Milkweed for Monarch what can we do 2014

I'm pretty sure I can still order Liatris spicata bulbs from ADR for this spring, in a box of 250... translates to ten $5 shares of 25 bulbs.

I can also keep an eye out for black-eyed susan volunteers, for anybody who doesn't have them in their garden, although I see more butterflies (including monarchs) on my yellow ox-eye, Heliopsis helianthus v. scabra. That would be an easy one from winter-sowed seed, also.

I'd be happy to speak up for that remaining share of 6 plants of Solidago rugosa*'Fireworks' for $5.50. That should be one I can work into my treeline, now that it's sadly less shaded back there.

hey, Coleup. Put me down for a share of whatever I'm not down for already! Would be great if we could make this happen.

I'll take 50 Liatris spicata bulbs; that's a great price!
I'll look at the almost complete flats after I get some outside time : ) Gotta take advantage of a relatively warm day.

Coleup, please put me down for Rudbeckia fulgida var fulgida - 1/4.

(I just saw that Critter completed the flat of Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks', so I'm retracting that.)

Critter, I'd be interested in 50 Liatris spicata bulbs if you decide to order those.


This message was edited Mar 8, 2014 11:06 PM

While we're thinking about plants for the monarchs and other butterflies, I'd also like to put a plug in for plants that attract beneficial insects:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/plants-to-attract-beneficial-insects-zl0z1005zvau.aspx

Great idea CatMint to go beyond the Monarchs and butterflies to attract crucial native pollinators and that is my goal also.
I was just very shocked to see Mother Earth news didn't do it's homework and pulled out an old list of plants, many non native, that included plants that were invasives in many areas of the country. It's true they will attract beneficials but they should be more selective.
It's like going to the supermarket and wanting not only an organic food but also have it healthy and contain no hidden Gmos.
These plants not only have to attract native beneficials that feed the birds and pollinate the plants
but they have to be a safe positive addition to the environment .

yeah it's hard to find a good list of beneficial insects plants on the web!

Check out the Xerces Society: http://www.xerces.org/

In case anyone else wants to see what their native plants will look like when mature, get an idea of which plants will bloom at the same time, or see how to incorporate them into existing landscape plantings, I highly recommend RickWebb's posts in the Native Plants and Wild Plants Forum.

thanks Greenthumb. I found a list of plants for native bees in the midatlantic area, but nothing about plants that attract predatory insects. :-(

Here is Farmer Fred's list of plants that attract predatory insects:
http://www.farmerfred.com/plants_that_attract_benefi.html

Here is the Xerxes list of plants for attracting native bees in the midatlantic:
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/midatlantic-plants-for-bees-xerces3.pdf



This message was edited Mar 8, 2014 6:46 PM

Last year, I used 'Farmer Fred's' list for plants that attract predatory insects, but it is *so long* and contains plants throughout the country--not just here in the midatlantic, including some that can be invasive.

Plants in the carrot, daisy,and mint families are especially attractive to beneficial insects. Mix in your garden such plants as caraway, dill, catnip, fennel, hyssop, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, yarrow, queen ann's lace, asters etc.

thanks, Greenthumb!

Some of the plants Greenthumb mentioned are also host plants for Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies: Queen Anne's lace, yarrow, caraway, dill, parsley and fennel.

yes, indeed! I got dill, fennel, parsley, and rue last season and enjoyed several BST caterpillars. Right now I'm trying to go through all the seeds I got plus my plant database from last season and what I currently have by way of beneficial insect attractors, and what I'd still like to get... Taking some time. :-b

Coleup,
If it's still possible to order it, I would like 3/4 of the flat of Pachysandra procumbins 'Allegheny Spurge". Greenthumb expressed interest in 1/4 on 2 February, and is still interested, so that would make a whole flat.
Thanks!
Muddy

It really is a lovely plant.

You did see that the total cost for a full flat of 18 plants is $112.00?

I'll order it tomorrow when the new 'availability' list comes out.

