Autumn Nectar Plants

Environmentally conscientious gardeners should strive to grow a range of late-flowering nectar plants to provide insects with energy to migrate, or build them up for winter hibernation. Rita Venable, author of Butterflies of Tennessee, joins Marty DeHart to discuss top-performers such as goldenrod and New England aster.

Plants Featured in this Clip

SOLIDAGO rigida (stiff goldenrod)
SOLIDAGO rugosa
PYCNANTHEMUM virginianum (Mountain mint)
SOLIDAGO sempervirens (Seaside goldenrod)
SYMPHYOTRICHUM novae-angliae (New England aster)
SOLIDAGO canadensis (Canada goldenrod)
ASCLEPIAS spp. (Milkweeds)

Gardener Extras

Seaside goldnrod is an herbaceous perennial wildflower often found on beaches, dunes, salt marshes, and pine lands. It is highly salt tolerant and deer-resistant. This variety of goldenrod doesn't spread by rhizomes or become invasive.
For better yields in the vegetable garden, tuck a planter of mountain mint in the area. It will attract a large variety of pollinating insects.
Milkweeds are the required host plants for caterpillars of the monarch butterfly, and thus play a critical role in its life cycle.

Gardener Notes

Rita Venable is author of Butterflies of Tennessee ritavenable.com

Marty DeHart

Marty's lifelong passion for plants has led her to a long and varied career in horticulture: she's been a professional grower of gloxinias and African violets as well as perennials, a native plant propagator, a landscaper and landscape designer. She deeply enjoys learning constantly and sharing what she learns about plants, particularly information and techniques that can produce thriving plants and green-thumbed gardeners.