Oregon Native: Monarda didyma (Scarlet Bee Balm)

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

Plant Name: Monarda didyma
Common name: Scarlet Bee Balm
Plant Type: Perennial
Plant Height: 2’ – 4’
Spread: 2’ – 3’
Bloom Time: May – October.
Flower Color: Scarlet Red
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade.
Soil Requirements: Rich, Moist, Acidic.
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes: Attracts Hummingbirds, Bees, Butterflies; Nectar Source, Deer Resistant; Good Cut Flower;
Note: Susceptible to Powdery Mildew; in the Mint Family; Deadhead Flowers to Prolong Summer Bloom.
Uses: Perennial Border; Cottage Garden; Native Plant Garden; Bird & Butterfly Garden.
Native to: Eastern North America & Oregon & Washington
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford, Master Gardener & AGC Member

Insectary Gardening

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

From Earth Easy

https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/garden-mini-insectary/Gardening for Beneficial Insects

Tips and Suggestions for Your Insectary Gardening

Intersperse vegetable beds with rows or islands of insectary annuals. This will add decorative elements to your vegetable beds while luring beneficials toward prey.
Allow some of your salad and cabbage crops to bloom. Brassica flowers (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, bok choy) are also attractive to beneficial insects.
Include plants of different heights in your insectary. Ground beetles require the cover provided by low-growing plants such as thyme, rosemary, or mint. Lacewings lay their eggs in shady, protected areas, so providing such places near crop plants is a good idea.
Tiny flowers produced in large quantity are much more valuable than a single, large bloom. Large, nectar-filled blooms actually can drown tiny parasitoid wasps.
Members of the Umbelliferae family are excellent insectary plants. Fennel, angelica, coriander, dill, and wild carrot all produce the tiny flowers required by parasitoid wasps.
Composite flowers (daisy and chamomile) and mints (spearmint, peppermint, or catnip) will attract predatory wasps, hoverflies, and robber flies.
Grow green manure. Clover and vetch, commonly used as cover crops for soil enhancement, are also effective insectary plants.
Herbs (coriander, dill and fennel) will attract hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and tachinid flies to your garden. Coriander (cilantro) is one of the top insectary plants. Caraway, chervil, dill, fennel, and parsley flowers are also valued insectary plants.

“Mini Insectary” Plants	Beneficial Predators Attracted
Achillea filipendulina (Yarrow)	Lacewings, Aphidius, Ladybugs
Alyssum	Hoverflies, Lacewings, Tachnid flies
Amaranthus (Amaranth)	Ground beetles
Anethum graveolens (Dill)	Ichneumon wasp, Ladybugs, Lacewings
Angelica gigas (Korean angelica, giant angelica, purple parsnip)	Lacewings
Convolvulus minor (Dwarf Monring Glory)	Ladybugs, Hoverflies
Coreopsis (Tickseed)	Hoverflies, Lacewings, Parasitic wasps
Cosmos bipinnatus (Garden Cosmos)	Hoverflies, Parasitic wasps, Lacewings
Digitalis (Foxglove)	Dicyphus
Daucus Carota (Queen Anne’s lace)	Lacewings, Ladybugs, Hoverflies
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)	Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
Helianthus annulus (common Sunflower)	Pirate bugs, Beneficial mites,, Aphidius, Parasitic wasps
Iberis umbellata (Candytuft)	Hoverflies
Limonium latifolium (Statice)	Hoverflies, Parasitic wasps
Lupine	Aphidius, Aphidoletes, Hoverflies
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)	Parasitic wasps, tachinid flies
Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)	Parasitic wasps, hoverflies, tachinid flies
Scabiosa (Pincushion flower)	Hoverflies, Parasitic wasps
Shasta Daisy	Pirate bugs, Beneficial mites

Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)	Ladybugs, Lacewings
Verbascum thaspus (Mullin)	Dicyphus

