(garden, critter watch)

[elainegrey]

I've been enjoying the Eastern tiger swallowtails on my walk down the hill and back. I just checked the hosts, and they include the abundant tulip poplars (not a real poplar) and the black cherries (Prunus serotina) which are here in abundance. I love growing the towering bears foot because the butterflies love it, and then when the seeds set, the finches and sparrows delight in the plant. They don't delight enough: i've too many seedlings everywhere.

I am curious about bearsfoot (Smallanthus uvedalia), a wild and native relative of yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius), and the only species native north of Mexico. The big fat tubers on these plants lead me to wonder if they are as edible as yacón. Plants For A Future says not, but used medicinally. I continue to wonder.

Comments

[amaebi]

This has been a very, very short-on-butterflies year here, but like all yers, relatively long on tiger swallowtails.

I will have to look more at bears foot! ETA: Just looked, not for here-- we don't have so much moisture bother.

[elainegrey]

I find i am relatively wet woodland for here - our slight north slope, i presume. It makes your and my gardening very different: my site is acidic, moist and shady, yours is alkaline, dry, and open if i recall correctly. I guess we both have clay? But mine's an Ultisol Udult clay.

[amaebi]

Coming from southern Illinois wet, wooded, acid clay) means that I try to push the possibility boundaries too much. :D

[tamena]

been getting tons of butterflies on my front porch - I have multiple pots of Zinnia out there, I love them!
I am slowly whittling down Jeff's resolve about having a "lawn" everywhere - I timed him the other day when he was cutting the front side yard. 40 minutes.
I told him he could cut 40 minutes off his Lawn Duty if he'd let me do a meadow of pollinator plants there.
He's considering it now!!! WOOHOOO!!!! and I think it would be so pretty =)
I'm using your posts for inspiration and information - thank you for them!!!!

[elainegrey]

I think the "but then you won't need to mow it" can be such a motivator. I've a big swathe of fescue we let get high that i need to kill and plant with native plants for this fall. You'll probably want something slightly less wild than i have, but yarrow and anise hyssop have done great from seed for me -- they get moving in their second year not the third.

[cmcmck]

Gorgeous and though they're so colourful, it takes a moment to notice them on that backdrop!

[elainegrey]

I read some advice about planting pink flowers for them - which i think is a visual choice for humans, less their preference. We had pale pink and white rose of Sharon trees when we first moved in to which they flocked: a bit more contrast there.

[cmcmck]

We've noticed that our bees and butterflies go for pinks, purples and mauves big time!