Pollinator Trial Results 2013

This project will boost local greenhouse and • Ohio spiderwort ( Tradescantia ohioensis ): 8 weeks peak landscaping businesses by promoting bloom (note: closes flowers after noon) production and commercialization of feasible-to-cultivate, pollinator-rewarding Best plants for pollinator visitor diversity plants. • Clustered mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum ) • Coastal plain joe pye weed ( Eupatoriadelphus dubius ) Introduction • Stiff goldenrod ( Solidago rigida ) Flowering herbaceous perennial plant species growing on or near farms fulfill dietary needs of pollinators and other • Swamp milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata ) beneficial insects that should be part of ecologically-based • Gray goldenrod ( Solidago nemoralis ) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for crop • Rattlesnake master ( Eryngium yuccifolium ) production. Despite their economic and environmental importance, there is little information regarding the level of • Flat topped aster ( Doellingeria umbellata ) insect attractiveness of various perennial plant species or • Spotted joe pye weed ( Eupatoriadelphus maculatus cultivars. Through this project, 88 pollinator-rewarding ‘Bartered Bride’) herbaceous perennial plants were assessed and promoted to growers, landscapers, nursery operators, and homeowners. Best plants for sheer number of insect Aside from monitoring and identifying what insect pollinators visitors visit them, the study evaluated flowering plant species for establishment potential, weed-suppression abilities, • Clustered mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum ): 78 maintenance requirements, bloom abundance and longevity, insects* and aesthetic appeal. The results of this project have and will • Gray goldenrod ( Solidago nemoralis ): 36 insects continue to be disseminated through outreach programs and • Coastal plain joe pye weed ( Eupatoriadelphus dubius ): educational materials throughout Pennsylvania and the 30 insects Mid-Atlantic region. By encouraging use of the best pollinator-rewarding plant species on farms, commercial, and • Thoroughwort ( Eupatorium hyssopifolium ): 28 insects residential land, the recommendations from this research will • Swamp milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata ): 24 insects provide an elegant and sustainable solution to the ongoing • Stiff goldenrod ( Solidago rigida ): 23 insects pollinator crisis that our agricultural system faces. *Mean number of insects observed per plot in 2 minutes Here is a list of some great plants to incorporate into pollinator habitat: Best plants for sheer # of bee and syrphid visitors Best plants for flowering longevity • Clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum): 19 • Clustered mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum ): 10 bees/syrphids* weeks peak bloom • Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis): 14 bees/syrphids • Summer sun smooth oxeye ( Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Summer Sun’): 10 weeks peak bloom • Pink tickseed (Coreopsis rosea): 14 bees/syrphids • Dwarf blazing star ( Liatris microcephala ): 9 weeks peak • Lance-leaved coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata): 13 bloom bees/syrphids Spotted joe pye weed (Eupatoriadelphus maculatus • Smooth oxeye ( Heliopsis helianthoides ): 8 weeks peak • bloom ‘Bartered Bride’): 12 bees/syrphids • Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium): 12 bees/syrphids *Mean number of bees/syrphids observed per plot in 2 minutes

Best plants for attracting butterflies • Coastal plain joe pye weed ( Eupatoriadelphus dubius ): 17 butterflies/skippers* • Blue mistflower ( Conoclinium coelestinum ): 5 butterflies/skippers • Showy aster ( Eurybia spectabilis ): 4 butterflies/skippers • Sweet joe pye weed ( Eutrochium purpureum subsp. maculatum ‘Gateway’): 3 butterflies/skippers • Dwarf blazing star ( Liatris microcephala ): 3 butterflies/skippers *Mean number of butterflies/skippers observed per plot in 2 minutes

Best plants for attracting bumble bees • Lemon queen sunflower ( Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’): 8 bumble bees* • New England aster ( Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ): 8 bumble bees • Purplestem aster ( Symphyotrichum puniceum ): 7 bumble bees • Stiff goldenrod ( Solidago rigida ): 6 bumble bees • Coastal plain joe pye weed ( Eupatoriadelphus dubius ): 6 bumble bees • Wild bergamot ( Monarda fistulosa ): 6 bumble bees *Mean number of bees observed per plot in 2 minutes Thank you to Katie Ellis, Connie Schmotzer and Penn State Master Gardeners who worked and volunteered to help collect this research data.

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