[Pollinator] Help! Top Pollinator Friendly Plant Species?

[Peter Bernhardt]

Dear Maital:

You're making a mistake.  You don't want flowers that attract a wide variety
of pollinators you want specific flowers that attract a narrow range of
pollinators.  Different strokes for different folks.  Viewers who grow such
flowers get to see different animals at different times of the day in
different garden settings.  This is what I get out of certain plants in my
own garden St. Louis, Missouri).  You might also want to check out my book,
"The Rose's Kiss; A Natural History of Flowers" (U. of Chicago Press).

1) Aquilegia formosa and/or A. canadensis.  In early-mid spring for queen
bumblebees and ruby throated hummingbirds.

2) Oenothera macrocarpa (giant fluttermills).  June-July.  Sphinx moths at
sunset.  In the morning, megachilid bees visit the wilting petals to cut off
segments to line their nests.

3)  Callirhoe involucrata (wine cup or burgundy cup).  You get the cutest,
fuzziest mid-sized anthophorine bees.

4)  Sedum - Autumn's joy.  Late August - September.  Receives a bewildering
number of bees, flies and small day moths but this cultigen really brings in
painted lady butterflies when planted in full sun.

5) Linaria (pink toadflax).  May June.  Brings in megachilid bees with big
jaws.  This is the small pink-flowered species.  The yellow toadflax is
primarily for bumblebees and honeybees around here.

6) Chinese hyacinth orchid (Bletilla striata).  Shady beds only late
April-May.  This is quite a show if you wait long enough.  It makes no
nectar and tricks pregnant bumblebee queens into visiting them.  As the bee
leaves the flower two lumps of pollen (pollinia) are deposited on the head
or thorax.  There's a little horticultural trick to make this orchid thrive
but I will tell you if you want to use it.

Peter Bernhardt

On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 6:43 PM, Maital Guttman <maital.guttman at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi fellow pollinator lovers,
>
> We need your input!  I'm working with Paul Growald to engage the
> horticultural world with pollinators and pollinator friendly plants.  We
> have been asked by individuals in the nursery industry to recommend a list
> of ten *plant species that are most attractive to a wide range of
> pollinators*.
>
> We would love your suggestions!  Please send your nominations, as well as
> any links to additional, of the *top ten pollinator friendly plants* to
> maital.guttman at gmail.com
>
> Thanks so much and have a BEE-autiful weekend!
>
> Maital
>
> --
> Maital Guttman
> Producer/Director
> maital.guttman at gmail.com
> 919.225.3628
> www.maitalg.blogspot.com
> www.mechinathemovie.com
>
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>
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