Gardening 101

Perennials, Natives & Pollinator Plants

by Samantha Zale

Summer is a great time to be talking about Perennials, Natives and Pollinator Plants. June is typically seen as Perennial Plant Month because this is the time of year when garden centers feature larger, more mature options that are ready to add pizzazz to your garden. To start off we want to talk a little bit about what are perennials, what are natives and why is it possible that these may be found in different areas of the garden center.

Perennials are plants that are able to come back year after year, whereas annuals are plants that have to be planted year after year. In this context Missouri natives are often perennial in their life cycle. There are exceptions to these rules of course, but for our area this is generally what you will see. Often, what you will see in the perennial area of garden centers are cultivars- plants that have been bred for specific traits (such as flower color, overall size, and leaf texture- to name a few). A native plant on the other hand, occurs naturally in a particular area and is able to adapt to its environment. Oftentimes, you will see cultivars and natives in different areas of the garden center. Many times, the perennial cultivar area will have lots of different sections, such as ornamental grasses, groundcovers, deer resistant options. Just because they are in different areas doesn’t mean that they any less hardy for the St. Louis area.

Not only is it important to talk about perennial cultivars and natives, it is also important to talk about pollinator plants. What are pollinator plants and why are they important? These plants help to support pollinator populations by incorporating Missouri natives back into our landscape. With that said, there are many options that can be found in both the native and cultivar areas of a garden center. These plants are the champions of wildlife gardening, as they attract beneficial wildlife while adding beauty and function to our outdoor spaces. Having plants that are geared toward bringing in more pollinators by providing shelter, a food source, and a preferred habitat is important for the health of our pollinators. Many garden centers will have separate areas for their pollinator plants to highlight the importance of these plants. Some of my personal favorite pollinator plants are bee balm, salvia and nepeta, with their gorgeous flowers, textured foliage and pollinator attracting powers!

So, what exactly are the creatures that are considered pollinators? There are so many creatures in the world that are pollinators. Commonly, around here we see many types of bees, butterflies, birds, beneficial insects, even flies pollinating our plants. They help to pollinate our crops so we have a chance to actually eat the fruits of our labor! What we need to be aware of as gardeners is our impact on these creatures. In recent years there has been an unfortunate decline in the health of these creatures. A few easy things we can do in our own back yards is moving toward using more organic products and avoiding excessive use of pesticides; being mindful when the pollinators are out doing their work; and by adding more pollinator plants into our landscape and incorporating pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Many garden centers in our area carry a variety of organic products to help support pollinator populations.

Since this is the perfect time of year to be working on our perennial pollinator garden spaces, please make sure you visit your garden center for the best advice on organic products and plant material that best suits your needs. Also, your garden center may have some good recommendations if you need more information on these topics. There are so many organizations and resources out there that are geared towards perennial cultivars, natives and pollinators. Grow Native! and the Missouri Botanical Garden are two good resources to start with. With all that said, remember to use proper planting and watering techniques when you get out there and start planting those pollinator plants!