller saplings start to grow more quickly and in a few years usually out-compete larger nursery stock. To save money, I also frequently transplant volunteer trees and shrubs in my yard to more appropriate locations. Some of my shrubs—virburnums, for instance—send out shoots that I dig up and plant elsewhere. I also accept gifts from my native plant gardening friends. As I say, there’s always room for more. Anyway, I’m not growing ornamental specimens. The plants can touch each other and offer extra shelter, just as they do in the wild.

My trees and shrubs are still small, but they already support birds and other wildlife. Next spring I’ll see warblers and other hungry migrants eating caterpillars on the leaves of my native woody plants. The remaining areas of grass are begging to be planted with additional native trees and shrubs. Next fall I won’t resist planting more.

—————————–

For Doug Tallamy’s list of woody plants supporting butterfly and moth caterpillars, click here.

Trees and Shrubs on Edie’s Property
Botanical Name	Common Name	Wildlife Value
*Trees*
Acer rubrum	Red Maple	L, F
Aesculus pavia	Red Buckeye	L, N
Amelanchier canadensis	Serviceberry/ Juneberry	L. F
Asimina triloba	Pawpaw	L, F
Betula lenta, B. nigra	Sweet Birch, River Birch	L, F
Celtis occidentalis	Hackberry	L, F
Cercis canadensis	Eastern Redbud	L, N
Cornus alternifolia, C.florida	Pagoda Dogwood, Flowering Dogwood	L, F
Ilex opaca	American Holly	L, F
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern Red Cedar	L, F
Liriodendron tulipifera	Tulip Poplar	L, N, F
Magnolia virginiana	Sweetbay Magnolia	L
Nyssa sylvatica	Black Gum/ Tupelo	L, F
Pinus strobus	Eastern White Pine	L, F
Prunus serotina	Black Cherry	L, F
Quercus alba,Q. coccinea, Q. pinus, Q. rubra	White Oak, Scarlet Oak, Chestnut Oak, Red Oak	L, F
Sassafras albidum	Sassafras	L, F
Tsuga canadensis	Eastern Hemlock	L,F
Shrubs
Aronia melanocarpa.	Black Chokeberry	L, F
Clethra alnifolia	Sweet Pepperbush	N
Cornus racemosa, C. amonum	Gray Dogwood, Silky Dogwood	L, N, F
Hydrangea arborescens, H. quercifolia	Wild Hydrangea, Oakleaf Hydrangea	N
Ilex verticillata	Winterberry Holly	F
Myrica pensylvanica	Bayberry	L, F
Rosa virginiana	Wild or Pasture Rose	L, F
Sambucus canadensis	American Elder	L, F, N
Vaccinium corymbosum	Highbush Blueberry	L, F, N
Viburnum dentatum, V. lentago,V. nudum, V. prunifolium	Arrowwood Viburnum, Nannyberry, Possumhaw, Black Haw	L, F
L = Leaves support moth and butterfly caterpillars and other leaf-eating insects that are eaten by birds
N = Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators
F = Food products such as berries, seeds, nuts, buds, and pollen for birds, mammals, and pollinators

Places to buy native plants:

Create a Living Legacy: Plant an Oak

Posted on May 17, 2012 by barb

By Edie Parnum

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Planting an oak is the single most important thing we can do to support wildlife.

As a birder who loves spring migration, I have long noticed that my beloved warblers and other colorful birds prefer the native oak trees. On May mornings, just when their foliage is emerging, I scan the oaks. That’s where I find American Redstarts, Blackburnian Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers and other favorites in their resplendent spring plumage. Only recently have I learned why these birds are in the oaks. I credit Doug Tallamy, Professor of Entomology at the University of Delaware and author of Bringing Nature Home. Oaks, according to Tallamy, support 534 species of lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) caterpillars– more than any other native tree or plant. These caterpillars are not only the primary food source for migrating and breeding birds, but are essential food for baby birds. Other native plants support caterpillars, too, but non-native plants host very few at all.

Double-lined Prominent caterpillars can be found on oaks. Photo by Jon Rapp

I’ve always known that acorns are important food for turkeys, woodpeckers, jays, nuthatches, squirrels, chipmunks and other animals. However, birds and other animals are even more dependent on the insects that munch on the oak leaves. According to Tallamy, in addition to myriad lepidoptera species, oaks host aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, and other bugs–all target foods for animals throughout each growing season.

