Download Perennial Plants to Attract Native Pollinators and

FloriBytes
Year V. Issue 2
June 2010
Digital newsletter for
the floriculture industry
FloriBytes is prepared by members of the
Floriculture Industry Roundtable of Ohio which is
financially supported by OFA and The Gus Poesh
Fund.
Jim Locke
Beth Fausey
Michelle Jones
Charles Behnke
Nancy Taylor
Claudio Pasian
Peter Ling
Dave Dyke
Ray Cloyd
Denise Ellsworth
Roberto Lopez
Dennis Lewandowski
Steve Carver
Hal Kneen
Tim Malinich
Luis Cañas
Rebecca Schennele
Jonathan Frantz
Research Update from the University of Kentucky: Perennial Plants to Attract
Native Pollinators and Beneficial Insects
By Rebecca Schnelle, Jennie Condra, and Dan Potter
University of Kentucky
[email protected]
Project Overview
As we all know, flowering plants in the landscape have more than just ornamental value.
They can also provide valuable ecosystem services by supporting beneficial insects and
native pollinators lending stability to sustainable landscapes. Many predatory and parasitic
insects require pollen and nectar resources to thrive. This sustains their benefits for
biological control.
Beginning with observations in the fall of
2009, a promising new study has begun at
UK this spring. We observed that a wasp,
Scolia dubia (Fig. 1), which parasitizes green
June beetle grubs showed clear preference
for certain plants as nectar food sources
(Table 1). Green June beetle grubs damage
lawns, sport fields, and golf courses by
burrowing and uprooting the grass and
Figure 1. Two Scolia dubia individuals feeding on nectar
and/or pollen from Eryngium planum ‘White Glitter’ on
September 4 2009, at the University of Kentucky
Horticulture Research Farm, Lexington, KY.
pushing mounds of soil, and the beetles themselves are pests of blackberries, peaches,
grapes, and other ripe fruits. Several other species of parasitoid wasps and native pollinators
were attracted to the same set of plants. Previous studies have shown that the presence of
nectar food plants can increase the rate of parasitism in nearby pest insect populations. The
study we have planned will address the life history of Scolia dubia which is currently undocumented, the number and species of insects attracted by the study plants, and the rate of
parasitism of beetle grubs in plots with and without our study plant species.
Based on the 2009 observations we selected the following herbaceous perennials to
establish a replicated test plot: Pycnanthemum muticum, Eryngium planum ‘Blue Glitter’,
Boltonia asteroides ‘Jim Crockett’, Origanum vulgare, Solidago canadensis ‘Golden Baby’ ,
Sedum telephium ‘Autumn Joy’, Veronica spicata ‘Purplelicous’, Eupatorium rugosum
‘Chocolate’, Penstomen baratus ‘Rhondo’, and Gaillardia aristata ‘Arizona’. The first eight
species were observed to attract S. dubia in 2009; the latter two were ignored. In addition all
plant selections performed well in the UK trial garden
(http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/trialgarden/gardenhome.html ). The replicated plot is
located at The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. This location was chosen as
it contains areas of turf known to be grub infested, and S. dubia has been observed in the
area. Also, this location allows the public to view the project in action through interpretive
signage.
Significance to the Floriculture Industry
Home gardeners already have an interest in planting to attract butterflies and hummingbirds,
and in promoting natural biological controls to reduce amounts of pesticides applied to control
garden insect pests. With increased awareness of the alarming nation-wide decline in
honeybees, called colony collapse disorder, citizen conservationists are becoming interested
in what they can do to sustain native pollinators such as bumble bees that contribute to
backyard diversity and are also important for pollinating garden crops such as tomatoes.
Data from this study will contribute to public awareness of these benefits and support
increased sales of ornamental perennial plants found to attract and sustain native pollinators
and beneficial insects.
Golf courses, zoos, and municipalities are additional settings where conservation of beneficial
insects is increasingly important. The US Golf Association and Audubon Society, for
example, have partnered in program wherein golf courses can incorporate native plant
species into naturalized areas to
promote conservation of wildlife,
pollinators, and urban biodiversity.
There has been a lot of talk in
floriculture industry lately about
bolstering our image as the original
‘green’ industry. Marketing our plants
as natural pest control partners would
help us move towards that greener
image. Figure 2 shows a rough design concept for a hang tag that could be used in a retail
setting to draw consumers’ attention to these plants special features. With good data and
active extension education programs consumers and landscapers should readily accept the
concept of ‘pest control partner plants’, increasing demand for diverse selections of
herbaceous perennials.
Figure 2. Design idea for a promotional
hang-tag (front side on left, back on right) to
attach to plants shown to aid in pest insect
control.
Table 1. Plants in bloom at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm trial garden, Lexington, KY
during the Fall 2009 flight of Scolia dubia. All observations were made between 2 and 4 PM and each day
selected for observation was sunny with calm winds. Observations were recorded of wasps visiting the flowers
of the listed plants on a per plot basis in which each plot contained nine individual plants. ( ..) = No wasps
observed; (X) = 1 or 2 wasps; (XX) = 3 to 5 wasps; (XXX) = more than 5 wasps observed.
Plants in Bloom
Genus species ‘Cultivar’
Achillea millifolium 'Colorado'
Achillea ptarmica 'Nobelessa'
Achillea tomentosa 'Aurea'
Achillea tomentosa 'Goldie'
Armeria maritima 'Morning Star Deep
Rose'
Armeria maritima 'Morning Star
White'
Campanula carpatica 'Clips Blue'
Centaurea montana
Centranthus ruber 'Rosyred'
Coreopsis grandiflora Sunray
Coreopsis tripteris
Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Flavora
Rose Shades'
Echinacea pallida
Echinops ritro
Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter'
Eryngium planum 'White Glitter'
Eupatorium serotinum
Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Sun'
Gaillardia pulchella 'Sundance'
2Sept.
X
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Observation Dates (2009)
48101216Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept.
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Helenium autumnale
Helenium autumnale 'Helena'
Hypericum polyphyllum
'Grandiflorum'
Kniphofia uvaria 'Flamenco'
Lavandula angustifolia "Vicenza Blue'
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue
Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead"
Liatris elegans
Liatris liglistylis
Liatris spicata 'Floristan Violet'
Liatris spicata 'Floristan White'
Oenothera macrocarpa
Oreganum vulgare
Penstemon digitalis "Mystica'
Physostegia virginiana
Pycnanthemum muticum
Pycnanthemum pilosum
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'
Salvia x superba 'Adora Blue'
Salvia x superba 'Dwarf Blue Queen'
Salvia x superba 'Rose Queen'
Scabiosa japonica var. alpina 'Ritz
Blue'
Sedum selskianum "Spirit'
Sedum x 'Autumn Joy'
Solidago canadensis 'Golden Baby'
Solidago roanensis
Veronica spicata Blue
Veronica spicata 'Sightseeing Mix'
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