We have these in our yard (East Coast USA). They're beautiful, and everything I've read said they're native and beneficial to pollinators. I however have never seen a pollinator on them, and am considering digging them up a bit to let other natives expand. Any thoughts on this? Am I being too anecdotal about how much the pollinators like Jerusalem Artichoke?
by HoochyShawtz
3 Comments
It’s mostly native bees that are attracted to them – leave it for the diversity. Jerusalem Artichoke is also the host plants for a handful of butterflies and over a dozen moths.
It can be very aggressive so a good thinning won’t hurt. An old gardener once told me he cuts up old barrels into rings, buries them in the ground, and plants aggressive natives like Jerusalem artichoke inside to keep them in check.
Have you gone out at night with a flashlight to look for moths? Or maybe have a neighbor who sprays insecticide? Every species of native sunflower that I grow is always loaded with pollinators.
Strange that yours would be untouched. If they set seed this fall, you know something was pollinating them. 😁
Edit: beautiful sunchokes btw, the deer just ate mine to spindles! 😅
how closely have you looked at the inflorescences? in my anecdotal experience, Helianthuses attract the smallest pollinators in my yard. sure, they get the occassional bumblebee, but when i get right up next to the flowers, i see teeny tiny sweat bees, flies (still pollinators!), moths and then crab spiders trying to eat those things. you gotta remember that a sunflower “flower” is actually a cluster of 100+ tiny flowers