Other flowers you like II- POLLINATOR PLANTS
 

I was recently trying to find info on plants that attract pollinators. While there is a lot of info and a wealth of articles, they all suggest the same 7 plants and they are mostly happy in zones 4-8.

I have started to find some fun plants that are bringing the workers around to ensure good fruit sets and veggies.

so here are some of the more fun ones i have found, PLEASE share your favorites too

passiflora- this group of vining flowers included the passion fruit and many others- insane flowers that bring not only butterflies (depending on the type of vine) and hummingbirds- I have one called Byron's beauty(or something like that)


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6c2c1d66_c.jpgMedusa and more by J Solo, on Flickr


Milkweeds- discussed at length in the "do your part" thread


here is a flower from the Giant milkweed- you will rarely see one as the caterpillars are RAVENOUS but still quite lovely



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...207c7e6b_c.jpgMilkweed and some friends by J Solo, on Flickr



Dutchman's pipe- the one i have is gigantea- it is a freak a zoid flower over 12" tall with a spread of 4-9" it rules- smells like super sweet lemonade and roadkill- this one is a host to swallowtail butterflies but only some as it is toxic to others even though it attracts them, bizarre. the giant swallowtails are fine on it...giants helping giants.

oh, here is the pic you want...two unopened flowers

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4fd41a69_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr



and the open flower

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7a927c62_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr


in my hand for reference

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0c5b5d1a_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr


profile

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...60c00b3a_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr


the inside from above

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e141ff42_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr



next group are the false lilies Canna and Calli- i don't know why they are both called lillies but i am pretty sure neither is. Canna lillies are fully edible, interesting fact, the leaves are not palatable (to me) but the flowers are very tasty. Both plants are great attractors of bees and butterflies and unfortunately snails (kill them all)



what else do you have to bring in the helpers?



---------- Post added at 01:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:15 PM ----------

LOL, this is what the Dutchman's pipe starts as...about the size of a quarter


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...abc670f6_c.jpgUntitled by J Solo, on Flickr

If you want a plant that attracts Monarch butterflies like no other, grow water snowball, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides. It's a highly preferred nectar source for adults. It can be rather invasive.

Love that Dutchman's Pipe! Never seen that one before.

For pollinators, the more species native to your area that you can plant the better. In my area of California, the best plants are buckwheats and baccharis. Not sure about FL species, but I found this page from the Florida Native Plant Society you might try. Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS)

Most states have a native plant society that can be a great help.

Probably the pollinators I grow specifically for that purpose are bergamot (lavendar bee balm) and butterfly bush (though I can't grow them well...gets too hot here).

The other ones, like honeysuckle, daylilies, cleome, etc, I would grow anyway.

Butterfly bush grows great here. For late season pollinators try Seven Son Shrub "Temple of Bloom" is the new cultivar. I always plant zinnias, sunflowers and nicotiana. Our garden is always buzzin'.

DC & WW, I think there are a couple different Dutchman's Pipes. The one DC is growing is not hardy our way but, a less showy one is (you guys are taxing my mental Rolodex.)

i doubt that, Dolly! you have forgotten more than I (and possibly WW) will know

I don't have to grow sunflowers. They just happen here in Kansas. :biggrin: And of COURSE you can grow great butterfly bushes... that's because we live in the same zone and one can't grow what the other does. Smack my head and call me Sally!

---------- Post added at 01:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:53 PM ----------

PS I don't grow any type of Dutchman's Pipe, because the fragrance of carrion isn't on my delightful list. But that one DC has... it's gorgeous and I might make an exception next year and treat it as an annual. Send me a couple of seeds DC!!

I’ve never seen a seed pod but I will take some cuttings for ya in spring.

When setting up our garden we have tried to have some plants in flower throughout the year to help out the birds and bees.

Eremophila racemosa has flushes of flowers throughout the year, it attracts New Holland Honeyeaters and Red Wattle birds. The NHH are attracted many of the other plants in the same area, Agapanthus, Callistemons and a Salvia 'Hot Lips'.

We have quite a number of differently named Salvia scattered through the garden, loads of different flower colour and shape and there is always something in bloom. Bees and birds love these. Another bee favourite is the Duranta repens 'Geisha Girl, that bush literally hums with our native Blue banded bees. We have just put another in the front garden.

We get regular visits from a pair of Blue Wrens, they mainly travel up the Western side of the garden visiting the tomato bushes then into the Happy Wanderer climber (Hardenbergia violacea 'Alba') looking for insects. There is also a nest of Blackbirds in this bush at the moment. We get lots of Blackbirds in the garden, fossiking in the bark we have laid as a ground cover.

We also have 3 fruit trees, these were the first things in the garden, an apple, pear and a cherry. We never get any fruit from them as the parrots claim it, but we don't mind at all. We get Musk parrots, Rosellas and Lorikeets as soon as the fruit begins to form checking on the progress of growth.
We have lots of other filler type plants that provide colour and more stopping off points, Geraniums, Marigolds, Dianthus, Columbine and native grasses.

Its still a young garden, just 2 years old so as things grow and a gap appears plenty of room to add more.