10 Easy Wildflowers for Butterflies and Bees Tips and Terms Selection Glossary of helpful terms It may take a while to understand your landscape’s soil and drainage conditions. If Anther: pollen-bearing part of the stamen your wildflowers don’t succeed, try again, maybe with different species. Remember, Axil: upper angle between the stem and success depends on using the right plant in the right place. leaf or other plant part Water Basal: forming or attached at the base Water plants thoroughly when planting, then water as needed until they are established Bract: modified leaf at the base of a flower and putting out new foliage. Once plants are established, irrigation should be needed Calyx: collective term for the sepals of a only during extended dry periods. Learn to recognize when plants look wilted and flower; typically a whorl that encloses water them then. Over-irrigation can cause fungus and rot, which can kill your the petals and protects the flower bud wildflowers. It can also cause them to grow too quickly, becoming more susceptible to pests and diseases, or too tall, requiring staking. Corolla: collective term for the petals of a flower Fertilizer Corona: petal-like structures arising from Native wildflowers should not need fertilizer. Applying fertilizer can produce plants that the corolla of some flowers to form a grow too quickly, which can lead them to become pest and disease prone, and too tall, crownlike ring requiring staking. Fertilizing also encourages weeds, which can easily out-compete Cultivar: horticultural variety of a wildflowers. naturally occurring species produced in cultivation by selective breeding Sustaining wildflowers If you want wildflowers to persist on their own in your landscape, you’ll need to allow for Deciduous: seasonal shedding of leaves; self-seeding, especially for annual or short-lived species. Keep open, lightly mulched not evergreen or persistent areas available for seed to germinate. You also can collect seed and plant it where Disk floret: in composite flowers of the you want it. When seeds germinate, you’ll need to recognize wildflower sprouts so that Aster family, the tubular-shaped florets you don’t pull them out when weeding. To download a PDF document showing some that form the “eye” or center of the common wildflower seedlings, visit www.FlaWildflowers.org/planting. bloom; compare to ray floret Many wildflowers are deciduous, dying back in the winter, particularly in colder areas Ecotype: distinct form of a plant species of the state. Don’t plant over them before they re-sprout in the spring, and don’t weed that occupies a particular habitat them out when they sprout. Mark areas with deciduous plants so you can be on the Endemic: restricted to a specific lookout for their seasonal comeback. geographic area Entire: smooth; not toothed or lobed Mulch We recommend Florida pine straw. To help prevent weed germination in the first month Hybridize: ability of individuals of different or two after planting, you can apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch, but keep it away species to crossbreed from the base of the plants. Once plants are established and before they fully flower, Inflorescence: flowering part of a plant carefully reduce the mulch to a thin layer. Too much mulch can contribute to fungal and Margin: edge, as in the edge of a leaf rot problems. To promote self-seeding, spread mulch thinly enough so that you can see Nutlet: small nut; one of the one-seeded the soil below. segments of the ovary of some flowers Hardiness zones Perennial: having a lifespan of several Information on zones is included for each species. To see which zone your home or years project is in, visit www.PlantRealFlorida.org/plant-communities. Pinnate: compound leaf with leaflets arranged on opposite sides of the stem Prostrate: growing flat along the ground Pubescent: covered with short, soft hairs Raceme: unbranched, elongated inflorescence Ray floret: in composite flowers of the Asteraceae family, the strap-shaped, petal-like florets that form the ray of the bloom; compare to disk floret This publication was produced by the Florida Wildflower Foundation (FWF) with support from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Funding also was provided by the State Wildflower license plate. FWF is grateful to the Florida Sepal: leaflike structures at the base of a Association of Native Nurseries for their participation. flower; collectively called the calyx © 2016 Florida Wildflower Foundation Stamen: male part of a flower consisting Cover photo credits: of the anthers and filament Ruellia caroliniensis by Wayne Matchett Scutellaria integrifolia by Peg Urban Terminal: borne at the tip of a stem Variegated Fritillary on Asclepias tuberosa by Peg Urban Cloudless sulphur caterpillar on Senna by Melanie Long Conradina grandiflora by Wayne Matchett Bee on Symphyotrichum carolinianum by Andrea England Variety: taxonomic rank below species Chrysopsis mariana by