A Wildlife Transformation: Top Shrubs and Wildflowers

Transcription

1 A Wildlife Transformation: Top Shrubs and Wildflowers David A. Bryan Private Lands Wildlife Biologist Virginia Tech Conservation Management Institute In Partnership with VA DGIF and USDA NRCS

2 Why Do Plantings for Wildlife? Plants Provide Wildlife Food, Shelter, Space Aesthetic Beauty Aesthetic Blocks of Devastated Areas Health Benefits Clean Air, Clean Water Reduces Erosion Can Be As Simple or Difficult as You Want Easy Upkeep After Implementation Environmental Education Enjoyable for Both Adults and Children

3 Alter your plant palette choose natives Wildflowers Provide Rich Aesthetic Beauty Excellent for Landscapes Sequential Blooming through Spring & Summer Mix of Annuals, Biennials, Perennials Can Provide Seed to Birds Pollinator Value Attract Insects -> Natural Bird Food Easy to Plant Do Require Maintenance for Weeds, Trees!

4 Options Pick a mix of native spp. < 10 in number Aim for 3 seeds/square foot per species Carefully choose seed rates since seeds are different sizes consult a biologist Choose spp. that will grow in your area consult a biologist Common examples include native Asters, Blazing Stars, Coneflowers, Coreopsis, Goldenrods, Joe-Pye Weeds, Mountainmint, Partridge Pea, Primrose and Sunflowers Use a Native Seed Vendor e.g. Ernst, Roundstone, Adams-Briscoe

5 Starter Mix Species Pure Live Seed Rate Bloom Period Black-eyed Susan 2.0 oz/acre Late Spr to Early Smmr Plains Coreopsis 1.0 oz/acre Early to Mid-Summer Lanceleaf Coreopsis 8.0 oz/acre Mid to Late Summer Partridge Pea 16.0 oz/acre = 2.0 lb/acre Mid-Summer Black-Eyed Susan by Martin van der USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database; Plains Coreopsis by Melody Lytle; Lanceleaf Coreopsis by Sally and Andy Wasowski ; Partridge Pea by R.W. Smith all last three from

6 Notes on Establishment Plant in early Spring via broadcast and packing onto bare ground (may require site prep) Mix of annuals, biennial and perennial all will not bloom in the first year (don t worry!) In the first year, if weeds get tall, mow high at >6 before weeds go to seed In the second year, mow close to the ground in early spring Follow-up with weed and tree control

7 Alter your plant palette choose natives Shrubs Shrub Slides Information by Lou Verner, VA DGIF Most landscape shrubs of Asian origin Shrub layer critical component in a native landscape Large selection of natives Many adapted to broad range of site conditions, including native soils Three-fers flowers, fruits, fall foliage Winter appeal bark, persistent fruits Important habitat resources: spring nectar, cover and nest sites, fall migratory and winter food sources Help small game, songbirds, pollinators, etc.

8 Common elderberry Sambucus nigra spp. canadensis

9 Common elderberry Sambucus nigra spp. canadensis Exposure: Soil Moisture: Dry to Wet (moist preferred) Soil: Rich loam preferred Height: 6-12 Bloom Period: May-June Wildlife Value: HIGH Fast growing, broadly rounded form Fragrant white flowers in 6-10 cymes Purplish-black fruits mature in September Short-lived Nectar source Important summer wildlife food -fruits eaten by 120 spp. of birds, mammals Cultivars: Acutiloba Adams and York Aurea Variegata Good alternative to: Butterflybush, Lonicera spp.

10 Red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia

11 Red Chokeberry aka Photinia pyrifolia Exposure: Soil Moisture: Dry to Wet Soil: Widely adaptive Height: 6-10 Bloom Period: April-May Wildlife Value: Colonizing, spreading, hardy, broadly adaptive 4-season interest red-orange fall foliage with red berries persisting to Dec-Jan Insect nectar source Fruits eaten by more than 40 spp. of birds Cultivar: Brilliantissima Good alternative to invasive exotic Euonymus alata aka Burning Bush

12 Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica

13 Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist to Wet Soil: Moist Sandy to Loam Clay Height: 3-6 Bloom Period: May-early July Wildlife Value: Mound-shaped, semievergreen in south Lightly fragrant flowers on 4-6 spires Spectacular longlasting fall foliage yellow, orange, crimson, maroon Nectar source Butterfly magnet Provides good cover Winter persistent seed Cultivars: Henry s Garnet Long Spire Sara Eve Saturnalia Sprich Shirley s Compact Good alternative to: J. barberry, burningbush, J. meadowsweet,

