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Wasps on Baby Gold Goldenrod |
All insects are not created equal. While many insects are pests - detrimental to our landscapes because they damage our plants - a considerable number are beneficial to the health of landscapes because they help lessen the number of harmful insects. Predatory beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, eat these insect pests while parasitic beneficial insects, such as those in the wasp family, kill the pests by laying their eggs in or on them. When the parasitoid eggs hatch, the larvae become predators and eat the insect from the inside out or outside in- depending on where the eggs are laid. By adding plants that attract these beneficial insects to a landscape, we can possibly lessen the damage of harmful insects and decrease the need for chemical insecticides.
Research in organic gardening has found that the best plants for attracting beneficial insects are those that produce greater amounts of nectar and pollen. The beneficials need energy for hunting their prey and reproducing. Nectar provides them with their carbohydrates while pollen provides them protein. Because most beneficial insects are relatively small, nectar and pollen are taken easiest from clusters of tiny, shallow flowers growing horizontally. However, it is also important to keep these beneficial insects in the garden after they feed. Research has discovered that certain plants, such as clump-forming ornamental grasses, provide better shelter for these beneficial insect than other plants. The following are some perennials that have been found to be most effective in creating havens to attract and shelter beneficial insects:
Perennials for Pollen and Nectar
Aster (Aster )
Anise hyssop (Agastache)
Baby's Breath (Gypsophila elegans)
Bachelor's Button or Cornflower(Centaurea cyanus)
Blanketflower (Gaillardia)
Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia syphilitica)
Catmint (Nepeta)
Carpet Bugleweed (Ajuga)
Cinquefoil (Potentilla)
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis)
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lupine (Lupinus)
Milkweed (Asclepias)
Penstemon (Penstemon hirsutus)
Peony (Paeonia)
Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)
Stonecrop (Sedum)
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Yarrow (Achillea)
Plants that Shelter Beneficials
Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa)
Coneflowers (Echinacea)
Yarrow (Achillea)
Dense, low growing ground covers, such as Ajuga, Creeping Thyme and Phlox
Next time you are planning a landscape design, consider the addition of these plants. Try to include enough varieties that will bloom at different points throughout the growing season and some low groundcover plants as well. This will guarantee that the beneficial insects and their off-spring will be provided nectar, pollen, and energy at all times to do their work and some shelter.
-Thanks John!
Bulbs Arriving Soon!