Julie Tew Dyschoriste oblongifolia by Ron and Diane Bynum and above form that identifies Glandularia maritima by Andrea England Hypericum tetrapetalum by Wayne Matchett differences within a species W2 planting and care of Milkweed Members of the Asclepias genus It produces showy clusters of produce showy flowers in a variety bright, reddish-orange flowers of colors. They are excellent for and has coarse, oval to lance- attracting butterflies as well as shaped leaves. Its peak bloom other pollinating insects. They are time is late spring through late fall. essential for Monarch butterflies, as Butterflyweed lacks the milky sap they are the only genera of plants on characteristic of most milkweeds. which Monarchs will lay their eggs. The Florida subspecies tends to There are 21 species of Asclepias be less bushy than its northern native to Florida, most of which are counterpart. perennials. Six native milkweeds The flowers of Pink Milkweed are often available commercially, range in color from light pink to with the most common being rose. Its leaves are lance- to linear- Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa; Photo by Peg Urban shaped and up to 6 inches long. At in Florida A. tuberosa subsp. Rolfii) Phaon Crescent butterfly on Butterflyweed. maturity, a single plant can range Pink Milkweed (A. incarnata) and from 2 to 4 feet tall. It typically White Milkweed (A. perennis). Description blooms in summer. Butterflyweed is the most widely Born in large, showy clusters, White Milkweed produces white to recognized of the native milkweeds. Asclepias flowers are some of the pale pink flowers. It is a shorter, It occurs naturally in sandy most intricate flowers in the plant more delicate species of milkweed, uplands and is best suited for dry kingdom, consisting of petals that reaching a maximum height of 2 landscapes. Pink Milkweed is one reflex backward and an upright feet. Its leaves are lance-shaped of the most striking species and crown (corona) of crested hoods and bright green. It produces makes an excellent addition to that are often mistaken for petals. smaller flowerheads than the others but they are still very attractive. moist, sunny landscapes. White Butterflyweed is the most widely Milkweed is also great for moist to recognized of the native milkweeds. wet spots. Butterflies and Bees Milkweed is the larval host plant for Monarch, Queen and Soldier butterflies and is an important nectar source for these and other butterflies, including Pipevine, Spicebush and Eastern Swallowtails. Native sweat bees, leafcutter bees and yellow-faced bees are often seen foraging the flowers for pollen and nectar. Milkweed has been shown to set more seed when leafcutter bees are around to pollinate. Pictured: Queen butterfly on White Milkweed (left) and Monarch caterpillar on Pink Milkweed (right). Photo by Peg Urban Photo by Mary Keim The State Wildflower license plate supports Florida native wildflower planting, education and research. Get the plate and help fill our state with wildflowers! W3 until they are about 3” tall before transplanting to the garden or landscape. Milkweed is named for the Plants milky latex sap that exudes from Milkweeds are typically available in stems and leaves 4-inch, 6-inch and gallon pots. when cut or broken. The sap Hardiness is toxic to many animals and insects. Butterflyweed and Pink Milkweed are suited for zones 8a-10b; White Milkweed, zones 8a-9b. Photo by Mary Keim Pink Milkweed Care Note Do not confuse these plants Planting Most milkweeds require light annual pruning to remove dead stems. with their non-native relative, Milkweed works best in mixed Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias butterfly and wildflower gardens. In Site conditions curassavica), which is the landscape, space plants 2 to 3 typically sold at big box retail feet apart. For the best effect, place Butterflyweed is best suited for dry garden centers. The use of in clusters of three or more plants. to slightly moist well-drained soils in A. curassavica (a perennial full sun. Pink and White Milkweeds that does not die back in Seeds require moist to wet soils, and do winter in Florida, as do native especially well along pond edges The small, flat seeds are born in milkweeds) can encourage or other such sites. They can overwintering in adult Monarch pods that split to facilitate release. tolerate short periods of drought Attached to each seed are silky butterflies and is linked to the once established, but during hot transmission of Ophryocystis white filaments that aid in wind summer months, the soil should be elektroscirrha (OE) infection. Be dispersal. Seeds may be collected kept moist to wet. Pink Milkweed sure to inquire about species from plants once pods split. does best in full sun but may adjust to ensure you are purchasing Native ecotype Milkweed seeds to a partially shaded site. White a native, or visit a nursery are generally not commercially Milkweed can tolerate more shade.