Granby’s David Desiderato offers a beneficial and illuminating resource in his periodic Not Wanted column. Consider this a counterpart, highlighting a native wildflower each month. The starting point will be plants within the Granby Wildflower Meadow’s newly installed pocket teaching meadow. Over time, shrubs, trees and shade plants will also be featured.
There is a high value in adding native plants to your property. Native plants give something back and support wildlife and the ecosystem. They sustain insects, caterpillars and pollinators that form the base of the animal food chain. For example, an oak tree (Quercus spp.) can support over 500 caterpillar species, whereas non-native trees support very few. Native plants also provide nesting, shelter and migration stops for birds, butterflies, moths and small mammals. The presence of native plants maintains biodiversity and helps prevent non-native and invasive plants from taking over.
We’ll progress in alphabetical order according to the scientific name.
Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum)
Wildlife Value: Cellophane bees (Colletes spp.) are one of nodding onion’s principal pollinators and visit the flowers for both pollen and nectar. Additional floral visitors include leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.), small resin bees (Heriades spp.), sweat bees (Lasioglossum spp.), bumble bees (Bombus spp.), soldier beetles (Chauliognathus spp.), tumbling flower beetles (Mordella spp.), and syrphid flies (Allograpta spp.) The plant also attracts hairstreak butterflies.
Selection: According to the BONAP (The Biota of North America Program) map, nodding onion is a near native, present in states such as New York and Pennsylvania. It was selected for the pocket teaching meadow because of its long bloom time in mid-summer. It’s easy to grow and very adaptable.
Height: 12–18 inches
Spread: 8–14 inches
Bloom color: pink
Bloom time: mid-summer
Flower: pink to white nodding umbels of bell-like flowers, with grass-like foliage
Light requirements: sun, part shade
Moisture: dry, average