I mentioned emphasizing native plants in my post “Looking Out My Backdoor”, and got a request for what some of my favorites are. The short answer is almost ALL of them (not poison ivy), but that’s not really helpful. I could end up writing another 15 page long post just on natives, but I decided I’ll restrict myself to 3 shrubs/trees and 3 herbaceous plants that I think work well in a residential neighborhood.
Quercus alba
All oaks are beautiful, majestic trees, but I’m particularly partial to the White Oak. It’s been called the “King of Kings” among plants, and with the stately lobed leaves, symmetrical rounded crown and unobtrusively dignified acorns, I agree heartily. I may be a bit biased, as they make good climbing trees prior to reaching their 80’ prominence, and they are the favorite tree of a highly influential professor I had in college. Oaks in general should are a great anchor for native landscapes, comprising a fundamental ecosystem all by themselves. The flowers and leaf buds attract early emerging flying/arboreal insects of all varieties, which in turn provide an excellent protein source for songbirds and their rapidly growing chicks. Over 500 species of moth and butterfly larvae have been recorded utilizing oak leaves as food. Beetles burrow into the bark, playing a game of hide-&-seek with woodpeckers, who leave behind holes that become homes for squirrels, screech owls, and other cavity nesting birds. Rodents, jays, game fowl, and deer all rely on acorns as a late season food staple. You want birds in your yard, don’t hang a bird feeder that you have to fill every couple days, just plant a White Oak.
Cercis canadensis
The Eastern Redbud tree is a gorgeous ornamental. Here in SE Michigan, we’re at about the northern extent of its range, so they’re likely to top out at 20’-25’ tall, rather than the 35’ that’s achievable in warmer climates. They get small, pretty pink flowers all up and down their branches in early spring providing a good food source for butterflies and bees. Heart shaped leaves about 4” wide show up a couple of weeks later. If you’re going to plant this in your yard be cautious of the varieties with funny names like “Rising Sun”. These are cultivars selectively bred for a specific trait, like leaf color, and have been shown to produce far less nectar than their “wild” counterparts, drastically reducing the benefit to local pollinators.
Corylus americana
The American Hazelnut provides delicious hazelnuts. Do I need more of a justification than that? They get 6’-12’ tall, don’t need too much water, can handle sun or shade, and you can collect the tasty hazelnuts that grow on it. You wanna max out your nut production? Coppice your hazelnuts every 5-8 years (I’ve read this, haven’t put it into practice myself yet). If you’re not familiar, coppicing simply means cutting off all the trunks and branches down near the ground, so you only have a 4”-6” stump left. Preferably, do this while the plant is dormant to reduce stress and risk of disease. Come spring the bush will grow back! You probably won’t get nuts the first year after coppicing, because the plant is putting all it’s energy into regrowing, but the yield per plant after that will be higher than it would otherwise (allegedly). You can use all the wood that’s been cut off for rustic garden fencing or trellises, burning, hugelkultur (will explain in a later post if you’re not familiar), or what have you. Did I mention you can eat the hazelnuts that it produces? Yum!
Asclepias syriaca
Milkweeds are pretty much the only plant that Monarch Butterflies will lay their eggs on and eat as larvae. The plant is toxic to most animals (do not eat), but Monarchs are resistant to the toxin. They eat the plant, don’t die, absorb the toxin, and become toxic themselves like some sort of beautiful spiderman-style superhero. Monarchs have suffered notable population drops since the advent of Round-Up Ready corn and soy. Crop fields acted as a safe haven for milkweed plants, but those areas are now devoid of anything but the corn or soy that are planted because nothing can survive the onslaught of repeated herbicide application. No milkweed in the fields means no Monarchs. I like Monarch butterflies, therefore I plant Milkweed, and Common Milkweed grows pretty well in the garden. Also, pretty purple flowers, and fun, floofy seeds.
Monarda fistulosa
Wild Bergamot or Beebalm? One is fun to say, one is quite descriptive. Either name, same plant. Purple flowers, 3’-5’ tall with minty tasting leaves. I love this plant because it supports pollinators, is attractive, edible (tea), and all around good to have around. Don’t misconstrue my lack of description for this one as indifference. This one is at the top of my list for things to plant, because all of it’s qualities are top-notch and to the point.
Tradescantia ohiensis
I like this one because of the name: Spiderwort. It’s deceptively gross-sounding, but actually quite attractive. It has long, thin, drooping leaves growing out from the ground, forming little clumps. Apparently I’m into purple, because this one has purple flowers too. Although the flowers don’t last long, Spiderwort does bloom throughout the summer. It makes a nice garden border, and can handle a variety of moisture levels.
Photo Source Pages:
White Oak, Eastern Redbud, American Hazelnut, Common Milkweed, Beebalm, Spiderwort