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FLOW Fall Forb Fundraiser

FLOW is once again partnering with Riverside Native Perennials to offer a late season fundraiser specifically targeted at fall pollinators and migrating insects.  Here in the waning days of summer, plants are already beginning the process of preparing for winter.  Growth is slowing down and seeds produced from summer flowers are being distributed.  Many plants have finished blooming for the year and so do not offer much in the way of pollen or nectar to hungry insects. 

There are however dozens of species of native perennials that are just getting their flowers up and blooming which provides much needed food for pollinators!  A trip along any country road in the fall will show you what we mean.  The powder blue of chickory, the cheery yellows of sunflowers, Wingstem and Black Eyed Susans and the deep purple of ironweed all contribute to make fall perhaps the most colorful season of the year!

Their beauty alone is worth having them take up residence in your yard but we’re asking you to consider planting them to provide food for late season bees, bumblebees and especially migrating Monarch butterflies.  The middle to the end of September is peak migration for Monarchs winging their way through central Ohio.  As they flutter through our area they will need to stop and refuel and that’s where our plants come in.   While we enjoy the lovely blooms Monarchs are filling up on nectar and bees are finding pollen to feed their young that will live through the winter.  It’s a very important time of year for insects and late season blooming plants play a vital role in their survival.  

How to Use Our Site

The Riverside Native Perennial website is equipped with a search feature that will help to narrow your choices.  If you click on the following link: Shop Riverside Native Perennials you will be taken to our search page which will allow you search for plant species based on your particular landscape conditions.  For instance, if you have a full sun area with moist soil you can search for species that thrive in those conditions.  Alternatively, we have plants that would fit that low, shady spot in your yard that never seems to dry out completely.  If you scroll down the left side of the page you can even pick the bloom color.  Ironweed (pictured at the left) can be found by clicking on the purple bloom icon.  Our many sunflower species (pictured above) can be highlighted if you click on the yellow bloom icon.  If you don’t click on any bloom color icon then all of the bloom colors we have will be shown.

We would recommend that you click on the Zone 5  and Midwest search selection and choose September or October for the bloom months when you begin your search so that your plants are timed to the pollinators that need them.  

This fundraiser is different than the very successful milkweed fundraiser we conducted with FLOW earlier this year in that there is no order form.  Instead you will be ordering directly from our website using our online shopping.  Our entire nursery is open and available to you.  Along with our fall perennials there are spring and summer blooming perennials just waiting to get their roots out of our pots and into your soil.  By planting these perennials now you can get them established in the warm weather of fall and ready to pop in the spring!  Change the bloom month in the search feature to find perennials that will keep pollen, nectar and color going from the beginning of spring until late fall. 

When you are checking out on the shopping cart you will see an area for a  Promo Code.  In order to separate FLOW orders from general online orders you must use the promo code “FLOW” so that your order can be attributed to FLOW for the fundraiser.   Your order can be picked up at the Sawmill Wetlands Education Area (2650 Sawmill Place Blvd) on Saturday, September 24 from 12P to 3P.

Which Species Work as Late Season Sources of Pollen and Nectar?

New England Aster

Cup Plant

Downy Sunflower

Heath Aster

Joe Pye Weeds

Silphium perfoliatum, the cup plant or cup-plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, energy crop, silage, biomass
Downy sunflower
white heath aster
Hollow Joe Pye Weed

These species are just a small sampling of the beautiful fall flowers available to help pollinators!