Rewilding Sticker Hill: The Fall Bloomers Are Here! Article and Photos By Karen Glenn, Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist Article III of Our Rewilding Series
Marsh fleabane, Pluchea odorata, on the left has blooms that range from almost white to striking deep purple. The late boneset, Eupatorium serotinum, on the right, has bright white flowers. These two clumps are growing in the partial shade of a large boxelder tree, Acer negundo, a member of the maple family (Sapindaceae). These plants are 3-4 years old and are around 4-5 feet tall. Early Fall has become one of my favorite times of the year. The Fall bloomers are beginning to take over the landscape. As I mentioned in a previous article, the three most common plant families providing food for birds and pollinators in north Texas are the Asteraceae (composite, or sunflower family), the Fabaceae (legumes, or bean family), and the Rosaceae (rose, which contains most of our fruit trees, vines, and shrubs). This is the time of year for the sunflower family to shine. There are many fantastic fall bloomers in this huge family of flowering plants! The two composite plants that get the most Fall visitors on Sticker Hill are late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) and marsh fleabane (Pluchea odorata). Out of the two it is difficult to say which gets the most activity. Late boneset seems to get more butterflies, while the marsh fleabane attracts a bigger variety of different pollinator types. They will produce blooms until frost, providing pollinators with important, late-season resources to help get them through winter. A Southern Plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus) foraging on late boneset (Eupoatorium serotinum). An unidentified skipper butterfly sipping nectar from late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) Late boneset was the plant that really caught my attention when I began rewilding this property. The butterflies, and other pollinators, went crazy over this plant. It is usually covered in tiger swallowtails, which have not been common to see this season, so far. I am not sure why, but hopefully they will return next year. There has been a lot of development in our area, which has drastically cut back on our wild places where useful “weeds” are allowed to grow, so I rarely remove boneset, even if it comes up in a place that I wouldn’t normally want it to. It seems to be a plant many pollinators use for late season nectar, plus it is a beautiful plant, even before the blooms come in. Late boneset is native across the eastern half of the United States and will grow in just about any soil and under most conditions. It is a perennial, so it will come back year after year, becoming larger with prolific blooming. It has handled the lack of rain this year like a champ. After blooming it produces seeds for birds to feed on all winter. As a bonus it is deer resistant. Even my goat leaves it alone! If you are having trouble with critters eating your flowering plants this may be an excellent choice to try. According to several sources this plant also attracts beneficial predatory insects that help control other insect pests. It may be propagated by seed and readily self-seeds if left alone. |
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A closeup of Western ironweed, Vernonia baldwinii, growing in full sun and moist soil on the edge of a pond. |
An American bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus) on marsh fleabane (Pluchea odorata) 
When I first discovered marsh fleabane on my property, I thought it was Western Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii,) a similar plant and another excellent plant for a pollinator garden that blooms early April to October. Fleabane did not pass the smell test. As its Latin name suggests, marsh fleabane (P. odorata) releases an interesting fragrance. Some people call the plant sweetscent, although I do not find it very sweet smelling. Think flowery camphor. The scent is still somewhat pleasant, and it seems to draw in the pollinators. Mine is usually covered in bumble bees. It has a different growth habit depending on its location and resources, but it prefers habitats that are moist, hence the marsh in its name. I have found it grows quite well in most locations, although the colors are not as vibrant when grown in harder packed, drier soils and/or partial shade. It will grow in all light conditions: shade to full sun. It is pickier about having wet feet than bright light. Marsh fleabane is native perennial in Texas, although some sources will call it an annual in northern regions. It is a close relative of camphorweed, which explains the hint of camphor in its scent. It begins blooming from early summer through frost, so it is an excellent addition for both its beauty and utility. It is also deer resistant, so it may be a good choice for lower places that tend to stay moist. It also grows quite well over lateral lines! It will freely self-seed.
Gray Hairstreak by Laurie Sheppard Revisiting last month, the tall “Gaura” (Oenothera filiformis, in the evening primrose family) is finally blooming like crazy, and the entire pasture is buzzing with activity. The foraging bees are getting so much pollen they can barely fly away! It is somewhat comical watching them travel from flower to flower, loading their back legs with so much extra weight they wobble in the air. Much of the season this plant is somewhat scraggly looking as it prepares for its turn to shine, but from now until frost, it will be a graceful, early morning “all you can eat buffet” for the local bees and other pollinators. One might think that bumblebees would have a hard time foraging this plant, but several were observed successfully gathering resources from the delicate flowers. Another common name for tall Gaura is beeblossom. In the past I never noticed much activity on the blooms out in the pasture, so I didn’t understand why it would be called beeblossom. Early one morning I stepped outside to hear loud buzzing. It sounded like a swarm or hive was hiding inside the stands of Gaura. It was quite a show with honeybees, native bees, wasps, and all manner of pollinator insects flitting through the flowers. Within a couple of hours after sunrise most of the nectar and pollen has been harvested for the day, and the bees are few and far in between. Afterwards a few reconnaissance flights are made, where foragers search for blossoms that may have been missed during the early morning. I am not much of a morning person, so I had missed the heavy traffic in the wee hours of the morning. This made me realize how important it is to make observations at different times of the day all through the seasons. Making observations at the same exact time of day, every day, may result in missing a lot of activity! If you would like to create a little wild space, put in a pollinator garden, or maybe try a few new plants, I highly recommend adding some members of the sunflower family. There are hundreds to choose from, and you probably have several already present. Asters, goldenrods, and almost all the daisy-like native wildflowers are great choices for attracting more butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. I encourage you to get to know your land. Explore and try to find out where your property fits in with the local ecosystem. |
I spent the first couple of years walking around, taking pictures of new plants, and identifying them on iNaturalist. Once identified, I looked up information about their place in the ecosystem. Are they an annual or a perennial? When and how do they reproduce? What are their growth habits? Do they support local pollinators or desirable wildlife? When you know what is on your property, you can discover new arrivals much easier. This is also a great time to make plans for removal of any invasive species! I try to walk around at least once a week and spend time searching for new plants and taking pictures about once a month. With a phone camera and iNaturalist it does not take long to get to know your flowering plants. It may take a year or two to discover a new arrival, depending on the size of your space. Sometimes it takes a while for a native perennial forb to become established and flower. Chances are you already have some great natives waiting for their chance to shine with a little encouragement. |
Another member of the sunflower family, blue asters are a great, easy to grow Fall plant. |
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