LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN
Exploring Host Plants
Each spring and summer the air fills with the gentle hum of native bees, and the glimmer of delicate butterflies coasting on the breeze. Our gardens blossom with color and life. As with all life, the process begins long before, with plants and insects coevolving over centuries to create intricate, interdependent relationships. It is only alongside their host plants that many of our precious native butterflies can survive, migrate and participate in the pollination of plants.
What Is A Host Plant?
Host plants serve as both the habitat and primary food source for specific insects. A well-known example being the milkweed plant, on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs. The larvae of the monarchs exclusively feed on milkweed and rely on it for cocooning.
A Whole Systems Approach.
Including host plants in our garden, not only creates a home for butterflies, but builds a system of connection and exchange! Designing a garden that hosts our most precious pollinators is also one that attracts beautiful native birds and insects. Nothing exists in a vacuum. In a garden that nurtures native butterflies, you are sure to find native solitary bees, dragon flies, birds and soil teeming with life. In permaculture, we view the garden as an interconnected holistic system. By including these beautiful plants you are contributing to building biodiversity in your backyard.
Host plants provide an essential ecosystem service of increasing butterfly population, as well as a food source for birds and other wildlife.
Examples & Inspiration For Your Next Garden:
At Viola Gardens it is integral to our design philosophy to create gardens that can be enjoyed by all. Below are some of our favorite host plants to include in our Southern California gardens.
Mallow, Peas & The Painted Lady
The painted lady butterfly, visually similar to the monarch, eats plants exclusively within the pea and mallow families. She is known for her long migratory flights, some species traveling as far as North Africa to Mexico. She is spotted in California in the summertime, en route to her resting place.
Native Grasses & Skippers
Skippers are a fascinating group of butterflies, somewhere between a grasshopper and a moth in appearance, they flit and jump through the garden. All of their lower classifications depend on California bunching grasses to host and feed their larvae. One we love to work within our designs is fescue.
California Lilac
The California Lilac is host to many. Her woody stems and abundant foliage host the pale swallowtail, California tortoiseshell, hedgerow hairstreak and even the ceanothus silk moth. California lilacs intoxicating blue or white blooms are a beautiful and generous addition to the garden.
Buckwheat & The Acmon Blue
Buckwheat is host to many butterflies, her soft inflorescence are perfectly tailored to the butterflies landing patterns and feeding style. The acmon blue, has a particular affinity for this sacred California native.
Your Path To Plant Stewardship
As you soak up these final rays of summer we encourage you to raise your gaze to the skies, reviling in the little worlds of our precious native pollinators! When planning your next garden, consider including some of the beautiful and functional plants above. Visit our Malibu Art and Ecology Center to gather more ecological inspiration and education.
