Ease of Establishment and Persistence of Wildflowers Studied at the Big

Ease of Establishment and Persistence Ratings for Various Wildflowers, After Four Growing Seasons

Prepared by: Shawnna Clark Natural Resources Specialist [email protected] Big Flats Plant Materials Center 3266 State Route 352 Corning, New York 14830

Overview:

In 2009, over 50 species of wildflowers and wildflower mixtures were seeded into 6.33 ft X 10 Ft plots, replicated 3 times. Over the course of the next 4 growing seasons, the species listed in the charts below, were evaluated for ease of establishment, persistence, disease, height, percent covers, herbivory, and bloom periods. All plots were seeded by hand broadcasting, and the seed was mixed with play sand for uniform distribution throughout the plots. The soils are Unadilla silt loam, which are very productive soils. Species that are adapted to these conditions performed well, and species that are more adapted to wetter soils, took longer to become established or have established poorly. We had over 32 species that performed well. The charts on the following pages, list the species, and the ratings that correspond to our findings. We will continue to monitor these species and mixes, for future recommendations on the best and easiest species to be used for pollinator enhancement plantings.

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Ease of Establishment and Persistence for Wildflower Species Study Conducted at the Big Flats Plant Materials Center ease of ease of Common Wetland Persistence Common Wetland Persistence scientific name establishment scientific name establishment name Indicator (in field) name Indicator (in field) (in field) (in field) Chamaecrista black-eyed partridge pea FACU 1 1 Rudbeckia hirta FACU 1 3 fasciculata susan Coreopsis lanced-leaved common FACU 1 1 Asclepias syriaca FACU 1 3 lanceolata coreopsis milkweed Desmodium showy tick Asclepias swamp FAC 1 1 OBL 1 3 canadense trefoil incarnata milkweed Echinacea purple Cichorium FAC 1 1 blue chicory FACU 1 3 purpurea coneflower intybus Lespedeza round-headed FACU- 1 1 Lupinus perennis wild lupine FACU 1 3 capitata lespedeza perennial blue Verbena Linum perenne FAC 1 1 white vervain FACU 1 3 flax urticifolia Monarda Monarda spotted wild bergamot UPL 1 1 UPL 1 5 fistulosa punctata beebalm purple Coreopsis plains Monarda media FACW 1 1 FAC- 1 5 bergamot tinctoria coreopsis Oenothera evening blue false FACU 1 1 Baptisia australis FACU 3 1 biennis primrose indigo gray-headed Ratibida pinnata FAC 1 1 Baptisia tinctoria wild indigo FACU- 3 1 coneflower Symphyotrichum hairy white ashy FAC 1 1 Helianthus mollis UPL 3 1 pilosum oldfield aster sunflower Asclepias butterfly Penstemon tall white FAC 1 1 FAC 3 1 tuberosa milkweed digitalis beardtongue Helianthus bluestem giant sunflower FAC 1 1 Solidago caesia FACU 3 1 giganteus goldenrod Heliopsis ox eye (false) early FAC 1 1 Solidago juncea UPL 3 1 helianthoides sunflower goldenrod 1-very easy to establish in the field 1-very persistent, over 40+ plants in plots (all years) 3-few established first year seeding, but in following spring, established well 3-moderately persistent, numbers in plot 20-40 (after 3 growing seasons) 5-poor establishment, or did not produce any seedlings 5-numbers have dropped significantly from establishment year

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Ease of Establishment and Persistence Ratings for Wildflower Species Study Conducted at the USDA NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center

Symphyotrichum new england Symphyotrichum FACW 3 1 NY aster high 3 3 novae-angliae aster novi-belgii

Symphyotrichum Lobelia cardinal zigzag aster FAC 3 1 high 5 1 prenanthoides cardinalis flower

Symphyotrichum new england Lobelia great blue FACW 3 1 very high 5 1 novae-angliae aster siphilitica lobelia

Symphyotrichum Apocynum medium to zigzag aster FAC 3 1 indian hemp 5 3 prenanthoides cannabinum low

early Oligoneuron Riddell's Solidago juncea UPL 3 1 high 5 3 goldenrod riddellii Goldenrod rough Solidago patula high 3 3 Senna hebecarpa wild senna medium 5 3 goldenrod Symphyotrichum calico aster high 3 3 Verbena hastata blue vervain medium 5 3 lateriflorum Verbesina medium- golden wingstem 3 3 Zizia aurea low 5 3 alternifolia low alexanders Vernonia Tradescantia zigzag NY ironweed high 3 3 high 5 5 noveboracensis subaspera spiderwort

Eupatoriadelphus spotted joe pye Agastache purple giant high 3 3 very high 5 5 maculatus weed scrophulariifolia hyssop

Doellingeria flat top white medium- white 3 3 Chelone glabra high 5 5 umbellata aster low turtlehead Eupatorium Hypericum boneset high 3 3 St Johnswort low 5 5 perfoliatum perforatum Eurybia medium- tall (rough) bigleaf aster 3 3 Liatris aspera high 5 5 macrophylla low blazing star 1-very easy to establish in the field 1-very persistent, over 40+ plants in plots (all years) 3-few established first year seeding, but in following spring, established well 3-moderately persistent, numbers in plot 20-40 (after 3 growing seasons) 5-poor establishment, or did not produce any seedlings 5-numbers have dropped significantly from establishment year

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Ease of Establishment and Persistence Ratings for Wildflower Species Study Conducted at the USDA NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center

ease of ease of Wetland Persistence Common Wetland Persistence (in scientific name Common name establishment scientific name establishment Indicator (in field) name Indicator field) (in field) (in field) Virginia Euthamia grass-leaved Pycnanthemum low 3 3 mountain high 3 3 graminifolia goldenrod virginianum mint Alleghany Helenium common Mimulus medium- high 3 3 monkey 5 5 autumnale sneezeweed ringens low flower marsh blazing Tradescantia Ohio Liatris spicata high 3 3 high 5 5 star ohiensis spiderwort Penstemon hairy Veronicastrum high 3 3 culver's root high 5 5 hirsutus beardtongue virginicum 1-very easy to establish in the field 1-very persistent, over 40+ plants in plots (all years) 3-few established first year seeding, but in following spring, established well 3-moderately persistent, numbers in plot 20-40 (after 3 growing seasons) 5-poor establishment, or did not produce any seedlings 5-numbers have dropped significantly from establishment year

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