Beneficial Predators	Prey
Aphidius (Parasitic wasps)	Aphids
Aphidoletes (Small midge)	Aphids
Beneficial mites (many species)	Thrips, spidermite, fungus gnats
Damsel Bugs (Nabidae)	Eggs of many pest insects
Dicyphus	Whiteflies, aphids, thrips, spider mites
Ground Beetles	Slugs, small caterpillars and grubs
Hoverflies	Aphids, mealybugs and others
Lacewings	Scale, aphids, mites, softbodied insects
Ladybugs	Aphids, mites
Pirate Bugs	Thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies
Tachinid flies	Caterpillars, beetle and fly larvae
Parasitic Wasps (many species)	Whiteflies, moth, beetle and fly larvae

Oregon Native: Monardella odoratissim (Coyote Mint)

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

Plant Name: Monardella odoratissima
Common name: Coyote Mint, Mountain Pennyroyal
Plant Type: Evergreen Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 1’
Spread: 3’
Bloom Time: June – August
Flower Color: Whitish to Pale Purple to Pink.
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Sandy, Well-Draining.
Water Needs: Drought Tolerant
Attributes: Aromatic; Hosted by Butterflies & Moths.
Note: Short-lived species; Deadhead spent blossoms; Cut back in fall.
Uses: Bee, Butterfly, Hummingbird Gardens; Container.
Native to: Western US & Canada
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 10

Report by: Viki Ashford

Photo by: Orchid Black / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)

Horticulture Report: Threadleaf Coreopsis ‘Zagreb’

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

Plant Name: Coreopsis verticullata ‘Zagreb’
Common name: Threadleaf Coreopsis ‘Zagreb’
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 18 – 24 inches
Spread: 12 – 18 inches
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color: Bright Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Tolerates Dry, Shallow, Rocky Soil;
Water Needs: Dry to Medium

Attributes: Showy Flower; Deer Tolerant; Drought Tolerant; No Serious Disease or Insect Problems; Attracts Butterflies

Note: Deadheading encourages additional bloom & prevents unwanted self-seeding. Plants may be sheared in mid to late summer to promote fall re-bloom & remove sprawling foliage. Can spread aggressively by rhizomes & self-seeding. Crown Rot may occur in poor draining soils.

Uses: Native Plant Gardens; Cottage Gardens; Borders; Containers; Cut Flowers; Naturalizing, Butterfly Gardens,
Native to: Eastern USA
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford

Globe Amaranth

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

In Hawaii, Gomphrena globosa is commonly used in long-lasting leis since it retains its shape and color after drying. In Nepal, these flowers are in garlands used for the last day of Tihar, a five-day-long Hindu festival when sisters adorn brothers with a garland. This day is called Bhai Tika – Worship of Brother.

Plant Name: Gomphrena globosa
Common name: Globe Amaranth
Plant Type: Annual
Plant Height: 1’ – 2’
Spread: .5’ – 1’
Bloom Time: June to Frost
Flower Color: Pink, Purple, White, Yellow, Magenta.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Tolerates most soils.
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes: Showy Flower; Good Dried or Long-Lasting Cut Flower; Attracts Butterflies; Drought Tolerant; Tolerates Clay Soil.
Note: If sowing seeds, germination rate is low; pinch plants to promote bushiness.
Uses: Borders, Rock Gardens, Cutting Gardens, Containers.
Native to: Central America & northern South America
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 – 11

Horticulture Report: Agastache hyssop

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Ashland Garden Club

Plant Name: Agastache hyssop ‘Black Adder’
(A cross between A. foeniculum & A. rugosum
Common name: Black Adder Giant Anise Hyssop
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 2’ – 3’
Spread: 1.5’ – 2’
Bloom Time: June – Frost
Flower Color: Smokey Red Violet Flowers Emerge from Nearly Black Buds.
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes: Tolerates Deer; Fragrant; Attracts Bees, Hummingbirds, & Butterflies.
Note: Deadhead Spent Flowers to Promote Additional Bloom. Leave Leaf & Flower Stems for Protection Over Winter. Crown/Root Rot may occur in poor draining soils.
Uses: Long-Blooming for Summer Border; Butterfly or Cottage Gardens; Good Cut Flower.
Native to: North America
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 – 9

Submitted by: Viki Ashford

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