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What’s the buzz?

I have long been fascinated by the interactions between plants, their environments, and their pollinators. In local native plant communities, two interesting ones are the dissemination of trillium (and other) seeds by ants and the behaviour of bloodroots in response to the weather.

Trillium seeds have a fleshy structure called an elaiosome which is rich in fatty acids and proteins. Ants feed this elaiosome to their larvae. The trillium seeds are then disposed of by the ants and later grow into new trilliums. No ants equal no trilliums. Bloodroots, on the other hand, are rather fussy about the weather. If the day is not sunny and warm enough to allow pollinators to fly, they will not open their petals and after three days will instead self-pollinate. A more recent discovery based on research done at the University of Turin suggests that plants produce more nectar when they hear their principal pollinators buzzing close by.

The lead researcher, Professor Francesca Barbero, states that “There is growing evidence that both insects and plants can sense and produce, or transmit, vibro-acoustic signals. The findings add to the ‘truly astonishing’ multitude of ways that plants can perceive their surroundings, including the presence of beneficial and harmful insects, temperature, drought, and wind.”

Why are there dandelions?

Some of us love them, some of us hate them, but they are everywhere, especially at this time of year. Yet throughout history they were revered as medicine, food, and soil conditioner. They were probably brought to North America on purpose by the first Europeans as a familiar medicine.

Their deep and widespread roots loosen compacted soil, aerate the earth, and reduce erosion. Their deep taproots pull nutrients to the surface. According to Anita Sanchez’s book “The Teeth of the Lion,” data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that dandelions have more vitamin A than spinach, more vitamin C than tomatoes, and are a powerhouse of iron, calcium, and potassium. Dandelion tea, anyone?

What’s blooming?

Although dandelions provide food for some pollinators, as host plants they are nowhere near as beneficial for biodiversity as native plants. Host plants are specific plant species that organisms such as butterflies or insects use for food, shelter, or reproduction. A notable example is milkweed, the only plant that monarch butterfly larvae can use as food.

The native spring ephemerals, wildflowers that appear only in spring and usually on the forest floor, are now finished blooming. These include plants such as trilliums, trout lilies, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, hepaticas, and more. In my yard, the anemones are now blooming, the native columbines are feeding the returning hummingbirds, and the Jack-in-the-pulpits are threatening takeover, as are the multiple ferns!

Foxglove beardtongues and spiderworts are also blooming now, while Canada lilies, echinacea, rudbeckias, and, of course, milkweeds are preparing to burst forth. The milkweeds come up just in time to offer nectar to returning monarchs and feed their very hungry caterpillars.

When planning or adding to your garden, please consider using plants native to our region for their beauty and their tremendous benefits to biodiversity. Also, remember this is the time for animal babies as well. Before you mow or do other yard work, check for young rabbits, groundhogs, and birds on the ground.

Mother Nature will thank you!

Two nurseries that carry a good variety of native and pollinator plants are West Island Nursery/Pépinière de l'ouest Inc., 4780 boul. Saint-Charles in Pierrefonds and Jardins Buzz, 7000 boul. LaSalle in Verdun.