#asters — Public Fediverse posts

How Do You Design A #WildlifeCorridor For #Maine Garden Design?

Excerpt:

"Plant Palette: #NativeSpecies and Layering for Maine

Choose plants that are native to your Maine ecoregion and that provide multiple functions: forage, cover, nesting structure, and seasonal continuity.

- Canopy and large trees (plant for future shade and mast): white pine (Pinus strobus), red #maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), red oak (Quercus rubra), balsam fir.
- Small trees and large shrubs (structure and fruit): serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), crabapple (Malus spp. native selections), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).
- Shrubs for berries and cover: highbush #blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), #winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), highbush #cranberry (Viburnum trilobum), black #chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), #elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), #bayberry (Morella pensylvanica).
- Herbaceous layer and pollinator plants: common #milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), joe-pye weed (Eutrochium spp.), #asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), #goldenrod (Solidago spp.), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).
- Groundcover and forest floor: bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), sedges (Carex spp.), native ferns where appropriate.
- Wetland edge species for riparian corridors: blueflag iris (Iris versicolor), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), #sedges, and #NativeRushes.

Plant choice should reflect site moisture, sunlight, and soil pH. Avoid ornamental cultivars with little #wildlife value and never plant species known to be invasive in Maine such as Japanese #barberry or #bittersweet."

Learn more:
https://cultivatingflora.com/how-do-you-design-a-wildlife-corridor-for-maine-garden-design/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridor #NativeSpecies #GardeningForPolinators #Rewilding

🥾 Spring wildflower hikes are very popular and rightly so, but Fall wildflower hikes are nice as well.

🌻 They are also instructive for what native pollinators and beneficial insects should have available in my own garden at this time of year.

💮 The path of my recent hike in South Mountains State Park was full of asters, which come in many shapes colors.

Snakeroot (from the aster family!)
Calico Aster, pale purple rays and
Calico Aster, white rays (in forest shade)

Asters are very important for insects and wildlife in the Eastern U.S.

🧵 #SouthMountainsSP #Bloomscrolling #Aster #Asters #NativePlants #BiodiversityGardening #HabitatGardening #Nature