It’s easy to create an idyllic backyard that will attract a host of monarchs, hummingbirds and other pollinators.
That was the message native plants expert Mervin Wallace had for about 20 people who gathered Wednesday at Riechmann Pavilion at Stephens Lake Park, where Wallace talked about various landscaping choices for attracting pollinators and the ecological benefits of native planting.
Wallace is from Brazito, where he owns Missouri Wildflowers Nursery. The business sells native plants and seeds.
Wallace said you only need 100 square feet of planted milkweeds to develop a monarch garden.
“They also need nectar plants in the fall when they migrate to the south,” he added.
There are also shortcuts people can use, he said. Novices, for example, could start with potted milkweeds and still get “a lot of reaction.”
“I’m producing native plants with a purpose,” he said. “They are not just pretty. They have a function.”
As a Missouri native, Wallace has dedicated about 35 years to growing indigenous plants and selling seeds with Missouri genetic origins. Although he said the work of changing large-scale ecosystems is difficult, the average resident can “get a little ecosystem developing in your yard” with native plants.
In his presentation, he drew an analogy between the wildlife habitat in a yard and a pyramid. Native plantings, on which wildlife such as herbivorous insects survive, are at the base of pyramid. They are also instrumental in attracting monarchs, hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Ryan Russell, an experienced horticulturist with the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, said there are a great number of wildlife areas in Columbia that feature native plants.
“They are not traditional landscapes,” he said. “They are set aside just for native plants.”
Russell said native plants are better able to live through the Missouri’s wild weather fluctuations than exotic plants.
“We have cold and wet winters, hot and dry summers here in Columbia,” he said.
He added that some exotic plants offer little benefit to wildlife.
The speech was a part of the Stephens Lake Park Arboretum Series, which aims to introduce landscaping and horticultural skills to the public. Upcoming lectures include “Fruit Tree Basics” and “Landscaping for Small Spaces.”
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