By Carol Schroding, Gardening Enthusiast & former owner of Northeast Native Perennials
Why do we use the Latin or botanical names of plants? Why bother learning these botanical names vs. the common names? If you are gardening with native plants, this is especially important. You want to be sure you are getting the correct plant that is native to your area!
A common name is simply the name for a plant that has caught on over time. Common names often derive from the Genus name. For example, Phlox. There are approximately 60 different species of Phlox native to the U.S. But not all are native to our area of the country. Phlox longiflora (Long-leaved Phlox) is native to the Southwest, while Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox) is native to Eastern North America. Other common names come from medicinal uses of the plant by Native Americans or early settlers or for another attribute of the plant. For example: Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) has a bright yellow root (thus the name) and was used as medicine and a yellow dye by Native Americans.
A botanical or scientific name is made up of two words: the first corresponding to the plant’s genus and the second to its species. These two words (also called binomial) come from the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, developed in the 18th century and used universally. Common names often overlap, but the botanical name is unique to a specific plant.
You don’t need to memorize the botanical names but do your research, so that you are sure you are getting the plants that you want for your garden.
Thank you, Carol, for your article explaining plant names and for reminding us that it’s never too early to start dreaming about spring and researching the plants we want to add to our gardens!
Carol was lucky enough to photograph this (rare to most of us) Scarlet Tanager right in her own backyard!
If you are like me and you are feeding the birds for winter, when food is more scarce, it’s likely you may also be thinking about how you can feed them naturally through what you plant.
When we think about planting for the birds, we often think about seeds and berries. Yes, they are important! But remember that insects and their larva are an extremely important food source for the birds in addition to the seeds, berries, pollen and nectar. In fact, in spring and early summer songbirds will feed their young almost exclusively on insects and caterpillars. Without them, most baby birds would not survive.
If you have space for a big tree, make it an Oak! Oak trees host over 500 species of Butterfly and Moth caterpillars that provide vital food for our birds. Some of the other top producing host native trees are Cherry, Willow, Birch, Poplar and Maple for example. If you don’t have room for a tree, or even if you do, research what native shrubs are most beneficial in hosting this most important bird food source, that is suitable for your landscape. Check out https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org for specific plants for your area (enter your zip code), ranked by number of possible insects hosted! Or stay tuned for future articles!
An Oriole in a mulberry tree in Carol’s yard
If you read my last article on feeding the birds naturally, I mentioned the website https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org. If you visited that site, you discovered that it is (by their own description) a work in progress, so be patient with them as they build this invaluable resource.
If you don’t have room to add a large tree to your landscape, there are also some very valuable smaller trees you can consider. Flowering Dogwood, Serviceberry, American Hornbeam, Persimmon, Eastern Redbud, Fringetree and Silverbell in descending order of numbers of butterflies and moths that use them as host plants.
If you have no room to add trees, check out the shrubs that will also host many moths and butterflies. Some of the top winners are Blueberry and Cranberry (Vaccinium, 281), American Hazelnut (Corylus, 134), Viburnum species (111), Steeplebush & White Meadowsweet (84) and more! The numbers represent the potential number of different species that could be hosted. Note that many of these have the added benefit of berries, nuts and seeds for the birds!
As always, do your research to choose the best native species for your particular sites. Pay attention to mature size and soil requirements. Next time we will look at herbaceous perennials that will host lots of moths and butterflies for your birds!
Thanks to Peter Walts for these spectacular bird photos.
As you are thinking about how to feed the birds naturally with plants in your garden, of course, we think of the seeds, nectar and pollen provided by our flowering perennials. But it is also important to assess which plants serve as host plants to moths and butterflies, therefore providing critical food sources (caterpillars) for the birds.
According to the NativePlantFinder.nwf.org referenced in my last two articles, Goldenrod is one of the highest value host plants in our area, hosting a possible 126 different species of butterflies and moths. There are many different types of Goldenrod, some shorter and more well-behaved for smaller gardens. One of my favorites is ZigZag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) which only grows 1-3 feet and does not spread a lot like some of the other Goldenrods.
Next on the list is the Sunflower family (Helianthus) with 71 potential species of moths and butterflies using them as host plants. Some of my favorites are Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) and Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus). Swamp Sunflower can grow up to 8 ft. tall and as the name suggests, prefers moist to occasionally wet soil. Woodland Sunflower can grow 5-7 ft. tall and tolerates a wide range of soil types and prefers partial shade.
Beautiful Scarlet Tanager photo courtesy of Peter Walts.
The more native perennial host plants you put in your garden, the more you are providing essential food for our songbirds to feed their babies. In prior articles we have discussed trees and shrubs as well as some herbaceous perennials that serve as host plants to a high number of moths and butterflies.
Asters are another family of plants that host about 115 species of moths and butterflies. One of my favorites is Big Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus) named for its large heart-shaped basal leaves which will form a nice groundcover, but is not overly aggressive. It likes shade or part shade and is great for stabilizing soil on a hillside. Blue Wood Aster (Aster cordifolius) is another favorite covered with small blue to lavender flowers in fall and also a shade lover.
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) can host around 32 different moths and butterflies. I am fortunate to have them naturally occurring in areas of my garden. They make a lovely groundcover besides being an important host plant, and they provide early nectar for bees and butterflies.
The Geranium family is another that hosts about 27 species of butterflies and moths. Spotted Geranium (Geranium maculatum) is native to our area and a beautiful delicate spring bloomer.