Could I please get in on the Pachysandra procumbins with a 1/8 flat share (4 plants if it's 32 per flat, and if it's 18 then I could maybe pick up 2, leaving 4 for Greenthumb & 12 for Muddy1). ?

It's a flat of 32 plants, not 18.

Coleup, yes, I did see the price for the flat of Pachysandra procumbens. I think that's a great price - I say I think because I'm not sure I've ever seen it for sale before.

Critter, you're welcome to part of my shares.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2014 7:14 PM

I just did some online price comparison and confirmed that is a super price for P. procumbens. Plant Delights sells a 3.5" pot for $13, and Lazy S's charges $10.99 per quart.
I'm so glad we're doing this NC buy!

North Creek's website sells 50 native Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star) plugs for $54; is anyone interested in those? I'd take 1/4-1/2.

Muddy, I'd take a few Liatris, 1/4 flat max for me though. Sorry about the ADR ones -- while I was waiting for another person or two to chime in on the Liatris bulbs, they sold out. If you're willing to wait for next year, we can get an order in for spring stuff sooner -- and I'll get started earlier with putting it together. (At ADR, Liatris was 250 bulbs for $50y) I'm going to get some Crocosmia 'Lucifer', though, and you're welcome to share in them.

For those doing shadier gardening, ADR is also selling Ligularia in bags of 25 (bare root). A week ago, they still had 'The Rocket', 'Othello', and 'Prezwalski' (5/$6.55)... I'd take 5 or 10 Prezwalski; I like the tall flower spikes and deeply divided foliage, and it's supposed to be relatively slug-resistant.

No worries! I'll have enough to keep me happily planting this spring.

ooh, found another native while doing another pass through the ADR list...

Filependula rubra 'Venusta', aka "Meadowsweet" or "Queen of the Prairie" Native to Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, NorthEast. 3-4 feet tall, poofs of pink blooms, sun to part shade, sandy to clay, moist to wet. 5 bare-root plants for $6. It would look nice with the ferns & astilbes!

Coleup, please put me down for 1/4 shares of the following flats:

*New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
---Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) (1/4 coleup 1/4 JS)

*Narrow-leaved Goldenrod Solidago graminifolia
---Solidago graminifolia (Narrow-leaved Goldenrod) (1/4 coleup)

Orange Coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida seed grown cultivar
---Rudbeckia fulgida var fulgida JS (1/4) coleup (1/4)

---Aster lateriflorum (Calico Aster) 'Lady in Black' (1/4 coleup)

*New York Ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis
---Vernonia New York Iron Weed coleup(1/4)JS(1/4)

I would also be interested in going in for 1/4 flat of the following, assuming there is interest:
*Blue Mistflower Conoclinum coelestinum
*Joe-Pye Weed (hollow stemmed) Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus
*Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
*Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
*Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint Pycanthemum tenuifolium


This message was edited Mar 9, 2014 11:27 PM

Well, I got curious about which plants are supposed to attract which beneficial insects, so I spent some time this weekend looking up info on this. In case it is useful or interesting to anyone besides me :-D, here are some of the more common ones I found. Some of these I already have, but I'm inspired now to get as many of them as I can:

Alfalfa Medicago sativa
Attracts Pirate/Damsel/Bigeyed Bugs, Assasin bugs, lady bugs, mini-wasps

Alyssum (Basket of Gold) Aurinia saxatilis
Attracts hoverflies, ladybugs

Alyssum (Sweet White) Lobularia maritima
Attracts hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps

Basil Ocimum basilicum
Repels flies, mosquitos, asparagus beetles, aphids.

Betony Stachys officinalis
Attracts hoverflies

Bugleweed Ajuga reptans
Attracts ladybugs, hoverflies

Caraway Carum carvi
Attracts pirate, damsel, & bigeye bugs, parasitic mini-wasps, hoverflies, lacewings

Catnip Nepeta cataria
Repels flea beetles and ants

Chamomile Matricaria recutita/Matricaria chamomilla
Repels flies

Coriander Coriandrum sativum
Attracts ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic mini-wasps, hoverflies.
Repels aphids.

