[Pollinator] Pollinator Digest, Vol 2167, Issue 1

Wed Jul 10 06:26:41 PDT 2019

Dear Carrie:

As a botanist, my only reservation is the accidental introduction of an aggressive, colonizing plant into gardens and natural areas.   My Greek oregano is confined to a part of the garden in which little else survives except for thyme and a hardy native onion, Allium stellatum*.   The oregano and thyme have spread over the years but into rocky inhospitable areas.  People don't realize that happy, established thyme has a woody base and is really a low, creepy shrub.

You can't say this about all members of the mint family.  Many true mints (Mentha) have under ground stems (rhizomes) that push through the soil and they end up growing in place you don't want them.  Peppermint happily pushes itself through cracks in concrete.  Once they are where you don't want them they are hard to remove as a piece of rhizome breaks off as you weed and it regenerates into new plants.

Colonists in America brought many members of the mint family with them from Europe as they were prized as medicinal plants. Many "hopped the fence" invading natural habitats displacing or out competing native plants.  Ultimately, this may effect the diversity of insect fauna.  It becomes confusing regarding what to remove as native and invasive species often go by the same common names like hyssop or horehound.

If readers are concerned about the possibility of adding a potentially aggressive plant to their garden there is a simple solution.  Go to the local hardware store and buy the biggest and widest plastic pot you can afford.  Grow the oregano in it and keep it on a sunny deck year round.  Don't worry, the bees and flies will find it.  I saw this done repeatedly in courtyard gardens in Yunnan, China.  One of my hosts grew huge hollyhocks in pots around his home in the Himalayas (must look for those photos).  The flowers were crammed with Apis cerana, Bombus and some chunky species resembling Anthophora or Amegilla.  I must find my photos of the hollyhocks in pots. Remember, members of the mint family are usually so hardy they can be left out in winter as long as you drag them  to a protective wall or under the eaves of a house.

While we're on the subject, seeds of some native onions, like A. stellatum are for sale from native plant growers. My Masters student, Danny Weirhrer, completed his theists pollination of 3 native species including A. stellatum.  This species blooms late summer into early autumn and attracting many smaller halictids and Ceratina.  He also found they were very attractive to flower beetles in the genus Chauliognathus.  Once again, this species likes dry, rocky habitats but it spreads by seed.  My second generation of these bulbs planted themselves in a chink between the rockery slope and the concrete path.  When they are ready to bloom the leaves shrivel up and all you see are the parasol stalks of pink flowers.

Peter

________________________________
From: Pollinator <pollinator-bounces+bernhap2=slu.edu at lists.sonic.net> on behalf of Carrie McLaughlin <carrie.mclaughlin58 at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2019 6:06:48 PM
To: pollinator at lists.sonic.net
Subject: Re: [Pollinator] Pollinator Digest, Vol 2167, Issue 1

Hi Peter!

We do indeed encourage the use of herbs in the urban garden, and in home ground beds in rural areas. Their being allowed to bolt (bloom and go to seed) is a huge incentive for beneficial insects (such as syrphids, which play a dual pollinator/predator role) to remain in the garden, nectaring and seeking cover and breeding and reproducing. "Insectaries" is the nomenclature for this. It's part and parcel of the wildscaping we want folks to segue into, seeking a natural balance between insect pests and predators and pollinators. Borage is another herb that draws enormous numbers of native pollinators and honey bees. As does African basil and alyssum. Also, wide strips of insectary plants (including various herbs) through crop fields have been proven to draw the beneficial insects needed to pollinate the crops and predate the crop pests.

And you are so correct. Greek oregano is exceptional.

Warm regards,
Carrie

PS: May your impending retirement bring you and Retha much delight. Congratulations!

Carrie McLaughlin
TEXAS POLLINATOR POWWOW, coordinator
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Today's Topics:

   1. Bee Informed Partnership ED Job Posting (Laurie Adams)
   2. Oregano for Bees? (Peter Bernhardt)

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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2019 14:47:22 -0700
From: Laurie Adams <lda at pollinator.org<mailto:lda at pollinator.org>>
To: pollinator at nappc.org<mailto:pollinator at nappc.org>
Subject: [Pollinator] Bee Informed Partnership ED Job Posting
Message-ID:
        <CAO-Zco8cYn2gApky-2HqbWr8xYyE+G+o6G_DqBp3Vb+QaYa7tA at mail.gmail.com<mailto:CAO-Zco8cYn2gApky-2HqbWr8xYyE%2BG%2Bo6G_DqBp3Vb%2BQaYa7tA at mail.gmail.com>>
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The Bee Informed Partnership has been instrumental in the management, loss
and field surveillance efforts since 2011 and has teams on the ground
working with many commercial beekeepers nationwide. Karen Rennich, who has
done a wonderful job as the helm, will be stepping down as Executive
Director at the end of this year. To that end, the BIP transition committee
is actively seeking those interested and qualified persons who would like
to apply for the position of Executive Director. Please see  job
description at the BIP website (www.beeinformed.org<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.beeinformed.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=Mzz06BGS1OfEwOIrcq95ZjSChp71BeSvLtaYjLelSBU&e=>). *Applications are due
by July 31, *with interviews to follow in late summer and early fall.
Please share this description with your colleagues and anyone you think may
be interested. Thank you.

