Folsom Native Plant Society

10/31/2025

Good Books and Apps About Pollinators and Edible Native Plants by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

Check your local library for these. Ask the librarian to order them if they aren’t already in the collection.

Books
Allen, Charles M., PhD, Andrew W. Allen, B.S., and Harry H. Winters, M.D., Edible Plants of the Gulf South. Allen’s Ventures, 2005. ISBN: 0-918625-2-4.

Apelian, Nicole, PhD and Claude Davis. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies. Claude Davis, 2020. www.AskAPrepper dot com (available on Amazon)

Brock, Jim P. and Kenn Kaufman. Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. ISBN: 0-618-15312-8

Leckie, Seabrooke and David Beadle. Peterson Field Guides to Moths of Southeastern North America. Houghton Mifflin, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-544-25211-0

Milne, Lorus and Margery. Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992. ISBN: 0-394-50763-0

Wagner, David L. Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, 2005. ISBN: 0-691-12143-5

Apps
PictureThis Plant Identifier -- A basic version is available free and Pro version has a yearly fee. You can snap a picture of any plant, and the program will give you pictures and descriptions of possible matches. You can save the identified plants in “your garden” on the app. After the free trial period, a subscription costs around $30.00 a year.

Picture Insect: Bug Identifier, Spider & Pest identification, is available free for a 7-day trial, then around $30.00 a year for a subscription. You snap a picture of the insect, and the app gives you possible matches and information about each. You have the option to save a record of the insect on the app.

Various species of bees gather pollen and nectar from beach false foxglove and late-flowering thoroughwort blossoms, while birds sing in the background. Turn the sound up.

10/27/2025

Three of the Best Fall-blooming Native Pollinator Plants
And the bugs that depend on them
By Yvonne L. Bordelon

“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Maurice Maeterlinck, The Life of the Bee

The hot, dry summer weather in Southeastern Louisiana negatively affected insect numbers, especially those of bees and butterflies. However, fall rains came just in time to refresh the many fall-blooming native plants. The pollinators and other insects responded with vigor.

I have been photographing the flora and fauna in and around my properties for decades. I suppose you could say that I have been keeping a photographic record of the many species of native flowering plants and the animals (especially the pollinators) that coexist with them.

According to my recent informal study of showy native plants and the number of insects that visit them here in Meadow Hill Habitat, I discovered that the top three native pollinator plants that bloom from late September to mid-October are: (1) goldenrod (Solidago spp.), (2) late-flowering thoroughwort A.K.A. late-flowering boneset (Eupatorium serotinum), and (3) beach false foxglove (Agalinis fasciculata). Each plant also attracts numerous other insects and spiders.

Goldenrod is, hands down, the best fall-blooming herbaceous perennial pollinator plant in my habitat. It’s gold, nectar-rich flower spikes are foraged by countless insects. The large number of insects attract hungry predators such as spiders and assassin bugs.

There are thirteen species of goldenrod listed on the Plants of Louisiana site ( https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Search?Type=S&Letter=S ). Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is the largest and most common species in Southeastern Louisiana. Several species of native bees use the larger canes to incubate their young. White-tailed deer, beaver and eastern cottontail rabbit eat the leaves.

Goldenrod flowers are edible. They can be lightly fried or brewed in teas. Leaves can also be cooked and eaten like spinach. Solidago has many medicinal properties. More information about the medicinal properties of native plants can be found in The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies by Nicole Apelian and Claude Davis.

Another pollinator magnet of the prairies and meadows is late-flowering thoroughwort. The mound-like herbaceous perennial grows four to five feet tall and wide. In fall they are covered with clusters of small, fragrant, nectar-rich white flowers. The blooms are foraged by butterflies and nectar-eating insects, especially native bees and wasps. The small seeds are eaten by birds. This plant is resistant to deer. It can be propagated by seed or rhizome division.

Beach false foxglove is an annual herb of meadows and prairies which grows to about two feet tall. It is semi- parasitic on the roots of certain grasses. When the plant dies, it turns black. The lovely rose-pink (sometimes white) flowers are foraged by honeybees and native bees (especially leaf-cutter bees). It is a larval host plant of buckeye butterflies and salt marsh moths. You can start new plants by sprinkling the powder-like seed onto potting soil in pots or prepared ground.

