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Frass Happens

5/6/2022

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​At this time of year, homeowners may notice large, seemingly aggressive bees dive-bombing their decks or porches. These are likely carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa), the largest native bees in the US.
These gentle giants get their common name from their habit of using their strong mandibles to excavate precisely rounded tunnels inside wood. They prefer soft, weathered wood for this purpose, such as standing dead trees. If this is not readily available, some species (like our eastern Xylocopa virginica) may decide to take up residence in fence posts or structural timbers such as fascia,decks or porch railings, and become a minor nuisance. Small piles of sawdust or smears of frass (excrement) are a tell-tale sign that carpenter bees are at work! To deter them, simply apply a fresh coat of paint or stain to any exposed or weathered wood surfaces.
Inside the tunnel, the female deposits loaves of ‘bee bread’—balls of pollen and nectar-- upon which she lays her giant eggs (up to 15 mm long!). She forms partitions between each egg cell by mixing her saliva with sawdust, creating a substance very similar to particle board. Thus, each larva is supplied with ‘a room of its own’, along with all the food it will need to grow.
In spring, you’ll often see several of these large bees zooming about, buzzing loudly. They may seem threatening, but these are just territorial males who are out to impress the ladies. And rather than representing a threat to us, they’re all talk—male carpenter bees don’t even have stingers!
In our gardens, carpenter bees are generalists and may be found foraging and pollinating a wide variety of plants.
Photo: Amy Helser
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Native Ninebark

5/6/2022

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Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
The name of this attractive native shrub derives from its exfoliating bark, which produces a fascinating variety of shades from red to brown, making it especially valuable in the landscape for winter interest.(A fine example can be seen in the SBG’s Shrub Showcase garden.)
Ninebark grows to 5-8 ft tall and 6-10 ft wide, but can be pruned for a more bushy habit. Like most natives, it’s not fussy, tolerating a wide variety of conditions, but does prefer full sun to part shade, and is a great choice for wet areas. Deer resistant, it requires little care once established.
As a member of the Rosaceae family, its flowers are similar to those of spirea (another family member) and are very attractive to pollinators. Its glossy red fruit is popular with birds, and its brilliant fall color makes it an outstanding native alternative to barberry. Finally, it’s the host plant for several species of moth caterpillars.
If you weren’t lucky enough to snag one of our free ninebark shrubs at the SBG this weekend, check your local nursery or plant sale. Ninebark is definitely worth your while!

Photo: Pixabay

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Spicebush

5/6/2022

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We crave the bright colors of spring after a long, grey winter, and native plants are always happy to oblige. One of our hands-down favorite shrubs at the SBG is the native northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Unlike the showy but non-native forsythia, spicebush offers beauty and wildlife value beyond its yellow flowers. In early-spring the tiny, fragrant, long-blooming flowers line the branches. It's a dioecious plant–meaning that each plant has either all-male (staminate) or all-female (pistillate) flowers. On female plants, flowers give way to bright red berries later in summer, a high quality food for migrating birds. But how can you tell which is which?
When spicebush is in bloom, a close look at one of these blossoms will reveal all! Male flowers are larger, and each stamen has two anthers that emerge from the end of the filament. Female flowers are noticeably smaller, with white spots (stigma) at the end of the pistil.
(more photos: https://awesomenativeplants.info/…/pho…/lindera_benzoin.html)
Easily grown in full sun to partial shade, in average well-drained soils, this medium sized shrub grows 6-12’ in an attractive regular shape. Its leaves have a delightfully spicy scent when crushed. A shrub for all seasons, spicebush turns an attractive warm yellow color in late autumn. And if that weren’t enough, it’s also the host plant for the adorable spicebush swallowtail caterpillar, which never fails to delight SBG visitors of all ages. These caterpillars, which can be found feeding on the foliage, resemble cartoonish snakes with their big false eyes that are used to deter predators. The caterpillar can also protect itself by rolling up in one of the sturdy leaves.
You’ll find one of our larger specimens along the paved path of the SBG, welcoming park visitors with its cheery yellow flowers and spicy scent. Consider adding a spicebush to your home landscape!
Photo: Emmett Keegan
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Spring invasives

5/6/2022

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The first flush of bright green that we see along roadsides and woodland edges is a welcome foretaste of lush growth ahead. But things are not always what they seem…
Which plants are leafing out now? The earliest to the party are often non-native,invasive plants, who are able to crowd out native woodland plants by their early and vigorous growth habits. (Amur honeysuckle, Chinese privet and Japanese barberry are a few of the most common offenders in our area.) Such plants were first cultivated in this country for their pest- and disease- resistant qualities. This may sound like good news for home gardeners, but those same qualities are bad news for the ecosystem.These plants aren’t recognized as food sources by pollinator larvae, and their seeds and fruits are often of dubious nutritional value for our birds and other wildlife (which spread them far and wide).
Native shrubs and plants will soon begin to blossom–a spring showcase of healthy native flora.Why not give them a little help and consider removing invasives from your landscape?
For more information and a list of invasive plants in Pennsylvania, visit:
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/…/InvasivePlantF…/Pages/default.aspx
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Too mulch...too soon

5/6/2022

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Truckloads of mulch–another harbinger of spring? Landscapers and homeowners often hurry to cover every inch of their planting beds with a thick layer of wood mulch. But this yearly ritual could actually be harmful for plants and their pollinators.
Adding several inches of mulch is a good way to conserve moisture and control weeds in planting beds. But if layers are continually added year after year, it can build up to the point at which water can’t readily penetrate–actually hindering the plant from receiving the moisture it needs. Mulch can also harbor pests and diseases, especially when piled too close to a plant’s trunk (the ubiquitous ‘mulch volcano’).
Additionally, the practice has a harmful effect on pollinators. 70% of our native bees are solitary, ground nesting bees, making their homes in shallow tunnels beneath the soil. These bees cannot dig through mulch; even an inch or two is as impermeable as pavement to them. Instead, they must search for bare earth in which to construct their nests. The pupae overwinter in these tunnels, emerging in spring to begin their essential work of pollination. If a layer of mulch is dumped atop their homes before they can emerge, they’re in trouble!
If you already have several inches of mulch on your beds, consider raking it instead of adding more. This will freshen its appearance (and save you some money as well!.) Even better, choose to put down a layer of compost. It looks equally tidy, and will nourish your plants–and their pollinators, too!
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