Drought and rising temps threaten plant health

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Some plants at the 39th Annual Arboretum Plant Sale are not a match for temperatures of 90 degrees. 

Gabriella de Souza is the Arboretum’s Extension Master Gardener Program Coordinator. 

With 1800 shoppers flooding the grounds looking for native plants, she says it’s important for gardeners to keep their cool when the heat is on. 

“One of the most obvious heat stress symptoms of a plant is wilting,” said de Souza.

She says when the heat is on gardeners need to keep their cool and constantly water the plants.  

 “Maybe some of the leaves look a little limp. the soil can become hydrophobic so if you’re watering consistently, you’ll have more success and your plants will be healthier,” said de Souza.

A big seller this year are native plants like the butterfly weed that can stand the heat, sun, and thrive in drier conditions. 

Extension Master Gardener Karen Sorenson says drier soil plants can help moisture-loving plants by creating a more humid, shaded microclimate that slows water evaporation from the soil.  

“A lot of the conditions that they create in their garden work well with some of the plants that are more moisture loving but the plants that love hot are what pollinators really like. most of the time when someone comes in here, that’s the plant that they’re looking for,” said Sorenson.