The chart in photos shows only a partial tally of the insects and spiders which I have observed (or photographed) on each of the three plants. I used an app called Picture Insect to identify most of the insects. I found it to be very reliable and easy to use.

06/07/2025

Repair Poor Soil -- Use No-Till Regenerative Gardening and Agriculture!
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

As native plant enthusiasts, we strive to protect native plants and animals that are part of the ecosystems in our area. Ecosystems run our planet. When humans interfere with or “break” an ecosystem, chaos and damage occur. Many farmers and gardeners who use traditional mechanical tilling and expensive, harmful synthetic chemicals to grow food often end up with broken ecosystems and infertile, dry, dust-like soil.

However, farmers and ranchers all over the world have rediscovered a way to make use of the existing ecosystems to enrich the soil, prevent erosion of topsoil by wind and water, bring back beneficial insects and utilize animals such as poultry and ruminants (cattle and goats) to heal damaged land. Regenerative agriculture restores and reconnects the elements of the carbon cycle which have been working on this planet for eons.

How the Carbon Cycle Works
During photosynthesis, plants take carbon dioxide from the air and break it down into sugars which provide nutrition. Plants also emit oxygen into the air. Carbon is sent down to the roots then is released into the soil where millions of micro-organisms such as mycorrhizal fungi break it down and convert it into a form that the plants can use. Plant roots also draw water down into the soil. Eventually the soil emits some carbon dioxide back into the air for the plants to start the cycle over again. Moisture is also released into the air, causing precipitation. (See the carbon cycle diagram below.)

When the carbon cycle is broken by constant tilling, and the application of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and/or herbicides, the soil eventually turns into dry, lifeless dust where very few plants will grow. Many farmers and gardeners who use the standard growing methods employed after World War II end up with barren land, high operation costs with little profit and low yields.

So, What Can We Do to Repair the Damage?
Innovative plant scientists and growers came up with a plan which restores the ecosystem by repairing the carbon/carbon dioxide cycle and regenerating poor soil. The major concepts are:

1. Disturb the soil as little as possible. When plants are removed by tilling, the connection with the microbial network which breaks down and moves nutrients and carbon from the soil to the plants is broken. Tilling also spreads w**d seeds by exposing them to sunlight needed for germination.

2. Use cover crops, mulch and crop rotation. In the off-season plant nitrogen fixing plants such as clover, vetch, alfalfa, and even black-eyed peas. Dicots such as oats and rye, which provide fodder for ruminant animals (cows and goats) are also good cover crops. Cut or burn the cover crops and work them into the soil. Use mulch to prevent soil erosion in between crops or when the soil is fallow. Place clear plastic over the cover crop residue to utilize solarization to kill the roots and w**d seeds without disturbing the soil.

3. DO NOT use systemic synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, especially not cancer-causing glyphosate. These chemicals embed into every part of the plant and break the carbon cycle by killing beneficial insects and soil micro-organisms and/or the plants necessary for the ecosystem to work properly.

4. Instead of using machines to till or break up large areas of soil, mimic nature by using animals to do the job. Move cattle, goats, sheep and/or poultry from field to field or bed to bed for short periods of grazing or feeding. They will work the soil, eat the w**ds and insect pests, and provide natural fertilizer for the soil. Plant by making small holes in the soil for seeds or transplants.

This is just an introduction to the wonderful world of regenerative agriculture. Below are a few of the many interesting documentaries and books on the subject that will help guide you on your journey to healthy soil.

Excellent Documentaries About Regenerative Agriculture

My favorite videos on the subject, Kiss the Ground and Common Ground, are available to stream on Amazon Prime videos. These outstanding documentaries tell the story of how agriculture changed after World War II when synthetic nitrogen that was originally developed as an explosive in bombs (then later was used as a fertilizer) was introduced. More change occurred when glyphosate (Roundup), which was originally used in factories to clean industrial pipes, was used on farms to kill w**ds that popped up when the new mechanical tillers were used.

