Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - July 08, 2013
From: coopersburg, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Ducks and geese resistant plants for a pond in PA.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
We have a pond in all shade and we have ducks and geese. We would like to plant something in the space between the walkway and the pond to add color, but they have eaten everything we've tried- ferns, daylillies, hosta, pachysandra, impatience and dianthus. We want to still be able to see the pond while sitting on the patio, so it can't be too high- maybe a foot. Suggestions are greatly appreciated.ANSWER:
First of all, lets look at some plants that might fill the bill from our Native Plant Database . Scroll down to the Combination Search Box and make the following selections: select Pennsylvania under state, herbs under Habit, and Perennial under Duration. Check Shade under Light requirement, and Moist under Soil Moisture. Click on the Submit combination Search button, and you will get a list of 45 native plants meeting these criteria that grow in Pennsylvania. Clicking on the scientific name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page which contains a description of the plant, growth requirements and and characteristics as well as images.
Mr. Smarty Plants is wondering about the size of the pond, and whether these are domesticated waterfowl (ie.pets) or free-loading transients? As you’ve discovered. ducks and geese are herbivores (they eat plants), and may well eat any thing you plant. This article “What do Ducks Eat?” gives us some insight into their dinning habits.
Is removal an option? This article from Penn State University Extension tells about strategies for controlling nuisance water fowl.
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Rubber (latex) in Balloon plant (Asclepias physocarpa)
February 09, 2008 - I need milkweed leaves that contain rubber. The common milkweed species Asclepias syriaca has rubber in it. Do the milkweed of Balloon plant milkweed (Asclepias physocarpa) contain rubber?
view the full question and answer
Growing Texas wildflowers indoors for a March wedding from Austin
October 01, 2013 - I have learned so much from this site! Thank you! I am getting Married this March and I am hoping to use Texas wildflowers for the centerpieces. I hope to grow them in containers indoors and have the ...
view the full question and answer
Perennial Suggestions for Under Ash Trees in Minnesota
June 12, 2013 - With our house we have inherited 2 ash trees in our front yard with a large amount landscaping underneath. I'm replacing the landscaping but there are tree roots at the surface preventing me from bei...
view the full question and answer
Salvia, geum transplant shock symptoms
July 21, 2006 - I need some help. I transplanted 2 xeriscape plants and they are not doing
well. 1 is Pitcher Sage-sorry I don't know botanical name; the other is
White Avens. The've grown a lot but all the leave...
view the full question and answer
Removal of previously-planted perennials
July 23, 2008 - HI I JUST MOVED INTO A NEW HOUSE THIS YEAR THE PREVIOUS OWNERS PLANTED A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL PERENNIALS BUT I WANTED TO PLANT OVER ONE OF THE PERENNIALS THAT I REALLY DO NOT CARE FOR. IS THAT POSSIBLE? I...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |