how effective are nativars? with doug tallamy

That means more and more I’m layering native plants into my landscape, but which ones among the ones tagged “native” do the very best job? You’ve probably heard the word “nativar,” as in a cultivar of a native plant, but what does it mean and how effective are these often showier cultivated varieties at supporting wildlife? I asked Doug Tallamy, professor of entomology at University of Delaware and author of “Bringing Nature Home” and “The Living Landscape,” to help me understand more about this important subject.

We talked about what a cultivar change–bigger flowers, maybe, or colorful leaves, or smaller overall stature–actually does to a plant from the point of view of insects. And I learned about a beta version of a new tool for creating powerhouse native-plant lists–the best of the best for supporting healthy food webs–for my specific area, or any area by Zip Code around the nation.

Read along as you listen to the May 28, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Plus: Enter to win a copy of your choice of his books by commenting in the box at the very bottom of this page.

Q. I was thinking of you yesterday as I was mowing. Dare I use the “M” word? I was mowing the increasingly smaller areas I do mow any more, partly thanks to you, and noticing some spots that I’ve unmown since our last conversation now are the nurseries for seedling oaks.