An efficient way to regenerate soil damaged by standard commercial farming practices is to adopt the methods of regenerative gardening and agriculture. Both documentaries give step-by-step instructions and techniques about how to repair the soil and utilize your land or backyard to grow healthy, nutritious food at a reduced cost and with less effort. I enjoyed both documentaries so much that I watched each one twice.

Bugs That Rule the World series on PBS WYES, and Amazon Prime Video gives the viewer a fantastic look into the world of insects, detailing their importance to life on earth and our future. The photography is breathtaking -- the viewer sees the world from a bug’s perspective. So far, my favorite episode is Part II, Lifegivers, which features pollinators including bees, beetles, butterflies, moths and other bugs as they go about pollinating plants in each of their biomes. Be sure to set your DVR to record the series.

Good Books About Soil Regeneration

Check your local library for these. Ask the librarian to order them if they aren’t already in the collection.

Jesse Frost. The Living Soil Handbook: The No-Till Growers Guide to Ecological Market Gardening. Chelsea Green Publishing: 2021. ISBN: 9781645020264

This informative book covers the major themes in regenerative agriculture. Frost gives clear, easy to understand instructions and provides many full color photographs and illustrations. Jesse also hosts the Farmer Jesse No-Till Market Garden Podcast on YouTube.
It is divided into three sections:
1. Disturb the soil as little as possible.
2. Keep it covered as much as possible.
3. Keep it planted as much as possible.

Dale Strickler. The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil. Storey Publishing: 2021. ISBN: 978-1-63586-224-9

A how-to book which provides tips and practices to regenerate soil on land from large scale farms to small yards. In the natural cycle, plants synthesize carbon (carbon dioxide) in the air and store it in the earth where millions of microbes feed on it to enrich the soil. The book contains several useful charts and colorful photos and illustrations.

Amelie des Plantes. Think Like an Ecosystem: An Introduction to Permaculture, Water Systems, Soil Science, and Landscape Design. Ecological Food Forest: 2022. ISBN: 969-8985595604.

A beginner’s guide for growing food organically using the natural ecosystem to build soil, take care of pests and w**ds without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.

Amelie des Plantes. Soil Science for Regenerative Agriculture, a Comprehensive Guide to Living Soil, No Till Gardening, Composting, and Natural Farming. Ecological Food Forest: 2023. ISBN: 9798391704478

Another good beginner’s guide about regenerating poor soil to produce chemical free food.

Each photo has a caption explaining more about using the carbon cycle to regenerate soil and maintain a healthy ecosystem.

10/29/2024

Join the Lawns to Meadows Gardening Revolution!
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

“Get your lawn off grass”. “The natives are friendly”. These were some of the battle cries of Andy and Sally Wasowski back in the late 1990’s. Although they have both gone to that great garden in the sky, their legacy lives on. They showed us that turning sterile mono-culture lawns into colorful, thriving biodiverse meadows is not that hard to do.

Preparing the Site
Fall is the best time to start your project. Begin with a small area where you may have trouble growing grass or you are just tired of mowing. Use a garden hose to mark the edges. An oval shape that’s easy to mow around is best.

After you’ve determined where you want to plant, cover the area with cardboard and/or wet sections of newspaper to kill the grass. Then begin layering carbon matter such as straw or spoiled hay, leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, crumbled eggshells, etc., and soil for your new lasagna garden / sheet composting area. Keep it damp. By spring you should have a great place to plant seeds and/or transplant seedlings.

Grow Your Own Seedlings
The seeds of many native flowering perennials do better if they are planted in the fall. So, while you are waiting for the sheet compost soil to mature, why not start some perennial seeds in peat pots or four-inch plastic pots?

Start by placing the pots in plant trays. Then fill them with a fine, soilless mixture. Some plants that are good in meadow gardens include native milkw**ds (Asclepias spp.), various Lobelias such as Cardinal flower, Coreopsis, Rudbeckias, Helianthus, Penstemon, Echinacea and other coneflowers, Gaillardia (blanket flower), Salvia, Monarda and viola. Be sure to mark each pot with the name of the plant (common and scientific) and the date planted. If you use a sharpie, push the plant tags down into the soil so the writing won’t fade.

