4 Super Pollinator Plants
This article is the second in a 3-part newsletter series about pollinator gardening. The series is dedicated to the work of a New Jersey Garden Club member, Jeannie Geremia. For years I have watched her tireless efforts to educate us all about protecting and nourishing pollinators. There are a number of dedicated, inspired pollinator crusaders in this country whose work is deeply appreciated. Jeannie is one of the best.
Whether your garden occupies a fire escape, a backyard or acres on a farm or arboretum, it can be a flourishing, stunning home for the pollinators of this planet – our bees, butterflies and birds. As the creator and sustainer of this garden, though, there are three factors which you should always keep in mind when building a pollinator paradise: timing, consistency and ease of growth. In the last newsletter we addresses the issue of timing. Today’s newsletter is going to address the issue of consistency.
Consistency is nearly as important a factor for a successful pollinator garden as timing. Consistency means that year after year, the pollinators know that when they arrive at your garden, their favorite plants will be there from which they can collect the pollen. Believe it or not, bees, birds and butterflies are creatures of habit. Think of your pollinator garden as the floral equivalent of a “Field of Dreams”. If your garden consistently produces the same pollinator plants, then the pollinators will come. The best of the consistent pollinator plants are all perennials. Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susans, Purple Coneflowers and Shasta Daisies. These plants are bee, butterfly and hummingbird magnets. They should always be the staples of any pollinator garden.
The Shasta Daisy is an American original. Developed by one of America’s greatest seedsmen, Luther Burbank, from an English Daisy, a Portuguese Daisy, an American naturalized daisy and a Japanese Daisy, the Shasta Daisy is much beloved by pollinators. Hummingbirds and other fowl do not appear to be attracted to these flowers but bees and butterflies definitely are. The plant flowers for about 6 weeks during the middle of the summer and then fades. You will need a patch at least 1 foot square for the daisies to be effective. The ideal size is more like 3 feet by 3 feet – 1 square yard.
The Shasta Daisy is remarkably vigorous and spreads rapidly. It can be relied upon to nourish pollinators year after year.
Purple Coneflower is a North American native plant. It is indigenous to the great North American prairies, but has naturalized throughout the continent. Bees and butterflies LOVE this plant, but I have also seen hummingbirds feast on it as well. It flowers for a longer period during the midsummer to late fall than the Shasta Daisy, usually lasting about 8 weeks. You will need a patch of the flowers that is at least 2 feet by 2 feet. A patch 1 square yard in size will be much more effective.
Like the Shasta Daisy, the Purple Coneflower is the very definition of consistency. It is extraordinarily drought resistant, vigorous and spreads quickly.
Like the Purple Coneflower, the Black-Eyed Susan is a North American native plant indigenous to the great North American prairies, but it has naturalized throughout the continent. It is worth noting here that we are referring to Rudbeckia hirta, not the more luxurious hybrids that have been developed in the past 50 years. Bees, birds and butterflies are very attracted to the native, but not so much to the hybrids. To be effective, a patch of Black-Eyed Susans needs to be at least 2 feet by 2 feet. A 1 square yard patch is much better.
The plants bloom randomly throughout the summer, but peak bloom is for about 4-6 weeks in midsummer. Rare re-blooming may occur in the fall. Again, the Black-Eyed Susan defines consistency. It is vigorous, drought resistant and spreads rapidly.
Of all the plants we discuss today in this article, Bee Balm is the ‘It’ plant. Every pollinator garden should try to have all four of these plants, but a successful pollinator garden must have Bee Balm. This plant is beloved by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, goldfinches, beneficial wasps, dragonflies and many, many other pollinators.
Bee Balm is an American native plant, indigenous to the Eastern United States and parts of Canada. It has long been a part of Native American culture for its medicinal benefits. If you are just starting your pollinator garden, you should plant Bee Balm first. This plant alone will attract many pollinators. The exotically shaped, red blossoms will bloom mid-late summer for a period of 4-6 weeks.
The hummingbirds will arrive to feast in early morning and then return in late afternoon. The bees and other insects will congregate on the blossoms all day long. A minimum patch of 1 square foot can be effective, but a square yard of Bee Balm will be optimum. You do not need more than that. Like all of the other plants we have discussed today, Bee Balm is drought resistant, vigorous and spreads easily. It is the quintessential pollinator plant.
As I finish this article, I will note that I did not include butterfly milkweed. It is not included because it is very difficult to grow and takes at least two years to produce blossoms. Despite these facts, it is a superb pollinator plant and a great asset to any pollinator garden.
Remember, because bees, birds and butterflies will remember. If you consistently provide a garden full of pollinator plants, the pollinators will come.