Sedum, aster attract butterflies, bees

What attracts butterflies to my garden in late summer and early fall? Most popular are the sedum “Autumn Joy,” cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and the butterfly bush (Buddleja). I’m just pleased that all three flower into the cooler weather.

Butterflies, moths, bees and other insects looking for nourishment also appreciate members of the aster or sunflower family (Asteraceae/Compositae). This time of year, the garden glows with its cheerful yellows and a variety of pinks, blues and lavenders, as well as white. No wonder the winged creatures gather.

This family comes in assorted sizes, from the low-growing chamomile (Chamaemelum) and blanketflower (Gaillardia) to the tall and stately Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum) and sunflower (Helianthus). In between are the asters, tickseeds (Coreopsis), pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis), bachelor buttons (Centaurea cyanus), cosmos, purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), fleabanes (Erigeron), globe thistle (Echinops), golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), goldenrod (Solidago), sneezeweed (Helenium), ligularia, black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia), yarrow (Achillea) and more.

All have an unusual flower structure. What we think of as a single flower is really an aggregate of many individual flowers bunched together. Let’s use a sunflower with yellow petals and a brown center as an example. Actually, the brown center is made up of individual small flowers that are fertile and produce a tasty seed. Each of the yellow “petals” surrounding this center is also a complete flower, but a sterile one that dries up and falls off without producing a seed. Just take a look at a ripening sunflower.

Other family members, like the globe thistles and Joe Pye weeds only have the equivalent of the tiny fertile flowers in the brown center of the sunflower. Those of the globe thistle are all scrunched up into a ball. Joe Pye’s flower-heads look much like those of yarrow, only larger. But looking at them side by side, you’ll see that yarrow has outer flowers that look like petals, and Joe Pye weed doesn’t.

Many other flowering plant families also contribute nourishment and beauty to fall gardens. Japanese anemones (Anemone japonica), black snakeroot (Cimicifuga racemosa) and several clematis varieties represent the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) and cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) belong to the harebell family (Campanulaceae).

Turtleheads (Chelone) are part of the figwort family (Scrofulariaceae) as are beardtongues (Penstemon). Roses give their name to the rose family (Rosaceae), Gentians to the Gentian Family (Gentianaceae) and Phlox to the Phlox Family (Polemonaceae). Coral Bells or alum root (Heuchera) belong in the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). Russian sage (Perovskia) and the larger hyssops (Agastache spp.) are part of the mint family (Labiateae) and so are culinary and ornamental oreganos (Origanum spp.). The lovely caryopteris is a verbena Family (Verbenaceae) member.

Even the lily family (Liliaceae) has a number of late bloomers, among them a shorter, pale yellow torch lily ( Kniphofia “Little Maid”), toad lilies (Tricyrtis spp.), garlic chives (Allium tuberosum), and the fall-flowering crocuses (Cholcium spp.).

Obviously, there’s much to enjoy, even late in the season.