Keep the trays on a plant stand outside in a partly sheltered spot (such as under the eaves) so that they will get morning sun and the correct number of cold days that some require for germination. Be sure to empty excess rainwater from the trays.

In early spring, mix up the soil in your lasagna garden / sheet compost bed a little and add a layer of good topsoil on top. Plant the perennials that you started from seed by dividing each pot into four sections and planting them close together. Annual wildflower seeds can be added around the edges of the bed. When the seeds grow to about six inches tall, lightly sprinkle some chopped leaves or spoiled hay to mulch.

Once the plants are established, they will form a dense mat that should help deter w**ds and hold moisture in the soil. Meadow gardens are low maintenance, requiring a minimum amount of w**ding and cutting only once a year in late winter after the seed pods have matured.

09/18/2024

Musings From the Garden
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

After hurricane Francine passed, I surveyed my property. Many ruby-throated hummingbirds were busily foraging the annual cypress and morning glory vines that volunteered along the fence of the chicken run. Both native bees and honeybees covered the stand of tie-vine morning glory and hairy clustervine near the garage. Some native plants were a little battered, but most came through without damage.

This year, perhaps because of the late freeze in spring, butterflies appeared later than they usually do. Various swallowtails, sulfurs, skippers, and others are abundant now. Common buckeye caterpillars are all over the beach false foxglove (Agalinis fasciculata). The lovely dark pink flowers are beginning to bloom and will soon fill the meadows and fields with color through October. The blooms of spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata), various Salvias, smart w**d (Persicaria spp.), late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) and Ludwigea are foraged by pollinators of all shapes and sizes.

Every morning when I go to let my hens out into the run, I am greeted by the buzzing of scores of bumblebees foraging in the perennial tie vine (Ipomoea cordatotriloba) as well as the annual red star (I. coccinea), scarlet creeper (I. hederafolia) and hairy clustervine (Jacquemontia spp.). The large groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia) by the coop is covered with flower buds. Herbalists say to get the strongest medicinal effect, you should harvest the leaves before the flowers open. From a distance these plants appear to be covered with snow.

Cutting the grass is my least favorite chore in the garden, but my encounters with wildlife make this loathsome chore much more enjoyable. Sometimes I must slow down to let the buckeye butterflies and smaller butterflies and moths that sit on the tall seed heads of various grasses a chance to relocate to another seed head. I don’t know if they are foraging the nectar from the seedheads or if they are females that are ready to mate. As I come around for another run, I often see mockingbirds diving into the cut grass to gobble down grasshoppers and other insects. I usually spook a cottontail rabbit from the blackberry patch.

To encourage diversity in my lawn, I never cut the front lawn and around the house in the back lower than 3 inches. For my trails around the perimeter of the property I set it on 4.5 inches. Using a higher setting is better for the grass and promotes the growth of native perennials, especially during heat waves and periods of low rainfall.

Dealing with Invasive Imported Weeds

One of the most difficult parts of managing a native habitat is dealing with the noxious imported w**ds that multiply among the wildflowers, especially in the vines. My four most troublesome invasives are bush killer vine (Cayratia japonica), Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and tallow tree (Triadica sebifera). These invasives over run and kill beneficial native plants by choking them out. They tend to get the upper hand after hurricanes and large storms.

Bush killer vine is relentless. It has long tuberous-like roots that if broken off will sprout new vines. It is almost impervious to herbicides and the flat, nectar-rich flower clusters are used by many pollinators so many seeds are produced. You must attack it by digging up and disposing of (burning) every bit of root and vine. Never let it flower. When it comes back (and it will), use herbicides on the leaves then dig the root after the leaves die. Continue the process until all of it is gone. Unfortunately, this may go on for years.

Japanese climbing fern is tenacious, but not as bad as bush killer vine. If you dig out the clump of gnarly black roots and keep it from producing spores, you can control it and even irradicate it.

Privet and tallow trees can be controlled by not allowing them to flower and seed. Fall is a good time to cut them down, leaving a trunk. While the wound is still fresh, score the cut on the trunk and apply full strength herbicide to the cut. Do not allow herbicide to drip on the ground or go into a pond or lake. It kills fish and other inhabitants. The tree’s vascular system will pull the herbicide down into the roots and the plant should not come back next spring.

