[Pollinator] Epoch Times-How to Attract Pollinators: 6 Must-Have Plants

[Jennifer Tsang]

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/234012-top-six-american-plants-for-pollinato
rs/

 


How to Attract Pollinators: 6 Must-Have Plants


Epoch Times

Bees, hummingbirds, bats, and beetles are all pollinators-animals that
assist in plant reproduction. 

With recent declines in bee populations, there is a growing awareness of the
contribution pollinators make to the ecosystem, and to the human food
supply. According to a report from the North American Pollinator Protection
Campaign (NAPPC), these helpful creatures fertilize 90 percent of flowering
plants and one third of human food crops.

Habitat loss, disease, and excessive pesticide use are responsible for the
drop in pollinator numbers. Planting pollinator-friendly flora can help
encourage their return. 

Different flower traits attract different garden guests. Butterflies, for
example, are partial to purple flowers, while bees are especially attracted
to bright white, yellow, or blue. Bats prefer musty smelling flowers that
release their scent at night, while pollinating birds show little attraction
to fragrance.

NAPPC recommends that gardeners choose a variety of plants to provide nectar
and pollen throughout the growing season, and suggests leaving some areas of
bare ground for nesting bees. Above all, eliminate pesticide use, which
kills the pollinators as well as the pests.

An easy way to see what bee- and bird-attracting plants might work best for
your garden, consider the Bee Smart Pollinator Gardener app, which suggests
plants based on light and soil requirements, bloom color, and the type of
pollinators you wish to attract.

There are nearly 1,000 pollinator attracting plants native to North America.
Here are six favorites:


1. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)


Common Milkweed has a unique pollination mechanism that requires both
butterflies and bees. Named for its milky sap, Common Milkweed features a
cluster of pale pink flowers that blooms from June to August, and leaves
behind a large seed pod. Considered a weed in some gardens, many insects,
such as Monarch butterflies, depend on this sun-loving plant for survival.


2. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)


Butterfly features brilliant yellow to orange flowers that attract bees,
butterflies, and hummingbirds. Another member of the milkweed family,
Butterfly Weed is drought tolerant.


3. Monarda (Bee Balm)


Monarda has enjoyed a long history among Native American tribes as a
medicine, but it's also a longtime favorite of bees, butterflies, and
hummingbirds as well. With a scent similar to oregano, Monarda flowers range
from red to pink to purple.


4. Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea)


Purple Cone Flower  is perhaps best known for its immune boosting
properties. Native species feature pale pink flower petals, but the
easy-to-grow perennial now comes in a rainbow of hybrids, attracting bees
and butterflies alike.


5. Solidago (Goldenrod)


Solidago has striking yellow flowers that appear in late summer when the
early bloomers have faded. Goldenrod is often falsely accused for causing
seasonal allergies (perhaps because it flowers at about the same time as
ragweed) but some herbalists actually use it as an allergy remedy. Goldenrod
attracts migrating butterflies, bees, and beetles.


6. Lavender


Lavender isn't native to North America, but it's been here since the 1600s
thanks to Pilgrims who brought the treasured plant over from Europe. This
calming, aromatic member of the mint family features stalks of tiny
pale-purple flowers that are a favorite among pollinators in both the New
and Old World alike.




 

 

Jennifer Tsang

Marketing Director

Pollinator Partnership

www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>  

423 Washington St. 5th Fl.

San Francisco, CA 94111

T: 415.362.1137

F: 415.362.3070



 

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