Power plants that generate biodiversity—a leap of the imagination and a pivotal moment when every reader is urged to establish at least one beautiful “power plant” in one’s home environs. Many of us have food and flower gardens composed of species we have chosen for a variety of reasons that nurture us. Today, each of us is asked to be host to a “keystone” plant, one that is relied on by Caterpillar Species and Pollen Specialist Bee Species for their survival. Learn more through this YouTube video. When many of us sow at least one keystone perennial herbaceous plant, shrub, or tree in the environs of our home, we will be creating biodiversity-rich corridors, the initiative advanced in Doug Tallamy’s book “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard”:
The research of entomologist, Dr. Doug Tallamy, and his team at the University of Delaware have identified 14 [percent] of native plants (the keystones) support 90 [percent] of butterfly and moth lepidoptera species. The research of horticulturist Jarrod Fowler has shown that 15 [percent] to 60 [percent] of North American native bee species are pollen specialists who only eat pollen from 40 [percent] of native plants.
Click here to see the lists of these remarkable plants at NWF Keystone Plants by Ecoregion. Choose your plant or plants from the list of Keystone Native Plants for Eastern Temperate Forests—Ecoregion 8. You might feel like you’re looking through an address book of friends and acquaintances.
Yellow Birch (Betula lutea) and Black Birch (Betula lenta) trees flower in May. River Birch (Betula nigra) is listed with B. lenta as third most significant tree host to caterpillar species in our ecoregion, with 284 species recorded.
When cut, twigs of Yellow Birch (Betula lutea) and Black Birch (Betula lenta) exude the fragrance of wintergreen. Enjoy chewing a thin piece from the tip of a twig.
Native Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) is in first place as host to Pollen Specialist Bee Species—with 50 species recorded on the NWF list of Keystone Native Plants for Ecoregion 8—keystone flowering perennials. Third place, 66 species, as host to Caterpillar Species.
Black Swallowtail caterpillars feed on carrot family plants, including dill and parsley. I welcome them to a portion of my herbs. See the giant Swallowtail butterfly on the Ironweed, below. (Author’s apology: The giant swallowtail butterfly larva is not shown.)
New York Ironweed (Vernonia), 15th most important keystone plant relied upon by pollen specialist bee species. Twelve species recorded.
