TODAY IN THE ORCHARD

I’m always looking for herbaceous perennials that will form seedling populations in the orchards. Sunflowers, dill and poppies reseed in the vegetable garden with a vengeance. None of them have yet moved into the orchard. They may be too fond of open soil. Monarda (bee balm) and nettles, however, do not require open soil and have established themselves throughout our orchards without any help from us other than to set in a few plants. Another herbaceous perennial I love is the native Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). I put in a couple of plants a few years ago, and it’s beginning to spread. It’s flowering right now. While not nearly as showy as Monarda and Goldenrod, it is a really cool plant. The blue-green leaves are long and pointed. The flowers are off-white. What it contributes to the balanced orchard ecosystem remains to be seen although the bees seem to love it.