Latin for Gardeners
May’s Native Maryland Plant
Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald
(uh-RUN-kus dee-OH-ih-kus)
Common Name: Goat’s-beard, Bride’s-feathers
Aruncus dioicus, a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, makes a great addition to a moist, part-shade garden. Its feathery white plumes rise high above the plant and bloom May through July, typically for 10-14 days; they resemble the non-native astilbe (aka False Goat’s-Beard). Aruncus dioicus can be a slow-growing plant but once established it will grow to the size of a shrub and will occupy a large area before dying back each year.
The plant’s species name, dioicus, refers to there being separate male and female plants. The male plant is considered showier due to its many protruding stamens1 when flowering - plants are generally not identified as one or the other when offered for sale. The alternate, pinnately compound and serrated leaves are also an attractive feature of this plant.
Of course, it’s not only the aesthetics of a plant to be considered when choosing plants for a garden. A plant’s value should also be based on its contribution to biodiversity and the life it supports. These native plants will support many very small insects that are not often seen on other more familiar native plants. Small bees, hoverflies, beetles, spiders and true bugs2 will be found, some seeking nectar and pollen from the small bowl-shaped flowers. Insectivorous birds will benefit from these insects as they support an ecological food chain. Aruncus dioicious is also a host plant for the Dusky Azure Butterfly (Celastrina nigra), which unfortunately is considered extirpated from Maryland.3 This butterfly can be found in rich deciduous forest in the Appalachians and some areas of the Midwest.
Fortunately, the Rose-breasted grosbeak is not a rare bird in Maryland. They migrate from the tropics in late spring, arriving to backyards and deciduous forests of Maryland in late April and early May. Like the Goat’s-beard male plant, the male bird is much showier than their female counterpart. You’ll easily recognize them from the red chevron that extends down their white breast. For most of the year, over half of their diet is made up of insects – they also enjoy seeds and berries. Their large, strong, triangular beaks allow them to eat large grasshoppers, crickets and other insects with tough exoskeletons – a splendid bird to have visiting a garden, wouldn’t you agree?
1Stamens are the male reproductive organs of flowering plants.
2True bugs are a group of insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. They are known for their specialized mouthparts which are used for piercing and sucking.
3A species that was once a viable component of the fauna of Maryland, but for which no naturally occurring populations are known to exist. The spread of invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis) is often listed as a reason for habitat loss of the Dusky Azure.
Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013
Watershed Steward Class 7/Anne Arundel Tree Trooper
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)
aligmilligan@gmail.com