As wonderful as a garden full of pollinator like butterfly and hummingbird may be , wasps are often less welcome . Considering how fast-growing some wasps like yellowjackets can be , this is intelligible … particularly if you happen to be allergic . Figwort plants ( Scrophularia spp . ) have long had a repute for pull these stinging insects — so much so that they used to be called " wasp flower . "
Knowing this , it might be tempting to remove all your figwort bloom in the promise of preserve your 1000 wasp - free . But before you begin pull up plants , it may be deserving learning more about the relationship between wasps and figwort , and considering if a complete removal of these perennials is really the best course of action . you could
While it ’s true that figwort can sometimes draw in wasp , this is mostly because they have a lot of ambrosia , making them beloved by wildlife . In addition to wasps , these plant life also tend to be travel to by bees , hummingbirds , and butterflies . off your figwort might not just leave your yard with fewer wasps , but also with few pollinators , which is n’t ideal for your garden overall .
Growing and caring for figwort in the garden
If you ’ve opt to leave your figworts alone , or maybe even constitute more despite their tendency to draw in pollinators that include wasps and bees , then you ’re in for a treat . figwort are generally low - maintenance works that flourish in anything from full sunshine to part wraith . They could be great floweringplants to sum to a pelting gardenthanks to their preference for moist dirt .
While their hardihood may variegate somewhat depending on the specific coinage , tardy figwort ( Scrophularia marilandica ) is hardy in zone 4 through 8 and early figwort ( Scrophularia lanceolata ) is stalwart in zone 3 through 7 . Because some figworts can often grow as tall as 10 groundwork , you may want to add these herbaceous perennial towards the back of your garden .
With multiple specie native to North America , figwort are a smashing direction toincrease the number of aboriginal plants in your grand . Remember , you may always grow your figwort and other pollinator plant in a section of your yard far off from where your family run to eat and socialize , decreasing the chances of wasps break your picnics .
Repelling wasps without getting rid of your pollinator plants
If you ’re seem for way to have fewer wasps in your yard without resorting to removing all your pollinator plants , there are some things you could do . First , do n’t assume that all wasps you see are necessarily aggressive . Most wasp stings are from paper white Anglo-Saxon Protestant , yellowjackets , and hornets . Many other wasps rarely sting masses , and some wasps like parasitoid wasps do n’t sting at all , but instead help out in the garden by ruin aphid and other garden pests .
If you are unlucky enough to have aggressive wasps in your pace , avoid leave sugary foods and drink out , and ensure your garbage can is tightly closed . Fruit trees are also notorious for attract white Anglo-Saxon Protestant . If there is an fast-growing wasp nest very close to your home , consider using a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant spray or hiring a master to spray the nest — especially if you ’re allergic to wasp . If you decide toget rid of the waspsyourself , be sure to tire protective vesture and spray the nest at dark .
If your heart is set on remove the figwort plants , however , simply dig up them up at the beginning , preferably before the seeds and flower begin to explicate . Glyphosate - based herbicides can be used as well , but check that they ’re applied at the rootage and nowhere near your edible plants .
