Photo: Blue Violets, Bernt Fransson, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Betsy Martin
Such an early spring this year! With spring, a gardener’s thoughts turn to FLOWERS.
Already, native spring ephemerals, such as Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginiana), are coming up, and by the time you read this they will begin blooming. In some places, such as Bull Run Regional Park, Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area, and Riverbend Park, Bluebells carpet the floodplain forest floor in spring, creating a spectacular show and providing an early nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Ephemeral wildflowers bloom early in spring to capture the early season sun before the trees get their leaves and shade them out. Then they set seed and go dormant in the summer, only to grow back next spring. You can easily grow bluebells in your own yard, by sowing seeds in moist fertile soil in the fall.
Great Spangled Frittilary, Judy Gallagher
Common Blue Violets (Viola sororia) are blooming. You may think of them as pesky weeds growing unwanted in your lawn and pull them up, as I used to do, but they are native and of value to wildlife. Mourning Doves and Dark-eyed Juncos eat violet seeds. Violets rely mostly on solitary bees for pollination. They are a host plant for Fritillary butterflies (such as Great Spangled Fritillary, Meadow Fritillary, and Variegated Fritillary), among other insect species. The dark, spiny Fritillary caterpillars feed only at night, leaving irregular holes in the leaves. Look beneath the fed-upon plant, where the caterpillars hide in the leaf litter in the daytime.
You probably already have violets growing in your yard (who doesn’t?). So, consider leaving a patch of this humble native wildflower for the bees and the butterflies—violets like to grow, and spread, in moist, shady areas.
You might want to add additional flowers to your patch of violets, or elsewhere. If so, think about planting species suited to the moisture and shade conditions you’ve got. You can use Plant NOVA Natives’ Plantfinder to find appropriate species. By planting species that bloom at different times, you’ll support a greater number and diversity of pollinators. This table shows native flowering species that support pollinators from March to December.
You may be thinking, “That’s nice, but I don’t really care about insects and pollinators: I want to bring birds to my yard.” Ah, there’s the rub—most bird species require insects, especially caterpillars, to feed their nestlings. You must have insects to support the birds, and you must have native plants to support the insects. The native plants are not only, or even primarily, a nectar source, but also are host food for caterpillars.
Think about that the next time you’re tempted to pull up those weedy Violets (or Asters, or Goldenrods).