Privet and tallow trees are foraged by honeybees and beekeepers say that the honey produced from them is plentiful and tasty. It makes sense that honeybees would use them because they are also not native to North America. Personally, I prefer my native trees and plants over privet and tallow. Honeybees use most flowering native plants in a balanced natural environment.

05/24/2024

In the Catbird Nest
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

UPDATE: On Sunday, May 26, 2024 the four catbird young successfully fledged. On May 29, the female was seen building a second nest in a large sweet olive bush by the back porch. I believe that the male is caring for the fledglings.

Original Story:
The gray catbird parents have been busily going back and forth bringing insects and berries to their young. They scold me from the trees nearby when I go too close to the nest. The young respond to the warnings by freezing like statues. I put the rest of the brush removal on hold until the young fledge.

The parents seem to prefer elderberries. I’ve seen them picking insects and small green berries from the large blooms. They are an important part of the free organic pest control squad here on Meadow Hill.

The photos and 2 videos show the progression of the babies growth from May 19 to this morning (May 24). Their wing feathers are open, so I believe that if all goes well, they will soon fledge.

05/19/2024

Provide Food, Water, Shelter, Nesting Sites and Useful Plants and They Will Come.
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

Here on Meadow Hill in Southwestern Washington Parish, the flora and fauna are multiplying. The recent torrential rainfall was a welcome blessing.

About 10 days ago, I needed to cut back an over-grown knockout rose which was planted by the house. Workmen needed 3 feet of access that wasn’t covered with thorns. My first cut was a long, leggy branch. As I lifted it out, I saw the nest with greenish blue eggs. Crap, a catbird! I quickly surveyed the situation and placed the branch in the large azalea a few feet away. Then I cut more of the rose and wove it in to hold the nest straight. Smilax and trumpet vine added support and more trimmings placed over the nest camouflaged it. This was the best I could do. I finished the 3 foot strip and said a little prayer that it would be good enough and left.

Two days ago I checked the nest. It was more exposed now, but when I peeped in, 4 little heads popped up! Mother catbird had continued incubating the eggs. Hopefully, in a week or so, the babies will fledge.

All sorts of tiny miracles happen every day in our backyard habitats because of our decisions and actions. Because we chose to make time to help the wildlife there. Knockout roses are not considered a useful plant, and they certainly are not native, but the female catbird found the big gnarly thing useful for sheltering her nest.

Birds build nests in places that are appropriate to their needs. In my opinion, having to put up with a little bird p**p for a few months on my front and back porch is well worth the joy I experience when I see barnswallows feeding their young. The aerial acrobatics when they finally take flight, zooming through the sky as they chase the parents and strengthen their wings is a sight to behold.

Every part of an ecosystem is important to its success. It’s a synergistic relationship, from the smallest micro organisms to the largest predator and everything in between.

04/23/2024

Survivors 2024 - April Blooms
It’s good to see so many hardy native and pass-along plants in full bloom. Despite the horrible drought and heat wave of 2023, my yard, lawn. and mini-meadow is covered with blooms which are buzzing with pollinators.

By encouraging a variety of plants to live in my lawn, food is provided for thousands of creatures that are important in the food chain. Little by little mono-culture turf grass lawns are becoming a thing of the past and instead meadows, food plants and wildflowers which support biodiversity, encouraging a variety of useful creatures are replacing sterile, unproductive turf grass lawns.

The photographs are of my mini-meadow and wildflower yard in Meadow Hill, my place in Southwestern Washington Parish. I encourage useful plants that will provide food for wildlife, including pollinators, insects and arachnids, birds, amphibians, reptiles and millions of soil micro-organisms. Each photo has a caption identifying the plants and animals.

03/16/2024

10/17/2023

Top Ten Beneficial Native Plants That Survived the 2023 Drought on Meadow Hill
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon

Up here in Southwestern Washington Parish, about 10 miles from Folsom, we had the hottest, driest summer in years. Many “introduced” plants, shrubs and trees wilted and died. In August, the pine trees dropped their needles and went into survival mode. They usually do that in late fall. Other natives did similar things. This is how our native plants survive. They go into defense mode. Dan Gill says to wait until spring before we make any decisions about pruning or removal. Let nature take its course.

