The right plants will ensure the presence of pollinators in your garden
To attract the zebra hellconian butterfly and the like, certain plants must become part of your garden.
April 1, 2022
Spring blossoms and their accompanying pollinators are out and about, and to my mind, there is nothing more delightful than a vibrant garden alive with birdsong and butterflies.
If you are lucky enough to have such a garden, you know what fun it is to find host plants with caterpillars that will emerge into glorious butterflies. But luck has nothing to do with it. To have butterflies, you need specific host species for larvae (caterpillars), and nectar species (flowers) for the butterflies.
Birds and pollinators will follow as the birds need caterpillars to support their young and pollinators will come for the flowers. And you cannot spray pesticides, as this will kill everything, defeating all the planting you’ve just done.
Often those unattractive bugs you find on your plants are beneficial, and insects are incredibly expert at camouflage and mimicry to avoid predators; that bird dropping you might find splattered across some citrus leaves is actually the chrysalis of a giant swallowtail. Adding natives and Florida-friendly pollinator plants to your landscapes will eliminate the need for chemicals and you’ll be rewarded with a garden full of life, interest, and endless beauty.
Related:Green gardening: Add color to your garden with native plants
A zebra hellconian caterpillar rests on its host plant corky stemmed passion flower vine.
One of Florida’s most important natives, Lignum vitae (Guaiacum sanctum) is in bloom right now with stunning blue flowers that appear alongside bright yellow seedpods which burst open to reveal scarlet red seeds. The name Lignum vitae means “Tree of Life” and this slow-growing salt and drought tolerant tree is truly among the royalty of Florida natives.
The seeds are important food for birds, and skipper butterflies and other pollinators that frequent the flowers. New growth provides larval food for the lyside sulphur, a rare butterfly of the Florida Keys.
The lignum vitae’s seeds are important food for birds, while skipper butterflies and other pollinators target its flowers.
The extremely hard, resinous wood is highly valued and has been so overcollected in the wild that the tree is now endangered. But it is relatively easy to propagate and can be found at local native nurseries. With a tidy canopy of deep-green pinnately compound leaves against the brilliant blue flowers, this makes a beautiful specimen in any landscape.
The caterpillar of the orange barred Sulphur butterfly can be seen on the Bahama senna.
Bahama senna (senna Mexicana var chapmanii) is ablaze with yellow flowers now, and if you look carefully, you may find the gorgeous yellow caterpillar of the orange barred sulfur hiding among the blossoms. It’s the exact same color as the flower, so requires a bit of a search, but it’s worth the effort.
The Bahama senna is salt and drought tolerant.
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This charming shrub grows to about 4 feet in full sun, making it perfect in front of taller red firebush or pink jatropha. Salt and drought tolerant, the delicate airy texture adds a graceful elegance to any garden. It is also the host plant for the cloudless sulphur and sleepy orange butterfly, and numerous other butterflies visit the flowers for nectar.
Wooly teabush (Melochia tomentosa) is covered in small, pinkish violet flowers reminiscent of tiny hibiscus, and is a favorite of so many pollinators I can’t keep track. There are always moths, native green bees and butterflies, including crescents, hairstreaks and blues searching for nectar. The soft gray-green leaves have a velvety texture and this grows to about 6 feet, making it a wonderful specimen in a sunny landscape. Hummingbirds will frequent the flowers as well.
Pollinator garden
An exciting new pollinator garden has just been installed at the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, and it includes some of our most beautiful iconic native species. Bahama strongbark, satin leaf, cinnamon bark and short leaf fig are just a few of the wonderful native trees that have transformed a barren parking area into a thriving, vibrant ecosystem.
The coppery undersides of leaves on a satin leaf tree. The species is endangered.
Satin leaf (Chrysophyllum oliviforme) is one of our most beautiful native trees. The oval leaves are glossy green with coppery undersides that are stunning when wind rustles them. Small yellowish white flowers appear in autumn and birds relish the purple fruits that follow in spring. This is a striking specimen tree in full sun or part shade. Listed as endangered in Florida, this should be far more widely planted!
Shortleaf fig (Ficus citrifolia), one of our three native figs, is another terrific pollinator and far better behaved than its relative the strangler fig. It’s smaller, reaching a height of 40 to 50 feet, and is less likely to have aerial roots. Fast growing with an attractive spreading canopy, this tolerates poor soil and salt air. It is the larval host to the wonderful ruddy daggerwing and the fruits are an important food source for birds. Just be sure to give it plenty of room.
The wild petunia blooms throughout the year and is host plant for several butterflies.
If you’re looking for a spot of bright color in an empty space in sun or part shade, try our native petunia (Ruellia succulenta). This wonderful endemic perennial boasts stunning deep blue to purple flowers over low mounds of attractive dark green foliage. This is the larval host plant for the common buckeye, as well as the wonderful malachite butterfly. Skippers and larger butterflies seek out the nectar. This blooms year-round and is always a delight.One more wonderful mid-sized shrub is pineland strongbark (Bourreria cassinifolia). This state-listed endangered species makes a terrific barrier hedge in sun or part shade, growing to about 8 feet with a dense rounded canopy. The clusters of small white flowers attract Julias, Gulf fritillaries, zebra longwings, sphinx moths, and a variety of skippers and large sulphurs. This may be difficult to find in the nursery trade but keep asking for it and growers will take note; it should be in many more South Florida gardens.
The need for natives
There’s been a lot of controversy over natives recently: why are they so important and why must we incorporate them into all our landscapes? What’s wrong with exotic species?
Well, since natives have evolved here alongside the insects that pollinate them, they are proven to be tough, low-maintenance plants resistant to drought, disease, pests, and Florida’s quirky weather. And they are essential to butterflies, birds, and native wildlife. They are also incredibly beautiful. Most importantly, they don’t require toxic chemicals as do many of the exotics we have imported to our island.
My advice: plant what you love but incorporate enough native species to attract the birds, butterflies, and pollinators that bring a garden to life. If something doesn’t do well, replace it, don’t spray it. Better yet, replace it with a native.
-Kim Frisbie
Original article on the Palm Beach Daily News is HERE.