Information on Plants in the Habitat Corridor:
Characteristics and Benefits to Wildlife

Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis Spectabilis)

Purple Lovegrass is a short clump-forming grass with pink heads that are apparent in August to October, creating a visually colorful haze. It reaches heights of 1 to 2 feet and does most of its growing during the warm months of the year.

It is sometimes called Tumblegrass for the way the seedheads disperse in winter during windy conditions, rolling across the ground to faraway areas to help sustain their native populations. Purple Lovegrass thrives in dry, well-drained environments.

It is deer resistant.

• Height: 1-2 feet
• Spread: 1-2 feet
• Blooms: August-October
• Sunlight: full sun to part shade
• Soil Moisture: dry, very dry
• Life Cycle: perennial

Benefits to Wildlife:

• Host Plant: Purple Lovegrass is a host plant for butterflies (including native Zabulon Skippers), moths, and the paradoxical grass moth.
• Food Source: Birds, small animals, and other insects forage on its seeds and foliage.
• Nesting Material: Birds use the dry panicles of purple lovegrass for nesting.

Path Rush (Juncus Tenuis)

Path Rush is a short mounding Juncus species with wiry stems. It thrives in both wet and dry environments. In drier soils, it prefers some shade throughout the day and will typically stay shorter. The wet seeds of this species cling to animal fur and feathers, which helps to disperse it. This is why it often grows naturally along animal (or human) paths!

It contributes to plant diversity in disturbed areas, which supports small animals.

Most of its growth is done during the cool weather in fall and spring, and it blooms in June to September.

It is deer resistant.

• Height: 6-20 inches
• Spread: 6-12 inches
• Blooms: June-September
• Sunlight: full sun to part shade
• Soil Moisture: wet, moist, medium, dry, very dry
• Life Cycle: perennial

Benefits to Wildlife:

• Host Plant: Path Rush is a caterpillar host plant and larval food source.
• Food Source: The seeds are a food source for many species of songbirds and waterfowl. 
• Pollinator/Nectar Support: It attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects.
• Nesting: Path Rush provides cover and nesting sites for wetland birds and other wildlife.

 

Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia Lyrata)

Lyre-leaf Sage is a short plant in the mint family that self-seeds readily to fill in among taller perennials in habitat corridors. Its leaves grow in a rosette at the base of the plant and are semi-evergreen. The light purple flowers emerge early in the year and are around one inch long.

It is deer resistant.

• Height: 1-2 feet
• Spread: 6-12 inches
• Blooms: April-May
• Sunlight: full sun to part shade
• Soil Moisture: moist, medium, dry, very dry
• Life Cycle: perennial

Benefits to Wildlife:

• Host Plant: Lyre-leaf Sage is a host plant for eight species of Lepidoptera larvae.
• Food Source: American goldfinches and other songbirds eat the seeds of Lyre-leaf sage in the summer and early fall. Mourning Doves also eat the seeds.
• Pollinator/Nectar Support: Its nectar and pollen attract butterflies, hummingbirds, leaf-cutting bees, Mason Bees, and other pollinators. The tubular blooms are the perfect shape for hummingbird beaks.

 

Common Blue Violet (Viola Sororia)

The flowers of Common Blue Violets are typically purple but can also be white with purple markings. They bloom early in the year before many native species, and the plants form a mounding structure with rounded leaves. Common Blue Violet spreads easily by seeds and roots to form groups. It can act as a groundcover and an understory with taller natives planted among it.

A hardy plant, this species thrives in many different environments, from damp to dry soil and in sun or shade. The roots of violets can help control erosion and stabilize soil. 

It is deer resistant.

• Height: 6-8 inches
• Spread: 6-8 inches
• Blooms: March-June
• Sunlight: full sun to shade
• Soil Moisture: moist, medium, dry, very dry
• Life Cycle: perennial

Benefits to Wildlife:

• Host Plant: The foliage is eaten by the caterpillars of several species of Fritillary butterflies, including the great spangled fritillary, meadow fritillary, and variegated fritillary.
• Food Source: The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.
• Pollinator/Nectar Support: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies, The mining bee Andrena violae is a specialist pollinator that only visits violets. Violets provide an important early nectar source for pollinators.

 

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria Virginiana)

Wild Strawberry is a low-growing groundcover with five-petaled white flowers that are up to one inch wide. They bloom early in the year and are followed by juicy, red berries eaten by various wildlife, including birds and Eastern Box Turtles.

Its leaves are toothed and grow in groups of threes. They spread by runners to form colonies and can help with erosion and cover areas with bare soil. In habitat corridors, this species should be intermixed with taller species to help provide diversity and layers within the planting.

It naturally occurs in many environments and can grow in open forests, meadows, and on dry, road banks. It can be used as a groundcover and can tolerate foot traffic. The wild strawberry converts carbon dioxide into oxygen—Important for all organisms. In autumn the low growing foliage turns shades of maroon and red.

This species is often confused with Indian Strawberry (Potentilla indica), a non-native weed that has naturalized into disturbed areas and lawns. Indian Strawberry has three leaves, yellow flowers, and small red berries. Because it is non-native, it does not provide the same benefits for the environment.

It is deer resistant.

• Height: 4-7 inches
• Spread: 1-2 feet
• Blooms: April-June
• Sunlight: full sun to part shade
• Soil Moisture: moist, medium, dry, very dry
• Life Cycle: perennial

 

Benefits to Wildlife:

• Host Plant: The wild strawberry is the larval host plant for many species of caterpillars and moths, including the Gray Hairstreak butterfly, Grizzled Skipper, Smith’s Dart, Purple-Lined Sallow, and Crocus Geometer.
• Food Source: Its fruit is a food source for many animals, including birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. The potassium in strawberries is good for birds’ health. 
• Pollinator/Nectar Support: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for butterflies moths, and attract many types of bees, including short-tongued bees.