August 2017- What are Nativars?

Natural Shore Technologies | www.naturalshore.com | 612-703-7581

August Article

Nativars = Native Plant Cultivars

Finally, the weekend has


	Yellow cultivar of Butterfly Milkweed

arrived! It's Saturday

morning and you rush to your local garden center to buy plants for your front yard natural area. You heard butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, is good for bees and butterflies but the local nursery only has Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow.' That's what I am looking for, right? Well, the often catchy name behind the genus and species (Latin names) is the "cultivar" trade name. Also, plants simply labeled with its genus, like Echinacea, without a species name like purpurea, is an indication that it is probably a cultivar.


Nativar of Black Eyed Susan

Cultivars are genetically different from true natives, being bred for certain desirable attributes, such as flower color, stature, or bloom period. These super plants are commonly propagated by divisions, cutting, or grafting, and are not typically grown from seeds. "Nativar" is a catchy term used to identify a native plant cultivar.

It's just human nature to dream about improving the plants around us. It is thought that the practice of creating cultivars first started between 9,000 and 11,000 years ago! To make our Minnesota natural shores a bit tidier; wouldn't it be great to have a 3 foot tall New England aster? Maybe sometimes you wish that your native iris had a white flower? Or perhaps, it would be fun to have a carpet of 2 foot tall prairie cord grass?

We often get asked questions about natives versus nativars. Our clients want to know if they have a place in our restorations. Are there ecological consequences if we choose to use nativars? This is a pretty complicated question, and research is now underway to better understand their environmental implications. Below is some basic information to help you make informed choices.

First off, the production of nativars is not natural; it is controlled by horticulturists and plant breeders. They often use a technique called vegetative propagation so that certain characteristics are guaranteed to be present in the new plant variety. On the flip side, native plants in the wild experience "open pollination" meaning that genetic material can be mixed by pollinators visiting a multitude of plants.

Open Pollination of Butterfly Milkweed

So with nativars, it is in their development that they lose some of their genetic variation. As a result, plants with less genetic diversity are being placed into the landscape. Sometimes, this has positive effects in that a plant cultivar might be more resistant to some diseases. But in other ways this can have negative consequences. More genetic diversity usually means plant populations are more resilient to disturbances like pests, diseases, or even climate change. When nativars are put into an ecosystem instead of natives, generally, that ecosystem has less ability to adapt to future stressors.

Research has suggested that bees and other pollinators might not be attracted to the nativars in the same way as native plants. This is because native pollinators have


	This native bee can easily access this Pale Purple Coneflower for pollen and nectar

evolved alongside native plants, with the plants developing specific traits to attract the insects that pollinate them. Traits like flower color, bloom size, bloom shape, plant height, fragrance, and petal patterns. Changing characteristics in native plants can confuse wildlife. For example, some nativars have been bred to have more flower petals, called double-petaled, which make it impossible for the pollinators to access the pollen and nectar. Some cultivars are sterile and do not produce seed, whereas, natives create seed which provides food for a multitude of animal species.

OK, so say you kick the nativars to the curb and choose to go with a nice diversity of natives. In a couple of years, you have a situation where a few species are just too aggressive or get too tall. Go ahead and try to tame the plant a bit. Go ahead and trim it in June. This works great for a multitude of species like Joe Pye weed and New England Aster. The plants will still flower and just be a bit shorter when they do bloom. Do you like how some cultivars stay in perfect clumps? It takes more energy and maintenance but you can always cut back or thin the sprouting rhizomes of your native plants and add mulch to keep a more formal look.

Joe Pye weed flowering after being cut shorter in June

Need help choosing a native plant for your garden or restoration? Visit our retail nursery for help!

Native Plant of the Month

Meadow Blazing Star

Liatris ligulistylis

Moisture: Moist

Exposure: Full Sun or Partial Shade

Blooms: August-September

Color: Purple

Height: 1-3 Feet

Meadow Blazing Star is part of the Liatris group and is a robust grower with a smooth stem. It stays in clumps of purple button-like flowers with no ray florets. The flower stalks look like Liatris aspera, but flower clusters are on longer stalks and disk flowers look fluffier. Of all the Liatris species, this species appears to be the best in attracting butterflies. Found in moist prairies, wet meadows, ditches, and streambanks, it prefers damp, low places, but will tolerate dry soils. Their seeds are also eaten by songbirds. Other common names are northern blazing stars, northern plains blazing stars, and Rocky Mountain blazing stars.

Invasive Plant of the Month

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

Moisture: Dry

Exposure: Full Sun

Blooms: June-August

Color: Yellow

Height: 0.5-2 Feet

Birdsfoot Trefoil was introduced from Europe as a forage crop but has escaped cultivation to infest native areas. It is a short plant that branches out from its base and sprawls along the ground. Its leaves are found in groups of 3 or 5 leaflets that are compound, toothless, and hairless. 3-8 of the small, yellow flowers combine to form a clump at the end of the branches. Their black seeds are held in long purple pods. Their root systems are deep which make it hard for the plant to be hand-pulled. This is a tough plant to control and could take multiple years of management to decrease an established infestation. Management efforts include hand weeding, weed whipping flower heads, and timed herbicide treatments.

Native plant alternatives include Black Eyed Susan and Purple Prairie Clover

Pollinator of the Month

White Admiral

Limenitis arthemis arthemis

Range: Southern Canada into Northern United States

Identification : Black body and wings with thick white bands and blue and red spots along the wing margins. This species also has another coloration that is mostly blue called the Red Spotted Purple.

Pollination: Adults visit several species of native plants for nectar including Joe Pye weed, Bergamot, Milkweed species, Echinacea species, and others.