Edible Host Plants

Dany: We have some dual purpose herbs here and Mary’s going to tell us how to use them and what the dual purposes are. So, here’s some beautiful fennel.

Mary: So, the fennel is a really, really cool plan. It’s going to make this bold. It’s going to grow up and make it bold, and you can cut that up and saute it with some butter. And I’ve heard it’s to die for.

Dany: Yum, so a great edible device. And what is the second purpose of this?

Mary: So, the second purpose is those of us who love butterflies, this is a host plant for swallowtail butterflies.

Dany: Okay, so one of our native butterflies. This is a host plant for it?

Mary: Yes.

Dany: So, it’s edible for us and for those little cute little buddies.

Mary: Yes.

Dany: Okay, and now we’ve got dill. We all love our dill pickles.

Mary: Yes, dill is wonderful to use in all sorts of culinary applications. You can use it, you can throw it in your salad just to freshen it up.

Dany: It smells so good.

Mary: Yes, and then obviously for pickling purposes, and if you look here, look at the growth on this.

Dany: That is super cute.

Mary: It’s super cute. I almost thought we brought a caterpillar in here for a second because guess what? This one has caterpillars as well.

Dany: Okay, so there’s another host plant?

Mary: Yes, it is.

Dany: Is that a theme? Are these all host plants?

Mary: They are all host plants.

Dany: Nice, so edible host plants, really cool concept. Get two uses out of your gardening.

Mary: Yes. I like having a dual purpose in my garden. And then, last but not least, we’ve got the parsley, which is the garnish.

Dany: Definitely not least.

Mary: Yes.

Dany: This is probably one of the most usable crops that you can have in in your garden because it’s such an important part of soup stocks, salads. I love it on sandwiches personally, so a lot of good uses for that. But, you’re saying this is also really great for butterflies.

Mary: Wonderful for butterflies. They’ll come, they’ll lay their eggs on it, those caterpillars will go to town on it and you’ll have beautiful things for you to eat and you’re also going to feed your native butterfly population.

Dany: That is awesome. Also, if these end up going to seed, you’ve got really great flowers for bees as well, so something to consider when you’re planting these wonderful edible pollinators. Thanks, Mary. For more great information, go to homeshowgardenpros.com.