Laurie Davies Adams
President and CEO

Pollinator Partnership

475 Sansome Street, 17th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

e:  lda at pollinator.org<mailto:lda at pollinator.org>

w:  www.pollinator.org<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.pollinator.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=kUUd10jQFeEkqGU5JVGxGafC4nqBd2je9jn3dNZ04jY&e=>

p:  415.260 8092

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<http://www.youtube.com/user/PollinatorPartners<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.youtube.com_user_PollinatorPartners&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=utCHt1un_PPeuhqdq4wKOASC8576c4XBIIsZLc2smjk&e=>>

<http://pollinator.org/index.html<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pollinator.org_index.html&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=6D3DdTScHwzobopn22QHx82XrN9bHWVhTE80El-VfEk&e=>>
<http://pollinator.org//million-pollinator-garden-challenge.htm<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pollinator.org__million-2Dpollinator-2Dgarden-2Dchallenge.htm&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=EeSIBSya-GyF0JsRtdl5U3WkiJLGLVdHTDQpKnWiPmU&e=>>

<http://pollinator.org//million-pollinator-garden-challenge.htm<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pollinator.org__million-2Dpollinator-2Dgarden-2Dchallenge.htm&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=EeSIBSya-GyF0JsRtdl5U3WkiJLGLVdHTDQpKnWiPmU&e=>>
*Bee Friendly Farming* is good for farmers and for pollinators.

<http://pollinator.org//million-pollinator-garden-challenge.htm<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pollinator.org__million-2Dpollinator-2Dgarden-2Dchallenge.htm&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=EeSIBSya-GyF0JsRtdl5U3WkiJLGLVdHTDQpKnWiPmU&e=>>
Find out more at www.pollinator.org/BFF<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.pollinator.org_BFF&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=PXskrmmCKuNDuNmM4X7LZb9j6kmB_00eUqulJqxHfsM&e=>  <http://www.pollinator.org/BFF<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.pollinator.org_BFF&d=DwMFaQ&c=Pk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=vELpXRm7sCfTzV7V_rIlRA&m=ehCqtZ0IyP_YQ8l5k95SBqO2WqUWnn6JQgfaFyhngJY&s=PXskrmmCKuNDuNmM4X7LZb9j6kmB_00eUqulJqxHfsM&e=>>
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2019 23:29:56 +0000
From: Peter Bernhardt <peter.bernhardt at slu.edu<mailto:peter.bernhardt at slu.edu>>
To: "beemonitoring at yahoogroups.com<mailto:beemonitoring at yahoogroups.com>" <beemonitoring at yahoogroups.com<mailto:beemonitoring at yahoogroups.com>>,
        Pollinator List-serv <pollinator at lists.sonic.net<mailto:pollinator at lists.sonic.net>>
Subject: [Pollinator] Oregano for Bees?
Message-ID:
        <DM6PR11MB2603B0A92F67975E9165B719E2F60 at DM6PR11MB2603.namprd11.prod.outlook.com<mailto:DM6PR11MB2603B0A92F67975E9165B719E2F60 at DM6PR11MB2603.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>>

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Some of you may remember that, several years ago, someone was asking about the best nectar and pollen sources for bees among garden plants.  I replied to the question but do not recall what I wrote.  There is something I've noticed in my own front garden the past two weeks that may be of interest.

At least 7 years ago I planted greek oregano (Origanum vulgaris subsp. hirtum) in the front rockery.  The annual flowering of this perennial cultivar didn't impress me much as I kept picking young stems for the kitchen, over the years, and this suppressed flowering.  This season, though, I didn't use it much and we've had so much rain that its summer-flowering has been explosive (see photos).  I've been surprised by intense and continuous visitation by bees from 7 AM until the evening.  This includes a wide variety of native species (some unfamiliar) as well as feral honeybees.  In fact, I've seen more honeybees on the plants in the last week than I've seen on anything else in the garden for the past five years.  It also appears popular with drone flies (Eristalis). Of course, we all know that European members of the mint family are well-visited by bees but my common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) didn't receive so much attention over a month ago and the pot of hyssop (Hyssopus off!
 icinalis), now in bloom, seems largely ignored.

It's easy to grow, tolerates very fast drainage, poor soils and comes back after summer droughts. All it seems to want is full sun. While we are all encouraged to grow native I wonder if there is a place for it in pollinator gardens?  If not, the leaves taste good in a lot of Mediterranean dishes and you can always dry it for winter use.

Peter
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End of Pollinator Digest, Vol 2167, Issue 1
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