Which is better?

 

Which leaf is "better"?

I like to take daily walks through my neighborhood, visiting favorite trees and other plants.  I count these trees among my friends, though some are just acquaintances. I like to think as I walk, and one of the things I think about is why are certain plants selected by landscapers?  I think you know where this is going.

Landscapers and landscaping advice books often recommend that homeowners and business owners select plants that show little or no insect damage, among other things. That way, these plants stay pretty much unharmed by nibbling creatures. This creates a uniform and "tidy" landscape...and one that is often full of non-native plants. From this perspective, the leaf on the left in the photo above is better ans it has no insect damage.

But what does this mean for our ecosystem and the life cycle of native creatures?  For example, trees with leaves that are not eaten are useless to many creatures.  They might as well live in a sand desert. Native insects evolved to feed on native plants, and other native creatures evolved to feed on these native insects.  Did you know that an overwhelming majority of birds need to feed caterpillars to their young so the young can survive?  No caterpillars, no next generation of birds. Generally, seed eating is sufficient for some adult birds, but inadequate for almost all developing birds.

Here's an example:

"Quercus—Oaks support an astounding 543 species of Lepidoptera, including Polyphemus and Imperial moths, Banded Hairstreak, Striped Hairstreak, White M Hairstreak, Juvenal’s Duskywing, and Horace’s Duskywing. There are about 60 native species of Oak in the United States, which are divided into two groups: the white oaks, and the red oaks." from:http://www.ecosystemgardening.com/top-10-best-woody-plants-in-conservation-gardening.html

It's great that native oak trees are such champions at feeding butterfly larvae, and, as stated above, these larvae are essential for birds.  This kind of thinking addresses the concept of "ecosystem services," that is, what does the plant do for the ecosystem as a whole?  Does it feed native creatures, provide food and shelter for wildlife? Does it clean the air and water, produce oxygen, provide shade, and prevent erosion?  These are far more important than having a pretty and undamaged plant and a tidy landscape.  From this perspective, the leaf on the right is far better!

I have just touched on this topic, for more info, and to learn what to plant, check out Doug Tallamy at

https://homegrownnationalpark.net/

Do some good, plant native!