Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata) - a Titan among nectar plants for NE Florida Pollinators in September and October

When scheduling Butterfly Holiday trips to all parts of the world, I always leave open the months of September and October. During this time, the greatest diversity and number of butterflies and many other N.E. Florida pollinators are attracted to  flowering plants in the Genera: Carphephorus, Liatris, Dalea, Vaccinium, Dioda, Elephantopus, Bidens, Lachnanthes, and  others.


Southern Dogface on Liatris pauciflora


When conditions are right, in the dry pinelands and sand hill areas in Julington-Durbin Preserve, Ralph E Simmons and Jennings State Forests, acres of Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata) can be in bloom attracting multitudes of butterflies and other Northeast Florida pollinators.


Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


There are eight native Dalea species growing in Florida. Three are vouchered in Northeast Florida, D. carnea, D. carnea var. albida, and D. pinnata, with D. pinnata being the most common.


Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)

Summer Farewell (D. pinnata) is a gangly 2-4 foot tall herbaceous perennial wildflower, with branching stems that are smooth and slightly woody. The white flowers are 8-9 mm in length, with 5 petals, and 5 stamens. Leaves are alternate; blades are once-divided, with 3-9 needle-like leaflets 5-8 mm long. Inflorescence is somewhat flattened with domed terminal heads having numerous leaf-like bracts.


Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


Summer Farewell, also called Whitetassles and Florida Prairieclover in other parts of the state, is the host plant for the Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia) butterfly.
Migrating butterflies such as the Monarch, Long- tailed Skipper, Cloudless Sulphur and Gulf Fritillary depend on the nectaring power this wildflower provides.


Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


Butterflies love to perch on the flower head continually stabbing their proboscus probing for nectar. Because of the weak stem structure swallowtail and other large butterflies need to constantly flap their wings to balance themselves for the nectaring opportunities this flower produces.


Monarch at Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


The thick clump-like nature of this wildflower also provides cover for pollinators to hide.
Summer farewell requires high levels of sunlight to bloom properly and good drainage; otherwise its taproot will rot.


Female Tiger Swallowtail Dark Phase at Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


The weather conditions this year in N.E. Florida have been highly favorable, providing acres of white flowers swaying in the breeze.


 
Eastern Black Swallowtail at Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


Now is the time to get out and enjoy what Mother Nature has to provide. You can spend hours lurking around, marveling at the number of pollinators this wildflower attracts. Wait for a sunny to partly cloudy day with little to no wind for easier photographic conditions, as this plant can sway back and forth even in a light breeze.

   
 
Gulf Fritillary at Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata)


Make sure to tuck your pants into your socks, spray with insect repellent around the sock and waist areas, along with other parts of the body. Wear a hat, use high ankle and double tie the laces on your boots. Use a high SPF sunscreen. Be aware of uneven terrain, gopher tortoise burrows, ground debris, fire ants, along with plants and vines that have thorns.
Bringing along a pair of binoculars will greatly enhance your in the field experience. Be sure to take a shower and check for  ticks when you get back home.

Text and Photos by Bill Berthet, Ixia Chapter, FNPS


Resources used:
Atlas of Florida Plants
Wildflowers of Florida and the Southeast: David W. Hall and William J. Weber

Native Wildflowers and other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes: Craig N. Huegel 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wednesday's Wildflower:Spanish Needle

Image
Spanish Needle, Bidens Alba Submitted by Donna Bollenbach, Suncoast Chapter Biden's alba , all photos by Donna Bollenbach Nothing attracts more butterflies and bees than a simple white flower called Bidens alba . Also called Romerillo, Beggar’s Tick, Spanish Needle or Monkey’s Lice, this Florida native wildflower is the third most reliable source of nectar for pollinators in our state. There would be many starving bees and butterflies if not for the Bidens family of flowers. More so, Bidens alba and its sister plant, Bidens pilosa , are both edible and have medicinal value. Yet, many gardeners have a love/hate relationship the plant, and some even consider it a pesky weed. Why?
Read more

Australian Pine: One of Florida's Least Wanted

Image
 Austrailian Pine fruits Australian pines seem to be everywhere in the coastal regions in the bottom half of Florida. Their name is deceiving because, while they are native to Australia, they aren't pines or even conifers. They are flowering trees with separate male and female flowers, and what look like needles are really green twiglets with close-set circles of tiny leaves that drop at the first sign of a drought. In the photo to the right, the light-colored lines are where leaves where once attached. Most of the photosynthesis takes place in the twiglets. There are three species of Australian pine ( Casuarina spp ) that have been imported into Florida for various purposes. They were widely planted to soak up the "swamps" in Florida, stabilize canals, and hold beaches. Unfortunately for Florida's ecosystems, the "pines" accomplished all this and more--like seeding prolifically, growing five feet or more per year, producing dense shade, and emitting
Read more

Tropical Milkweed is Harmful to Monarchs & Florida Ecosystems

Image
By Lilly Anderson-Messec The red and yellow blooms of tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica , are ubiquitous in Florida butterfly gardens. This non-native milkweed has exploded in popularity as demand for milkweed grows to support declining monarch butterfly populations. This tropical species is native to Mexico and very easy to propagate, so growers are able to quickly produce plant material to meet the milkweed demand. It’s also very showy, blooming prolifically all season and regrowing quickly after being decimated by hungry caterpillars.  Unfortunately, tropical milkweed has been an increasingly invasive species in Central and South Florida for many years, and has begun spreading in North Florida as well. It’s fast growth and prolific re-seeding have resulted in large monocultures of tropical milkweed in natural areas. This unchecked growth replaces native plants and disrupts the native ecosystems that both wildlife and humans rely on. The invasive quality of this plant is is j
Read more