The ten plants below made it through record breaking high summer temperatures and drought and are still going strong. Plus, they increase biodiversity and feed the pollinators and other wildlife.

Agalinis fasciculata (beach false foxglove) is an annual plant that blooms lovely purple, pink and sometimes white flowers from August to October in dry or moist savannas, open w**dy areas, open flatwoods, dune hollows and tidal marshes. It is a hemiparasite which grows on the roots of certain grasses or nearby herbaceous plants. The needle-like leaves appear in clusters, hence the scientific name, “fasciculata” which means clustered.

Agalinis is a larval host plant of the common buckeye butterfly. It attracts native bees, especially leaf-cutter bees, whose females gather copious amounts of the white pollen to place in their egg chambers.

Fresh seed sprouts readily in a pot or in the ground. Store saved seed in a dry, sealed container in the refrigerator. The plants turn black when dry.

Baccharis halimifolia (Groundsel, Manglier) is dioecious (male and female flowers are on separate plants). In fall, the male pollen producing plants are more attractive to pre-hibernating native bees and honeybees than the female, nectar producing plants. Native bees use the stems for nesting.

According to Delana Tull, the leaves and flowers can be used to make a yellow dye for wool. In Creole folk medicine, groundsel was used to treat inflamed kidneys and fever. It was also used as a palliative and demulcent in consumption and for coughing. It is toxic to livestock but is eaten by white-tailed deer.

Pennington Biomedical Center in Baton Rouge conducted a study of how Baccharis extract affects metabolic syndrome risk factors such as insulin resistance and obesity.

Eupatorium serotinum (late-flowering thoroughwort) is, in my opinion, one of the most beneficial of the fall-blooming Eupatoriums. This perennial attracts honeybees and many species of solitary bees, including long and short tongued bees, bumblebees, and beneficial predatory wasps. Butterflies, skippers, flies, moths, and beetles also forage the flowers.

The stems are used as pollinator nesting sites. The leaves are browsed by deer. The seeds are eaten by wild turkeys, song sparrows, goldfinches, juncos, and other seed-eating birds. The blooms are foraged by Monarch butterflies during their fall migration.

Tull states that it can be potentially toxic, however it has been used in rural areas for years, as an herbal tea to induce a sweat to break a fever.

Helianthus spp. (Sunflowers), especially perennials H. angustifolius (swamp sunflower), and H. simulans (Muck sunflower) and the annual H. annus, are important food sources for wildlife and pollinators. Swamp sunflower and Muck sunflower are very similar in appearance. The difference between the two is that H. simulans is taller and more robust than H. angustifolius. The fall blooming H. angustifolius and H. simulans are large and showy here in Southeastern Louisiana. They attract a variety of insects including bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and pollen-feeding soldier beetles. Native bee species that visit sunflowers include specialists in the genera Diadasia, Melissodes, Eucera, Svastra and others.

Leaf cutter bees may use the dead hollow stems of large sunflowers as nesting sites. Sunflowers are larval host plants for silver checkerspot caterpillars. Countless birds and other creatures relish the seeds. Deer browse the plants.

Ipomoea spp. (Morning glories) such as I. batas (sweet potato), I. coccinea (red star), I. cordatriloba (tievine), I. hederifolia (scarlet creeper), and introduced I. quamoclit (cypress vine) are annuals. As far as the two red ones, scarlet creeper and red star, experts still disagree as to their origin, but both are pollinator magnets. All the species listed (except sweet potatoes) reseed readily.

The numerous flowers which open each morning from summer through fall, attract butterflies, such as swallowtails and fritillaries as well as native bees. The red-flowered varieties are a favorite of hummingbirds. Sweet potato has delicious, nutritious, edible tubers. The seed of the red species are eaten by quail, seed-eating songbirds and my chickens love them.

Monarda spp. Including M. citriodora (lemon beebalm), M. fistulosa (wild bergamot), M. didyma (Bee balm), and M. punctata (spotted horsemint) survived with little or no irrigation during the drought. Wild bergamot and red bee balm experienced serious die-back but should come back from the roots. The lemon beebalm died after it set seeds, as it was supposed to do. The horsemint near the birdbath is still blooming.

