GARDEN TALK
Wild about Wildflowers and Pollinators
With the ground thawing for springtime , many of us are considering new landscape plantings around our homes . It ’ s wonderful to experience the majesty of nature in spring bloom in our own backyard . While making your gardening plans , it ’ s important to understand the effect of what you plant on our local ecosystem . Many of the landscaping plants available in nurseries are non-native species from other countries . While they may be nice to look at , these exotics are not as beneficial to the ecosystem as native plant species . They can be more demanding of care and resources , and many have become invasive and are out competing native species .
By planting native species , habitat is created and ecological biodiversity ( the variety of life in a particular ecosystem ) can be restored . Native wildflowers , shrubs and trees also offer many advantages over planting non-native species including :
• low maintenance
• low water consumption
• excellent drought tolerance
• adaptations to heat and / or cold extremes
• no need for fertilizers , pesticides , and herbicides
• nearly yearlong color from spring flowers , foliage and fruits , to brilliant seasonal autumnal hues Along with these benefits , native plants provide vital habitat and food for native wildlife species , especially pollinators like ants , bees , wasps , flies , birds , bats , beetles , butterflies and moths .
Approximately 80 % of the world ’ s flowering plant species require pollination by animals .
Pollinators provide an essential and incredibly valuable ecosystem service . These pollinators visit flowers in their search for food such as nectar and pollen . During a flower visit , a pollinator may accidentally brush against the flower ’ s reproductive parts , unknowingly depositing pollen from a different flower . The plant then uses the pollen to produce a fruit or seed . This pollination is a keystone process that is an integral component
of natural ecosystems , agriculture and critical for food production . Many plants cannot reproduce without pollen carried to them by foraging pollinators . Approximately 80 percent of the world ’ s flowering plant species require pollination by animals . Approximately 35 percent of the world ’ s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce . Over 100 crop species in North America require a visit from an insect pollinator to be productive . Insect pollinated crops , including food , medicines , dyes , and fabric fibers in North America are worth almost $ 30 billion annually .
Now that you know why native plants are so important , here are ten great native plant species from Kentucky to create a native landscape around your home . Plants have a variety of needs such as sunlight / shade , soil moisture , etc . Be sure to consult a plant nursery professional for choosing the right species for your site conditions .
1 . Any of the milkweed species : butterfly , purple , common , swamp ( Asclepias spp .) 2 . Purple coneflower
( Echinacea purpurea ) 3 . Scarlet bee balm
( Monarda didyma ) 4 . Wild columbine
( Aquilegia canadensis ) 5 . spice bush
( Lindera benzoin )
6 . Any of the blazing stars species ( Liatris spp .) 7 . Wild bergamot
( Monarda fistulosa ) 8 . Trumpet honeysuckle
( Lonicera sempervirens ) 9 . Wild blue indigo
( Baptista australis ) 10 . Joe Pye weed
( Eutrochium fistulosum )
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Spring 2017 • 19