Spring Planting Ideas!

Monarda didyma

I saw my first spring ephemeral wildflowers out in full bloom over the weekend, which means that spring has officially sprung!! I thought I would share two diverse and underutilized plants in the landscape that you should put on your list of plants to purchase at one of the upcoming plant sales in your area:

Monarda didyma or beebalm is a great native plant that will attract hummingbirds and other native pollinators. It has a tendency to have mildew in spots that are continuously shady, but overall this is a beautiful easily adaptable plant that spreads readily in moist conditions. 

Asimina triloba or Paw-paw is a fruit tree that will produce delicious fruits after it has been established for seven years.  This plant is a host plant for butterfly larva, most notably the zebra swallowtail larva and produces edible fruit.  It is one of the two native plants that have a brown bloom in the spring.  This plant will form colonies but should be planted with three or four other paw-paws for cross-pollination.  The fruit tastes like banana cream pie--if you are skeptical, La Michoacana in Kennett serves up Paw-Paw Ice Cream once it is ripe (usually in mid-August but WHO KNOWS this year!) 

There are many native plants to choose from that could be perfect for your backyard . If you are planning on hitting one of the upcoming plant sales, let TLC's Landscape Visionaries team stop on out for a site visit to help you come up with a personalized list of native plants for your backyard!