Dill Anethum graveolens
Attracts lacewings, ladybugs, parasitic mini-wasps, hoverflies.
Host Black Swallowtail
Repels cabage loopers, imported cabbage worms, Tomato hookworm

Fennel (Common, Bronze) Foeniculum vulgare
Attracts pirate, damsel, & bigeye bugs; parasitic mini-wasps; hoverflies; ladybugs; lacewings.
Repels fleas and mosquitos.
Host to black swallowtail

Garlic Chives Allium tuberosum
Repels aphids, Japanese Beetle, rabbits

Golden Marguerite Anthemis tinctoria
Attracts tachinid flies, ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps

Goldenrod (Tall) Solidago altissima
Attracts Predatory beetles, bigeyed bugs, ladybugs, spiders, miniwasps, longlegged flies, assassin bugs

Lavender (English) Lavandula angustifolia
Attracts hoverflies.
Repels moths, flies.

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis
Attracts parasitic mini-wasps, hoverflies, tachinid flies

Marigold Tagetes patula
Repels aphids, whiteflies, cabbage maggot, corn earworm, Mexican bean beetle, rabbits, some nematodes, plum curculio

Marigold (Signet) 'Lemon Gem' Tagetes tenuifolia
Attracts hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps, ladybugs, pirate, damsel, & bigeyed bugs

Marigold (pot) Calandula officinalis
Repels tomato hookworm, asparagus beetle, some nematodes

Onion Allium sp.
Repels aphids, carrot flies, moles, tree borers, weevils

Oregano/Wild Marjoram Origanum vulgare
Repels cabbage white butterfly.

Parsley Petroselinum crispum
Attracts tachinid flies, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps
Host to Black Swallowtail

Queen Anne’s Lace Daucus carota
Attracts Lacewings, Ladybugs, Hover-flies, Mini-wasps, (Pirate/Damsel/Big-eyed Bugs), Assassin Bugs

Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Repels cabbage white butterfly, bean beetle, carrot fly, Mexican bean beetle, slugs, snails, some mosquitos

Rue (Common or Garden) Ruta graveolens
Repels fleas and mosquitos
Host to Black Swallowtail

Spearmint Mentha spicata
Attracts pirate, damsel, & bigeye bugs, hoverflies.
Repels cabbage white butterflies, aphids, flea beetles

Stonecrop Sedum spurium
Attracts hoverflies

Sunflower (Prairie) Helianthus maximilianii
Attracts ladybugs, lacewings.
Host to Gorgone Checkerspot

Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Attracts ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic mini-wasps, tachinid flies.
Repels flying insects, japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetle, squash bugs, ants, flies.

Thyme (Red Creeping, Coccineus Group) Thymus serpyllum coccineus Attracts tachinid flies, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps

Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Attracts lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps, ladybugs
Special value to native bees.

Zinnia Zinnia elegans
Attracts parasitic wasps, hoverflies

WHEW!!
Ordering flats of the following:

Pachysandra procumbins (Allegheny spurge) 1/4 Greenthumb 1/2Muddy1/4Critter

---Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) (1/4 coleup 1/4 JS 1/4 Catmint)

---Solidago graminifolia (Narrow-leaved Goldenrod) (1/4 coleup)1/4Catmint

---Rudbeckia fulgida var fulgida JS (1/4) coleup (1/4)Muddy 1/4 Catmint 1/4

---Aster lateriflorum (Calico Aster) 'Lady in Black' (1/4 coleup1/4 Catmint)

---Vernonia New York Iron Weed coleup(1/4)JS(1/4)Catmint 1/4

---Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star) 1/2Muddy 1/4Catmint 1/4Critter

Catmint, that is a GREAT list, thank you! From you, I have learned that Cilantro is Coriander (I never knew that!), and that I am now even more grateful for my Lemon balm and Spearmint, and Alyssum, and garlic chives, and creeping thyme... and I need Dill and Yarrow! =)

I got to be the first purchaser of seeds at work the other day after I put up the displays. I am now the proud Mamma of 2 packets of Asclepias Tuberosa seeds! =) Now I REALLY can't wait to get to clean up that driveway-side bed and amend it a bit more so I can sow these babies! Wheee!!!!!

thanks, Coleup!