Professional landscapers may try to dissuade you from planting an oak. They’ll tell you it grows too big for the average-sized yard, though most yards are big enough to support a full-sized mature oak.

Eastern Bluebird with caterpillar to feed its young. Photo by Jake Dingel, PA Game Commission.

Perhaps, without any sense of irony, they will say that an oak will grow too slowly. Certainly most oaks will be small for many years, but even young trees will support lots of insects.

While there are many local, native oaks to choose from, the handsome White Oak (Quercus alba) is my personal favorite. From my childhood days in Salem County, NJ, I have fond memories of a nearby magnificent, ancient White Oak. John Fenwick, an early settler, signed a treaty with the Lenape Indians in 1676 under this tree, now approximately 425 years old. This species grows slowly (about a foot per year), but can live for centuries.

White Oak, Quercus alba, Edie's favorite oak

Other recommended oak species include Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), RedOak (Q. rubra), and Black Oak (Q. velutina). These oaks are available at native plant nurseries and native plants sales. Since oaks have long tap roots, choose a small specimen (4’ or less) or grow your own from an acorn. Because they are adapted to our soils and climate, no fertilizer or other amendments are needed. However, regular watering during the first year helps the root system get established.

An oak is your personal legacy. Your oak can live for centuries. It will host an inestimable number of birds, insects, and other wildlife during your own lifetime and for generations to come.

By Barb Elliot

Milkweed Sale Information

How to Help Pollinators

Provide Food

Plant:

¨ A variety of nectar- and pollen-rich native plants. Strive for 8 or more species.

¨ Perennials in clusters, preferably 5 or more of a single species, so plants are easily found.

¨ For a succession of blooms from early spring through late fall.

¨ Natives with different flower shapes for pollinators or varied sizes, shapes, and tongue lengths.

¨ Host plants for butterflies and moths.

Buy plants at local native plant retailers or where sellers identify whether plants are pre-treated with systemic pesticides such as neonicotinoids.

Remove invasive plants so they crowd out natives

Provide nesting and overwintering sites

Leave:

¨ Areas of bare soil in sunny, well-drained spots.

¨ Stumps, logs on the ground, dead branches and trees.

¨ Leaf litter for over-wintering butterflies, moths, beetles and their larvae or pupae

¨ Stems of perennials standing from fall through late winter

Provide artificial nest sites, e.g., a wooden bee block or a bundle of stems or paper straws. Every 2 years replace or clean with a 3:1 water-bleach solution. Click here for more info.

Build a “pollinator condo”. Click here for “how to info” or here for inspirational examples.

Provide water

Add a shallow dish with sloped sides for easy entry and exit

Keep an area of soil moist or muddy for butterflies and other pollinators that forage for minerals and salts in soil

Prevent pesticide poisoning

Don’t use pesticides, but especially avoid neonicotinoids. Click here for a list of common brands containing neonics.

Don’t apply herbicides or fungicides to lawn or beds with nest sites or pollinator plants

Other Ways to Help Pollinators

Make a commitment to protect pollinators by getting your yard certified as a pollinator habitat and posting a sign. See The Xerces Society’s “Bring Back the Pollinators” campaign

Become a citizen scientist to help scientists track pollinator populations, such as by reporting sightings of bumble bees to Bumble Bee Watch or other species to Project Noah

Bloodroot

Sanguinaria canadensis

White

April

6-8”

Dry to moist

Part shade to shade

Golden Ragwort

Packera aurea

Yellow

April-May

1-2’

Moist to wet

Part shade to shade

Host plant. Deer resistant

Jacob’s Ladder

Polemonium reptans

Blue

April-May

8-15”

Moist

Part shade to shade

Deer resistant

Wild Geraniium

Geranium maculatum

Pink – purple

April-May

1-3’

Moist to dry

Part sun to shade

Host plant. Deer resistant

False Solomon’s Seal

Maianthemum racemosum

White-cream

May

12-24”

Moist to dry

Part shade to shade

Smooth Solomon’s Seal

Polygonatum biflorum

White -light yellow

May-June

2-4’

Moist to dry

Part sun

Deer resistant

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Red

May-June

1-3’