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Tried and True Native Plant Selections
for the Mid-Atlantic
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Solidago rugosa (Rough-stemmed Goldenrod)
Golden sprays of flowers brighten the garden from late summer to frost, supporting 115 species of moths, butterflies, native bees, and other insect pollinators. They also brighten natural habitats across the Mid-Atlantic Region. The cultivar ‘Fireworks’ is more compact, easier to contain, and flowers more vigorously than the species.
Video © Mary Free
In the Sunny Garden and at Simpson Gardens you will find the two best herbaceous plants for attracting butterflies and moths–goldenrod and aster–planted side by side. Two native species of goldenrod in this video feature a variety of pollinating insects. Predators that feed on flower nectar include solitary digger wasps, one that preys on bees and the other primarily on adult beetles as well as the invasive but arguably beneficial European paper wasp, which preys on caterpillars and other garden pests. Also present is the brilliantly colored, native locust borer. Although a serious pest of the black locust tree, it provides important cross-pollination services as it satisfies its appetite for pollen. Learn more about Pollinators.
Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants:
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets