Native v. Non-Native Plant Sites Established

In addition to our core plant sites comparing annual and herbaceous perennial ornamental plants [Xlink to previous postX], we established an additional site in California. This site was created to compare levels of pollinator attractiveness between native and non-native nursery and greenhouse plants.

This month, our researchers established this field plot by placing 10 plant species native to California alongside 8 non-native plant species. This plot is located at a nursery in southern California, and in May of 2018, we will be begin to take data on the number and types of pollinators that visit each plant. Stay tuned!

Table 1. Plants selected for experimental plot to evaluate pollinator attractiveness to California native and non-native plants at a nursery in southern California.

	Family	Common name	Scientific name	Flower color
California native plants	Asteraceae	San Diego Sunflower	Bahiopsis laciniata	Yellow
	Asteraceae	Coast Sunflower	Encelia californica	Yellow
	Anacardiaceae	Lemonade berry	Rhus integrifolia	Pink
	Malvaceae	Apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua	Apricot
	Lamiaceae	White sage	Salvia apiana	White
	Polygonaceae	California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum	Pink
	Rhamnaceae	Concha California Lilac	Ceanothus ‘Concha’	Blue
	Rosaceae	Toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	White
	Scrophulariaceae	Penstemon	Penstemon heterophyllus	Purple
	Verbenaceae	Lilac verbena	Verbena lilacina	Light purple
California non-native plants	Grossulariaceae	Escallonia	Escallonia x exoniensis ‘Fradesii’	Pink
	Lamiaceae	Spanish Lavender	Lavandula stoechas	Purple
	Lamiaceae	Catmint	Nepeta faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’	Purple
	Lamiaceae	Rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis	Purple
	Lamiaceae	Autumn sage	Salvia greggii	Red
	Myrtaceae	Bottle Pop Neon Pink	Callistemon viminalis	Pink
	Oleaceae	Waxleaf privet	Ligustrum japonicum texanum	White
	Rosaceae	Indian Hawthorne	Raphiolepis indica ‘Pink Lady’	Pink

Researcher: Dr. James Bethke

States: CA