Give back to nature by planting native this spring!
by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager
Beach plum (prunus maritima) trees act as great source of food for pollinators when in bloom in late April.
This past weekend we held our second annual native plant sale, in partnership with the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies, NJ. Despite some light rain, we had a great turnout at the event. All of the plants that we offered for sale were grown in New Jersey and without the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides. They also provide a great source of food and cover for wildlife, especially pollinators.
If we all reduced the amount of lawn that we maintain and planted native, then in turn, our local environment would benefit. With the native plant sale at LBIF, we stress the need to plant native to help provide habitat for wildlife and reduce runoff to Barnegat Bay. If we all do a little, then our combined efforts will make an impact.
The perennials, shrubs, and trees that we sold were hand selected for their environmental benefits and aesthetic beauty. Without being sure what people wanted, we sold out some some species very quickly, so we are looking into holding a follow up sale at LBIF next month.
If you missed out on the sale and are still interested in purchasing some plants, here is what we have left:
| Perennial wildflowers | Quantity left | |||
| Solidago sempervirens | Seaside goldenrod | 7 | Quart | Quarts = $5 |
| Baptisia tinctoria | Wild yellow indigo | 0 | Quart | #1 = $10 |
| Eupatorium perfoliatum | Common boneset | 3 | Quart | #2 = $15 |
| Solidago canadensis | Canada Goldenrod | 0 | Quart | |
| Helenium autumnale | Common sneezeweed | 10 | Quart | |
| Liatris spicata | Dense blazing star | 0 | Quart | |
| Lobelia siphilitica | Blue lobelia | 0 | Quart | |
| Rudbeckia laciniata | Cutleaf coneflower | 8 | Quart | |
| Symphyotrichum novi-belgii | New York Aster | 3 | Quart | |
| Shrubs | ||||
| Baccharis halimifolia | Groundsel tree | 2 | #1 | |
| Iva frutescens | High tide bush (marsh alder) | 0 | #1 | |
| Prunus maritima | Beach plum | 0 | #2 | |
| Rhus copallinum | Winged sumac | 2 | #2 | |
| Trees | ||||
| Cercis canadensis | Eastern red bud | 0 | #2 | |
| Acer rubrum | Red maple | 0 | #2 | |
| Betula populifolia | Gray birch | 1 | #2 | |
| Pinus virginiana | Virginia pine | 0 | #2 | |
| Quercus phellos | Willow oak | 0 | #2 | |
| Scientific name | Common name | Size container |
All plants are available for pickup in the S. Ocean County/N. Atlantic area. Please email Ben Wurst if you are interested in purchasing any of these plants!
