Archives

Tephrosia virginiana

Goat’s Rue features attractive, yellow-pink bi-colored flowers, which bloom May-August. The nectar is a valued food source for native bees and butterflies. Goat’s Rue is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus). The seeds are eaten by ground birds. The roots fix nitrogen in the soil; they also contain rotenone, which is toxic to insects and fish. Goat’s Rue can be planted by seed; plant it in meadows, borders, and naturalized areas of your yard. It is difficult to transplant once established.

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii

New York Aster features violet-purple flowers, which bloom July-October. This prolific bloomer provides fall color to the yard. It offers a valuable nectar source for native bees and butterflies, and its dried seeds provide food for birds. Use New York Aster in the front of borders, as an edging plant, or in sunny meadows and naturalized areas of your yard.

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Calico Aster features white flowers, which bloom September-October. The nectar offers a food source for native bees. Calico Aster attracts beneficial insects, which prey upon garden pest insects in your yard. It is a host plant for butterfly larvae (caterpillars) of the Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) butterfly. Use Calico Aster in borders, planted in groups for hedges or screens, or along walkways in your yard.

Symphyotrichum laeve

Smooth Blue Aster features violet-purple flowers with yellow centers, which bloom August-October. The nectar provides a food source for native bees. It is very tolerant of drought and dry, rocky soils, making it a good choice for Jersey-Friendly Yards. Use Smooth Blue Aster in borders, butterfly gardens, and naturalized areas of your yard.

Sorghastrum nutans

Indiangrass is a beautiful native grass with blue-green blades and tall golden to purplish-brown flowering plumes.

Solidago rugosa

Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod features yellow flowers, which bloom September-October. The nectar provides a food source for native bees and honeybees. The dried seeds provide a food source for birds in fall and winter. Use Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod in borders, butterfly gardens, and naturalized areas in your yard.

Solidago nemoralis

Gray Goldenrod features showy, yellow flower clusters, which bloom on one side of hairy, leaved stalks, July-October. The nectar provides a food source for native bees, honeybees, and butterflies. Gray Goldenrod is a host plant for beneficial predatory insects, which prey on garden pest insects in your yard. The dried seeds provide a food source for birds in fall and winter. Use Gray Goldenrod in butterfly gardens and naturalized areas of your yard.

Solidago canadensis

Canada Goldenrod features yellow flowers, which bloom July-October, providing nectar to native bees, honeybees, and butterflies.

Solidago caesia

Wreath Goldenrod features small yellow flowers, which bloom August-September.

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Blue-eyed Grass has petite blue flowers with yellow centers, which bloom on stalks above grass-like leaves, May-June.