Our wildflowers – 9

DEFINITION OF TERMS:

  • KEYSTONE means they are listed by National Wildlife Federation as core plants for a wildlife garden in my ecoregion (Ecoregion 8).
  • NOT QUITE NATIVE means they are slightly out of range but adjacent to NYS as determined by GoBotany and NY Flora Atlas.
  • Otherwise the plant is native to NYS or to the area noted.

Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Woodland strawberry

This makes a great groundcover in addition to providing small berries that birds like. Very easy to grow and spreads by runners.

It doesn’t seem to be a problem, though, since it’s easy to pull out.

Closed bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii )

Bottle gentian

I planted this a number of years ago, but didn’t pay any attention to it (something I have done to too many plants). I discovered it again one year and moved it to what I hoped would be a better location — one where I’ll be able to see it.

I hope it likes it there and will spread. It’s a very beautiful color and form, and I’ll be interested in seeing how bees pollinate it.

Wildlife: Bees and bumble bees
** SPECIAL VALUE TO BUMBLE BEES **

Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Wild geranium

My original single plant has expanded to become a nice patch.

I’ve also taken a few bits and started new patches in other parts of the yard.

Wildlife: Bees and bumble bees
** SPECIAL VALUE TO BUMBLE BEES **

Herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum)

This isn’t a plant I intentionally planted, but it seems to be native (though I came across some info that wasn’t certain about it.)

I took this photo in August, which is somewhat past its prime blooming period. It has pretty pink flowers, which I assume are important to some insects.

Until recently I had been pulling it out since it spread a bit, but now I’ve begun to leave some individual plants in some locations.

It’s easy to pull out so it’s not a difficult plant to manage.

Purple avens aka water avens (Geum rivale)

This plant has been flourishing near our wildlife pond.

It has interesting flowers typical of Geums and very attractive foliage.

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

Prairie smoke flowers
Prairie smoke flowers ©Janet Allen
Prairie smoke seedheads
Prairie smoke seedheads ©Janet Allen

These flower buds are so pretty, it’s hard to believe that they aren’t the main attraction. Its “flower” looks very much like the hair of the old troll dolls popular a few decades ago — the “smoke” phase.

Imagine a whole field of this! We saw such a field at Chaumont Barrens, a Nature Conservancy property in Northern New York.

Wildlife: Butterflies

KEYSTONE: Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)  

Sneezeweed

Another ones of those flowers that makes you happy just looking at it!

It was a relief to learn that it doesn’t cause sneezing … unless you follow that old practice of drying its leaves to make snuff, which then was used to make people sneeze and get rid of evil spirits!

Wildlife: Butterflies
** SPECIAL VALUE TO NATIVE BEES **

KEYSTONE: Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)

I grow these in a partly shady area at the side of the house where they won’t interfere with other plants. They’re quite tall (about 5 feet), and they do spread, but they’re beautiful and the bees love them!

Bees nectaring on woodland sunflower

This is a host plant for the dainty sulphur butterfly.

Wildlife: Birds
** SPECIAL VALUE TO NATIVE BEES **

KEYSTONE: Oxeye daisy (Heliopsis helianthoides)

A really pretty flower with nice dark foliage. A good nectar plant and seed source.

Oxeye - Heliopsis helianthoides

Wildlife: Hummingbirds
** PROVIDES NESTING MATERIALS / STRUCTURE FOR NATIVE BEES **
** Attracts predatory or parasitoid insects that prey upon pest insects **