Enhancing biodiversity with "Anchor plants" in organic orchards (BIOFRUITNET Practice Abstract)

Summary

Additional shrubs/woody plants in the orchard promote flowering and provide food (aphids, flowers, and fruits as winter food) for a variety of insects and birds. The more abundant flowering may also a positive impact on tourism and landscape attractiveness.
Practical recommendation
Selection of suitable anchor plant species and planting material:
• Select shrubs with a long flowering period and with at least a low to medium nectar supply.
• The flowering period of the selected species should be outside the fruit blossom period.
• When selecting species
o Avoid host plants of the cherry fruit fly and cherry vinegar fly, runner plants, wood plants suscepti-ble to fire blight, and vectors of the rain spot disease.
o Select species that have fruits as winter food for birds.
• Shrubs that can be recommended in Germany for use as anchor plants include wild privet (Ligustrum vul-gare); guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), European spindle (Euonymus europaeus); and wild roses (Rosa spp.).
Implementation
• Protect the plants against browsing by deer and hares.
• Ensure sufficient watering of the new plantings, especially in the first year.
• Plant during the optimal planting period: from late autumn to spring.
• Place the anchor plants at the beginning and/or the end of each row or every second, if possible.