Wild bergamot attracts bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Horsemint attracts a variety of native bee species. These herbs, especially bee balm and wild bergamot make delicious teas and have been used medicinally for years by Native American healers.

Tull states that the Cherokee and other tribes used these mints to treat fevers and to help them sleep. The Shakers used wild bergamot in tea to soothe a sore throat. The oil of horsemint yields Thymol, an ingredient in cough syrup. Citronellol, which is an insect repellent and an ingredient in perfumes is extracted from the volatile oils of M. citriodora (Lemon Beebalm).

Rubrus spp. (blackberries and brambles) are one of the best plants for wildlife. The blooms are foraged by honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and other insects. The berries are eaten by humans, birds, and mammals. Even the leaves are used in tea and herbal medicine.

Native bees that use the flowers include bumble bees and mining bees. Mason bees reproduce in large numbers when large stands of blackberries are growing nearby. Small carpenter bees adore Rubrus flowers and frequently use their pithy stems as nest sites. Azure butterfly caterpillars feed on the leaves, as do Io moth caterpillars.

The fruits and young shoots provide dyes for wool. Over 35 species of songbirds as well as quail and wild turkey feast on the berries. Many mammals including fox, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, skunk, and squirrel enjoy the juicy fruit. Deer browse the stems and foliage.

Salvia spp. (Sage) including S. greggii (autumn Sage), S. coccinea (tropical sage) and introduced S. guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ (anise sage) and S. elengans (pineapple sage) are tender perennials. Tropical sage is easy to start from seed. Salvias come in shades of white, blue, pink, purple and red. Most are good honeybee plants and attract many native bees. Hummingbirds and butterflies forage the blooms of all those mentioned. Salvias bloom from late spring until the first frost in fall.

Delena Tull recommends using the leaves of any fragrant wild sage sparingly as a seasoning in soups, stews and on meats, as you would garden sage (S. officinalis). Pineapple sage is an excellent garnish for a fruit plate.

Solidago spp. (Goldenrod) is one of the most important late season pollinator plants. There are 13 Solidago species listed on Plants of Louisiana (USGS.gov). Link is: https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Search?Type=S

Honeybees store goldenrod nectar for winter and native bees use the pollen for late season nests. It attracts solitary wasps, fireflies, soldier beetles, specialist bees, including mining bees, polyester bees, and the long-horned bee. Many butterflies and skippers forage goldenrod, including monarchs.

Although some people have slight allergies to goldenrod, many herbalists and foragers use the flowers and leaves of sweet goldenrod to make jelly and/or brew a tasty tea. It is also used to make a yellow dye for wool. Deer browse the plant and the seeds are eaten by goldfinches, juncos, and pine siskins. The leaves are eaten by rabbits and beaver.

Symphotrichum spp. (Asters) including S. praealtum (willow leaf aster) and S. latenflorum (calico aster) are perennials which cover the meadow with white, blue, purple, and violet blooms from September to November. Willow leaf aster grows up to 6 feet tall in sun or part shade and its pollen is of special value to native bees. Calico aster can be white, pink, yellow, or purple and is around 3 feet tall. Native bees and predatory or parasitoid native wasps (those that prey on insects) forage calico aster flowers. Honeybees collect pollen for winter stores.

Wild turkeys sometimes eat the flowers and seedheads. The basal rosettes are winter forage for white tailed deer. Cottontail rabbits eat the leaves. Song sparrows eat the seeds.

References

Martin, Alexander C., Herbert S. Zim and others. American Wildlife & Plants A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. Dover, 1961. ISBN: 486-20793-5

Miller, James H. and Karl V. Miller. Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses. University of Georgia Press, 2005. ISBN: 0-8203-2748-4

Tull, Delena. A Practical Guide to Edible & Useful Plants. Texas Monthly Press, 1987. ISBN: 0-87719-022-4

Xerces Society. 100 Plants to Feed the Bees Provide a Healthy Habitat to Help Pollinators Thrive. Storey Publishing, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-61212-701-9