Speedie, yay on the Asclepias tuberosa seeds! So much fun to start envisioning it!

Yes it is! Now I'm picturing the Asters that I will put in amongst the Asclepias and Dill and Fennel. Oh boy, it's so exciting! =)

Question: I see mention of Pachysandra Procumbens (as opposed to P. Terminalis)... are P. Procumbens beneficial for butterflies as well? We have carried P. Terminalis at work in the past... never thought that was a good idea; now I get to do something about that! =) (never thought it was a good idea that we also carried English Ivy - 0_o !! Gonna put an end to THAT!)

I found a new book mentioned on another site I use regularly called "Pollinators Of Native Plants" by Heather N. Holmes.
I haven't bought this one yet but it looks really interesting for what we have been talking about.

The other site if you're interested is www.wildlifegardeners.org is free with no advertising.

Then of course there is "Bringing Nature Home" by Doug Tallamy in which are lists of what butterflies or moths are attracted to what plants and native plants by region.
It always surprises me how native trees attract and support so many insects. Literally hundreds, lists for that also in the book.

Here is a link to a butterfly host plant database. Can search by either plant of butterfly species.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/hostplants/search/index.dsml?PSpecies=Pro&PSpeciesqtype=starts+with&noRecMsg=Sorry+-+no+records+found.++Please+try+again.&PGenus=Pachy&PFamilyqtype=starts+with&sort=Family&searchPageURL=index.dsml&Familyqtype=starts+with&Speciesqtype=starts+with&Genusqtype=starts+with&PGenusqtype=starts+with

Link to a nice bulletin on Attracting Beneficials; http://nativeplants.msu.edu/uploads/files/E2973.pdf

This message was edited Mar 10, 2014 7:38 AM

Thanks for the great tips Sempervirens! Cool website and gotta add those 2 books to my wish list!

Green thumb that is a totally cool database--thanks for the link!

This message was edited Mar 10, 2014 7:01 AM

Ordered flats of the following:

---Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) (1/4 coleup 1/4 JS 1/4 Catmint)

---Aster laevis 'Blue Bird" (1/4Catmint,1/4JS)

---Aster oblongifolius 'Radons Favorite' (1/4 Elaine,1/4Critter)

---Aster lateriflorum (Calico Aster) 'Lady in Black' (1/4 coleup1/4 Catmint

---Solidago casea (1/4coleup)

---Solidago graminifolia (Narrow-leaved Goldenrod) (1/4 coleup1/4Catmint)

---Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Catmint1/4 Critter 1/8 Terp1/8 JS1/4Coleup1/4)

---Rudbeckia fulgida var fulgida JS (1/4) coleup (1/4)Muddy 1/4 Catmint 1/4

---Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star) 1/2Muddy 1/4Catmint 1/4Critter

Not Availablle until 6/2
---Vernonia New York Iron Weed coleup(1/4)JS(1/4)Catmint 1/4


SOLD OUT UNTIL 7/21
Pachysandra procumbins (Allegheny spurge) 1/4 Greenthumb 1/2Muddy1/4Critter

thanks so much, Coleup! Looks like we'll be well on our way towards having our monarch stations! :-)

I've been reading a little more about the various beneficial insects, and it appears that tachinid flies in particular may prey on monarchs?

I've also been thinking more about the little ecosystem I want to create, with the beneficial insects eating e.g. aphids, spider mites, and so on. So, who eats the beneficial insects? The birds? Praying mantises? And who eats the praying mantises? More birds? (Gotta move the stray cats from my backyard... )