Reproductive ecology of the aromatic plant Agastache mexicana (Lamiaceae): A valuable species to be used in urban pollinator gardens

Zaira Isabel Carbajal; Sara Gabriela Villegas; Raúl E. Alcalá

doi:10.26786/1920-7603(2026)909

Authors

Zaira Carbajal-Velázquez https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5004-4824
Sara G. Villegas Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6091-0813
Raúl E. Alcalá Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2852-7811

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26786/1920-7603(2026)909

Keywords:

Conservation of pollinators, Contact species, Pollinator gardens, Nectar robbers, Urban gardens

Abstract

The study of floral biology is essential for identifying key species to be used in urban gardens. Agastache mexicana (Lamiaceae) is a perennial species native to Mexico, widely studied for its medicinal properties. To evaluate its ecological potential, we characterized its floral biology and recorded the taxonomic and functional diversity of visitors (pollinators, nectar robbers and contact species) in a recently implemented pollinator garden. Over 276 hours of observation, 860 visits were recorded from 66 morpho species, distributed across 12 taxonomic orders. Of these, 57% of the records corresponded to nectar robbers, 26% to pollinators, and 17% to contact species (i.e., animals using the plants for predation, mating, nesting, etc.). A GLMM showed positive effect of ambient temperature and contrasting effects of co-flowering species depending on their location within or between patches, respectively. Visits by pollinators and nectar robbers may be related to the presence of long-lasting inflorescences composed of large tubular nectar rewarding flowers in A. mexicana. According to our results A. mexicana contributes to the attraction of high taxonomic and functional diversity, including mutualistic and antagonistic interactions, highlighting its value for implementation in the design of urban gardens focused on pollinator conservation.

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