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Horticultural andEcological Rolesof CommonWildflowers inHomeLandscapes
Rufino OsorioMay 23, 2009FNPS Conference
Unless indicated otherwise, all text andimages are © 2009 by Rufino Osorio
 
Ecological Roles of Cultivated Wildflowers
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GROUNDCOVER AND SOIL ENRICHMENT
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Legumes fix nitrogen by way of symbiotic bacteria
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Deep-rooted grasses and perennials (1) allow waterto penetrate further into the soil and (2) they enrichthe soil when their roots rot in place
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A dense cover of diverse wildflowers and grassesprotects the soil from erosion
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And a dense cover of diverse wildflowers andgrasses serves as a barrier to weeds and non-native plants
 
Ecological Roles of Cultivated Wildflowers
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INSECT PRODUCTION
The principal source of food for baby birds, as wellas numerous other animals, is insects.And the principal source of insects is native plants.Non-native plants, having left their insect herbivoresbehind, rarely can match native plants in theproduction of insect biomass.
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