Highlights from November 18th presentation

The following is information shared with us by Debbi Albanese, a Biologist focusing on ecology and conservation.

Resources for Gardening with Natives

 South Carolina Native Plant Society – scnps.org

Homegrown National Park – homegrownnationalpark.org

Carolina Yards – https://www.clemson.edu/extension/carolinayards/certify-yard.html

National Wildlife Federation – nwf.org

Xerces Society – Xerces.org

Deer Resistant Native Plants

 Achillea millefolium – (Yarrow) grows in dry to medium wet, sandy soil – will naturalize

Acorus (Sweet Flag) – grows in water, non-flowering

Agave americana – (Century plant) –

Amsonia tabernaemontana – (Eastern Blue Star) -found in rich wet soils – blue star-like flowers, foliage contains latex – cultivars “Blue Ice” and “Storm Cloud” – flowers attract pollinators

Agastache

Aquilegia – (Columbine)

Artemesia ludoviciana – White Sage or Louisiana Sage – silvery aromatic leaves, grows in poor well drained soils of dry to medium moisture – Look for cultivars “Silver King”, “Silver Queen”, “Silver Frost” and “Valerie Finnis”.

Asclepias –(Milkweed) – many species available – avoid Mexican milkweed (Asclepias crassivica which may harbor a Monarch parasite)

Baptisia alba (False Indigo)

Bidens –  (Beggarticks)

Echinacea – Look for purple species – some cultivars provide less or no nectar

Eutrochium purpureum – Joe Pye Weed

Ferns

Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)

Geranium – Cranesbill, Wild geranium

Guara

Grasses – especially Muhly grass, Bluestem

Lantana urtricoides

Monarda didyma

Penstemon

Salvia coccinea

Trillium

Verbena

Wisteria frutescens – “Amethyst Falls”

Yucca aliofolia – Spanish Bayonet – very sharp needles, very large impressive plant use for architectural interest – also consider Y. filamentosa, Y. flaccida, Y. gloiosa –host plant the Yucca Giant Skipper butterfly

Flowering plants with high nectar value

African daisy

Agastache

Alyssum

Asters

Monarda (Bee Balm)

Black-eyed Susan – deer will nibble – plant where protected

Bidens

Catmint –  Nepeta 

Cleome

Coreopsis

Cosmos

Echinacea (Coneflower) – Look for purple flowered

Liatris

Solidago (Goldenrod)

Perovskia (Russian Sage)

Plumbago

Salvia – “Mystic Spires”

Sedum

Snapdragon

Stachys – Lamb’s Ear

Sunflower

Verbena

Vitex – Chaste Tree

Zinnia

Eutrochium purpureum (Joe Pye Weed)

Herbs – lavender, mint, parsley, dill, borage

Native Plant Sources

 Local Plants Sales in April and October:

Coastal Discovery Museum

Spring Island Trust

Seeds:

American Meadows – americanmeadows.com

Prairie Moon Nursery – prairiemoon.com

Florida Wildflower Growers’ Cooperative – floridawildflowers.com