14 Silky dogwood Cornus amomum

15 Silky dogwood Cornus amomum Rounded habit as wide as tall Flowers borne in cymes Blue, showy fruits ripen in August Fall foliage variable Cover/nesting site Fruits favored by over 90 spp. of birds, mammals Cultivars: None known Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist to Wet Soil: Any moist soils Height: 6-12 Bloom Period: May-June Wildlife Value: HIGH

16 Spicebush Lindera benzoin

17 Spicebush Lindera benzoin Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist to Wet Soil: Sandy well drained Height: 6-12 Bloom Period: March-April Wildlife Value: Single to multistemmed Early dense cover of yellow flowers wild forsythia Both foliage and red fruits aromatic Yellow fall foliage Spring nectar source Fruits eaten by many birds/mammals Cultivars: Rubra Green gold Xanthocarpa Larval food source: Spicebush swallowtail E. tiger swallowtail Promethia silkmoth Promethia silkmoth

18 Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius

19 Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist to Wet Soil: Clay to loam Height: 5-10 Bloom Period: May-July Wildlife Value: Dense appearance Drought tolerant, hardy, adaptable Long bloom period flowers borne in 1-2 cymes Attractive exfoliating bark, red fall fruits Yellow to bronze fall foliage Nectar source Fruits eaten by birds/mammals Cultivars: Monlo/Diablo Snowfall Coppertina Dart s Gold Nugget Nanus Var. intermedius Good alternative to Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens)

20 Northern/Southern Bayberry Myrica pennsylvanica, M. cerifera (also Morella spp.)

21 Exposure: Northern/Southern Bayberry Myrica pennsylvanica, M. cerifera Soil Moisture: Dry to Wet Soil: Sand, silt, clay Height: 5-12 Bloom Period: March-early April Wildlife Value: Hardy evergreen to semievergreen Rapid growth great screen Both foliage and fruits aromatic Persistent bluish-white waxy fruits on female Provides important wildlife cover Fruits eaten by birds Larval food source: Columbia silkmoth Red-banded, banded hairstreaks Red-banded hairstreak Columbia silkmoth Banded hairstreak

22 Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum

23 Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist Soil: Well-drained sand, loam Height: 6-12 Bloom Period: May Wildlife Value: HIGH Attractive plant with 4- season interest Showy pink to white flowers in spring Excellent fall color red, orange, yellow, purple Brown elfin Fruits eaten by more than 40 spp. birds, mammals Larval food source: Brown elfin Henrys elfin Spring azure Striped hairstreak Many cultivars include varieties grown for berry production dioeceous Striped hairstreak

24 Winterberry - Ilex verticillata

25 Winterberry - Ilex verticillata Exposure: Soil Moisture: Moist to Wet Soil: Any moist soil Height: 6-12 Bloom Period: May-June Wildlife Value: HIGH Deciduous holly with showy display of persistent red fruits through winter Plant as specimen or use in masses, drifts for best effect Spring nectar source - flowers with sweet honey fragrance in spring. Provides cover/nesting habitat Fruits eaten by more than 40 spp. of birds, mammals Larval food source: Henrys elfin Cultivars: Many! Also many hybrids. Afterglow Winter Red (hybrid) Apollo (hybrid)

26 Blackhaw Vibernum V. prunifolium

27 Blackhaw V. V. prunifolium Exposure: Soil Moisture: Dry to Wet Soil: Any well drained Height: Bloom Period: April-May Wildlife Value: HIGH Adaptable, problem-free Showiest flower display (4 ) flower clusters before leaves appear Specimen/drift/screen Dark green leathery leaves turn burgundy in fall Edible berries change from pink to red to dark blue in fall Provides wildlife cover/nesting habitat Nectar source for butterflies/pollinators Large fruits eaten by more than 40 spp. of birds, mammals Larval food source: Spring azure Baltimore checkerspot Cultivars: Early Red (deep red fall foliage) Ovazam Baltimore checkerspot

28 Summary So What Can You Do for the Wildlife Let s Take a Bird s Eye View Reduce/Minimize Lawn Landscape with Locally Native Plants Easier/less costly to grow and maintain Many offer three-season beauty Provide aesthetic block of devastation Provide Wildlife Habitat!

29 Questions?